UFC on ESPN+ 14 goes down this Saturday in Uruguay and features some absolute barnburners. With a series of unpredictable and exciting bouts, there are lots of opportunities to make some money with intelligent betting. That being said, here are some UFC on ESPN+ 14 betting tips to help you do just that.
For a full breakdown of the most exciting bouts of the evening, click here.
1. Volkan Oezdemir (-140) vs Ilir Latifi (+120)
Back in 2017, Volkan Oezdemir (15-4) burst onto the UFC scene with three impressive victories over top light-heavyweight contenders. After injecting some excitement into a dying division, Oezdemir’s fortunes have reversed, having lost three bouts in a row including a title shot against Daniel Cormier.
Flash forward to 2019, Oezdemir desperately needs a win and will be hoping that the third time’s the charm for this contest. Ilir Latifi (14-6) may only be 5’8 but the Swede is a devastating striker. Both fighters have a clear path to victory. Latifi could employ the gameplan successfully adopted by both Daniel Cormier and Anthony Smith, namely chop at Oezdemir with vicious leg kicks, shoot for the takedown, and finish Oezdemir from his back. However, with Latifi’s significant reach disadvantage, it will be fairly difficult for him to do this without opening a window for Oezdemir to retaliate with a potential knockout blow.
Against Corey Anderson, Latifi’s poor cardio was exposed. If Oezdemir can weather Latifi’s storm in the early rounds, he should have the superior cardio to break his opponent later in the bout. This being said, Oezdemir could also catch Latifi early in the fight if the pair engage in wild exchanges. Both fighters like to throw looping hooks so there is a high chance that the fight could be over in a flash too. However, due to Oezdemir having more potential ways to win the fight, betting on the slight favourite to win the battle of Europe is a smart pick this weekend.
Tip – Volkan Oezdemir to win
2. Vicente Luque (-225) vs Mike Perry (+185)
Fan favourite Mike Perry (13-4) has yet another shot at the welterweight elite when he takes on Vicente Luque (16-6-1) in the co-main event of the evening.
In his last bout against Alex Oliviera, Mike ‘Platinum’ Perry showed that he has the potential to be more than a ‘stand and bang’ specialist. Perry looked calm and assured, picking his shots instead of swinging for the fences. Perry may be improving, but he still gets hit a LOT and there is always a question of when the damage will catch up to him.
Against Vicente Luque, being easy to hit is a dangerous game. Luque is on a fantastic winning streak, last losing to underrated Brit Leon Edwards. Luque has nine UFC wins via finish and represents a dangerous fight for Perry. On paper, Luque is the far more technical striker. In addition to this, Luque is the superior grappler and would likely outclass the Florida man on the mat. Luque has the skillset to beat Perry fairly comfortably, but due to the insane levels of durability Perry possesses this would most likely be by decision.
However, for tipsters looking for a high odds betting tip – betting on Mike Perry to win via KO is a great pick. Perry is a constant threat on the feet and if Luque becomes sloppy in his striking, Perry could capitalise and cause the upset in Uruguay. It may be a longshot, but it is certainly not out of the question.
Tip 1 – Vicente Luque to win via decision
Tip 2 – Mike Perry to win via KO
3. Alexey Kunchenko (-140) vs Gilbert Burns (+120)
Gilbert Burns (15-3) steps in on twelve days notice to face the undefeated Alexey Kunchenko (20-0).
Alexey Kunchenko is an accomplished striker. The Russian is a former M1 Global welterweight champion and has twelve wins via knockout in his MMA career. Despite his stellar record, the calibre of Kunchenko’s opponents in the octagon is nowhere near the level of UFC veteran Gilbert Burns.
Gilbert Burns is well-versed in Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu. Burns is a second-degree black belt and has eight wins via submission. It is highly likely that if Burns can drag the fight to the ground, he can outclass Kunchenko and hand the kickboxer the first loss of his professional career. Burns has also beaten some accomplished UFC fighters, including Alex Oliveira and Olivier Aubin-Mercier. As an underdog, picking Burns is a no brainer this weekend.
Tip – Gilbert Burns to win
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