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UFC Vegas 76 is set to get going this weekend from the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, July 1 at 7 p.m. ET. There is a six-bout main card highlighted by a middleweight fight between #7 Sean Strickland and Abus Magomedov. Also notable on the main card is a lightweight fight between Damir Ismagulov and Grant Dawson.
Strickland (26-5) hit a rough stretch dropping back-to-back bouts to top contenders Alex Pereira and Jared Cannonier in 2022. “Tarzan” got back on track with a unanimous decision win over Nassourdine Imavov in January. A fighter with a high IQ, Strickland has a 76” reach along with 41% striking accuracy and gets his opponent to the mat 64% of the time on takedowns. The nine-year veteran is looking to get back into the contender conversation within the middleweight division.
Magomedov (25-4) had an impressive UFC debut last September, finishing Dustin Stoltzfus with a TKO in just 19 seconds. At 32 years old, he has come up in several fighting leagues including the PFL and FFC. The Russian-born fighter now gets a big step up in competition and is out to prove he can square off with a top-10 middleweight.
How to watch Sean Strickland vs. Abus Magomedov
Date: Saturday, July 1
Fight time: Main card starts at 7 p.m. ET
Live stream: ESPN+
DraftKings Sportsbook Odds/Predictions
Strickland: -150
Magomedov: +130
Splits: 69% of handle, 54% of bets on Magomedov
Magomedov’s solid debut has the public giving him a generous amount of the split. Strickland is as polished as they come and if his defense holds up he can easily land a win by decision. The question is, will Magomedov display that same knockout ability against a more experienced fighter like Strickland? Side with Strickland to squeak this one out by the points (+165).