Tomás Yelmini
A middleweight fight is, for many mixed martial arts fans, the ideal dish for a pure adrenaline menu. That’s why UFC Fight Night brings its big fights to Las Vegas. In Sin City, the Jared Cannonier vs Sean Strickland middleweight showdown will headline a huge card on Dana White’s signature UFC Apex card.
Although no titles will be at stake in any of the main card bouts, the evening promises to be full of adrenaline. The event features some of the octagon’s most established fighters facing off against prospects who want to make a name for themselves in this discipline.
At JefeBet, we bring you predictions for some of the most prominent UFC Fight Night bouts on December 17, as well as the relevant information on how each fighter is coming along.
Betting Preview for UFC Fight Night Featuring Jared Cannonier vs Sean Strickland and Other Big Caards on December 17, 2022
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Odds provided by Unibet.
Jared Cannonier (+102) vs Sean Strickland (-127)
Middleweight
Sean Strickland comes into the fight after Alex Pereira ended his six-fight winning streak by defeating him at UFC 276. Interestingly, in the same event, Cannonier, headliner, lost to middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
Thus, both fighters return after a setback. Both will step into the octagon with the same idea: to recover from their fall in order to be considered again.
Prediction: Strickland wins by decision.
[Jared Cannonier vs Sean Strickland at UFC Fight Night full betting preview here]
Arman Tsakuryan (-175) vs Damir Smagulov (+140)
Lightweight
Tsakuryan, a.k.a. Ahalkalakets, will be making his eighth UFC appearance, while the bout will mark Smagulov’s sixth promotional appearance. Arman Tsarukyan is currently ranked 9th in the UFC lightweight rankings and has suffered only two losses in the octagon. The most important, when he fought against Islam Makhachev, current champion of the category.
Ismagulov is 12th in the ranking. He has only one loss in his professional record and has been undefeated since 2015, with a current streak of five consecutive victories.
Prediction: Smagulov wins by decision.
[Arman Tsakuryan vs Damir Smagulov at UFC Fight Night full betting preview here]
Amir Albazi (-480) vs Alessandro Costa (+360)
Flyweight
Nicknamed The Prince, Albazi is touted as the UFC’s only Iraqi. He will face a last-minute opponent, as his original opponent was Brandon Royval, but he got injured. Brazilian Alessandro Costa, then, will step into the octagon to try to defeat the Iraqi, a rising star in the flyweight division.
It will be Costa’s debut in the organization, as he is coming off of strong performances in the Contender Series that earned him the UFC contract. Albazi is riding a four-match winning streak and is coming off a win over Francisco Figueiredo at UFC 278.
Prediction: Albazi wins by unanimous decision.
[Amir Albazi vs Alessandro Costa at UFC Fight Night full betting preview here]
Alex Caceres (+140) vs Julian Erosa (-177)
Featherweight
Caceres, a former Ultimate Fighter competitor, recently had a five-fight winning streak snapped after losing by unanimous decision to Sodiq Yusuff at UFC Vegas 50 in March.
His next opponent, Erosa, has fared better in his third UFC appearance. Since rejoining the promotion, Juicy J has compiled a 5-1 record. His most recent unanimous decision victory over Hakeem Dawodu at UFC 279 extended his winning streak to three consecutive victories.
Prediction: Erosa wins by unanimous decision.
[Alex Caceres vs Julian Erosa at UFC Fight Night full betting preview here]
Drew Dober (-165) vs Bobby Green (+132)
Lightweight
Dober will be looking to finish the year as one of the best of his career: after a shaky stint in 2021, he won his next two fights. The Elevation Fight Team fighter is coming off a knockout of Rafael Alves at UFC 277, which earned him performance of the night recognition.
Green will try to overcome his knockout defeat to Islam Makhachev in the main event of UFC Vegas 49, which ended a two-fight winning streak. Shortly thereafter, he was suspended for six months for testing positive in an anti-doping test.
Prediction: Dober wins by submission.
[Drew Dober vs Bobby Green at UFC Fight Night full betting preview here]
Odds courtesy of Unibet. Check out our review here!
