This Saturday night, UFC enthusiasts eagerly anticipate a pulsating middleweight battle at UFC on ESPN 72, commonly tagged as UFC Vegas 109, taking place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The electrifying bout between Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez is the headline event of the evening. The event starts off with the undercard bouts at 4 p.m. ET which is broadcast on ESPN/ESPN+. This is followed by the central roster from 7 p.m. ET. The duel between Dolidze and Hernandez is anticipated to start around 9:45 p.m. ET.
The two fighters entering the octagon possess impressive records. Roman Dolidze holds a record of 15 wins and 3 losses, momentarily disproving doubters after successive verdict defeats against Marvin Vettori and Nassourdine Imavov. On the contrary, Anthony Hernandez carries a record of 14 victories against 2 losses. Both these fighters have been in rigorous training leading up to this main event.
Dolidze has managed to turn his fortunes around lately. He has claimed three successive wins to regain his status following the back-to-back defeats to Vettori and Imavov. This includes a triumphant rematch against Vettori, where Dolidze emerged victorious through a unanimous decision by the judges in a UFC Apex Fight Night main event.
Despite his recent successful streak, Dolidze’s victories have majorly relied on outlasting his opponents. Only one of his last five bouts ended inside the scheduled rounds – a first-round knockout or technical knockout victory against Kevin Holland at UFC 307. This indicates his strategic mindset and resilience inside the cage.
Meanwhile, Hernandez is surfing on a wave of seven consecutive wins. His latest triumph was a unanimous decision win against Brendan Allen in a late February Fight Night in Seattle. Interestingly, this was a sequel to a title fight at LFA 32 in January 2018, which Hernandez had also won, signifying a winning trend against Allen.
Hernandez has been known for his finishing abilities recently, with four among his last five fights resulting in early stoppages. He has lasted the full schedule in only two out of his ten UFC fights. This knack for closing out fights early adds another level of danger to his skill set.
In terms of physical attributes, Dolidze has a small reach advantage of one inch. However, Hernandez holds a significant edge in terms of successful strikes landed per minute, boasting a 4.50 to 3.58 advantage in striking statistics. Hernandez’s accuracy in his strikes is notable, with approximately 68.56% of them finding their target, compared to an average of 48.80% for Dolidze.
Another domain where Hernandez outclasses Dolidze is his exceptional average of 6.27 takedowns to Dolidze’s 1.11, reflecting his versatile fighting style. Hernandez, known as a submission specialist, has an impressive submission average of 1.95 which adds a dangerous element to his attack.
Should you consider betting, the odds for this combat game show Hernandez as the heavy favorite with a -300 line, implying placing a $300 bet could win you $100. On the contrary, a $100 wager on Dolidze could return $240. However, such a singular bet on Hernandez stipulates an increased risk with a high stake-to-return ratio.
If you’re a supporter of Hernandez and his dominant UFC career so far, it would make sense to focus on the method of victory odds. Betting on Hernandez to win by knockout/technical knockout, disqualification, or submission offers an equal return on investment.
Looking at other potential betting options, the takedown could be a key strategy in Hernandez’s game plan. Given his impressive 8-1 record in submissions, he will likely aim to bring down his opponent as often as possible. In this context, SUBMISSION (+150) might be a clever bet, considering Dolidze’s unfamiliarity with defense on the ground.
For adventurous punters, the predictions HERNANDEZ BY SUBMISSION IN ROUND 2 (+1000) and HERNANDEZ BY SUBMISSION IN ROUND 3 (+1100) are worth considering. Of course, only one of these outcomes can materialize, but if Hernandez does defeat Dolidze through submission in the second or third round, the gamble would generate lucrative returns.
Those predicting an early end to the fight might find the UNDER 3.5 ROUNDS (+100) bet attractive. This bet offers an equal return, and if you have a hunch about a sudden finish, it is a smart wager.
The post Dolidze vs. Hernandez: A Clash of Titans at UFC on ESPN 72 appeared first on Real News Now.
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