UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. VanZant betting preview

As a tuneup for this weekend’s huge UFC 194 card, the UFC heads to The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas for a Fight Night event Thursday night. That event is headlined by a women’s strawweight war between Paige VanZant and Rose Namajunas. Here’s a look at that bout and another notable matchup before you make your MMA betting picks:

Paige VanZant (-178) vs. Rose Namajunas (+148)
VanZant was originally scheduled to take on Joanne Calderwood, however, she was scratched from the bout and replaced by Namajunas in late October. VanZant is on a four-fight winning streak including a 3-0 record since joining the UFC ranks, and has shown her versatility by ending one of those fights via submission, ending another by TKO, and winning on the judges’ cards in another.

The one knock against VanZant, who is rapidly gaining popularity, is that she’s only 21 year old, and she’s taking on an opponent in Namajunas who has been competing in MMA for some time. While only two years older than her opponent, Namajunas has experience beyond her professional record. She’s coming off a submission win in her last bout, snapping a two-fight skid, and is a dangerous submission artist if the fight goes to the ground.

Jim Miller (Even) vs. Michael Chiesa (-130)
Chiesa enters this bout as a short favorite against MMA veteran Jim Miller, coming off a decision victory over Mitch Clarke in April. That was his third win in the last four bouts. Chiesa is big for a lightweight fighter and owns a significant size advantage over Miller, standing 6-foot-1 (to Miller’s 5-foot-8) and out-reaching his opponents with 76 inches compared to 71 inches. He can wear down smaller opponents with his strength and the longer the fight goes, the more it favors Chiesa.

Miller should not be counted out and has constantly fought – and beat – men bigger than he. He’s off a split decision victory over Danny Castillo this summer, snuffing out a two-fight slide. Miller may have to rethink his plan of attack, unable to wrestle with a bigger opponent. He has only three career wins via knockout, and may not want to stand and trade with a fighter with such a reach edge. He’ll want to get inside on Chiesa and has shown the toughness and durability to absorb some shots to get that position.