• Stephen Thompson vs. Kevin Holland UFC Fight Night • Saturday, December 3rd, 10:00ET • The Amway Center in Orlando, Florida
With the holiday season here, the UFC is ready to make things even more intriguing for MMA fans, as they’ve got a flurry of primetime events for everyone to enjoy. This includes a UFC Fight Night showdown on Dec. 3, which people can’t wait for. This piece has our best UFC Fight Night bets: Stephen Thompson vs. Kevin Holland picks for the fun showdown. Who will come out on top?
Holland vs. Thompson will be an absolute battle
Holland vs. Thompson will be an absolute battle, and people are counting down the days until the main event. When was the last time we had a matchup, even the one between these two? The welterweights know a lot will be on the line in this one, as fans think it could go the distance. We don’t think a first-round win will be recorded.
No, these guys might not be the biggest in the world, but they pack a mean punch. They’ve got knockout power on both ends, but they’re also quite technical. You might think there’s some bad blood out there, but the respect for one another is great. Both Thompson and Holland know this will be a tough bout, and nothing will be handed to them. Holland is feeling confident, though.
“I don’t plan on going in there and shooting for any takedowns against ‘Wonderboy,’” Holland said in a recent interview. “I mean, to be 100 percent honest with you, I plan on knocking ‘Wonderboy’ the f—k out. I think ‘Wonderboy’ is a fantastic fighter, I think his style is wonderful, it’s his name. But that being said, Pettis was able to knock him out and I think that I’m going to be able to knock him out.”
According to the best-rated sportsbooks, which includes the reliable Bovada review, Holland currently holds -108 UFC betting odds and Thompson also holds -108 odds. That’s right, this is an even fight per the oddsmakers. Holy smokes, this adds to the drama. In the end, though, we think that Holland will win. He’s our pick. Agree? Check out our best UFC betting sites to get a wager in.
Rafael dos Anjos will be ready to make a splash at the Fight Night
Elsewhere, Rafael dos Anjos will be ready to make a splash at the Fight Night when he goes up against Bryan Barberena in the co-main event. Just like the Thompson vs. Holland fight, this one could go either way, as dos Anjos and Barberena are talented professional who know what it takes to record a head-turning win while they’re inside of the octagon.
For dos Anjos, this is a return to 170 pounds, which has a lot of people in UFC circles talking. Is this going to impact his UFC betting odds? Not a chance. Remember that when it comes to UFC betting and dos Anjos, he doesn’t care what weight class he’s fighting at. No matter the circumstances, he’s going to put on the gloves and make sure he gives it everything he’s got.
The same can be said for Berberena. He is no stranger to recording impressive wins himself. Thus far in his career, he’s 18-8-0. Meanwhile for the 37-year-old dos Anjos, he’s 31-14-0. Yes, dos Anjos has the experience advantage to his name, but that doesn’t mean that Barberena doesn’t have what it takes to sit him down inside of the ring with a powerful punch.
Per the oddsmakers, dos Anjos is the slight favorite with his -105 odds. As for Barberena, he’s right in the mix of things at +115. This is going to be a memorable fight regardless, and we don’t think it will end early on in Orlando either. At the end of this one, however, we think dos Anjos will be able to come away with a nice victory. He’s our pick for this one.
Derek Brunson is favored to take down Jack Hermansson
In another fun showdown, Derek Brunson is favored to take down Jack Hermansson when they go toe-to-toe- in Orlando. These are two well-known brawlers, and they have plenty of experience to their name. With Brunson, he’ll enter this matchup with a 23-8-0 record to his name. On the other side of the octagon, Hermansson is 23-7-0, which shows how close they are.
Both have 23 wins on their record, and they’ll be hungry to bring home No. 24. This is a middleweight showdown that plenty of people are going to be tuned into as well. It may not have the same kind of allure as the bouts mentioned above, but it will still be a great one to check out.
The odds here are similar as well, with Brunson listed at -110, and Hermansson at +112. While Brunson might be the slight favorite for this upcoming meeting of the powers, we think that Hermansson will find a way to come out on top. He’s our pick.
With a background as a writer, Rodrigo has managed to bring together his hobbies and education writing sports content for various top-tier sites around the world.