UFC Fight Night: Paul Felder vs. Rafael dos Anjos Betting Guide (2020)
When the former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anos steps into the octagon on Saturday night, it won’t be against the fighter he has trained for over the last few months. After being originally scheduled to fight Islam Makhachev at UFC 254, dos Anjos tested positive for COVID-19 in the week leading up to the event, causing a rescheduling to this weekend.
Now less than a week ago, Makhachev was forced to withdraw from this one with a staph infection, and in steps lightweight Paul Felder on just five days notice.
Will the training for Makhachev and instead fighting Felder come back to bite the former champ? Let’s take a closer look.
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Paul Felder (17-5-0) vs. Rafael dos Anjos (29-13-0)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
As of a week ago, Paul Felder was planning to be at the UFC Apex this Saturday night. In the role of a commentator.
Instead, on just five days’ notice, Felder will step into the octagon to face Dos Anjos in a five-round affair. Though dos Anos is currently fighting as a welterweight, this fight will be brought down to lightweight for Felder.
The last time we saw Felder inside the octagon was just his second loss in seven fights, a split decision loss to Dan Hooker. Though he still won a Fight of the Night bonus, the fight marked the fourth fight in a row that Felder went to the judge’s scorecards.
For dos Anos, losses in four of his last five fights dating back to June of 2018 have him in desperate need of a win in this one to maintain relevancy in a division that has some killers at the top of it. Currently ranked the #12 contender in the welterweight division, a loss in this one could very well send him out of the rankings, making a future climb to big money fights a long one.
Bottom Line
For dos Anjos, a 4th-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu who has a 10-0 record in fights decided on the ground, a fight against Makhachev who prefers the ground himself, appeared the perfect fit. While I have no doubt Felder trains every day to be ready for opportunities like this on moment’s notice, dos Anjos has a significant edge should this fight go to the ground, where I expect dos Anjos to push to take it.
If Felder can’t secure a KO/TKO in the first or second round, I like dos Anjos to grind this one accordingly.
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TJ Perun is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from TJ, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers.