UFC Fort Lauderdale Betting Guide: Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza vs. Jack Hermansson odds, prediction

UFC Fort Lauderdale wasn’t even on the UFC’s roadmap a couple of months ago, but now we’re here. The UFC had originally planned to host an event in Miami, but they moved the event over to Sunrise, Florida, in February.

The event was scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN, but now without the initially scheduled main event bout between Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa, the event has been moved to ESPN+. Romero and Costa both dropped out of the event and we’re now looking at a middleweight clash between Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Jack Hermansson as the headline bout.

As always, WagerBop is ready to break down the notable fights for this UFC event to bring you actionable betting advice ahead of the weekend. If you’re new here, you’ll be pleased (and maybe a little disappointed) to know you’re in safe hands considering that we’re up more than 12 units already in 2019. Our winning streak extended last weekend as Alistair Overeem made easy work of Aleksei Oleinik, finishing him in the first round.

For now, let’s get started by breaking down the main event: Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza vs. Jack Hermansson.

Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza vs. Jack Hermansson

Although not the initially planned main event, this one isn’t a fight that should be ignored. Souza and Hermansson are fast finishers who pack heavy stopping power and submissions – there’s a real chance this doesn’t last long at all.

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza

Alternating wins and losses, it might look like “Jacare” is far out of the title picture at middleweight. But when considering the narrow defeat to Kelvin Gastelum and losing to current champion Robert Whittaker while not at 100 percent, it’s fair to say that “Jacare” is within reach of a shot at the title.

In November last year, “Jacare” impressed with a third-round KO/TKO victory against Chris Weidman at UFC 230. A perfect result and it showcased some new improvements that have been made to the Brazilian’s game in recent years.

Jack Hermansson

Jack Hermansson’s a man on a mission. With three consecutive wins under his belt, he’s now rising the ranks at middleweight. Hermansson competed as recently as the last week of March where he secured a first-round guillotine choke to defeat David Branch in what may be considered one of his toughest tests yet.

The other highly-regarded opponent that Hermansson has faced in the UFC is current UFC Light Heavyweight Championship contender, Thiago Santos. Hermansson lost that bout via punches in the first-round.

Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza vs. Jack Hermansson Odds

 

“Jacare” vs. Hermansson Breakdown

As dangerous as Jack Hermansson is, this may be a nightmare matchup for him in more ways than one.

Hermansson is a particularly successful fighter because of his superb ground and pound ability. Whereas Khabib Nurmagomedov has made a name for himself in the lightweight division by continually dragging guys down to the floor and rag-dolling them, Hermansson has gone for the more immediate approach by just smacking them around with heavy strikes from the very beginning of their time on the floor.

But unlike Nurmagomedov and other many other successful grappling-focused fighters, Hermansson doesn’t have much else to his game. He’s considerably awkward on the feet and that can mean something at times, but mostly he’s ineffective and inefficient. Against almost any other opponent, his strategy would be (and has been) to take them down as quickly as possible and then crash their head into the canvas.

However, that’s arguably the toughest pathway to victory against Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, who is one of the slickest grapplers in the game today. The idea of someone taking down Demian Maia – or another similarly skilled submission fighter – would be ludicrous. Grappling is the world of Souza, and while Hermansson may be commanding while down there as well, it’s likely to be an unwise option unless he can guarantee a top, dominant position with a takedown (and that’s especially challenging to gain, let alone maintain).

Does Hermansson need to stand and trade with “Jacare” to win? Even that may prove to be more difficult than many imagine. “Jacare” is quickly developing into a very capable boxer and he proved this in his win against Chris Weidman recently. With his constant forward pressure and powerful hands, there’s every chance that “Jacare” gets Hermansson out of the cage before this fight even comes close to being contested on the mat.

While anything can (and does) happen in mixed martial arts, this is a fight that “Jacare” really shouldn’t lose. Expect him to earn a straightforward victory here at UFC Fight Night 150 and challenge the winner of the upcoming UFC Middleweight Championship bout between Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya.

Bet on Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza to win: -191 at Pinnacle

John Lineker vs. Cory Sandhagen

Although John Lineker vs. Cory Sandhagen won’t get the mainstream attention it deserves, this is a fight that could be just as good and if not better as any of the most-promoted fights in recent UFC memory.

John Lineker vs. Cory Sandhagen Odds

John Lineker has an always-forward style of fighting and this has been incredibly entertaining over the years. But more so than just being known for the excitement he brings, Lineker’s high-pressure strategy often results in his opponent’s folding under the pressure as they’re effectively disabled from fighting their own gameplan. The Brazilian fights the same way almost every time we see him; it’s back your opponent up to the cage, trap them there, and then swing wild hooks to the body before bringing those devastating punches up to the head.

Lineker is a beast and is widely regarded as one of the most violent men in the UFC today. But he’s going to be tested by Cory Sandhagen, a bantamweight prospect who is making a name for himself rather quickly.

Cory Sandhagen appears to be a fighter that has almost unlimited potential. At the age of 27, Sandhagen has competed just 11 times and has managed to win all three of his UFC fights to date. He and Lineker were originally scheduled to face each other in January this year, but an injury kept Lineker away. In stepped Mario Bautista, but Sandhagen made easy work of him, finishing him in the first round with an armbar.

While doing so, Sandhagen opened our eyes to some of his potential. He showcased his grappling ability and flowed smoothly from position to position before eventually catching his opponent in a submission. In a recent interview, Sandhagen admitted that he’ll need to adapt his strategy before fighting John Lineker. “He throws a lot of hooks, he marches forward. If you don’t stop this pressure forward, he’s just going to tear you apart,” Sandhagen said.

However, it’s one thing to expect what’s coming and it’s another to be able to change your style to account for Lineker’s forward pressure. While there’s a chance that Sandhagen employs a TJ Dillashaw-like approach to this one and edges out a decision, it’s most likely that Lineker comes out on top and that’s where the value lies.

Bet on John Lineker to win: -139 at Bet365

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Best UFC Fight Night 150 bets

• Bet on Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza to win: -191 at Pinnacle
• Bet on John Lineker to win: -139 at Bet365

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