On August 6, UFC Fight Night is back and will be headlined by a big heavyweight bout between Thiago Santos (22-10) and Jamahal Hill (10-1). This top 10 matchup will be a deciding fight on who will move into championship-level contention.
UFC Score Record
Thiago Santos is coming off a decision loss against Magomed Ankalaev back in March of this year. Jamahal Hill is coming off two straight first-round KO victories over Jimmy Crute and Johnny Walker, both talented UFC prospects.
Santos vs. Hill Betting Analysis
Thiago Santos Analysis
Santos is getting yet another main event fight on the UFC schedule. This will be the biggest fight he could have gotten at this point in his career, and in my opinion, he has a lot more pressure on himself than Hill.
With very slow-paced, lackluster performances in his last few bouts, this is a very important fight for the 38-year-old.
I am curious if there has been pressure on the UFC from the fans or if they see it themselves that Thiago Santos has not really performed well in these main event slots as of late.
I think this fight against Hill is a very dangerous test for him, and he will need to be ready to fight in this one.
Santos Performance Recap
His game plan will most likely be the same we have seen from him recently. Leg kicks, keep his distance, and wait for Hill to blitz so he can counter.
Hill is a southpaw, so I would like to see some heavy body kicks with that opening present right under Hill’s left elbow.
I would also like to see Santos implement his elite BJJ skills and try to finish the fight on the ground in this one, or at least something to prove he is hungry to finish an opponent.
Jamahal Hill Analysis
Jamahal Hill is probably one of the most exciting up-and-coming fighters in the UFC right now. He seems to be a first-round finish machine and always brings that awesome energy inside the building.
This is a big opportunity for him to make that jump to the top of the light heavyweight division. If he wins in spectacular fashion, I don’t see why he wouldn’t deserve a big top 5 title contention fight next.
I think he learned his lesson by allowing himself in an opponent’s guard with high-level BJJ at risk. Paul Craig has given him his only blemish on his record with that gruesome arm injury.
Hills’ Trying to Prove a Point
Look for Hill to try and prove a point and take the fight to Santos. I also like the body kick for Hill in this one too. I think that Santos’ exposed midsection will bring many opportunities to hurt his body.
Hill has amazing power in his hands and is a dangerous person to get into boxing range with. It will be a tough puzzle to solve to get into range against Santos, but Hill is someone that seems to have a knack for touching people in the chin.
Fight Night General Info
- Paper View Begins at 10 p.m. ET
- The Main Event Begins approximately at Midnight
Santos vs. Hill Betting Preview
According to MMA odds, Hill is a -260 favorite in this main event on August 6. I like these lines because Hill is very dangerous, and Santos is really looking like a shell of his former self in the last few times he has entered the octagon.
UFC Odds
UFC odds are always changing because there are a lot of factors in the MMA game. Santos has been a sizable underdog in his last two fights now, and his back is really against the wall in his UFC career. This is a massive fight for him to show the UFC something they haven’t seen in a long time.
The line for this bout hasn’t changed much since the opening; Hill is the more dangerous fighter in this matchup and will look for yet another finish to add to his UFC career.
Santos vs. Hill Betting Prediction
My UFC picks are usually based on how styles match up against each other. This is not a particularly easy matchup for Jamahal Hill.
Santos vs. Hill betting predictions tells us Santos is going to be overly patient and not take the fight to Hill. This will force Hill to take chances to be able to land shots on Santos with his punching power.
Who to Bet On?
I predict the first round and a half will be slow-paced, Hill trying to find his range and Santos throwing out little inside leg kicks and keeping his distance to try to win the first few rounds.
As long as Hill doesn’t get frustrated, I think he will come out victorious, maybe even a finish in the third round once he starts finding ways to reach Santos’ chin.
UFC Pick: Hill to win (-260)
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