Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
Another Saturday and another UFC Fight Night card from Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, with it headlined this week by a bantamweight non-title bout between Marlon Moraes and Cory Sandhagen. The main card will start at 8 p.m. ET in the United States (4 a.m. in Abu Dhabi) and is available on ESPN+.
The 32-year-old Moraes, from Brazil, is 23-6-1 and the top-ranked contender in the division (Petr Yan is the champion). He is a former World Series of Fighting bantamweight champion who actually never lost the belt in the Octagon. His last title defense was a victory by technical knockout over Josenaldo, but then Moraes vacated the belt by essentially hitting free agency. The UFC signed him not long after.
“Magic” has two losses in the UFC: His debut in June 2017 to Raphael Assuncao by split decision and then in a bantamweight title fight at UFC 238 to Henry Cejudo via third-round TKO (punches). Moraes bounced back from that with a split decision win over Jose Aldo in December 2019. Moraes has won 43 percent of his fights by KO/TKO, 30 percent by decision and 26 percent by submission. He is a +110 underdog for Saturday.
Sandhagen (12-2) is a 28-year-old American ranked No. 4 in the division. He is 5-1 in the UFC since joining from the Legacy Fighting Alliance. Sandhagen fought Assuncao in August 2019 and won by unanimous decision. That earned the Colorado native a title eliminator shot against Aljamain Sterling this past June, but Sterling won by first-round submission. Sandhagen also spreads his wins out fairly evenly, winning 42 percent by decision, 33 percent by KO/TKO and 25 percent by submission. Sandhagen is -140 for Saturday.
At heavyweight, American Ben Rothwell takes on Poland’s Marcin Tybura with neither ranked in the division. Rothwell (38-12) has followed a three-fight losing streak with back-to-back wins. He was a short underdog last time out against Ovince St. Preux in May but won by split decision. It was only Rothwell’s fourth win via the judges – 74 percent of his victories are by KO/TKO. Rothwell is -160 for this one.
Tybura (19-6) is a former M-1 Global heavyweight champion who has followed a two-bout slide with back-to-back wins. He took out Maxim Grishin by unanimous decision in July. Four of Tybura’s six losses are by KO/TKO. He’s +130 for Saturday.
