The UFC has already provided an abundance of explosive entertainment in 2022, with the action set to continue this weekend. Our expert tipster at NetBet has provided his betting tips for the Middleweight main event between Jack Hermansson and Sean Strickland.
Jack Hermansson vs Sean Strickland
Saturday 5th February: Main Card @ 12am GMT
UFC Apex, Las Vegas
Live on BT Sport 2
Jack Hermansson vs Sean Strickland Preview
This week’s UFC main event will see the Swedish-born Norwegian fighter Jack ‘The Joker’ Hermansson face off against Sean ‘Tarzan’ Strickland in a Middleweight bout with potentially huge ramifications for the career of these fighters.
Locked at sixth and seventh, a win for either of these martial artists could thrust them into contention for a place in the top five, and enter them into a queue to get their hands on ‘The Last Stylebender’ Israel Adesanya.
There isn’t a lot to separate these two in their profiles, rankings or records. Both are in their early thirties and stand at 6ft 1, with Strickland boasting a slightly better record of 24-3 in comparison to Hermansson’s 22-6. The Joker entered the UFC a couple of years after Strickland, but finds himself one place ahead in the rankings.
Hermansson has faced the stronger competition in his UFC career thus far, but the question remains as to whether he can make the step up. The Joker has lost against two of the top three ranked fighters, Marvin Vettori and Jared Cannonier in his last four appearances. That being said, he does have a win over the talented Kelvin Gastelum on his resume, submitting the American between those two defeats.
Sean Strickland has not lost a fight in nearly four years, and his five fight winning streak peaked in his last outing as he defeated the Jamaican knockout artist Uriah Hall via unanimous decision.
Jack Hermansson vs Sean Strickland Fight Odds
The bookies think Strickland’s momentum will give him the edge, pricing the American at 5/11, whilst Hermansson is seen as the underdog at 7/4.
Jack Hermansson vs Sean Strickland Betting Tips
Strickland Win via Decision – 9/5
Only Thiago Santos and Cannonier have found a way to KO Jack Hermansson. The former now utilises his heavy hands at light heavyweight, with the latter finishing nine of 14 wins by KO/TKO. Whilst Strickland has shown his punching power in his time with the UFC, three of his last four wins have come via decision. He faces a tough competitor in Hermansson, and Tarzan might need the help of the judges to get the job done.
Hermansson Win by Submission – 9/2
The Joker hasn’t won by TKO is nearly four years, but three of his last five wins have come via submission. Back-to-back first round guillotines put Hermansson on the map, and his two minute heel-hook victory over Gastelum was equally impressive. Strickland has not yet been submitted, but things could get interesting if this goes to the ground.
Winning Method: Round 1 Submission – 9/1
These two have four first round submission finishes between them in the UFC. The best opportunity could come in the opening minutes when both fighters are fresh and dry. This is set-up to be a razor close affair, but one scramble could end up in an early bath.
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