Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland: UFC Fight Night Betting Preview
The main event features two top ten middleweight fighters, Jack Hermansson and Sean Strickland, as the UFC is back after a two-week break following UFC 270.
MW - #6 Jack Hermansson (22-6-0) vs. MW - #7 Sean Strickland (24-3-0)
Date: Saturday, February 5, 2022
Time: 4:00 PM ET
Venue: UFC Apex - Enterprise, Nevada
Broadcast Coverage: ESPN+
Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland Moneyline and Odds
Odds to Win: Hermansson (+188) / Strickland (-225)
How Will Fight End: KO/TKO (+160), Submission (+340), Points (+100)
Will the fight go the distance? Yes (+106) No (-156)
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Jack Hermansson vs. Sean Strickland News, Analysis, and Picks
Jack Hermansson comes into this bout having alternated wins and losses in his past four fights, while Sean Strickland is riding a five-fight win streak. After spending two years on the shelf, Strickland has recently strung together four straight UFC wins. Both combatants are six foot one inch tall, but Hermansson will enjoy a one-and-a-half-inch reach advantage, and a five-inch leg reach edge.
Everything about these two fighters says this will be a close contest, but Strickland is on a hotter stretch. However, Hermansson has a very underrated grappling game. One which he employed to out-grapple Ronaldo Souza in 2019. Strickland has looked revitalized since his return. He varies his attack using strikes and kicks and has an excellent defensive wrestling base. Hermansson represents Strickland's most formidable challenge since his return. The underdog is dangerous, defensively sound, and durable.
Hermansson is very good at getting his attacks in and getting out, and if he does get caught, he's shown he can take a punch. Expect Strickland to build slowly and ramp up his attacks throughout the fight. Strickland has a great jab, and he sets traps once he figures out his opponents' tendencies. The two of them should be able to keep their pace and volume up this entire fight. Strickland lands 5.45 significant strikes per minute, while Hermansson lands 4.86. Strickland absorbs 3.73 significant strikes per minute, which is a few more punches than Hermansson's 3.36. However, Hermansson lands 2.09 takedowns per 15 minutes, while Strickland only manages 1.32.
It looks like Strickland has a slight advantage on the feet, but Hermansson will have a bit of an edge in the wrestling. This fight will tell us a lot about both of these fighters. They've put themselves in the middleweight top ten, but whoever wins this fight will probably enter that elite top five.
The last time Hermansson was finished in a fight was in 2019, while the previous time Strickland lost by submission or knockout was in 2018.
We like a bet on Hermansson mainly due to the value he represents. Strickland could just as easily win this fight, but Hermansson pays more.
We expect the fight to go the distance, seeing as both fighters are technically sound and have good gas tanks.
The Bets: Hermansson (+188), Hermansson by Points (+460), How Will the Fight End: Points (+100), Will the fight go the distance? Yes (+106)
All UFC predictions and picks are courtesy of SportsGrid
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