This was a hard event to pick. It seems like almost every fight except the main event has inconsistent or flawed fighters.
VERA v SANDHAGEN: The main event is going to be so good. I feel like the obvious story is that it will be a close decision- decided on either volume by Sandhagen or Vera by damage that outweighs the volume. It just seems too obvious though - like one of those betting traps. Or maybe it will play out exactly that way! Cory seems to be really focused on rounding out his game with wrestling and grappling. Maybe it was losing to Aljo by sub. He has made a shift in the way he fights. He seems to be one of those people who wants to prove things to himself and others by trying out new skills even if it means not necessarily fighting with his strengths to just win the fight. I personally love watching him dominate in his earlier fights with his creative striking and footwork. I'm not sold on his newfound focus on wrestling and grappling. While it's great to round out the skills, it may not be the easiest way for him to just win this fight. TBH even though I am a fan of his, I was really frustrated watching his last couple fights. I didn't think he was fighting with his strengths enough. I didn't like his game plan.
So I've bet Vera by Dec, Vera in round 4, 5 or Dec, both by Split and the moneyline on Vera. But the feeling that this is too trappy makes me worry that if Cory decides to grapple a lot, it could end by sub. I am relying a lot on Cory's durability. If Cory impresses everyone with his new skills or dominates and doesn't allow Vera to land damage then I will be happy for him and it will be my bad for going against one of my favorite strikers.
CO-Main: I made a hasty bet on Santos thinking that their styles are very similar and Santos is younger. That was before I knew she had just given birth. So I cashed out. After watching the weigh-ins I am going with Holm. I think there will be a lot of wrestling and clinching and I feel she is the much physically stronger and motivated fighter despite her age.
REST of CARD: It is hard for me to find fighters that I feel a lot of confidence in in this event. Straight picks are Stevenson, Vergara, Altamirano, and Kape. I just think they show more solid skills in their tape while their opponents have a narrower path. But not very confident actually.
Comments