by Dan Mendoza
The second UFC Fight Night of the year sees a middleweight main event, which sees Jack Hermansson taking on Sean Strickland. In the co-main event, we have another excellent middleweight match-up with Punahele Soriano squaring off against Nick Maximov.
UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Strickland
- Date: Saturday, February 5
- Main card: 4:00 p.m. PT/7:00 p.m. ET/12:00 a.m. BST
- Main event (approx): 7:00 p.m. PT/10:00 p.m. ET/3:00 a.m. BST
Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland Betting Odds
This week’s main event sees the Norweigan Jack Hermansson taking on the brash American Sean Stickland. This fight is will be a striker vs. grappler matchup. The winner of which will be heading towards title contention.
Jack Hermansson Fight Odds
Jack Hermansson is back after a long layoff and is the underdog for this fight. He’s currently on a one-fight win streak and hopes to climb up his way back up the middleweight ladder, towards a title shot. He has a stellar record of 22 wins and 6 defeats, but he had 2 losses against top title challengers Marvin Vettori and Jared Cannonier. Although he’s known as an aggressive grappler during his UFC career but is well-rounded in his approach. He has won most of his fights by KO/TKO. To deal with Strickland, Hermansson should rely on his grappling and wresting to keep him on the ground and try to finish by submission.
Sean Strickland Fight Odds
Sean Strickland is coming into this bout as a strong favorite and has been the more active fighter. Strickland was originally fighting at welterweight but moved up to middleweight, as a motorcycle accident sidelined him for two years. Since then, he’s rattled off five wins, with his latest one coming against Uriah Hall. The American is known for his brash style both inside and outside the cage. He walks down his opponents and wears them down with a barrage of punches and kicks. Oddsmakers expect the same approach against Hermansson, with the win coming by way of decision.
Punahele Soriano vs. Nick Maximov Betting Odds
The co-main sees two Contender series Alumni squaring off. Punahele Soriano is taking on Nick Maximov. This is a big opportunity for both fighters to build up their reputation.
Punahele Soriano Fight Odds
Punahele Soriano is the favorite for this bout due to having more fights and experience in the UFC. Soriano is one of the first fighters to be signed through the Contender series. He came in with a perfect record of eight wins and no losses. Soriano has had decent success so far with two KO/TKO wins but recently lost to Brendan Allen. He’s now looking to build up a new winning streak. The Hawaiian is known for his striking and is always looking for the finish. He should try to stick to this method, as he can pick apart Maximov and look for a TKO/KO finish.
Nick Maximov Fight Odds
Nick Maximov is putting his 7-0 record on the line against Soriano. Maximov had taken part in season 4 of The Contender series but fought at heavyweight. He didn’t manage to get signed and dropped down to middleweight to increase his odds. He eventually got his chance at UFC 266 and endured a grueling fight. As Maximov trains at Nick Diaz Gym, he’ll have strong boxing and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu fundamentals. For this bout, Maximov would be wise to take this fight to the ground early to disrupt the striking on Soriano, then go for a decision.
Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Carlston Harris Betting Odds
Following that, we have two surging welterweights collide, with Shavkat Rakhmonov against Carlston Harris. Both fighters are on impressive runs of their career and could take the honors of the Fight Of The Night.
Shavkat Rakhmonov Fight Odds
Online UFC betting sites have Shavkat Rakhmonov as the favorite for this bout, as he is considered one of the top prospects in the UFC. He’s boasted an excellent record of fourteen wins and no losses, with the latest two wins coming against Brazilian veterans Alex Oliveira and Michel Prazeres. Rakhmonov is a finisher and has never been to a decision. His best bet is to take Harris down to the ground and look for a submission finish.
Carlston Harris Fight Odds
Carlston Harris has had an excellent start to his first year in the UFC. Harris is originally from Guyana but moved to Brazil to pursue a fighting career. Since joining the UFC, he’s managed to get started with two finishes, one by TKO and one by submission. He is very well-rounded and a veteran of the sport. The South American’s best chance against Rakhmonov is to keep Rakhmonov at the end of his punches and kicks for a decision win.
Tresean Gore vs. Bryan Battle Betting Odds
Tresean Gore taking on Bryan Battle is yet another middleweight bout. Both of these fighters were on the latest season of the Ultimate Fighter and were supposed to fight in the finale. Now they finally get their chance.
Tresean Gore Fight Odds
Tresean Gore is coming into this fight the favorite, yet he has less experience compared to his opponent. Gore and Battle were meant to fight in the finale, where one would be crowned the Ultimate Fighter, but Gore had to pull out due to a knee injury. Battle went on to win the tournament, while Gore was automatically signed to the UFC. He has only had five fights in total, two amateur bouts and three professional, but did showcase his striking power and ability during TUF. Expect Gore to secure the victory with a early finish via TKO/KO.
Bryan Battle Fight Odds
Although he was the last pick housemate in The Ultimate Fighter, he then beat every opponent on the way to winning the tournament. Battle already got off to a good start in his UFC career. He has double the experience that Gore has, with seven professional bouts and eight amateur fights. Battle is well round and isn’t afraid to go where every fight takes place. For this match-up, it may be wise for him to engage a heavy wrestling and grappling approach, wear Gore down and go for a submission.
Julian Erosa vs. Steven Peterson Betting Odds
The last bout on the main card pits veteran featherweight Julian Erosa against Steven Peterson. Both fighters are entertaining to watch and their fights usually end in brutal fashion.
Julian Erosa Fight Odds
Julian Erosa is on the best run of his UFC career. He’s currently on his third stint with the company and seems to have finally found his footing. He’s won three out of four fights, with two by submission and one by way of KO. Erosa likes to be the aggressor and will constantly look for a finish. For this bout, he should take Peterson down early and go for a submission.
Steven Peterson Fight Odds
Steven Peterson is the underdog for this fight but is currently riding a two-fight win streak. Dana White handed him a rough start to his UFC career and went against more experienced fighters such as Luis Pena and Alex Caceres. Now he’s managed to string together wins and looks to add Erosa to that list. Peterson is a well-rounded fighter, with eight of his wins coming by submission. He could try to take Erosa down for a submission finish but it might be better for him to pressure Erosa and hold out for a decision.
Dan Mendoza is a Vegas native who learned martial arts from the age of 10 - starting with Judo & Karate - moving to amateur boxing and later becoming a MMA coach and trainer. Dan covers UFC, Bellator, Boxing and other contact sports at Vegas-Odds.com
