Joseph Kata, Last Updated: July 1st, 2024 - NJ Sports Betting - Free $3,250 For Sports Bets In New Jersey
The steady flow of UFC events continues this weekend while so many other major sports are still on pause, as UFC Fight Night Woodley vs. Burns takes place on May 30 at UFC APEX in Las Vegas, NV. The main event is a battle between Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley and Gilbert “Durinho” Burns
With all the postponements and UFC Fight Night reschedulings, many people don’t even know when the next UFC event is. We are pleased to report that UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Burns, also referred to now as UFC on ESPN 9, will go down this Saturday, May 30. The main card will start at 9:00 pm ET.
One of the hardest tasks for Dana White during the pandemic is to secure a safe location for his fighters to battle. The first three cards in May successfully took place in Jacksonville, Florida.
UFC Fight Night on May 30 will change venues to Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC APEX production facility. Considered a home base for the UFC and the home of Dana White’s Contender Series, it will safely host this weekend’s card as well as more cards in the immediate future.
The biggest change besides once again not having fans in the crowd is the size of the octagon. The UFC will use a 25-foot octagon, which is a large size difference compared to the standard 30-foot octagon used at all major events.
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Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley will be making his return to the Octagon since losing his UFC Welterweight Title to Kamaru Usman over a year ago. He was originally scheduled to face Leon Edwards amid the COVID-19 restrictions but that bout was canceled due to Leon Edwards not being able to fight.
Instead, Woodley faces the dangerous #6-ranked contender Gilbert Burns, who is in the midst of a five-fight win streak, including a KO victory over perennial contender Demian Maia.
Check out the current odds at DraftKings and FOXBet Sportsbook below:
Attributes | Tyron Woodley | Gilbert Burns |
---|---|---|
Age | 38 | 33 |
Record | 19-4-1 | 18-3 |
Height | 5’9″ | 5’10” |
Weight | 170 | 170 |
Reach | 74″ | 71″ |
Technique | Wrestling | Striker |
First, we have to talk about the size difference of the Octagon and its effect on this fight. With a much smaller area to work with, the fighters will be closer to each other and should increase the amount of action between the two, as there isn’t much of a chance for stalling or getting on their horse to escape trouble.
So who does that benefit? It’s tough to tell. Woodley’s gas tank is legendary, and he’s already stated that he’s looking to pull Burns into deep water and make him work all five rounds.
While Woodley was inactive since he lost his title in March 2019, Gilbert Burns has had four wins in that span, including a KO of Demian Maia.
Obviously, Woodley is another big step in competition for Burns, but he’s hung in there against some top competition for three-round decisions, including a short-notice win over Gunnar Nelson.
I feel like this fight is going to last a while, even if it doesn’t go to a decision. Woodley has always been feared because of his one-punch KO power, but truth be told, he hasn’t finished anyone with a punch since 2016. So pulling Burns into “deep water” and trying to wear him out in the later rounds to me is the only chance Woodley has to finish this fight.
Not to take anything away from Woodley there, and he may be able to finish him in that way. But I fell like he’s underestimating Gilbert Burns, who is ready to be a true contender to the Welterweight belt.
It’s tough to call a method of victory here because both guys only combine for seven losses in their careers. I think Burns can weather the storm early from Woodley, avoiding big takedowns or getting up quickly when taken down and landing enough shots to keep it close early on.
The late rounds are where I feel like Burns will finally make his mark. Watch for Burns to catch Woodley in the championship rounds, maybe getting a finish in Round 4 or Round 5. Since it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when he’ll finish, Burns winning at a +150 at DraftKings is a solid bet with a decent payoff.
If you’re looking for something with a bigger payout, FoxBet currently has a Bet Boost for Gilbert Burns To Win In Rounds 1-5 at +333. That’s what I would recommend out of the latest Bet Boosts they offer.
Who likes finishes? You may like what Augusto Sakai brings to the table then, with 11 of his 14 wins coming via knockout. That includes a KO of Marcin Tybura within the first minute in September for his fifth-straight win.
He goes up against stocky powerhouse Blagoy Ivanov, who has been a decision machine, win or lose, in his last five fights mostly against top contenders.
Ivanov may have faced better opposition the past couple of years, but it’s hard to deny Sakai’s ascent right now. It’s also hard to deny what I feel is a major advantage for Sakai in this small octagon. Both guys are just about as evenly-matched as it gets, but if Sakai wins, he wins by KO here, giving us an easy way to get a massive payout at FOXBet.
We were originally going to spotlight Daniel Rodriguez’s next fight, but the Contender Series alum currently does not have an opponent scheduled after his latest opponent Kevin Holland had to bow out. Sticking with the Contender Series fighters who would be used to this size of Octagon more, I’m choosing the undefeated “Sweet Dreams” Jamahal Hill against Klidson Abreu.
The entertaining Light Heavyweight finished his Contender Series stint with a severe TKO against Alexander Poppeck and beat Darko Stosic by decision in January. While I enjoy Klidson Abreu’s toughness and fighting style, I feel like Hill’s reach and gas tank along with the smaller Octagon will tilt the scales his way, most likely by decision, but it’s hard to pick a finish considering the circumstances. Hill to win at -143 is a great deal to me right now.
Look out for promotions at all the online sportsbooks in your area for possible UFC Fight Night odds boosts on this and many fights, including promotions when you bet on undercard fights like two of the predictions we’ve made. It’s a great way to win extra cash or bonus money when making these wagers!
The steady flow of UFC events continues this weekend while so many other major sports are still on...
Sports Picks and Predictions
The steady flow of UFC events continues this weekend while so many other major sports are still on...
Sports Picks and Predictions
The steady flow of UFC events continues this weekend while so many other major sports are still on...
Sports Picks and Predictions