UFC Atlantic City gambling preview: Will Erin Blanchfield continue rolling toward a title shot?

The UFC opens on Saturday after back-to-back weekend matches at APEX. UFC Atlantic CityThe women's flyweight bout between , is the headliner. Erin Blanchfield and Manon Fiorot. Given the state of the flyweight division, this looks like a sure shot fight for the title, but who will be out Saturday night next for the title, and how will they benefit? ? Let's begin.

As always, all odds are courtesy of our friends. draftkings sportsbook.

Photo by Suhaimi Abdullah/Zuffa LLC, Getty Images

straight bet

Erin Blanchfield (-192)

I have shared my thoughts about Blanchfield publicly in various mixed martial arts videos and podcasts. She is the best female martial artist alive today. Blanchfield is a nightmare to fight on the ground, and given her athleticism, speed, and durability, it's nearly impossible to beat her for more than 25 minutes. Her weakest area remains hitting, but she has enough drive to throw and is tough enough to win that aspect of the game with her willpower. The worst thing about other flyweights is that she's only 24 years old. She's only scratched the surface of what's going on, and that's bad news for everyone else.

That said, I have a lot of respect for Manon Fioreau. She's big, athletic, and a good striker, if not particularly threatening. I've compared her to athlete Katelyn Chokajian before, and I stand by that. She is also a good defensive wrestler, meaning she could test Blanchfield. However, she lacks a lot of power in her striking, so I expect “Cold Blooded” to walk through the fire and take over as the fight heads into the later rounds.

Vicente Luque (-112)

Luque is only 32 years old, but somehow he looks older. Part of that comes from having been around for so long. But it also comes from the fact that he's taken a lot of damage over his career (there's a reason this guy has four “Fight of the Night” bonuses). However, in his recent match against Rafael dos Anjos, he moved away from his reckless, brawling style and relied on his grappling advantage. He should be able to do the same against Joaquin Buckley, who is a strong fighter but has a tendency to fade.

Buckley has looked good since moving down to welterweight, but Luque has made a big step up and I think the young but old dog still has enough tread on his tires to make it.

Ibo Aslan (-130)

I've been betting on all of my favorite players from recent seasons. Contender series This year, and so far, it's been going well. In total, the “Big Paws On A Puppy” tier makes him 6-0 since joining the UFC, and with Aslan falling into that group, this is an easy bet for me. Some of you may be thinking, “Wait, didn't Aslan lose to Anton Turkalj a few years ago?” It certainly was. However, they were both 23 years old at the time. Aslan has improved by leaps and bounds since then, and I think “Pleasure Man” is going to be a tough night.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC, Getty Images

prop bet

loopy godinez Win by decision (-135)

In one of the best matches on the entire card, Godinez will face Vilna Jandirova in a bout for the 115-pound title. And fortunately, Godinez has a good chance of winning.

Godinez has all the pressure, pace, and volume, and that lines up nicely compared to Jandiroba, who is an elite grappler but not the best wrestler. On her feet, she should simply outclass Jandiroba, and given how strong she is as a defensive wrestler, it's unlikely she'll get consistently taken down. Considering the chances of a finish are very slim (Jandiroba has never been stopped and nine of Godinez's 12 career wins were on the cards), this prop bet is the right play. .

Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images

This week's long shot

chris wideman How to win by submission (+650)

Yes, Weidman is 39 years old. Yes, he has lost seven of his last nine games. Yes, he suffered a fatal injury to his leg that changed him and his career forever. All these are definitely true.

But what if?

Even considering all the above facts, Bruno Silva is not a world winner. He is 1-4 in his last five fights, with seven of his 10 career losses coming by submission. Before becoming famous for knocking out Anderson Silva, Weidman was an NCAA All-American wrestler and an excellent submission grappler. On top of that, Weidman is undefeated against a fighter named Silva and is also undefeated in New Jersey.

All is well for Weidman on Saturday.

summary

Last week's APEX card may not have been great, but at least it was a winning week. Now, let's head out to the actual venue and hope for good luck. No parlays this week as there were just a few bets that I really liked. Let's hope the straight action works.

Until next week, enjoy the fight, good luck, and gamble responsibly!

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