The final UFC event of 2022 is coming this weekend, December 17th. In the main event of this card, middleweights Jared Cannonier (15-6) and Sean Strickland (25-4) will be meeting in the octagon in a clash of top-10 contenders.
With both men coming off a loss, Cannonier was in a title fight, and Strickland was in a #1 contender fight, this is a massive opportunity for both fighters to keep their spot among the middleweight division’s best.
UFC: Cannonier vs Strickland Betting Trends
- Jared Cannonier is 5-2 in the UFC as a middleweight.
- Strickland is 7-3 in his last ten bouts.
- Cannonier is 2-1 in his middleweight career as the betting underdog.
- Strickland has been the betting favorite in 7 of his last ten fights.
- In the opening lines, Cannonier was the -150 betting favorite, and now the odds have flipped and changed by 25.5%.
How To Bet on Cannonier vs Strickland
If you are going to bet on this UFC middleweight main event bout, make sure to do the proper research. We have given you the notable betting trends for this matchup, now let’s dive into the styles of both.
As many people say, styles make fights. The sport of MMA is so great because of the many different styles these athletes bring into the cage. The UFC is the best because they match up the best against the best, no matter the style.
Both Cannonier and Strickland feel most comfortable standing up and kickboxing their opponents. Cannonier carries a ton of knockout power in his hands, with superhuman durability to go along with it.
Strickland is known for his endless pressure and cardio, usually leading to mentally and physically breaking down his opponents. This skillset of Strickland especially comes out in 5-round bouts.
Cannonier takes a more measured approach to his fights, averaging 3.73 strikes landed per minute in the UFC while absorbing 3.50 strikes as well.
Strickland likes to push the pace and volume, which has led him to average 5.54 strikes landed per minute and 4.01 absorbed. Even with his elite striking defense, he gets hit regularly because he is always in his opponent’s face.
This is an interesting matchup with a guy like Cannonier, who has seemed to master the mental side of martial arts by protecting his energy in and out of the cage and having a very measured approach to fighting.
On the other side of the octagon, there will be a guy in Sean Strickland that seems to have no method to his madness. He spars very hard in and outside of training camp almost daily. This vast collection of time sparring opponents has made him one of the most dangerous fighters in the middleweight division.
One big factor to keep in mind for this bout is the grappling of Strickland. Even though Cannonier is going to be the stronger man in the octagon, Strickland has a very high level of skill in wrestling and jiu-jitsu in his back pocket. Look for that to come out as the fight progresses.
TOP #3 Sports Betting Sites to Bet on UFC
100% Crypto Bonus
Bonus Code “CRYPTO100”
1st Time Deposit
*with Cryptocurrencies
200% Crypto Bonus
Bonus Code “JOIN200”
* New customers only. Minimum Deposit of $100
50% up to $250
Bonus Code “NEWELCOME”
* Apply to the first deposit
Cannonier vs Strickland Betting Picks
This fight is so evenly matched, it is very difficult to make an exact prediction. With the odds being pretty valuable for both men, this is basically a pick ’em matchup.
Strickland will come into the first round with a lot of pressure and try to get a feel for the distance by throwing out jabs and trying to get into a rhythm. He is coming off of a devastating KO in his last bout, so it will be interesting to see his confidence hanging out at boxing range.
Cannonier is going to start slow. He has always done that in the first round, but he is durable enough and in great shape to turn the offense on at any moment throughout the 5-rounds.
Our final prediction for Cannonier vs Strickland is going to be Cannonier winning by TKO/KO. The moneyline is perfectly fine for a Cannonier bet, but the best path of victory will be for him to put away Strickland.
Strickland is a madman and will keep coming forward. Both of these fighters have something to prove this weekend, and Cannonier is just going to be more prepared.
Cannonier’s corner is full of some of the best coaches in MMA, and they will see a shot open up sometime in the middle rounds to land it clean on Strickland.
Oddsmakers have prop bets like Cannonier winning inside the distance set at +255. That can be a big payout.
The other big line is Strickland winning by decision at +210. Putting Cannonier away inside the distance will be tough, so this is most likely Strickland’s only path to victory.
Top Sportsbooks Odds
BetOnline: Cannonier +108
Bovada: Cannonier +100
MyBookie: Cannonier -102
BetUS: Cannonier -105
DraftKings: Cannonier -105
SportBet: Cannonier +105
Bonus! Other Fights Worth Placing a Bet On
- UFC featherweight bout: Alex Caceres (+150) vs Julian Erosa (-178)
- Both these fighters are MMA veterans with exciting styles. They are both finding their primes this late in their careers and can finish each other in many ways on Saturday.
- UFC lightweight bout: Drew Dober (-166) vs Bobby Green (+140)
- What can we say about this one? Two of the most exciting lightweight fighters looking for a spectacular finish to propel themselves into the top 15 rankings of the toughest division in the UFC.
