UFC 309 Odds, Prediction: Chris Weidman vs. Eryk Anders
Chris Weidman, the former UFC middleweight champion, earned a technical decision win over Bruno Silva last March at UFC Atlantic City to improve to 2-2 in four appearances since returning to the middleweight division four years ago. Eryk Anders outlasted Jamie Pickett to earn a unanimous decision in his last outing at UFC Vegas 87 but has failed to record consecutive wins while going 3-4 with one no contest in eight fights since October 2019.
This UFC middleweight matchup is pegged as a virtual pick’em on the UFC 309 odds, with Anders pegged as a -115 bet and Weidman listed at -105, while the odds of this clash going a full three rounds sit at a short -185.
Chris Weidman UFC 309 Odds
It has been a long road back to respectability for Chris Weidman, who has fallen to defeat in seven of 10 fights during a run that started with his stunning loss to Luke Rockhold that cost him the UFC middleweight strap way back at UFC 194. Indeed, “The All-American” has been regularly outclassed during his decade-long swoon, with six of his seven recent defeats coming by KO or TKO including a crushing ground and pound loss to Dominick Reyes just 103 seconds into their UFC Boston tilt in 2019.
However, Weidman showed flashes of his former championship form while dominating in his recent victory over Bruno Silva, tallying one knockdown and one takedown while out-striking the Brazilian veteran by a wide 75-30 margin. Weidman has established as a legit threat to change levels, recording 31 total takedowns in 14 career UFC fights but has struggled at times to make them count, falling to defeat in two of his past four fights in which he has recorded multiple takedowns.
Eryk Anders UFC 309 Odds
A former LFA middleweight champion, Eryk Anders has failed to duplicate that success since joining the UFC in 2017. The 37-year-old American has compiled a middling 9-8 record in the octagon and is a dismal 2-4 in his past six fights as a middleweight.
Like Weidman, Anders is comfortable fighting on his feet or on the mat and has racked up 10 total takedowns over his past four fights. However, he has shown a tendency to wear down when facing superior strikers, losing each of the past four fights in which he has been out-struck.
UFC 309 Prediction: Chris Weidman vs Eryk Anders
With both of these fighters at their best on the mat, there is little reason to expect a lot of fisticuffs on Saturday night. Indeed, this contest could quickly evolve into a battle of endurance as both Weidman and Anders look to establish control. That sets the stage for a long, drawn-out clash that will eventually be decided by the judges, making a value bet on the +5000 odds of this fight ending in a draw worthy of consideration.
Prediction: Weidman by decision/technical decision (+175)
