While the UFC continues to be the king when it comes to MMA and gambling, there is more MMA than ever to bet on now. Promotions all over the world as well as domestic ones are showing up in sportsbooks. The advantage here is that the data is usually quite a bit less sharp than when you’re making MMA predictions for the UFC. So we’ve decided to dig into some each week to get you started on your regional MMA journey. This week we head overseas for EFC 135 from Sandton, South Africa for our regional MMA pick.
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MMA Regional Pick of the Week: EFC 135
EFC Lightweight Fight: Emmanuel Sita vs Khanyo Maqam
Card Start Time: Thursday (7/2), 8:00am EST (Internet Stream)
With so little MMA on the docket for this week, we’re heading to a seldom covered promotion. EFC comes to us from South Africa and has a mixed bag of talent levels across the promotion. In the co-main event, we get a pair of lightweights who are much better than their record shows. Not only that, but we have a line that has a ton of value on it.
Emmanuel Sita comes into this fight despite having three times the fight experience of his opponent. In those fights, he’s faced some of the best lightweights that Africa has to offer. He’s shown that he can hang on the feet with a mixture of hard kicks and smart trips. It’s that well-roundedness that I think will serve him well in this fight.
On the other side, Khanyo Maqam has shown some skills, but tends to have a hole in each facet of the game. He can look solid on the feet, but struggles with range due to his love for throwing elbows. He likes to shoot takedowns, but doesn’t always have the drive he needs to finish them. If those issues rear their ugly head against Sita, the wily veteran should be able to take advantage.
EFC 135 Pick: Emmanuel Sita ML (+190)
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