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 to overseas for BRAVE CF 97 from Burgas, Bulgaria for our regional MMA pick.
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MMA Regional Pick of the Week: BRAVE CF 97
BRAVE CF Lightweight Fight: Abou Tounkara vs Pavel Vladev
Card Start Time: Saturday (7/12), 1:00pm EST (YouTube)
In the co-main event on Saturday in Bulgaria, I think there is some real value on the underdog.
I understand the hype on Vladev – he’s not just the hometown guy, but there is a lot to like about his game. He’s aggressive and he has vicious ground and pound. However, there are things I think he is lacking a bit as well. He throws a bit wide and is therefore not always the quickest. Additionally, there are some gaps in the grappling that saw his back taken early in his last fight.
Tounkara, on the other hand, may not have the prettiest record, but he does have some great skills. If you watch his fight with Ivan Buchinger, you can see he has quick hands and the ability to control the fight in the clinch. I think both of those things play well into the weeknesses of Vladev. As a result, I like him to cash an underdog ticket for us in this one.
BRAVE CF 97 Pick: Abou Tounkara ML (+240)
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