UFC Fight Odds – Rafael dos Anjos vs. Leon Edwards
The Rafael dos Anjos (29-11) versus Leon Edwards (17-3) fight is the main event of UFC on ESPN 4, taking place Saturday, July 20, 2019 from the ATT Center in San Antonio.
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The last loss for both fighters was to champion Kamaru Usman. For Edwards, that was back in December of 2015, and he hasn’t lost since, winning his last seven matches. RDA bounced back from two straight defeats and kept his hopes for a welterweight title shot alive with a submission win over Kevin Lee. The card will air on ESPN starting at 9 p.m. ET.
Top online sportsbooks are offering odds for this and every fight on Saturday’s card when you are ready to bet.
UFC Odds at BookMaker.eu
Rafael dos Anjos -105
Leon Edwards -125
Over 4.5 Rounds -175
Under 4.5 Rounds +145
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Leon Edwards Fight Preview
This is a tough match to call with both fighters having similar styles. I guess that’s why they made it the main attraction. Dos Anjos is more experienced taking a 29-11 record into Saturday. Experience doesn’t always equate to being better, though.
After losing two bouts in a row RDA badly needed a win over Lee in his last fight to stay ranked near the top of the welterweight class. He used his knowledge and experience to wear down his younger opponent, eventually getting a triangle choke submission in the fourth round. It was the type of fight dos Anjos needs to have any success against his rising opponent.
The one thing about dos Anjos, and it was evident in his last fight, is his superb conditioning. He’s 34 but he’s always able to go the entire 25 minutes. He applied his fighting knowledge and stamina to get the better of the explosive Lee, who appeared to tire in the later rounds, which is when RDA struck. There are no easy fights in the loaded welterweight class, and RDA gets another fighter with a diverse skill set in Edwards, who is making his debut in the U.S.
Edwards is still a bit of an unknown after doing his damage across the pond. He hasn’t lost a fight since a unanimous decision to Usman at the end of 2015 with impressive victories over Gunnar Nelson and Cowboy Cerrone in the last two of his seven-match win streak. However, the lack of top-level competition on his resume has prevented Edwards from moving up the rankings. He’s currently No. 12 in welterweight class.
If Edwards wants the respect he feels he deserves a win over a highly-ranked opponent will certainly help his status. Taking down No. 4 RDA in his first main attraction fight is what he wanted, and he gets it on Saturday. Just be careful what you wish for.
We talked about RDA’s conditioning and he’s accustomed to bouts that go five rounds having gone the distance in five of his last seven fights. He stopped Lee in the fourth round in May, but completed all five rounds in decision losses to champ Usman and current No. 2 Colby Covington in his two prior fights. This is definitely a step up in competition for Edwards and it’s a fight dos Anjos views as an opportunity to move closer to his goal of a championship bout.
Bet Rafael dos Anjos vs. Leon Edwards at BookMaker
This fight is what Edwards has worked for and he gets his first crack at a main event on American soil. It’s hard to overlook that winning streak Edwards has, albeit against less than stellar competition. Still, Edwards has proven to be a worthy fighter. He has a height and reach advantage over RDA, and he’s a few years younger with less wear and tear on his body. That should account for something. As much as I like Edwards, the experience and counter-punching of dos Anjos is immeasurable. RDA can take a punch and defend, and if this fight goes into the fourth and fifth rounds, that’s unchartered territory for Edwards. This is likely to go the full 25 minutes, where dos Anjos gets the advantage in a decision.
Boxing Odds Pick: Rafael dos Anjos / Decision
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- Phil Simon, Special Contributor Gambling911.com (Article Courtesy of Bookmaker.eu)
