UFC 192: Cormier vs. Gustafsson betting preview

The UFC light heavyweight championship is on the line when title holder Daniel Cormier faces challenger Alexander Gustafsson at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. We break down this championship bout as well as a welterweight title eliminator matchup between Johny Hendricks and Tyron Woodley so you can start betting on MMA.

Daniel Cormier (-325) vs. Alexander Gustafsson (+245)
There are a couple of reasons to second guess a bet on Cormier for this bout. First, he’s giving up a massive size and reach advantage to his opponent, standing just 5-foot-11 to Gustafsson’s 6-foot-5 and fighting against a reach seven inches long than his. Second, Cormier’s head may not be totally wrapped around this bout, with Jon Jones avoiding jail time and keeping hopes of a rematch with the former light heavyweight champ alive.

However, Cormier is one of the most adaptable fighters in the sport and won’t stand and trade with a bigger foe. We expect him to use his superior wrestling skill to chop Gustafsson down and win this match from the mat. As noted, the challenger has the size and reach edge, which will be useful when keeping Cormier at bay. The champ will have massive home-field advantage fighting the Swede in the heart of Texas, so Gustafsson – who is just 1-2 in his last three bouts – has the odds stacked against him before the bell rings.

Johny Hendricks (-325) and Tyron Woodley (+245)
These two fighters clashed as collegiate wrestlers in the Big 12 back in 2005, but that has little standing in how this matchup will play out Saturday (outside of the trash talk surrounding a penalty for biting).

Hendricks has had a spotty record since jumping up in competition, with a 3-2 mark in his last five outings – losses to Georges St-Pierre and Robby Lawler. He’s had issues making the 170-pound limit in recent contests but word from his camp is that Hendricks is ahead of schedule with his cut.

As for Woodley, he hasn’t fought the level of opponent that Hendricks has but he’s put together back-to-back wins to get himself back in contention. He also has issues making weight. This bout could come down to which fighter is best conditioned and still has something left in the tank after trimming down to make the scales.

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