UFC Rio Rancho Picks: Odds, Preview, Underdog and LOCK

Oh UFC 247, what a cruel mistress you were. My recommended picks went 0-2, one via KO and one via a controversial judges’ decision (which was par for the course last Saturday in Houston). So, just like that, all our profit has gone down the tubes.

But the good thing with the UFC is, more often than not, you only have to wait a week to get another kick at the can. And this week is no different, as the octagon rolls into Rio Rancho, New Mexico for UFC Fight Night: Anderson vs Blachowicz 2. This sneaky good card is headlined by two men vying to be Jon Jones’s next victim – top light heavyweight contender’s Corey Anderson and Jan Blachowicz. This will be a rematch of their September 2015 bout, in which Anderson got the nod via unanimous decision.

The co-main sees 15-year UFC veteran Diego Sanchez go up against the high-flying Michel Pereira. Pereira is currently a -165 betting favorite to Sanchez’s +135.

Ok, let’s go get some money. I’m going with two locks this week and no underdogs – got to get that money back. But, if you are dead set on going with a dog, I like Rogerio Bontorin at +118 battling Ray Borg.

Odds via MyBookie

Corey Anderson (-230) vs Jan Blachowicz

My first lock (hence the -230) is headliner Corey Anderson in his rematch with Jan Blachowicz. As mentioned earlier, Anderson won their first encounter, so that’s a positive. He’s also on a tear of late, reeling off four straight wins, including a stunning TKO of hyped prospect Johnny Walker at UFC 244 this past November. This has vaulted him into the pole position in the Jon Jones sweepstakes. He’ll want to solidify that spot this Saturday, and should be able to do that against the ‘Prince of Cieszyn’. In their first matchup, ‘Overtime’ was four for four on his takedowns of Blachowicz, and passed his guard six times on the ground. Look for a repeat of that performance, five years later.

STONE COLD LOCK: Anderson gets the W on Saturday, but might not provide the fireworks necessary to get the nod to fight Jones.

Macy Chiasson (-357) vs Shanna Young

This matchup is so last minute that many sportsbooks don’t even have a number posted for it yet (I’ve seen it for -357 in multiple places, so we’ll run with that). TUF winner Macy Chiasson was scheduled to fight former UFC Flyweight Champion Nicco Montano in New Mexico before a knee injury put Montano on the shelf. In steps Invicta FC fighter Shanna Young, who was supposed to fight on the Invicta card last weekend before falling ill and being deemed medically unfit to compete. Despite dropping her last fight (the first L of her career), Chiasson is still a top prospect and should be too big and too good for Young to get past on such short notice.

STONE COLD LOCK: Chiasson’s march to the top of the bantamweight division begins anew in Rio Rancho.