MMA Event Preview: Dolidze versus Hernandez at UFC Vegas 109 – Top Wagers, Odds, and Forecasts
In the upcoming UFC Vegas 109 event, VSiN analyst Britton Hess has made his predictions for the fights, with a particular focus on the middleweight match between Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez. Hess believes that Hernandez will emerge victorious in this highly anticipated bout.
Hess expects the fight to go the distance, with a split decision as a possibility. Hernandez, who has been on a seven-winning streak since 2021, boasts an impressive record of five victories inside the distance. While he often starts behind in the first round, he has a knack for turning the tables as the fight progresses into later rounds.
Dolidze, who is currently on a three-fight winning streak and is 9-3 overall in the UFC, most recently evened the series 1-1 with Marvin Vettori. However, Hess notes that Dolidze's striking metrics are far from those of an elite middleweight, and his grappling metrics are below average.
Meanwhile, Julius Walker, a 26-year-old fighter making his UFC debut, is a massive favourite despite being a newcomer to the organisation. Walker displayed great toughness and aggression in his split decision loss against a savvy veteran in his UFC debut.
In another bantamweight match, Miles Johns is set to face Jean Matsumoto. Johns, who lost to surging prospect Felipe Lima last December, will be facing an inexperienced opponent in Matsumoto, who is 2-1 in the UFC after facing his first professional defeat to veteran Rob Font in February in a short-notice fight.
Eryk Anders, now 38 years old and riding a two-fight win streak, will face Christian Leroy Duncan in a middleweight match. Anders' striking metrics are considered crisp, and he has a long frame that could excel in the light heavyweight division. Duncan, a 30-year-old caught between the roles of prospect and gatekeeper, is 4-2 in the UFC, but his strength of wins leaves a lot to be desired.
Raffael Cerqueira, a highly respected prospect and an undefeated fighter, has a record of 0-2 in the UFC. Cerqueira's striking defense is amongst the worst in the light heavyweight division, albeit his sample size is small. A major concern for Cerqueira is his chin, as he was knocked out in his first two fights in the UFC.
Steve Erceg, who was 2-0 in the UFC and was given a title shot, will face Ode' Osbourne in a bantamweight match. Erceg lost his subsequent two bouts against Kai Kara-France and Brandon Moreno after his title shot loss. Ode' Osbourne, a long flyweight whose frame projects to hold weight well at bantamweight, is a well-rounded mixed martial artist who earned a much-needed win in April.
Iasmin Lucindo, who was on a four-fight win streak, will face Angela Hill in a women's strawweight match. Lucindo's streak was broken in March by Amanda Lemos, but Hill has fought absolutely everyone in the division. She is 13-15 in the UFC but has won three of her last four fights, all while being the betting underdog.
[1] It is important to note that while Hess's predictions have a history of being accurate 75% of the time, they are not guaranteed outcomes. Betting should be done responsibly and with an understanding of the risks involved.
In the light heavyweight division, Toshiomi Kazama seems to have turned things around with a second-round submission win in his last fight. Kazama, who seemed like he was on his way out of the organisation, displayed his best work with submissions, but was able to withstand Morales's grappling pressure in his debut. Smith, on the other hand, raised questions about his condition after sucking wind in the third round of his debut.
In conclusion, the UFC Vegas 109 event promises to be an exciting one, with several intriguing match-ups. With Britton Hess's predictions in mind, fans can look forward to a potentially thrilling middleweight match between Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez.
Sports enthusiasts should keep an eye on the upcoming UFC Vegas 109 event, as the middleweight match between Roman Dolidze and Anthony Hernandez has caught the attention of VSiN analyst Britton Hess. Hess suggests that the odds may favor Hernandez, given his impressive recent performance and eleven victories inside the distance.
