UFC Fresno preview, betting tips and odds

The UFC heads to Fresno for the first time this Saturday with a packed card with 13 fights. Two top 10 featherweights headline the card as veteran Cub Swanson faces up-and-coming undefeated prospect Brian Ortega.

The co-headliner will serve as good entertainment as Jason Knight, nicknamed “Hick Diaz,” returns to action against TUF Latin American semifinalist Gabriel Benitez.

Let’s take a closer look at the card going down at the Save Mart Center.

UFC Fresno Early Prelim Card

Antonio Braga Neto (9-2-0, 1 NC) vs. Trevin Giles (10-0-0)

Neto is a highly-respected BJJ blackbelt. Both of his losses have come by decision. The Brazilian submitted Anthony Smith in the first round in his UFC debut, lost a split decision loss to Clint Hester. Giles fights out of Texas. He is only 25 years old and is still undefeated. His last fight was his UFC debut, which he won by second-round KO.

Chris Gruetzemacher (13-2-0) vs. Davi Ramos (6-2-0)

Gruetzemacher was on The Ultimate Fighter Series 22. A Strikeforce and WSOF vet, he was on a 12-fight win streak until he was submitted in his last fight by Chas Skelly. Ramos lost his UFC debut by decision to a tough Sergio Moraes. He’ll look to score his first UFC win in this one.

Alejandro Perez (19-6-1) vs. Iuri Alcântara (34-8-0, 1 NC)

Perez made his pro debut when he was just 16 years old. He won The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America Bantamweight Tournament. Perez has gone 4-1-1 since joining the UFC. The bantamweight won his last fight by split decision against Andre Soukhamthath. Alcântara is a true UFC veteran. He’s a black belt in BJJ. He is nine years older than Perez. The Brazilian had won two straight fights and earned Performance of the Night bonuses for each before he lost by submission in his last outing.

UFC Fresno Prelim Card

Frankie Saenz (11-5-0) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (7-2-0)

Saenz was a NCAA D1 wrestler for Arizona State and University of Northern Colorado. He won his first three UFC fights, but since then he has lost three straight fights. At 37 years old with three losses in a row, this is a crucial fight for Saenz. This is Dvalishvili’s UFC debut. He is currently on a six-fight win streak. He is on the Serra-Longo Fight Team. Both of his losses were by decision.

Carls John de Tomas (8-1-0) vs. Alex Perez (18-4-0)

De Tomas is only 21 years old. He began his career 8-0, with three wins by submission and one win by KO/TKO. All of these fights were in the Philippines, but he lost his UFC debut to Naoki Inoue. He’ll look to get his first UFC win against Perez is on a five-fight win streak. He earned a UFC contract on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender series, where he won his fight by anaconda choke.

Luke Sanders (11-1-0) vs. Andre Soukhamthath (11-5-0)

Sanders won a State championship in wrestling for his high school team. He also has a 9-0 amateur boxing record. Sanders was undefeated until his last fight against Iuri Alcântara, where he was submitted. He has gone 1-1 so far in the UFC. Soukhamthath has a five-inch reach advantage in this fight. Of his 11 wins, seven are by KO/TKO. He’s lost both of his UFC fights, but they were both controversial split decisions.

Alexis Davis (18-7-0) vs. Liz Carmouche (10-5-0)

Both fighters are well-rounded UFC veterans that are top 15 in the world. They are two of the trailblazers for women’s MMA. However, neither have reached UFC gold (both have lost to Ronda Rousey for the UFC Bantamweight Championship). Davis and Carmouche have fought before in 2014 where Davis won via unanimous decision. Now, both fighters have dropped down to the UFC’s new flyweight division, giving them each a chance to reinvent themselves at 33 years of age.

UFC Fresno Main Card

Albert Morales (7-2-1) vs. Benito Lopez (8-0-0)

Morales didn’t begin training MMA until he was 21. Since joining the UFC, Morales has gone 1-2-1. However, for two of his fights he was a short notice replacement. “Golden Boy” Lopez is a product of Team Alpha Male. He was scouted on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. He is undefeated in both his amateur and pro career.

Eryk Anders (9-0-0) vs. Markus Perez (9-0-0)

Anders’ last fight was his UFC debut, where he won via KO against Rafael Natal. Of Anders’ nine wins, six are by KO/TKO. Perez is also undefeated at 9-0. This will be the Brazilian’s UFC debut. He has three KO/TKOs, three submissions, and three wins by decision.

Scott Holtzman (10-2-0) vs. Darrell Horcher (13-2-0)

Holtzman has gone 3-2 since joining the UFC. Both of his losses have come by decision. In his last fight, Holtzman defeated Michael McBride via unanimous decision. Horcher comes from a wrestling background and lost Khabib Nurmagomedov in his UFC debut as a short notice replacement. Horcher was able to secure his first UFC win with split decision victory over Devin Powell. This is a close one in the odds.

Marlon Moraes (19-5-1) vs. Aljamain Sterling (16-2-0)

Moraes was a very dominant Bantamweight Champion in the WSOF. He had a tough test in his UFC debut against Raphael Assunção, where he lost by a close split decision. In his last fight, he beat John Dodson by split decision. This is a huge fight for the bantamweight division. Sterling is from the Serra-Longo fight team. He was a college wrestler and was a two-time DIII All-American. Sterling has gone 6-2 since joining the UFC with both losses by split decision. Sterling is currently on a two-fight win streak. He won his last fight against Renan Barâo by unanimous decision. Sterling is a slight underdog, and if you are looking for a play this is your bout.

Jason Knight (20-3-0) vs. Gabriel Benitez (19-7-0)

Jason Knight is an entertaining Southern brawler from Mississippi. He has been involved in some real wars since joining the UFC, and has displayed a lot of toughness, good boxing skills, and BJJ. He was on a four-fight win streak until he lost his last fight to Ricardo Lamas by first-round TKO. However, Knight is becoming a fan favorite and thrusting him into a featured fight. Benitez was born and raised in Tijuana. He now trains out of American Kickboxing Academy. He has gone 3-2 since joining the UFC. This should be another entertaining slug fest but the favored Jason Knight is tough to deny in any stand-up war.

Cub Swanson (25-7-0) vs. Brian Ortega (12-0-0, 1NC)

Since losing to current champion Max Holloway in early 2015, Swanson has won four straight fights. He has put on two back-to-back Fight of the Night performances, and his epic brawl with Doo Ho Choi earned 2016 Fight of the Year honors. If Swanson can get this win, it would be hard for the UFC to deny the #4 ranked fighter for a title shot next. Swanson is very well-rounded, keeps a high-pace, and fights extremely unorthodox, making him fun to watch. Ortega is still undefeated and has climbed to a #6 ranking. He is a black belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. In five UFC fights, Ortega has earned two Fight of the Night bonuses.

The main event is a pick em in the odds. Swanson is fighting for his UFC career as his contract is coming to an end. I like the more experienced fighter to peak in this 5-round bout and finally give Ortega a loss.

About Ryan O’Leary

Ryan O’Leary is a veteran mixed martial arts journalist and commentator. The Swedish-based writer is the founder and editor at MMAViking.com, which is the premier source for Nordic mixed martial arts news.