By Chad Cooper
Twitter @thechadcooper
We are man enough to say we had have bad betting days and man enough to act like a bantam rooster as we destroyed UFC last weekend with multiple big hits including Uriah Hall +700 unanimous decision win over favorite Antonio Carlos Junior.
UFC is back this weekend in Mexico for a “meh” type card. Main starts at 7 p.m. CST on ESPN+.
Main Event
#7 Yair “El Pantera” Rodriguez (12-2) v. #8 Jeremy “Lil Heathen” Stephens (28-16)
Odds: Stephens (-120), Rodriguez (-105)
Scoop: Once cut by the UFC, El Pantera will headline this card in his home country and returns to the cage after a crazy KO last second win over Chan Sung Jung last November. Stephens is on a 2-fight losing streak. Helluva scrap that Rodriguez needs to finish.
PICK: Rodriguez KO/TKO +290
Carla Esparza (14-6) v. Alexa Grasso (11-2)
Odds: Grasso (-140), Esparza (+110)
Scoop: 4 years ago, Esparza was the UFC strawweight champ and has since gone 4-4. Grasso is looking to make a jump here and should be able to strike Esparza.
I am a firm believer that most UFC women’s fights go the distance, unless your Cyborg, who is now in Bellator.
PICK: Grasso via UD (+130)
Brandon Moreno (15-5) v. Askar Askarov (10-0)
Odds: Askarov (-160), Moreno (+110)
Scoop: Askarov is 10-0 with 10 finishes, but hasn’t fought since May 2018 and will make his UFC debut. Moreno is back with the UFC after they did away with the 125 division.
Going with a big of an upset here.
PICK: Moreno +110
Irena Aldana (10-5) v. Vanessa Melo (9-5)
Odds: Aldana (-650), Melo (+450)
Scoop: Up and down run for Aldana, who mowed everyone in Ivicta that lost to Leslie Smith, Katlyn Chookagian and Raquel Pennington. Melo is a last-minute replacement and is a heavy underdog. No value here.
PICK: Aldana via UD
Martin Bravo (11-2) v. Steven Peterson (17-9)
Odds: Bravo (-130), Peterson (+100)
Scoop: Bravo is fighting for just the 4th time in 3 years and he returns after a tough SD loss to Alex Caceres in July 2018. He won the UFC Ultimate Fighter Latin America season and has gone 0-2 since. Seems like Peterson who has been fighting forever. Dude has lost 5 of his last 8 including a decision loss to Caceres earlier this summer. I wouldn’t be surprised is Peterson gets lucky here, because the dude is tough to finish.
PICK: Bravo UD
Prelims • 4 p.m. ESPN+
Jose Alberto Quinonez (7-3) v. Carlos Huachin (10-4-1)
Marco Polo Reyes (8-6) v. Kyle Nelson (12-3)
Ariane Carneloss (12-1) v. Angela Hill (9-7)
Sergio Pettis (17-5) v. Tyson Nam (16-9-1)
Vinicius Moreira (9-3) v. Paul Craig (11-4)
Sijara Eubanks (4-3) v. Bethe Correia (10-4-1)
Claudio Puelles (8-2) v. Marcos Rosa Mariano (6-5)