Undefeated lightweight prospect Gregor Gillespie (12-0, 5 KOs, 5 SUBs) meets brawler Yancy Medeiros (15-5, 8 KOs, 4 SUBs) at UFC Fight Night 143 on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The main card streams live on ESPN+ starting 10pm ET.
It takes a lot of work to get noticed in the lightweight division. Gregor Gillespie is making that happen. Currently 12-0 with 10 finishes, the 31-year old has won all of his five fights in the UFC, with only his debut going to decision. His last four fights have yielded two knockouts and two submissions, announcing the presence of a legitimate fight-ender - and there’s nothing that WME era loves better than a dude that finishes fights.
This Saturday, “The Gift” gets the toughest test of his career in Yancy Medeiros. A hard-nosed Hawaiian who loves to throw down, Medeiros saw his stock steadily rise in 2017, with TKO wins over prospect Erick Silva and a ranked fighter in Alex Oliveira - the latter a back-and-forth slugfest that would be a contender for Fight of the Year.
However, in a high-stakes match with Donald Cerrone, Medeiros’ brawling style was exposed as he was knocked out in the first round. The loss threw the brakes on the 31-year old’s rise, but testing the likes of Gillespie provides the opportunity to get back into the top 15.
The UFC odds at BookMaker.eu opened with Gillespie as a massive favorite, which was expected considering how impressive he’s looked since turning pro. Let’s break down the matchup and get to how you should bet this fight online. Remember, live UFC betting at BookMaker.eu lets you hedge your bets on fight night between rounds.
UFC Fight Night 143 Betting at BookMaker.eu
Gregor Gillespie: -505
Yancy Medeiros: +355
Over/under 1.5 rounds: -145 / +115
Significant Striking Stats
Landed per minute: Gillespie 3.19 / Medeiros 4.59
Accuracy: Gillespie 48% / Medeiros 35%
Absorbed per minute: Gillespie 2.28 / Medeiros 6.16
Defense: Gillespie 56% / Medeiros 48%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Gillespie 7.01 / Medeiros 0.18
Takedown accuracy: Gillespie 47% / Medeiros 33%
Takedown defense: Gillespie N/A / Medeiros 83%
Submission average: Gillespie 1.24 / Medeiros 0.73
Bet on this UFC fight at BookMaker.eu
Though Medeiros had some success at 170 pounds, he’ll be moving down to lightweight for this fight. While he’ll be a bigger 155-pounder, we’ve got to question how the additional weight cut will affect his cardio.
But take a look at the fight stats for both guys and you’ll see some extremes. The first number that pops out is Gillespie’s 7.01 takedowns per 15 minutes. That’s an insanely high rate, even for a guy that was a four-time All-American and a D1 champion. Medeiros’ striking rate is on the higher side, but the damage he absorbs isn unreal - this is a brawler that’s extremely good at coming out on the winning side of slugfests.
However, online oddsmakers are squarely siding with Gillespie here. He’s shown an extraordinary ability to use his wrestling to elevate his striking, and the takedowns will always be there for him. If there is an area that Medeiros can expose, it’s in his striking defense - and the fact that Gillespie hasn’t been dragged into a trench war yet.
UFC Odds Pick: Over 1.5 rounds at -145
Even as a parlay, Gillespie to win won’t do much for you. We like the rounds over here, as Medeiros’ toughness is proven. He should be able to last past the 2:30 mark of the second round.
Bet online: Gillespie inside the distance at -150
This is a solid alternate pick, as Gillespie has a few paths to victory. Medeiros tends to blow his cardio with his wildman ways, and if he tires out against such a talented opponent there are a number of ways that The Gift wraps this up.
Bet on UFC Fight Night 143 odds at BookMaker.eu
Access live betting lines from your mobile device at BookMaker Sportsbook! Real-time spreads, totals, props and money line are all available so start betting with BookMaker today. UFC Fight Night 143 takes place on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The main card streams live on ESPN+ starting 10pm ET.
