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The UFC makes its first visit to Denmark this week for UFC Fight Night 160. If you want to refer to it as UFC on ESPN+ 18, that’s fine, too, as the main event will feature Jack Hermansson and Jared Cannonier in the middleweight division. This is a loaded card with 13 fights and a lot of variety.

We’ll take a look at the odds from 5Dimes and also consider the main card and the prelim card, with some more emphasis and analysis on the six main card fights. The entire card is on ESPN+, so you’ll have to be ready to start this one early on Saturday September 28 with the time change.

Bantamweights Nohelin Hernandez and Jack Shore start off the card. Hernandez lost his debut fight at UFC 239 to Marlon Vera in the second round, but was 10-2 in smaller promotions, including Bellator and LFA before getting to the big stage. Shore will be making his UFC debut as an 11-0 fighting coming from Cage Warriors, where he was the champ. Shore is -160 and deserving of that big favorite role given the body of work so far.

Lando Vannata is +135 to Marc Diakiese in the lightweight division in the second fight of the night. The -155 favorite just got back in the win column with a decision triumph over Joe Duffy. That ended a string of three straight losses. This is a pretty important fight for Diakiese, as Vannata just scored his first win in nearly two years at UFC 234. This may not be an elimination match as far contracts go, but it could be used down the line. It is hard to lay a number with Diakiese, but Vannata has one win in five fights. It’s a stay away.

The line for Macy Chiasson looks light, even at -390, against Lisa Lansberg. Chiasson is 6-0 with five finishes and she’s in line for a sixth finish and a seventh win here. Lansberg has been good enough in her UFC career, but there aren’t many strikers like Chiasson in this division or in women’s MMA in general. Chiasson is a future title contender.

Giga Chikadze and Brandon Davis meet in the lone featherweight fight on the card. This is a very quick turnaround for Davis, who just went 15 minutes with Kyung Ho Kang at UFC 241 on August 17. Davis is a scrapper and a fighter. He’s just not blessed with a lot of power. This is a step up in class for Chikadze, who did fight in front of Dana White in June 2018, but then went back to Gladiator Challenge. With Chikadze’s finishing ability and Davis on a quick turnaround, the dog is attractive here at +125.

Siyur Bahadurzada is +155 against Ismail Naurdiev at -175 in the welterweight division. This is the third fight in UFC for Naurdiev, who is 1-1 thus far, with both fights going the distance. Bahardurzada is 2-2 in his four most recent UFC fights and has had some long layoffs throughout his career. SB lost to Curtis Millender last time out by decision at UFC 232, so it has been a little while. The fact that Naurdiev has been done nothing flashy in his two fights and is still a big favorite is pretty telling.

This is a big moment for Makhmud Muradov as he makes his UFC debut against Alessio Di Chirico. Muradov has been bet into a clear -155 favorite for this middleweight matchup. He is a knockout artist with 15 of his wins coming via KO or TKO. Di Chirico’s last two fights have gone the distance against guys that aren’t thought to be high-end fighters within the division. Muradov slots in for Peter Sobotta and seems to get a good first matchup. There is some unknown, so -155 is a little rich, but it’s worth considering.

Alen Amedovski gets another try after losing in a tough first match to Krzysztof Jotko in his debut back on 4/20. He gets John Phillips, who has lost three straight fights, which makes up all of his UFC fights. He came close last time with a split decision against Jack Marshman last time out, but it was not to be. Amedovski is only -120, but he had eight knockout wins in smaller promotions, including two in Bellator. Amedovski took almost three years off from 2015-18 and didn’t miss a beat when he got back. At -120, this line seems light.

<strong>Nicolas Dalby (+130) vs. Alex Oliveira (-150)</strong>

What a return to UFC for Nicolas Dalby. This will be his first UFC fight since September 3, 2016 and he will do it in his homeland. Dalby went to Cage Warriors and went 3-1 with a no contest in his five fights. Dalby did beat Alex Lohore for the welterweight title and then had the no contest in his defense.

Oliveira is a hard handicap here. Losses to Gunnar Nelson and Mike Perry are certainly understandable. On the other hand, the 31-year-old beat what’s left of Carlos Condit and also scored a first-round knockout of Carlo Pedersoli about two years ago. This is a step down in class for Oliveira to a degree, as Dalby was 1-2-1 in his UFC career and then had to find himself in CW after a long hiatus.

On one hand, it feels like this fight is set up for Dalby to beat a fighter trending in the wrong direction, but he still has to do it.

<strong>Pick: Alex Oliveira</strong>

<strong>Ovince Saint Preux (+190) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (-230)</strong>

With three losses in his last four fights, we may be seeing the end of an outstanding MMA career for Ovince Saint Preux. The 36-year-old OSP just seems slower and it seems like his takedown defense is waning. He tapped for the second time in four fights last time out and also has a unanimous decision loss to Dominick Reyes in there. Reyes is undefeated and a great fighter, but OSP mounted very little in that fight and certainly took some punishment.

That’s why Michal Oleksiejczuk is a -230 favorite here. He is coming off of consecutive first-round knockouts. Physical freak Khalil Rountree, who is also on this card, took him the distance. Oleksiejczuk won, but had the win overturned for a banned substance in post-fight testing. OSP isn’t the physical talent he once was and that was Oleksiejczuk’s first UFC fight.

<strong>Pick: Michal Oleksiejczuk</strong>

<strong>Ion Cutelaba (+110) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (-130)</strong>

This has Fight of the Night potential as the physically gifted Khalil Rountree takes on a real good wrestler and striker in Ion Cutelaba. Cutelaba can get himself caught at times, as he has with a couple of UFC losses in his last five fights, but he’s also capable of some spectacular knockouts. He’s also had issues when stepping up in class. While Rountree may not be exactly the prospect Dana White thought he was getting, he’s been an exciting fighter overall.

This is a tough handicap. Rountree should have the better gas tank and may look the part a bit better if it goes to the judges. On the other hand, we saw Rountree get caught by Johnny Walker two fights ago and Cutelaba has 11 career knockouts. This is a high-variance fight. It could end with a highlight reel knockout or could be a long war of attrition that ends with the judges. Because Cutelaba has struggled against comparable or better fighters, the nod goes to Rountree.

<strong>Pick: Khalil Rountree Jr.</strong>

<strong>Gunnar Nelson (+120) vs. Gilbert Burns (-140)</strong>

Gunnar Nelson was preparing for Thiago Alves, but now the Iceland native has been forced to get ready for Gilbert Burns. Nelson, who has an exceptional ground game, is coming off of a tough loss to Leon Edwards that featured split outcomes from the judges. It was a particularly tough setback for Nelson, who inexplicably got caught by Santiago Ponzinibbio for a knockout loss on 7/16/17.

Burns is taking the fight on short notice after a win over Alexey Kunchenko on August 10, 2019. Burns went 15 minutes in that fight, but didn’t take a ton of punishment. As a result, he’s willing and able to take this fight and is also a favorite in it. Burns hasn’t fought a great crop of fighters in UFC and Nelson is a guy that seems to have a ceiling, so this is a fight he clearly wanted and will get.

<strong>Pick: Gilbert Burns</strong>

<strong>Danilo Belluardo (+440) vs. Mark Madsen (-580)</strong>

What an opportunity for Mark Madsen. The 35-year-old will make his UFC debut in his home country of Denmark. Madsen was a medal-winning wrestler up until he decided to switch over to MMA. He won his first fight, but missed weight. Danilo Belluardo lost his UFC debut and looks like a lamb being led to slaughter per the odds for this fight.

<strong>Pick: Mark Madsen</strong>

<strong>Jared Cannonier (+190) vs. Jack Hermansson (-230)</strong>

Give credit to Jared Cannonier. After losses to Jan Blachowicz and Dominick Reyes, the now 35-year-old could have folded a little bit. He didn’t. He’ll go into a hostile environment here against Jack Hermansson. Cannonier isn’t exactly a fan favorite and Hermansson is from nearby Norway, so he’ll get the crowd’s support. Cannonier scored a nice win over David Branch and then beat what’s left of Anderson Silva last time out.

The win over Silva didn’t go how most people expected, as Silva got hurt again and that was about it. Hermansson has ripped off four straight wins, including an easy win over Branch and a 25-minute decision against Jacare Souza. That was a turnaround of less than a month for Hermansson and he showed a lot of heart and a lot of gas tank.

Hermansson’s stock does seem to be on the rise and he’ll have the crowd support here as well. This just looks like a chalky main card, which isn’t a big surprise for a first visit to Denmark for the UFC.

<strong>Pick: Jack Hermansson</strong>

UFC Fight Night 160: Hermansson vs. Cannonier Betting Odds, Picks & Preview

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<p>Don't miss out on the NCAA showdown between the Blue Hose and Golden Eagles. The game is starting at 2:00 ET on ESPN+, and it's hosted by the Golden Eagles at Hooper Eblen Center in Cookeville, TN. Get ready to place your bets! Presbyterian is favored by -5 in this non-conference contest against Tennessee Tech. The game's over/under currently sits at 134.5 points.</p><h3>PRESBYTERIAN BLUE HOSE VS TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles +5</p><p>This game will be played at Hooper Eblen Center at 2:00 ET on Wednesday, November 27th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-71 in favor of the Golden Eagles.</li><li>Not only will Tennessee Tech pick up the win, but look for them to cover at +5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 134.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 146 points.</li></ul><h3>Will Presbyterian Make it Happen on the Road?</h3><h3>Presbyterian Blue Hose Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>Presbyterian picked up a 71-61 win over Monmouth on Saturday, November 23rd. Playing at home, the Blue Hose were -2 favorites going into the game and covered the spread with the victory.</p> 

<p>Presbyterian jumped out to a 45-32 lead in the first half but slowed down in the second, scoring 26 points while allowing 29. The total points for the game were 132, which fell under the O/U line of 136.5.</p><p>Presbyterian's offense put up 71 points in their last game, shooting 45% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 53.3%. They hit 10 of 24 from beyond the arc, good for 41.7%, while connecting on 17 of 36 two-point attempts (47.2%). At the free-throw line, they converted 7 of 11, shooting 63.6%.</p> <p>Jack Collins led the way with 25 points, hitting 4 of 11 from three-point range. Kobe Stewart added 17 points, shooting 60% from deep (3/5) and dishing out 6 assists. Kory Mincy contributed 16 points, and Jamahri Harvey chipped in 13, with both players knocking down 3 threes.</p><p>Presbyterian’s defense gave up 61 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 45% from the field on 27 of 60 attempts. Inside the arc, they allowed 17 baskets on 36 tries, a 47% shooting rate.</p> <p>From three-point range, Presbyterian’s opponents hit 10 of 24 shots, good for 41%. They also sent them to the line 11 times, where they made 7 free throws, shooting 63%. Presbyterian allowed 12 offensive rebounds.</p><h3>Can Tennessee Tech Deliver Being Underdogs at Home?</h3><h3>Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles Recent Game</h3>

<p>The Golden Eagles fell to UCF 80-69 on Tuesday, November 19th. Despite being +24 point underdogs, Tennessee Tech kept the game closer than expected.</p> 

<p>After trailing 47-32 at halftime, the Golden Eagles outscored UCF 37-33 in the 2nd half. The total points for the game reached 149, surpassing the pre-game O/U line of 144.</p><p>Tennessee Tech put up 69 points in their last game, shooting 38.2% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc, hitting 10 of 30 three-point attempts. Their effective field goal percentage was 47.3%, and they connected on 77.3% of their free throws, going 17 for 22 from the line.</p> <p>Keyshawn Hall led the way with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, shooting 46.7% from the field. Kyle Layton added 16 points, hitting 4 of 5 threes, while Jordan Ivy-Curry contributed 15 points despite missing all 4 of his three-point attempts.</p><p>Despite Tennessee Tech's defensive efforts, they allowed 80 points on 42% shooting from the field. Their opponents went 21/47 from two-point range, hitting 44% of their shots.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, Tennessee Tech gave up 9 threes on 23 attempts, a 39% success rate. They also sent their opponents to the line 15 times, where they made 11 free throws (73%).</p>

Presbyterian Blue Hose vs Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 11/27/24

<p>At 7:30 ET, the Toronto Raptors (-142) will host the Houston Rockets (+117) in a non-conference matchup. The Rockets are currently 12th in the Western Conference with a 23-27 record, while the Raptors are 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 18-33.</p>

<p>The over/under line for the game is 232.5, and the Raptors are favored by 3 points. The game will be played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto and can be seen on SN.</p><h3>HOUSTON ROCKETS VS TORONTO RAPTORS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Houston Rockets +3</p><p>This game will be played at Scotiabank Arena at 7:30 ET on Friday, February 9th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE HOUSTON ROCKETS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 115-113 in favor of the Rockets.</li><li>Our projections have Alperen Sengün finishing with Alperen Sengün points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists.</li><li>From the field, we have the Rockets finishing with a field goal percentage of 46.8% and knocking down 9 threes.</li></ul><h3>Will the Rockets Come Through as Road Underdogs?</h3><p>Houston is 24-26 on the over/under this season, and 43 of their games have had lower over/under lines than today's (232.5). The average O/U line in their games is 223.9, and their games have averaged 226.4 points.</p>

<p>The Rockets have an ATS record of 27-22 this season, going 9-13 ATS on the road and 18-9 ATS at home. As the underdog, they are 16-16 ATS and have failed to cover the spread in their last two games.</p>

<p>In their last game, the Rockets lost to the Pacers by a score of 132-129. The O/U line for that game was 244.5, and Houston covered the spread as 8.5-point underdogs.</p>

<p>Currently, the Rockets are 12th in the Western Conference with a record of 23-27. In non-conference games, they are 7-14 and 16-13 against other Western Conference teams.</p>

<p>As the underdog this season, Houston is 10-23 straight-up and 16-16 vs. the spread. On the road, they are 5-18 for the season, and their average scoring differential is -5.5 points per game.</p><p>When it comes to scoring, the Rockets have been below the NBA average in 58% of their games this season. Overall, they are 21st in scoring at 113.7 points per game. On the road, Houston is averaging 111.4 points per game.</p>

<p>In terms of pace, the Rockets are 13th in the league at 99.4 possessions per game. This has led to them being 13th in two-point field goal attempts.</p>

<p>When it comes to three-point shooting, Houston is 26th in the league at 35%. Overall, they are 20th in three-pointers made at 12 per game.</p><p>This season, the Rockets defense has been impressive, holding the 10th position in the league while permitting an average of 112.7 points per contest. In their previous matchup vs. the Pacers, the Rockets' defense struggled, giving up a field goal percentage of 51% leading to 132 points.</p><h3>Does Toronto Have What it Takes to Win as Home Favorites?</h3><p>The Raptors have a record of 28-22-1 against the over/under this season, and the over has hit in their last four games. Today's O/U line is set at 232.5, which is just slightly higher than their season average of 228.</p>

<p>In their last game against the Hornets, the Raptors won by a score of 123-117. The O/U line for that game was 226.5, and Toronto was favored by 7 points. This improved their ATS record to 24-27 for the season.</p>

<p>Toronto's record of 18-33 has them in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. As the favorite, the Raptors are 9-8 this season and have gone 7-10 ATS as the favorite. Today, they are favored by 3 points.</p>

<p>In non-conference games, the Raptors are 6-12 compared to 12-21 against the Eastern Conference. Against other teams in the Atlantic Division, they are winless at 0-11.</p>

<p>On average, the Raptors' games have seen a combined scoring total of 232.2 points per game. This is just below today's O/U line of 232.5.</p>

<p>This season, the Raptors' offense has been one of the most efficient in the league, ranking 12th in field goal percentage and 6th in two-point field goals made per game. However, they are just 24th in three-point shooting at 36%.</p>

<p>When playing at home, the Raptors are averaging 111.8 points per game, which is 28th in the NBA. Overall, they are 19th in scoring at 114.5 points per game.</p>

<p>So far this season, Toronto has outscored the NBA scoring average in 47.1% of their games. In terms of pace, the Raptors are 14th in the league at 98.9 possessions per game.</p><p>So far, the Raptors' defense is ranked 19th in the league at 117.7 points per contest. Inside the arc, the Raptors defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 56.0% and 37.5% from three-point territory.</p>

Houston Rockets vs Toronto Raptors Betting Pick & Prediction 2/9/24

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