UFC heavyweight contenders Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis get one last look at each other before entering the Octagon for the main event of UFC Vegas 19. Saturday's main card kicks off at 8pm ET / 5pm PT. In a bantamweight bout on Saturday’s main card, Cory Sandhagen and Frankie Edgar meet at UFC on ESPN+ 48 at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas.The event – also known as UFC Fight Night 184 or UFC Vegas 18 – has the prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+, followed by the main card on ESPN+ at 8 p.m.
In a bantamweight bout on Saturday’s main card, Cory Sandhagen and Frankie Edgar meet at UFC on ESPN+ 48 at the UFC’s APEX Facility in Las Vegas. The event – also known as UFC Fight Night 184 or UFC Vegas 18 – has the prelims kick off at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN+, followed by the main card on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET.
Sandhagen (13-2) steps into the octagon with a five-inch height and two-inch reach advantage over his counterpart. He also arrives with a big 6.88 to 3.70 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, and he leads 48.30 to 39.78 in significant strikes-accuracy percentage, too.
Edgar (23-8-1) will be trying to avoid the big blows and getting roped into an upright brawl. He’d rather get the fight to the canvas where he holds a 2.28 to 1.07 takedown average. “The Answer” lost a title fight to Max Holloway at UFC 240 by unanimous decision July 27, 2019. He followed that up with a Round 1 KO/TKO loss to Chan Sung Jang Dec. 21, 2019, and in his most recent fight, he rebounded with a split-decision win over Pedro Munhoz Aug. 22, 2020. Edgar is at a bit of a crossroads, as a win gets him back in the title hunt, but a loss means it could be years before another potential shot.
Sandhagen was stunned in Round 1 at UFC 250 by Aljamain Sterling, submitting in just 88 seconds June 6, 2020. He bounced back with a KO/TKO over Marlon Moraes Oct. 10, 2020, and he is back on the rise toward a potential title shot himself.
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Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:12 a.m. ET.
Sandhagen (-375) is an overwhelming favorite over Edgar (+300) on the 2-way line. However, you cannot risk nearly four times your potential return against a proud veteran like Edgar. Get more specific instead.
Look to SANDHAGEN BY DECISION (+120) in this one. Edgar has dropped two of the past three fights, but three of his past four outings have gone the distance, and six of his past 10 have needed the help of the judges to determine an outcome. If you don’t want to risk it and pick a winner, but still want action, take YES (-160): “WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE?”
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