UFC Fight Night: Santos vs Teixeira Main Card Betting Odds and Predictions

Two heavy-hitters from the UFC’s 205-pound division will square off inside the Octagon as Thiago Santos takes on Glover Teixeira meet in the main event of UFC Vegas 13 on November 7, 2020, at the UFC’s Apex Facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Santos will be fighting for the first time since losing to Jon Jones at UFC 239. The no. 1 ranked light heavyweight is looking for another crack at the title now held by Jan Blachowicz. Meanwhile, the 3rd ranked Teixeira will be after a fifth straight win and another shot at the world title. In the co main-event former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski faces Tanner Boser in a three-round contest.

Thiago Santos vs Glover Teixeira

Thiago Santos is the no. 1 ranked light heavyweight contender in the UFC. The 36-year old from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for promotions like Spartan MMA and Watch Out Combat Show in his native country before joining The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 2 tournament. Santos faced eventual winner Leonardo Santos and lost via unanimous decision in the quarterfinals. After starting his UFC career with a 5-4 record, Santos picked up eight wins in his next nine bouts to earn a title shot against Jon Jones at UFC 239. Santos lost via narrow split decision despite suffering a torn left LCL, PCL, MCL, meniscus, and a cracked tibia. Santos is 6-2 tall with a reach of 76 inches while fighting out of the orthodox stance. His record stands at 21-7 with 15 knockouts and one win via submission.

Glover Teixeira is the 3rd ranked light heavyweight contender in the UFC. The 41-year old from Minas Gerais, Brazil is a former member of the Brazilian National wrestling team and competed for promotions like WEC, Impact FC, PFC, and Shotoo before joining the UFC. After winning his first five UFC bouts, he earned a crack at Jon Jones at UFC 172 but lost the fight via unanimous decision. After that loss, he went 5-3 inside the octagon before embarking on his current four-fight winning streak which includes a fifth-round stoppage of former title challenger Anthony Smith in his most recent bout last May. Teixeira is an orthodox fighter who stands 6-2 tall with a reach of 76 inches. His record is 31-7 with 18 knockouts and 8 wins via submission.

There is no question that Santos is the better fighter here and he should be the favorite in this fight. But Teixeira at plus money after how he’s performed in his last four bouts is a bargain. Not to mention that Santos is coming off serious injuries and has not fought since his loss to Jones. I won’t be surprised in Teixeira goes after Santos’ left leg which is suspect right now. Teixeira is coming off a win over one of the tougher fighters in the UFC. I’ll take my chances with a healthy Glover Teixeira.

Prediction: Glover Teixeira

Andrei Arlovski vs Tanner Boser

Andrei Arlovski is a former UFC heavyweight champion. The 41-year old from Belarus has also competed for promotions like Strikeforce, WSOF, Affliction, EliteXC, ONE FC, and M-1 Challenge. Since his return to the UFC in 2014, it has been a struggle for Arlovski. He won his first four bouts back but has since dropped eight out of 13 bouts. The Belarusian Pitbull however has won two out of his last two bouts, beating Ben Rothwell and Phillip Lins. He has a record of 29-19 with 17 knockouts and three wins via submission. Arlovski is an orthodox fighter who stands 6-3 tall with a reach of 77 inches.

Tanner Boser is the former two-time Unified MMA Heavyweight Champion who also fought for M-1 Global and King of the Cage. The 29-year old from Alberta, Canada also fought for Absolute Championship Berkut before joining the UFC last year. Boser is 3-1 inside the octagon and he heads to this fight after back-to-back knockout wins over Phillipe Lins and Rafael Pessoa. Boser is 6-2 tall with a reach of 75 inches while fighting out of the orthodox stance. He is 19-6 with 10 knockouts and two wins via submission.

You can’t count out a veteran and former champion like Arlovski because he has all the tools to win this fight, especially if it goes to the ground. However, the issue here is that Arlovski isn’t getting any younger and his results have been subpar as of late. Boser is younger, faster, and quicker. He also has more pop in his punches. I think that Boser picks Arlovski apart with leg kicks and hard punches. The younger man wins this fight.

Prediction: Tanner Boser

Raoni Barcelos vs Khalid Taha

Raoni Barcelos is a former three-time featherweight champion of the Resurrection Fighting Alliance. The 33-year old from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is a former IBJJF and Brazilian Nogi world champion. The former Shooto Brazil featherweight champion joined the UFC in 2018 and is 4-0 with three stoppages in four UFC bouts. In his last fight, Barcelos won a unanimous decision over Said Nurmagomedov last December. He is 5-7 tall with a reach of 67 inches and is an orthodox fighter. He has a record of 15-1 with eight knockouts and two wins via submission.

Khalid Taha is the former Fair FC bantamweight champion who also fought for Rizin and RFA before joining the UFC in 2018. The 28-year old from Dortmund, Germany has won three of four UFC bouts although his last win over Bruno Gustavo da Silva was overturned to a no-contest after Taha tested positive for furosemide. Taha is 5-5 tall with a reach of 69 inches and fights out of the orthodox stance. His record is 14-2 with nine knockouts and three wins via submission.

Barcelos has looked sensational so far and it was surprising that he didn’t draw a higher-ranked opponent. He has a well-rounded game and but has been finishing his opponents. Taha is no pushover as he has power in his punches and is a physically intimidating opponent. I think that Barcelos’ counter striking will be the key here. He clips Taha and works his way to a submission win.

Prediction: Raoni Barcelos

Ian Heinisch vs Brendan Allen

Ian Heinisch is the former LFA middleweight champion and SCL middleweight champion. The 32-year old from Denver, Colorado is currently the 15th ranked middleweight in the UFC. Heinisch joined the UFC via Contender Series 15 where he knocked out Jason Sumter. He is 3-2 inside the octagon and is coming off a TKO win over Gerald Meerschaert at UFC 250 last June. Heinisch is an orthodox fighter who stands 5-11 tall with a reach of 72 inches. He has a record of 14-3 with five knockouts and two wins via submission.

Brendan Allen is also a former Legacy Fighting Alliance middleweight champion. The 24-year old from Beaufort, California is a BJJ blackbelt who was also the Valor Fights middleweight champion. Allen submitted Aaron Jeffrey at the Contender Series 20 to gain access to the UFC. He is 3-0 inside the octagon with wins over Kevin Holland, Tom Breese, and Kyle Daukaus. Allen is an orthodox fighter who stands 6-2 tall with a reach of 75 inches. He has a record of 15-3 with five knockouts and eight wins via submission.

Allen is a talented newcomer who has yet to lose in the UFC. When it comes to overall skill, he is the better fighter here. However, he must not let himself get caught in a wrestling battle with Heinisch whose defensive wrestling is good enough to win the fight. But if Allen keeps this on the feet, he has the more polished striking and has heavier hands. If he gets his stand up game going, Heinisch is in trouble here.

Prediction: Brendan Allen

Claudia Gadelha vs Yan Xiaonan

Claudia Gadelha is the 4th ranked women’s strawweight in the UFC. The 31-year old from Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil fought for Shooto Brazil, Max Sport, and Invicta FC before joining the UFC. She challenged Joana Jedrzejczyk for the UFC strawweight title at the TUF 23 Finale but lost via decision. She is 5-2 since that loss and is coming off a win over Angela Hill at UFC on ESPN 8 last May. Gadelha is 5-4 tall with a reach of 63 inches and is an orthodox fighter. She has a record of 18-4 with two knockouts and seven wins via submission.

Yan Xiaonan is the 8th ranked female strawweight in the UFC. The 31-year old from Liaoning, China fought for Asian promotions like Martial Combat, Road Fighting Championship, and URCC before joining the UFC 2017. She is undefeated in five octagon appearances with all his wins coming via unanimous decision. Xiaonan is 5-5 tall with a reach of 63 inches while fighting out of the orthodox stance. He has a record of 12-1 with five knockouts. In her last bout, Xiaonan defeated Karolina Kowalkiewicz at UFC on ESPN +26 last February.

Gadelha is a BJJ ace who has solid striking and some power in her punches. But she’s had an up and down ride lately mainly due to her inability to maintain her pace. On the other hand, Xiaonan is a very good kickboxer. She throws excellent punch combinations and has solid wrestling to back that up. Gadelha’s kickboxing has been improving so she should be a threat in this fight. But the issue with her has been her ability to fight for three rounds. That will be a problem against Xiaonan who pushes a ridiculous pace.

Prediction: Yan Xiaonan

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