UFC 206 is just around the corner! You know what that means – time to put some money down! Check out the UFC 206 betting odds to see what match ups you want to bet on. For the prelims, click here.
UFC 206 Betting Odds
Jordan Mein (-155) vs Emil Weber Meek (+125)
When this fight was announced the odds were almost even, but over time they skewed to favor Mein. This is Mein’s return after taking hiatus a year ago. He is known for his very slick striking skills (specifically elbows and knees). Meek however is a UFC newcomer with a whole lot of hype behind him. He is known for his explosive finishing ability and ground and pound. On paper, Mein is by far the more technical and craftier fighter; in a perfect world, that beats out the brute force of Meek. The long lay off worries me though, so I think the smartest decision is to avoid this one. Meek hasn’t faced the striking expertise of Mein before so the slight underdog pick shouldn’t interest you. Pick: Avoid
Tim Kennedy (-220) vs Kelvin Gastelum (+175)
This is one of the most interesting match ups you can make at middleweight. Obviously, this is Gastelum’s punishment for missing weight too many times at 170 lbs. Coincidentally, Kennedy is one of the largest middleweights on the roster – so there WILL be a size advantage. Kennedy is known for his elite wrestling. Combined with the size advantage, Kennedy has a good chance at out-wrestling Gastelum. Gastelum is a good wrestler too, but he’ll likely be looking to throw his dangerous power punches. Kennedy has also been out of competition for nearly two years too; this makes Gastelum as an underdog pick rather attractive. He’s got the power in his hands to make the size difference irrelevent. Pick: Gastelum
Doo Ho Choi (-230) vs Cub Swanson (+180)
Choi is 3-0 in the UFC with 3 first round knockouts. He has been described as a right-handed Conor McGregor in the fact that he touches people and they collapse. Swanson is a huge step up in competition, but Choi has needed it. It’s also a rather favorable style match up. Swanson is an entertaining, high-risk/high-reward striker. He throws a lot of unorthodox techniques, and doesn’t rely too heavily on gameplans. However, lately he has struggled finishing his opponents, and has become increasingly hittable. On paper, Choi is an easy pick for me, but -230 is a bit too steep considering Swanson’s experience and recent resurgence. Yet, I don’t have any confidence betting on Swanson who isn’t even a 2-to-1 return. Personally, I have faith in adding Choi to a parlay, but the smart pick would be to skip. Pick: Avoid
Donald Cerrone (-270) vs Matt Brown (+210)
This fight contains the widest spread of the main card for these UFC 206 betting odds. Cerrone has been on an absolute tear in the welterweight division with 3 straight finishes which put him into the top 10. Brown was recently upset by Jake Ellenberger, and has lost the last 4 of 5 fights. I’m not surprised he’s a big underdog, but let’s not forget how dangerous Matt Brown can be. He performs his best when fighting against aggressive strikers too (which Cerrone is).
Cerrone has been filming a TV show during this camp, so who knows how prepared he actually is. Meanwhile, Brown has been doing his homework with the Muscle Pharm team. A lot of x-factors are leading me towards Brown, and the 2-to-1 odds are attractive. He’s good dog money, but I understand wanting to skip this if you think Brown is losing his touch. This one is very open to me, but -270 for Cerrone is way too steep considering the opponent. I don’t care how much success Cerrone has had, you can’t count Matt Brown out. Pick: Brown or Avoid
Max Holloway (-175) vs Anthony Pettis (+145)
Similar to the Cerrone vs Brown match up, we have a surging contender in Max Holloway going up against the dangerous Pettis who has seen better days. Pettis was on a 3-fight losing streak before making a desperate drop to 145 lbs, and beating Charles Oliveira. Holloway however has taken out 9 opponents in a row, and is looking for his 10th; all the while not losing sight of the gold belt at the end of the tunnel.
Pettis is a tricky fighter though, and the odds reflect that. I was expecting some steeper odds, but Pettis is a former champion in a heavier weight class and very well-equipped to win this fight. Even though Holloway’s momentum and streak is as hot as ever, I once again find myself leaning toward the underdog. +145 isn’t as good as I was expecting, but I’m going with my gut and putting a small amount down on Pettis. He’s the type of fighter you want as an underdog. Pick: Pettis
