One has to credit the UFC for trying to grow the popularity of its sport. It’s a no-brainer to stage an event in New York City or Los Angeles or London, but this Saturday’s Fight Night card is being held in the metropolis of … Rio Rancho, New Mexico. It’s the second time in the state for the UFC but first in the state’s third-largest city that is basically a suburb of Albuquerque.
Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com
The main card at the Santa Ana Star Center begins at 8 p.m. ET and is headlined by a light heavyweight bout between Corey Anderson and Jan Blachowicz in a rematch. Interesting that a light heavyweight bout is the headliner as that was the case last week when pound-for-pound king Jon Jones retained his title with a win over Dominick Reyes.
Anderson (13-4), a 30-year-old American, is ranked No. 5 in the division. “Overtime” has won four in a row since back-to-back losses to Ovince St. Preux and Jimi Manuwa. Anderson was most recently in the Octagon in November 2019 and beat Johnny Walker by first-round TKO (punches). Only five of Anderson’s 13 wins are by KO or TKO, while the other eight are by decision.
Blachowicz (25-8), a 36-year-old from Poland, is ranked No. 6 in the division. He has won six of seven, last in November by split decision over Ronaldo Souza. During that six wins in seven stretch, Blachowicz owns a unanimous decision victory over Manuwa when looking at common opponents with Anderson. Blachowicz’s majority of wins (40 percent) are by decision.
In 2015 at UFC 191 Anderson beat Blachowicz by unanimous decision. That essentially closed as a pick’em, while the odds for Saturday have Anderson priced at -205 and Blachowicz at +165.
At welterweight on Saturday, American Diego Sanchez (30-12) faces Brazilian Michel Pereira (22-10) with neither ranked in the division. Sanchez, 38, will have the fans in his corner as he’s from Albuquerque but comes off a loss in July 2019 to Michael Chiesa. Pereira had a three-fight winning streak snapped last September in a unanimous decision loss to Tristan Connelly. When Pereira loses, it’s usually by decision (80 percent). He’s a -165 favorite on Saturday with Sanchez at +135.
