For the first time in almost two decades, the UFC is heading back into Bridgestone Arena at Nashville, Tennessee. The card will be headlined with a conflict from the welterweight division as Stephen”Wonderboy” Thompson stands toe to toe with Anthony”Showtime” Pettis. Thompson is looking to get back into the win column for the first time since November 2017 and is now a -380 favorite to do so, while Pettis is competing at welterweight for the first time in 11 decades and is a +290 underdog. I have a breakdown and pick for each fight on the main card.
Shark Bites
Stephen Thompson only absorbs 2.51 significant strikes per minute.
Stephen Thompson has never dropped back-to-back conflicts.
Anthony Pettis is 3-6 in his last nine fights.
Stephen Thompson vs Anthony Pettis
Thompson (-380) is about the worst stretch of his career, going 1-2-1 in his last four fights, including a draw and a loss against Tyron Woodley in his two attempts for the welterweight strap plus a unanimous-decision defeat to Darren Until last May. Prior to the recent rough patch, Wonderboy had gone 13-1, including successes over now-middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and current Bellator welterweight champ Rory MacDonald.
The 36-year-old is a kickboxer who places an emphasis on stage fighting rather than going all out for the knockout. That being said, if you pressure himhe has the capability to put one to sleep as seven of his 14 professional wins have come by T/KO, though he has not earned a success in that way since 2016. Thompson struggles long and is very fast, picking his opponents apart when in kicking range.
Pettis (+290) was on a win-one, lose-one streak over his last seven fights and most recently lost to Tony Ferguson in UFC 229 when he broke his hand in the second round. Showtime is competing at the welterweight division for the first time beneath the UFC banner, having just 1 bout at the weight class back in 2008, when he earned a first-round knockout over Gabe Walbridge.
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