Cejudo vs. Dillashaw: UFC Fight Night 143 Main Card Odds and Predictions
The six-fight main card is expected to begin at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+. Here’s a look at those bouts and their Sports Interaction UFC odds.
UFC Brooklyn: Henry Cejudo vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Records: Cejudo (13-2), Dillashaw (16-3)
Division: Flyweight
UFC Odds: Dillashaw -235, Cejudo +180
Prediction: Dillashaw by KO/TKO
Cejudo, an American Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling in the 2008 Games, is the current flyweight champion and ranked as the No. 11 pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. There’s some talk that the UFC is going to eliminate the flyweight division this year because of a lack of interest in the smallest weight class. Dillashaw is the reigning bantamweight champion and moving down in weight. He’s looking to become the fourth UFC fighter to hold belts in two divisions as the same time, joining Amanda Nunes, Daniel Cormier and Conor McGregor.
The UFC ranks Dillashaw as the No. 5 pound-for-pound fighter. Half of the 32-year-old’s wins are by KO or TKO. He comes off back-to-back victories via that route over Cody Garbrandt. Dillashaw will have a three-inch reach here.
Greg Hardy vs. Allen Crowder
Records: Hardy (3-0), Crowder (9-3)
Division: Heavyweight
UFC Odds: Hardy -490, Crowder +330
Prediction: Hardy by KO/TKO
ESPN obviously wanted to potentially draw in non-MMA fans for its big debut. Thus, former NFL Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy takes up the second spot on this card even though he has just three professional fights to his name and none in the UFC. Hardy was exiled from the NFL due to off-the-field issues relating to domestic violence. He last played in 2015 with the Dallas Cowboys.
Crowder hasn’t fought since December 2017 because he was forced to pull out of a scheduled UFC 225 fight due to injury. Five of Crowder’s nine wins have come via knockout. It’s just his second bout in the UFC. Hardy has a huge size advantage.
Yancy Medeiros v Gregor Gillespie
Records: Medeiros (15-5), Gillespie (12-0)
Division: Lightweight
UFC Odds: Gillespie -520, Medeiros +355
Prediction: Gillespie by submission
Medeiros is unranked in the lightweight division with Gillespie at No. 15. Medeiros, from Hawaii, has made his past four appearances at welterweight and is off a knockout loss to Donald Cerrone at UFC Fight Night 126 in February. In his last five bouts, Medeiros has earned three post-fight bonuses. Gillespie has that unbeaten record but really hasn’t faced anyone of note and has had just five fights in the UFC. He will be at a big reach disadvantage.
Dustin Ortiz vs. Joseph Benavidez
Records: Ortiz (19-7), Benavidez (26-5)
Division: Flyweight
UFC Odds: Benavidez -260, Ortiz +190
Prediction: Benavidez by decision
This is a rematch. Ortiz is ranked No. 8 in the flyweight division. He had a stretch of three losses in four fights but has since won his past three. If he loses, it’s usually by decision as six of his seven defeats are via that route. That’s how Ortiz lost to Benavidez back at UFC Fight Night 57 in November 2014. Benavidez, ranked No. 2 in the division, owns a win over Cejudo, coming in the Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale in December 2016 by split decision. Benavidez has split two bouts since, coming off a TKO win over Alex Perez.
Rachael Ostovich vs. Paige VanZant
Records: Ostovich (4-4), VanZant (7-4)
Division: Women’s flyweight
UFC Odds: VanZant -165, Ostovich +130
Prediction: Ostovich by decision
Impressive that Ostovich is competing Saturday as she was the victim of an alleged brutal domestic assault by her husband, also an MMA fighter, back in mid-November. Ostovich was hospitalized and later treated for an orbital fracture, but she decided she was mentally and physically ready to return to the Octagon. Ostovich has said she wants to use her popularity in MMA to be a voice for those who could be going through similar issues. VanZant, just 24, is a former top prospect but has seen her star fade with three losses in her past four outings.
Karl Roberson vs. Glover Teixeira
Records: Roberson (7-1), Teixeira (27-7)
Division: Light Heavyweight
UFC Odds: Teixeira -135, Roberson +105
Prediction: Teixeira by KO/TKO
The unranked Roberson is a last-minute injury replacement for Ion Cutelaba with barely more than a week to prepare. Roberson comes off a unanimous decision victory over Jack Marshman in early November in just his third UFC fight. Teixeira once was a light-heavyweight title challenger, but at age 39 it’s near the end of the line for the Brazilian. He has lost three of his pat five fights. Teixeira was supposed to fight Jimi Manuwa in September, but an injury knocked Teixeira out of that chance.