Light heavyweight contenders Ilir Latifi (14-5, 5 KOs, 5 SUBs) and Corey Anderson (11-4, 4 KOs) will meet at UFC 232 on Saturday, December 29, 2018 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The card airs live on pay-per-view starting 10pm ET.
Ilir Latifi, title contender? That’s not something anybody would’ve expected to say when he made his debut in 2013 as a late-notice fill-in, but here we are. The Swede is the no. 5 light heavyweight and squarely in the title conversation - which is sort of an indictment on the weak state of the division.
But hey, let’s not completely write Latifi off. He’s coming off two impressive wins - one over prospect Tyson Pedro and the other over the well-regarded Ovince St. Preux. Since most of the top 4 is tied up, Latifi gets a stay busy fight this Saturday against No. 11 Corey “Overtime” Anderson.
Anderson enters the octagon on back-to-back wins of his own - the latest against longtime contender Glover Teixeira. One could make the argument that beating Glover in itself is more impressive than what Latifi has done, and this is a chance for Anderson to usurp Latifi’s spot in the top 6.
Let’s check in with the UFC odds at BookMaker.eu and break down your betting options. This is a competitive matchup, so you’ll also want to make sure to stay tuned into your live UFC betting options at BookMaker.eu to hedge any bets during the scrap.
UFC 232 Betting at BookMaker.eu
Ilir Latifi -153
Corey Anderson +125
Fight goes/doesn’t go to decision: -115 / -115
Significant Striking Stats
Landed per minute: Latifi 2.37 / Anderson 4.55
Accuracy: Latifi 42% / Anderson 47%
Absorbed per minute: Latifi 2.65 / Anderson 2.2
Defense: Latifi 52% / Anderson 59%
Grappling Stats
Takedown average: Latifi 2.33 / Anderson 5.48
Takedown accuracy: Latifi 37% / Anderson 52%
Takedown defense: Latifi 100% / Anderson 75%
Submission average: Latifi 0.7 / Anderson 0
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Take a close look at those grappling stats: these are two aggressive wrestlers. Anderson averages an astounding 5.48 takedowns per 15 minutes, good for nearly two takedowns a round. But Latifi has never been taken down in 10 UFC fights, though he has yet to face an elite wrestler yet.
At 29, Anderson has always been a guy that oozed potential, but has had issues capitalizing on it. You gotta love the collegiate wrestling background and the athletic knockout power, but his past two losses were really bad KOs that make you question whether his chin can really hold up against power punchers.
Latifi is not a knockout artist, but the man can thump. At 5’10”, his height and range will always be a question, and that’s the case here against the 6’3” Anderson. That compact stature makes him extremely difficult to take down and gives him a low center of gravity to activate his wrestling. He’ll really test Anderson’s takedown defense.
UFC Odds Pick: Anderson to win at +125
To be honest, this feels like a coin flip fight. Latifi is nobody’s idea of a dominant force, but he gets by with what he’s got. We like Anderson’s length and developing striking power, and his relentless pursuit of takedowns should give him control for most of the fight. Anderson is taller, younger and has ridiculous cardio, which is why we lean on him here. The price is playable as a straight bet.
UFC Odds Pick: Fight goes to decision at -115
While both dudes are solid finishers, it’s tough to see anyone really getting the upper hand on each other. Though Latifi can crack, his striking offense isn’t at the level where we can rely on him to pop Anderson’s chin. The same goes for Anderson, who only has 4 KOs in 11 career victories.
Bet on UFC 232 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 232 takes place on Saturday, December 29, 2018 at The Forum in Inglewood, CA. The card airs live on pay-per-view starting 10pm ET.
