The beaches of YAs Island is once again the setting for UFC Fight Night 173 on July 18th. The main card starts at 8 PM ET with five exciting fights for the night including a flyweight bout between up and comers Alexandre Pantoja and Askar Askarov. Pantoja is listed as the favorite but find out if the underdog presents better value in our Alexandre Pantoja vs Askar Askarov betting prediction for UFC Fight Night 173.
I think sportsbooks got it right listing Pantoja as the favorite but it’s a little wider than I would have liked. Most online sportsbooks have Pantoja as a significant favorite with SugarHouse, FanDuel, and 888sport all listing him at -200. The underdog bet presents interesting value as Sugarhouse and 888sport listing him at +160 and Fanduel listing him at +168.
Pantoja definitely has the more impressive resume and is the more proven fighter. But Askar Askarov is a dangerous fighter with 6 of his 11 wins coming by way of submission including a rare twister. He does have holes in his game including a significant strike defense of only 58%. Pantoja is a polished striker with crisp combinations and will look to find his spots against the Russian. Pantoja lands 4.58 significant strikes per minute and has won four of his last fights with his only loss coming against current number 1 contender Deiveson Figueiredo. The Brazilian is definitely on the rise in the UFC but at -200 I don’t think it’s a smart bet. The underdog has a lot of value in this fight so make sure you check out our list of online sports betting in NJ for better odds. My prediction is Pantoja winning by UD but I would keep my wallet in my pocket if I were you unless you fancy the underdog bet.
