UFC Fight Night 53 and 54 Predictions
This Saturday we have two events. UFC Fight Night 53 is in Stockholm, Sweden. UFC Fight Night 54 is in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We’re doing one article with all of my picks. Let’s see if I can continue stringing together some wins for our valued readers at MBO.
To see the video picks for this event click here to skip to Kamikaze Scotties and click here for Mike Waz’s picks.
UFC Fight Night 53 Best Bets
- Bet Gunnar Nelson by Submission +150 (5Dimes) vs. Rick Story
Gunnar Nelson (13-0-1) is 4-0 in the UFC and three of those wins were by submission. Nelson is a submission specialist and he has averaged 0.6 submission attempts per round. Rick Story (17-8) has been stopped once in his career by Maia in 2012 (Submission).
Story is a good fighter, but the thing with him is he beats weak opponents while losing to anyone that’s ranked. Since 2011 he has a 5-5 UFC record with his best wins over Alves and Ebersole. If Nelson comes out focused he’ll get Story to tap out in R1 or R2.
- Bet Max Holloway ITD –121 (Bovada) vs. Akira Corassani
Max Holloway (10-3) is one of the favorite fighters in the UFC right now. He’s just 22 years old and he’s already 6-3 in the UFC with three wins in a row in 2014 already. Two of the wins this year was by TKO and I expect him to display his power again.
Holloway is fighting Akira Corassani (12-4-0-1) who has been knocked out in each of his four career losses. Corassani was KO’ed by Poirier earlier this year and we all know Poirier isn’t at the top of his game. Holloway uses his striking to land a TKO/KO.
UFC Fight Night 53 and 54 Predictions – Kamikaze Scottie
UFC Fight Night 54 Best Bets
- Bet Rory MacDonald by Decision –110 (5Dimes) vs. Tarec Saffiedine
Rory MacDonald (17-2) is 4-1 in his last five fights and all of those fights have gone the distance. This is a 5-round fight and Rory has never fought in a 5-round fight before, but I still like him to win this by decision, as Tarec Saffiedine (15-3) has never been finished.
Saffiedine has won five consecutive fights dating back to Strikeforce and his last two wins have been 5-round decisions. I don’t think this fight will be that exciting. MacDonald can utilize his 6’’ reach advantage and striking to point his way to a win by decision.
- Bet Daron Cruickshank –180 (BetDSI) vs. Anthony Njokuani
Anthony Njokuani (16-8) is 3-4 in the UFC since joining in 2011 and he’s already 34 years old. Daron Cruickshank (15-5) will have to make up for a 3’’ reach disadvantage in this fight, but his striking is next level and I like him to get the KO on the much older fighter.
- Bet Yosdenis Cedeno +225 (BetDSI) vs. Chad Laprise
I think this price is off. Chad Laprise (8-0) wasn’t that impressive in his UFC debut. Yosdenis Cedeno (10-3) lost his debut, but he won his last fight by TKO. Cedeno has the speed and power to end this fight quickly. His cardio worries me, but I’ll take a shot on him.
UFC Fight Night 53/54 Parlay
- Bet Nelson / Holloway / Backstrom / Siver / MacDonald / Assuncao / Taleb / Gagnon +438 (5Dimes)
I think this is the biggest parlay I’ve ever posted on this site. We have two events to pick favorites from and there are plenty of big favorites that’ll work great on ML parlays. The payout odds are decent and although one loss kills the bet I like it a lot.
For fun I’ve also done the same parlay as above, but I also added Santos and Cedeno. They’re two underdogs I like on Saturday and that bumps the parlay payout to +6907 odds. I’m only betting a ¼ unit on the parlay, but it’d definitely be nice to hit.