Tag Archives: UFC Fight Night 108

UFC Fight Night 108: Artem Lobov vs. Cub Swanson Odds and Prediction

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Artem Lobov asked for Cub Swanson and he got the fight. Now Swanson wants to shut his mouth.

Teach Him Some Manners

Lobov began calling out Swanson after watching the UFC’s 4th ranked featherweight slug it out with Korean top prospect Doo Ho Choi at UFC 206 in one of 2016’s best and most exciting fights.  It didn’t take long for Swanson to notice the call out and the tough as nails fighter immediately agreed to face Lobov at the main event of UFC Fight Night 108 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on April 22nd, 2017.

Fighting an unranked opponent doesn’t really makes sense for Cub Swanson and it is indeed a huge risk for him. But he said he’s got to teach Lobov some manners for calling him out on social media.

Better Fighter

Swanson averages 3.67 significant strikes per minutes as compared to Lobov’s 2.67. The American is also the more accurate striker at 46.9% versus 40.4%. On the ground, Swanson also has the better numbers at 1.3 takedowns landed per 15 minutes. Lobov averages just 0.40 takedowns over the same period. Having seen the numbers, Cub Swanson is definitely the better fighter between these two.

The concern with Swanson, though, is that he has been submitted five times in his career. But Lobov may not have the ground game to submit him as the SBG Ireland product only has two of thirteen wins by submission.

The Odds

Top UFC betting sites like Bovada have Cub Swanson as the favorite here at -600 odds and Lobov the underdog at +400.

Consistency has been a problem for Lobov as he has been hit or miss in recent years. He is coming off a November victory over Teruto Ishihara and an August win over Chris Avila but in the longer term, he’s just split his last 14 bouts. There is nothing really special about Lobov’s game. He isn’t a knockout artist or a submission specialist. 7 of his 13 wins are by decision. He’s always just smart enough to find ways to win fights on points. And yes, he hasn’t fought top level competition yet so he is untested.

Swanson’s resume meanwhile is a who’s who of the division. He may have lost several fights to big named fighters but the experience difference between him and Lobov is too much. Likewise, Swanson has won 8 of his last 10 bouts and has been one of the more consistent fighters in the division. He may be 33 years old but we didn’t saw any signs of that during his back and forth Fight of The Year candidate against top prospect Doo Ho Choi at UFC 206 which he won by the way.

Not only  is Swanson more experienced and consistent, he also has the advantage in power, striking and conditioning. Given all his edges, we’re picking Cub Swanson to win convincingly over Artem Lobov.

UFC Fight Night 108: Al Iaquinta vs. Diego Sanchez Odds and Prediction

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Al Iaquinta makes his long awaited octagon return against one of the UFC’s most grizzled veterans in Diego Sanchez at UFC Fight Night 108 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on April 22nd.

Rage Stopped

Iaquinta was one of the UFC’s up and coming stars when he suddenly disappeared from the radar. Prior to that, the man known as ‘Raging’ won four straight bouts including three against highly touted foes in Ross Pearson, Joe Lauzon and Jorge Masvidal. But the rage stopped as injury and a contract dispute forced Iaquinta out of the octagon during the last two years.

Iaquinta’s MMA stock dropped with the layoff and he is now just #14 in the UFC’s crowded lightweight division. Needing to make up for lost time, Iaquinta prepares to fight for the first time in Tennessee and his opponent is will be one of the most recognizable faces in the promotion.

The Ultimate Fighter

While Raging Al was in the freezer, Diego Sanchez fought four times, going 2-2 during that period. In his most recent bout, Sanchez beat Marcin Held by unanimous decision at the TUF Latin America 3 finale last November.

Sanchez’s reputation has always preceded him. Since winning the inaugural season of the Ultimate Fighter, we’ve seen Sanchez in some of the most gruesome performances ever inside the UFC octagon. His toughness isn’t to be denied and his penchant to dive deep into wars is what makes him ever dangerous.

Experience vs Consistency

Diego has been hit and miss lately, though, splitting his last 14 outings. Although he’s coming off a victory over Marcin Held, he’s not won back to back fights since 2011. At 36, he is obviously past his prime and on the way down. But having a decorated veteran with plus money always makes an interesting bout to bet on and this one is no exception. Most UFC betting sites have Sanchez as a +285 underdog here, while the favored Iaquinta is at -350.

Sanchez has the experience advantage here and Iaquinta is coming off of a layoff. Diego’s takedowns are a threat and you can’t discount his submission skills. He’s going to take this deep in the trenches and hope that Iaquinta’s inexperience and ring rust will be exposed.

This is Iaquinta’s first bout in two years and that is another cause of concern. But ring rust aside, Iaquinta may be nearing his prime. He’s got pop in his strikes and has shown he can win an ugly grinder, too. Diego Sanchez is a tantalizing pick, really. But given Al Iaquinta’s consistency, we don’t think ring rust will matter here. We’re picking him to beat Sanchez here.