This Saturday, July 23, UFC London is back with another great event stacked with even better fights. In the co-main event slot, Jack Hermansson (22-7) will go up against the late replacement Chris Curtis (29-8).
UFC Fighters Performance Recap
Jack Hermansson lost to Sean Strickland in his last fight. According to UFC odds, he was a big +225 underdog in that one.
Chris Curtis has a great win streak going in his MMA career, including a 3-0 UFC record.
Hermansson vs. Curtis Betting Analysis
Hermansson Breakdown
The Swedish MMA veteran, Jack Hermansson, has had an up-and-down UFC career up to this point. He really hasn’t had an easy fight inside this organization.
MMA betting trends suggest he hasn’t been a sizeable favorite in a fight since his 2019 fight against Jared Cannonier, who was the latest title challenger and beat Hermansson via 2nd round KO.
The Joker’s Background
“The Joker” is a very tough all-around mixed martial artist. He will use some good kickboxing skills in this one, but I believe his game plan will be to close the distance and take Curtis to the fence and go work there. He knows Curtis is a very dangerous striker from kickboxing range and his best path to victory is to grapple.
He had a long training camp preparing for Darren Till, so this late replacement after an unfortunate Till injury might be a tough test for Hermansson. That is another reason that I think he will look to wrestle and try to submit Curtis.
Curtis Breakdown
Chris Curtis is slowly making a name for himself in the UFC. His career path is very interesting and now with him just starting his UFC career at his age, this fight is the perfect opportunity for him to move up in the middleweight rankings.
If he puts on a great performance at this big event, it will only give him more opportunities in the future.
Although he hasn’t faced the caliber of opponents that Hermansson has, he has a lot of pro-MMA bouts under his belt. 29 victories with 16 KO’s is a pretty impressive number.
Action’s Man Background
He has KO’s in 6 of his wins during his current 8-fight win streak. Hermansson is in danger of getting caught and clipped on the chin in any area of the octagon on Saturday.
This is undoubtedly the biggest fight of Curtis’ career and it will be very interesting to see how he handles the big moment in front of a rowdy London crowd. It will be a sleeper fight of the night contender.
Hermansson vs. Curtis Betting Preview
MMA odds are showing that this fight is a pick ‘em at most sportsbooks. At -115, both fighters have solid value. MMA betting gets difficult to make plays for these kinds of fights because they are truly so evenly matched and anything can happen inside the cage.
Curtis as the Underdog
Even the over/under 2.5 rounds is a pick ‘em, that is what really shows how even this fight is and how oddsmakers are really stuck on who should be the favorite. Chris Curtis started as the slight underdog when this fight was announced.
When you look at the stylistic matchup of this bout, it is a classic matchup of wrestlers and strikers. This will be a great show for the fans on a UFC London event that is always one of the most looked forward to events on the UFC schedule.
Hermansson vs. Curtis Betting Prediction
I believe this fight is going to go in Chris Curtis’ favor. I think the oddsmakers are overlooking his takedown defense and his striking.
He is a better kickboxer than Hermansson, has elite takedown defense, and has some of the most moments in the division. This will be a coming-out party for Curtis in front of an awesome crowd at The O2 Arena.
Who to Bet On?
Look for Hermansson to be hurt multiple times but be tough to go away. If Curtis makes smart decisions for 15 minutes, stays out of Hermansson’s guard, and keeps his distance, he should come out victorious.
UFC Pick: Curtis to win (-115)
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