So Fighter B should beat Fighter A when they meet. Plenty of fight fans want to do what is known as “MMA Math”: Fighter A lost to Fighter C, but Fighter B beat Fighter C. One fighter may have lost to a past opponent that their current foe has defeated. Inside a particular weight class, there is a lot of crossover in terms of opposition. Often times, bettors like to compare the record of two opponents and which foes they have won and lost against. Those fighters who have been tested are often more prepared and can adapt quicker throughout the course of a fight than one that has yet to be really challenged. Records can sometimes be deceiving, as it’s impossible to find out the quality of opponents simply by looking at the wins and losses.īettors will want to take a deeper dive into those results, seeing that perhaps a fighter’s losses have come in closely-contested bouts against elite-level opponents while their opponent has built an impressive resume but has done so against inferior competition. And, much like in boxing, stance – orthodox or southpaw – should be considered when handicapping a fight, depending on the style of the combatants Southpaw fighters - left handed - can find themselves at an advantage versus orthodox fighters because often times they are not used to defending that type of stance.Ī fighter’s record is one of the first pieces of data bettors look at when sizing up the betting odds, but it’s also already factored into the numbers.

Looking at how these styles matchup and any advantages they give one fighter over the other are good ways to find value in the MMA betting odds. Others are skilled in wrestling and jiu-jitsu, and attempt to take the fight to the mat to ground-and-pound or submit an opponent. Some fighters are more upright strikers, who prefer to stand and deliver blows. That means that fighters of varying styles and practices bring their best to the cage, creating some very intriguing matchups. It’s all right there in the name: “mixed” martial arts.

If you’re grappling with the MMA betting odds for the first time or just need to brush up on the basics, here are some simple tips and tactics to help you handicap MMA. Mixed martial arts has been one of the fastest growing markets in sports betting for over a decade, with promotions like the UFC drawing a large audience and expanding their product beyond once-a-month pay-per-view cards.

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