The bantamweight division is set to entertain one week after the women’s bantamweight closed the UFC show.
This week, former title challenger Marlon Moraes looks to inch closer to returning to the top of the division while Cory Sandhagen hopes a win over Moraes puts him in the title conversation as well. We have a full preview and the betting odds for UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs Sandhagen, which is once again at Yas Island (Fight Island), on Saturday, October 10.
After losing to Henry Cejudo in June 2019, “Magic” Moraes returned to the win column with a controversial split decision, but it was his opponent Jose Aldo who went on to fight for the title while Moraes waited in the wings. If he gets a second win, he may be next in line after Aljamain Sterling for the next championship bout.
Sandhagen looks to take a recent chapter from Moraes’ book and get back in the win column himself after his seven-fight win streak was snapped in his last appearance against the aforementioned Sterling. That bout was a No. 1 contender fight so Sandhagen now takes a small step backward but gets an opportunity to knock off a former champ.
Online sportsbook [Sportsbook not available for your region] has released the UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs Sandhagen betting odds and has listed Sandhagen as the -140 challenger with Moraes coming back at +110. That means you would have to wager $140 to profit $100 with a Sandhagen victory while betting $100 on Moraes would profit you $110. You can find out all your potential winnings with our sports betting calculator.
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UFC Fight Island 5: Moraes vs Sandhagen Betting Odds
- Bantamweight – Marlon Moraes (+110) vs Cory Sandhagen (-140)
- Featherweight – Edson Barboza (-280) vs Makwan Amikhani (+220)
- Heavyweight – Ben Rothwell (-155) vs Marcin Tybura (+125)
- Middleweight – Markus Perez (+140) vs Dricus Du Plessis (-170)
- Heavyweight – Tom Aspinall (-700) vs Alan Baudot (+450)
- Featherweight – Youssef Zalal (-170) vs Ilia Topuria (+140)
- Prelims
- Middleweight – Tom Breese (-250) vs KB Bhullar (+195)
- Heavyweight – Chris Daukaus (+210) vs Rodrigo Nascimento (-270)
- Middleweight – Impa Kasanganay (-250) vs Joaquin Buckley (+195)
- Bantamweight – Ali AlQaisi (+175) vs Tony Kelley (-225)
- Featherweight – Giga Chikadze (+135) vs Omar Morales (-165)
- Women’s Bantamweight – Tracy Cortez (-190) vs Stephanie Egger (+155)
- Flyweight – Bruno Silva (+350) vs Tagir Ulanbekov (-500)
New to betting on the fights? Check out our UFC betting guide to get you in the action. Also, keep an eye on our UFC odds page for the latest up-to-date UFC betting odds.
UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs Sandhagen Broadcast Information
- Date/Time: October 10, 5 p.m. ET
- Location: Yas Island (Fight Island), Abu Dhabi
- Arena: Flash Forum
- Where to Watch: ESPN+
Marlon Moraes vs Cory Sandhagen Betting Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Marlon Moraes | +110 |
| Cory Sandhagen | -140 |
After spending four years in WSOF putting together a perfect record of 11-0, Moraes (+110) finally got his crack at the UFC and lost his debut by split decision, but he didn’t lose again until five fights later against Henry Cejudo. Sandhagen (-140) also had a successful career outside the UFC, but unlike Moraes, he didn’t endure his first setback in the UFC until June of this year when he was submitted by now-No. 1 contender Aljamain Sterling.
- Moraes was the WSOF bantamweight champion and has fought once for the UFC bantamweight title.
- Magic is predominantly a striker, having landed just two takedowns over his seven UFC bouts, and he has outstruck every opponent except Henry Cejudo, though none by more than a seven-strike differential.
- Of his 23 pro wins, 16 have been finishes, 10 by knockout and six by submission, while five of his six losses have also been finishes (three knockouts, two submissions).
- Moraes has an outstanding left high kick that is incredibly fast and powerful. In fact, Magic throws a ton of kicks low, to the body and up high as a means to keep distance and batter his opponents. He tends to lunge forward with his punches and throw one at a time. The biggest factor for him is his conditioning as we’ve seen him tire quickly.
- Moraes’ last three fights were Raphael Assuncao (win – submission), Henry Cejudo (loss – knockout) and Jose Aldo (win – split decision).
- Sandhagen burst into the UFC with three straight finishes before climbing the rankings into stiffer competition that went the full distance.
- He is also considered a striker, though he does average 1.20 takedowns per 15 minutes, landing four through his six UFC bouts. He has outstruck five of his six opponents but was outstruck 2-1 in the quick submission loss to Sterling.
- He has a really high output of 6.95 significant strikes per minute, but getting into those brawls means he’s also getting hit, absorbing 4.08 significant strikes per minute.
- Sandhagen has really good low kicks that he uses to open up his punches. He changes stances constantly and he tends to use start-and-stop feints to get reads on his opponents. At times, he will drop his hands and mock his foe, which leaves him vulnerable to a quick strike.
- Sandhagen’s last three fights were John Lineker (win – split decision), Raphael Assuncao (win – unanimous decision) and Aljamain Sterling (loss – submission).
Prediction: Marlon Moraes (+110) via knockout
Edson Barboza vs Makwan Amirkhani
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Edson Barboza | -280 |
| Makwan Amirkhani | +220 |
Following an unsuccessful, albeit close, debut in the featherweight division, Edson Barboza (-280) is looking for a better result in his second bout in his new weight class and an end to his three-fight losing slide. Meanwhile, Makwan Amirkhani (+220) continues to try to find his footing coming off a first-round submission win in July.
- A staple in the UFC for the past 10 years, Barboza is set to make his 24th walk to the Octagon, though things haven’t gone as planned recently. He has dropped five of his last six but two of those were narrow split decisions.
- Of Barboza’s 20 wins, 12 have been by knockout and three of those have been by leg kicks. He is incredibly fast and powerful with those kicks, battering the legs before going high with spinning attacks.
- He does have issues when he’s pressured and doesn’t have the room to throw his kicks, but closing the distance will likely mean you have to eat some kicks on the way in. Barboza also does a good job pacing himself to avoid getting too tired, though he has been outmatched on the floor in the past.
- Barboza’s last three fights were Justin Gaethje (loss – knockout), Paul Felder (loss – split decision) and Dan Ige (loss – split decision).
- Mr. Finland has failed to build a lot of momentum through his eight UFC fights, having three-fight and two-fight winning streaks snapped.
- While Barboza has knockouts to his name, 11 of Amirkhani’s 16 pro wins have been by submission, including three of his six UFC victories.
- He has been outstruck in six of his eight UFC fights, but he doesn’t mind that because if he gets hold of your neck, it’s all over. On the feet, he tends to throw a jab, a lead hook and step-right left straight much like his teammate Conor McGregor throws, though without the same impact. However, he uses his punches to dip under and get into a grappling exchange.
- Amirkhani’s last three fights were Chris Fishgold (win – submission), Shane Burgos (loss – knockout) and Danny Henry (win – submission).
Prediction: Edson Barboza (-280) via knockout
Ben Rothwell vs Marcin Tybura
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Ben Rothwell | -155 |
| Marcin Tybura | +125 |
A winning streak will come to a close when these heavyweights enter the cage. Ben Rothwell (-155) snapped his three-fight losing skid in December of last year and followed that up with a split-decision win over Ovince St. Preux in May. Similarly, Marcin “Tybur” Tybura (+125) had lost four of five fights but has two unanimous-decision victories in 2020.
- The King of Kenosha made his UFC debut way back in 2009 and at one point was close to getting a title shot, but a two-year suspension halted his career.
- Of his 38 pro wins, 28 have been by knockout, though prior to his suspension he had back-to-back submission wins with his strong grip.
- Rothwell simply marches his opponents down with his lead hand extended to help judge distance until he finds an opportunity to let his right hand fly. His whole body leans toward that right hand and when he throws, he has good speed that surprises his opponents. Kicks and good footwork are the way to beat him, but if he catches you in a corner, it could be lights out.
- Rothwell’s last three fights were Andrei Arlovski (loss – unanimous decision), Stefan Struve (win – knockout) and Ovince St. Preux (win – split decision).
- Tybur has a much more balanced method of victory record in his pro career with seven wins coming by knockout, six by submission and six by decision. Meanwhile, four of his six losses have been by knockout.
- He will look for the takedown often, averaging 1.69 takedowns per 15 minutes, and has landed five over his last two fights. Tybura has a methodical approach with his strikes, typically one at a time, and if he doesn’t see the perfect opportunity, he almost pulls up on his strikes.
- Tybura’s last three fights were Augusto Sakai (loss – knockout), Sergey Spivak (win – unanimous decision) and Maxim Grishin (win – unanimous decision).
Prediction: Ben Rothwell (-155) via knockout
Markus Perez vs Dricus Du Plessis
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Markus Perez | +140 |
| Dricus Du Plessis | -170 |
Set to make his UFC debut is South Africa’s Dricus “Stilknocks” Du Plessis (-170), who has won 10 of his last 11 fights. Markus “Maluko” Perez (+140) has been on a win-one, lose-one streak in his five fights in the Octagon, most recently losing a decision to Wellington Turman.
- Maluko enters the UFC with a perfect 10-0 record and wins over UFC fighters Ian Heinisch and Paulo Thiago.
- Nine of his 12 pro wins have been finishes (three by knockout, six by submission), while all three of his losses were decisions.
- Perez can be a little hesitant to throw and when he is pressured, he backs up with his chin in the air. He throws one strike at a time and often it’s very sloppy but has some power behind it. He reminds me of Elias Theodorou, throwing flashy strikes that rarely land, and when pressured he runs away.
- Perez’s last three fights were Andrew Sanchez (loss – unanimous decision), Anthony Hernandez (win – submission) and Wellington Turman (loss – unanimous decision).
- An impressive 14-2 record with no fights going to the judges’ scorecards can only mean one thing – action.
- Du Plessis was a two-division champion in EFC Africa and was the KSW welterweight champion. He has really good kicks, especially his low kicks, which are really quick. His punches are somewhat basic with a 1-2 that he uses to set up his kicks or get into a clinch where he’s extremely powerful.
- Du Plessis’ last three fights were Roberto Soldic (loss – knockout), Joilton Lutterbach (win – knockout) and Brendan Lesar (win – submission).
Prediction: Dricus Du Plessis (-170) via decision
Tom Aspinall vs Alan Baudot
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tom Aspinall | -700 |
| Alan Baudot | +450 |
Returning to the cage after his 45-second knockout victory in his UFC debut is Tom Aspinall (-700), who lays a four-fight winning streak on the line. His opponent, Alan “The Black Samurai” Baudot (+450), is ready to make his UFC debut and looks to extend his two-fight winning streak.
- All eight of Aspinall’s pro wins have been finishes, seven by knockout and one by submission. Among his two losses, one was a submission and the other was a disqualification from a downward elbow like Jon Jones’ lone defeat.
- Despite being a true heavyweight north of 250 pounds, he moves really well – like a light heavyweight or even a middleweight – and his hand speed is off the charts. His knockout of Jake Collier in July was spectacular: a knee to the body followed by a rapid 1-2 that ended the fight.
- Aspinall’s last three fights were Sofiane Boukichou (win – knockout), Michael Ben Hamouda (win – knockout) and Jake Collier (win – knockout).
- The Black Samurai fights out of the MMA Factory that has produced such fighters as Francis Ngannou, Cyril Gane and Nassourdine Imavov, who earned his first win in the UFC last week. Baudot spent most of his career as a light heavyweight.
- All of Baudot’s fights have been finishes and seven of his eight wins have been by knockout, though his one defeat came in the same manner against Dalcha Lungiambula. Baudot is also very quick for a heavyweight, though at times he will enter the pocket and be a little delayed to throw the punch. But when it comes, it has power.
- Baudot’s last three fights were Dalcha Lungiambula (loss – knockout), Yuto Nakajima (win – knockout) and Todd Stoute (win – disqualification).
Prediction: Tom Aspinall (-700) via knockout
Youssef Zalal vs Ilia Topuria
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Youssef Zalal | -170 |
| Ilia Topuria | +140 |
Two exciting prospects with lengthy winning streaks will open up the main card. Undefeated Ilia Topuria (+140) will be making his UFC debut with all eight of his wins being finishes. Youssef “The Moroccan Devil” Zalal (-170) made his UFC debut in February and has already notched three victories in the Octagon.
- The 24-year-old is 10-2 with his two losses coming by way of the judges’ scorecards. Among his 10 wins, he has seven finishes, two by knockout and five by submission.
- He has really good kicks, which he mixes up well from the legs to the body and up high. Zalal has good patience as well; he rocked his last opponent and didn’t blow himself up looking for the finish. He can freeze up a little when pressured, but in doing so he may switch to a takedown, averaging 3.00 per 15 minutes.
- Zalal’s last three fights were Austin Lingo (win – unanimous decision), Jordan Griffin (win – unanimous decision) and Peter Barrett (win – unanimous decision).
- As mentioned, all eight of Topuria’s pro wins have been finishes, with seven coming by submission, while he had his first knockout win in his last fight. Only one of his fights has reached the second round.
- The 23-year-old is aggressive in searching for the takedown and is very strong with those slams. On the floor, it is submission attempt after submission attempt as he’s paid for the fight, not for the time. When striking, he tends to throw a big overhand right over and over, which he uses to land heavy or close distance for a takedown.
- Topuria’s last three fights were Brian Bouland (win – submission), Luis Gomez (win – submission) and Stephen Goncalves (win – knockout).
Prediction: Youssef Zalal (-170) via knockout
UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs Sandhagen Predictions & Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Bantamweight - Marlon Moraes | +110 |
| Featherweight - Edson Barboza | -280 |
| Heavyweight - Ben Rothwell | -155 |
| Middleweight - Dricus Du Plessis | -170 |
| Heavyweight - Tom Aspinall | -700 |
| Featherweight - Youssef Zalal | -170 |
