UFC Fight Night 143- Henry Cejudo vs T.J. Dillashaw
From the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York we have the first fight of 2019 and the first in the ESPN network fights with Henry Cejudo taking on T.J. Dillashaw on January 19, 2019. The current odds finds Cejudo at +170 and Dillashaw as the favorite with -210.
Dillashaw enters the fight on a four-fight winning streak which goes back to 2016 and the UFC 200. He has defeated Coday Garbrandt twice, Renan Barao twice along with John Lineker and Raphael Assuncao once. In January 2016, he was the loser of a split decision to Dominick Cruz which cost him his bantamweight belt. This will be his first fight at the flyweight level in his career.
Henry Cejudo defeated flyweight king Demetrious Johnson this season and is currently sporting a 13-2 career mark. He was 10-0 at one point in his career but lost to Johnson in another fight after getting knocked out in the first and then lost a decision to Joseph Benavidez the next time out. Since that time, Cejudo has worked his way to the top of the food chain and will get a chance to take on Dillashaw.
Prediction:
Dillashaw will drop down to the flyweight level to attempt to be a champion at two weight classes. He only has a small reach advantage. It will be difficult for Cejudo to last the entire fight. Dillashaw is a smart fighter and it will be hard to get him down during the fight. That is the only way Cejudo could win this event. Take Dillashaw -210 to win.
Other Fights on the Card:
Paige VanZant v. Rachael Ostovich. VanZant is set at -165 to win this fight as she is fully healthy after a broken arm sidelined her. Her opponent was a throw-in for this event. VanZant enters with a 7-4 record and has lost her previous two fights to Michelle Waterson and Jessica Rose-Clark. She hasn’t won since August of 2016 when she defeated Bec Rawlings. She has more power than Ostovich and experience. Take VanZant.
Alexander Hernandez (-205) v Donald Cerrone (+165)
Look for the underdog to come out to win this fight. It should be an even affair but we take Cerrone.
FULL FIGHT CARD:
Preliminary Card (ESPN+, 6:30 PM ET)
Dennis Bermudez vs. Te Edwards
Belal Muhammad vs. Geoff Neal
Randy Brown vs. Chance Rencountre
Preliminary Card (ESPN TV, 8 PM ET)
Donald Cerrone vs. Alexander Hernandez
Joanne Calderwood vs. Ariane Lipski
Alonzo Menifield vs. Vinicius Moreira
John Lineker vs. Cory Sandhagen
Main Card (ESPN+, 10 PM ET)
Henry Cejudo vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Allen Crowder vs. Greg Hardy
Gregor Gillespie vs. Yancy Medeiros
Joseph Benavidez vs. Dustin Ortiz
Rachael Ostovich vs. Paige VanZant
Ion Cutelaba vs. Glover Teixeira
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