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The Costa vs. Vettori card might only have one fight within the top 10 rankings, but don’t let that deter you from making the time to watch this lowkey firestorm. The 13 fights that sit below the headliner feature several intriguing matchups with quite a few of them being certified bangers. Alex Caceres vs. Seung Woo Choi is an outstanding bout that will likely see the winner crack the Top 15.
At this point, most of the divisions have become deep enough to produce high quality athletes that have yet to make it inside the elite circle of ranked contenders, so you will want to make sure you’ve got your snacks handy, your beer chilled and your schedule cleared. I mean, Khama Worthy vs. Jai Herbert is a slobber knocker just waiting to happen and Mason Jones vs. David Onama looks like it will also deliver big on the action.
Those are just the contests that immediately jump out at me, but a closer inspection of the card will no doubt yield more fruit from the tree of sanctioned violence. There are plenty of other fights that will no doubt appeal to all sorts of combat appetites, but we’re going to take a look at the four that we feel are the most optimal bets to make on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Paulo Costa vs. Marvin Vettori
Marvin Vettori To Win By Decision +175
Paulo Costa vs. Marvin Vettori went from zero to sideshow in record time after Costa revealed earlier this week that he was 211 pounds just a few days out from the fight. From there, a catchweight of 195 pounds was agreed upon. On Thursday night, things would change yet again, as the fight was announced to be contested at 205 pounds. Yikes!
Costa has never missed weight in his professional career but has had numerous health issues including two bouts with COVID and injuries that have forced him off fight cards. Now that we have the pre-show facets explained, let’s get down to brass tacks.
Costa has the explosive athleticism and raw power to get this fight over in a hurry against most men, but Marvin Vettori is not most men. He’s as durable as they come, and his jaw is fortified with titanium. Both men are pressure fighters and both do poorly off the back foot, so this will be a battle of which one can dictate the range, and my bet is it will be Vettori. With Costa coming in this heavy, it makes me wonder what his camp was like, specifically, how his strength and conditioning will look when this contest gets underway. Vettori is always in peak physical shape and has a deep well of stamina.
Costa proved in the fight with Romero that he could go five hard rounds, but that fight was more than two years ago. Since then, he received a demoralizing beatdown by current champion Israel Adesanya and has been out for another year-plus. Vettori, by comparison, has fought five times in two years, also losing his last bout to Israel Adesanya.
What this fight boils down to, in my most humble opinion, will be the conditioning and range, both of which I feel Vettori has cornered the market on. Could Costa score a sensational knockout? Sure, but I wouldn’t bet the farm or even the barn door on it. Look for Vettori to take a unanimous decision.
Grant Dawson vs. Ricky Glenn
Grant Dawson To Win By Submission +250
Once upon a time, there was a fighter named Rick Glenn, but somewhere along his fight journey, he decided that “Ricky” would become his name forthwith. Perhaps it makes him feel younger, being that he’s at the ripe, old age of 32. No matter, because he’s an experienced, crafty veteran with a well-rounded skillset that many tend to overlook. Yes, I know Grant Dawson has a lot of hype behind him, deservedly so, but Glenn is often criminally underrated.
That said, Dawson has a great wrestling base, leads heavy with powerful takedowns and stifling top pressure. He’s a tireless worker who happens to be younger by five years, and is bigger, stronger and faster (sounds like a well-known documentary). At 17-1, and currently undefeated in his UFC run, he’s looking like contender material and Ricky Glenn will be the litmus test tomorrow night.
This fight will come down to physicality, and Dawson checks all the boxes in that regard. Glenn will put up a Herculean effort, but I doubt it will be enough to take out Dawson, who just is looking better and better with each outing. And don’t let me forget to mention his penchant for finishing fights, because this man has only gone the distance twice. Glenn has an iron jaw, having never been knocked out, but he is submittable, having been finished twice in his career via that route. Look for Dawson to get this fight finished before the final horn.
Alex Caceres vs. Seung Woo Choi
Seung Woo Choi To Win By Decision -110
This fight looks like it will be an action-packed banger. Seung Woo Choi is coming off a sensational TKO of Julian Erosa and is currently riding a three-fight hot streak. Alex Caceres, is riding a four-fight winning run and has looked composed and collected, making smarter choices than he was earlier in his career. He has looked great against recent opponents, but most were grapplers that he outwitted. Choi is not a grappler and that’s where the issue lies.
Choi is a Muay Thai specialist with the hot hand and sets a blazing pace. Early on, he had some issues with wrestlers, but has since made a course correction and defends takedowns much better these days. Caceres isn’t exactly what I’d call a submission specialist, but he’s wily and slick, an opportunist in every sense of the word. This fight is very well matched, but I get the feeling that Caceres will find himself losing an uphill battle dictated by Choi’s speed and power. Look for Choi to get the unanimous nod.
Jessica Rose Clark vs. Joselyne Edwards
Jessica Rose Clark To Win By Decision +110
Joselyne Edwards is a lot better than she gets credit for. A rangy striker, she throws with power and precision. Her unexpected win over Yanan Wu showed what she was capable of, and even in her loss to Karol Rosa, she had her moments. The problem is, she’s not great at defending takedowns, and Clark is a very durable opponent who is getting better with each outing.
Clark has been away from the cage for a little over a year due to a torn ACL, but I like that she took plenty of time to recover and rehab. She’s the better grappler and the more active of the two, so I’m thinking by virtue of those qualities, she takes the W. Look for an exciting scrap that goes to decision.
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