It’s fight night in Las Vegas on January 14th as UFC presents its Vegas 67 card. The event features 12 fights, with many interesting matchups. The big draw is the main event between Kelvin Gastelum and Nassourden Imavov. We’ll be previewing that fight as well as the important undercard fights. Look through the best betting sites at https://www.usalegalbetting.com/mma/ufc/ to find betting lines that are attractive to you.
Gastelum (+170) vs Imavov (-200)
Gastelum opens as the underdog here, and with good reason. Despite boatloads of talent, Gastelum has lost 5 of his last 6 fights. He has all that is necessary to be a champion, but his preparation and work ethic are seemingly not always there. However, he is still ranked within the top 15, so he is a fighter to be reckoned with. Imavov doesn’t have as much experience, and he’s probably not as talented, however he comes prepared and with a plan to every fight. He works hard, and in this fight he’s hoping that hard work and technique will beat out talent and athleticism.
Imavov
Let’s start with the 27 year-old Imavov. At 12-3, he’s just coming into his own as a fighter, and he’s probably at the top of his game. He beat Joaquin Buckley back in September in an easy match, which is why he’s able to fight again after a short layoff. At 6’3”, he has a long 75” reach and a wiry, muscled frame. He excels at grappling, but is able to strike when needed. He is a strong wrestler, and has improved on his elbows and kicks in recent fights.
Gastelum
Gastelum is the ultimate wildcard. He’s exceptionally talented, but doesn’t seem to put in the work or preparation to get the job done. He mainly relies on his instincts, athleticism, and his remarkably strong chin to win his fights. However, that can only get you so far. He’s lost 5 of 6, but those losses came to high-quality opponents, so he is still ranked in the top 15 in his weight class, making him a dangerous opponent. He’s a little shorter than Imavov at 5 ‘9”, so he will want to get inside and take the reach advantage out of the equation. If he can stay away from Ivamov’s strikes and not get caught in his grasp, he has a chance.
Prediction
Talent-wise, there’s no question that Gastelum is the better fighter. In fact, he might be the best in the division. If he comes to the fight in shape and with a plan, then he should win this fight. However, he’s never shown the willingness to do that on a regular basis. Imavov is an up-and-coming fighter at the height of his powers, and he always comes prepared. The prediction here is Imavov (-200).
Dan Ige (-115) Vs Damon Jackson (-105)
These two featherweights will also battle it out on the 14th. Dan Ige has been looking for a win since he has lost his past 3 fights, and 4, of his last 5. This is unfortunate for him because he looked like a championship contender just 2 years ago. He’s looking to get back on track and a championship path again.
However, it won’t come easy. Damon Jackson has been on a roll in the latter half of his career. He has won 5 of his last 6 bouts with his only loss coming against the potential future of the division IliaTopuria. He is known for his grappling, which is perhaps the best in the division.
Prediction
Dan Ige is a great fighter, and hungry for a win. He has an advantage when it comes to athleticism and in striking. Jackson has been fighting well, but our prediction is Ige (-115).
Punahele Soriano (-163) Vs Roman Kopylov (+150)
This is a battle of bruisers. Grappling will take a back seat to these two strikers who like to pound their opponents into submission. So far it’s worked, since in their 18 combined wins 14 of them have come by knockout.
Punahele was an All-American college wrestler, but doesn’t seem to thrive on teh ground. He gets taken down a lot and suffers punishment when grappling. He does have a lot of power, and he will keep coming at his opponents with strikes until he connects.
Kopylov has a kickboxing background, and takes full advantage of it. He is more methodical than Soriano, as he excels in picking his spots and unleashing combinations. However, he has very little skill at preventing being taken down and grappling. Despite his own shortcomings on the ground, if Soriano is able to take him down, it could be a short night.
Prediction
It will be a battle of strikers, but if Soriano can take advantage of his technical skill on the ground, then he should be able to win. We’re taking Soriano (-163).
Raquel Pennington (-103) Vs Keitlen Vieira (-105)
Raquel Pennintong has been fighting in the bantamweight division for around a decade, and has been in and out of the championship picture along the way. She might be having the best fights of her career at the moment. She’s not one to score knockouts, but she is a good technical fighter who has a history of impressing the judges with takedowns and strikes. She will hold her opponent against the cage, but she isn’t likely to do much damage there. As such, all of her victories but one have been via the judges’ card.
Ketlen Vieira is a big and strong fighter who is fundamentally sound. She throws powerful strikes and punishes her opponents on the ground. Her last two wins were against Holly Holm and Miesha Tate, two opponents who are among the greatest of all time in their weight class. She has only lost twice, and is fighting to get into the main event picture.
Both fighters are looking for a championship, and this fight might be a good step to get there. Pennington will look to neutralize Vieira’s power with her defense and grappling. She will want to fight a low-event fight, but Vieira is too good right now. It will probably go to a decision, but we like Ketlen Vieira (-105).
Those are some of the most intriguing fights at Vegas 67, but there are twelve fights on the card. Highlights include Jimmy Flick coming out of retirement to take on Charles Johnson, and Umar Nurmagomedov battling Raoni Barcelos. There is a lot of action to follow, and a lot of opportunities for betting both before and during the fights.