UFC 249 Odds: Donald Cerrone vs. Anthony Pettis Prediction
The last prelim fight on an excellent UFC 249 card from VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday night probably belongs on the main card as Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis face off in a welterweight tussle. The prelims start at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, and there will be no fans in attendance.
Pettis (22-10) is a -160 favourite for this rematch with Cerrone (36-14), who is +125 at Sports Interaction. Kamaru Usman is the welterweight champion with Pettis ranked No. 15 in the division. Cerrone is ranked No. 7 – as a lightweight.
Cowboy Cerrone vs. Showtime Pettis UFC 249 Odds
These two met at lightweight at UFC on Fox 6 in January 2013 and Pettis closed at -170 and Cerrone +120 on the ufc odds board. Pettis won by first-round knockout (kick to the body). Cerrone had been calling out “Showtime” for months. Be careful what you wish for.
The 33-year-old Pettis is a former WEC and UFC lightweight champion. He won the UFC version twice and both with victories over Benson Henderson. Pettis lost it at UFC 185 in a unanimous decision defeat to Rafael dos Anjos, and that really has started a downward trend for Pettis. Including that fight, he has dropped eight of his past 12. He comes off a January second-round submission loss (rear-naked choke) to Diego Ferreira.
The 5-foot-10, 155-pound Pettis averages 2.97 strikes landed per minute with 48 per cent accuracy. Exactly half of his 22 career wins are by KO/TKO and only four by decision. Six of his 10 losses are by decision. Pettis to win Saturday by KO, TKO or disqualification is a +225 favourite followed by Pettis via decision at +250.
Cerrone, 37, had fought four straight bouts at lightweight and went 2-2 in them before moving down to welterweight. In January at that weight, he took a first-round TKO loss (head kick and punches) vs. Conor McGregor in McGregor’s long-awaited return to the Octagon. In his two previous fights, Cerrone had lost by early TKO to Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson – those fighters headline this card Saturday for the interim lightweight belt.
No question that “Cowboy” can win via any route as 17 of his victories are by submission, 10 by KO/TKO and nine by decision. Seven of his losses are by KO/TKO and six by decision. He lands 4.33 strikes per minute with 46 per cent accuracy. UFC odds have Cerrone’s favoured method of victory Saturday is by decision at +325. By submission is the +605 long shot.
UFC 249 Predictions: Cerrone vs. Pettis
The over/under rounds for this scheduled three-rounder is 2.5, with the under a -125 favourite. That it does the distance is priced at +115. Pettis wins by decision.