UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Strickland Odds & Picks

• Jared Cannonier faces Sean Strickland in a clash of middleweight contenders at UFC Vegas 66
• Lightweights face off in the co-main event as Arman Tsarukyan takes on Damir Ismagulov
• Read on for the UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Strickland odds and betting trends ahead of Saturday’s action at UFC APEX in Las Vegas

Jared Cannonier returns to the octagon for the first time since his failed bid for the UFC middleweight title when he takes on Strickland on Saturday in the main event at UFC Fight Night 216. Cannonier dropped a unanimous decision to then-champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 276, snapping a two-fight win streak, while Strickland looks to rebound from his first-round KO loss to Alex Pereira.

Prelims get underway at 4:00 pm ET on Saturday, Dec. 17, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card follows at 4:00 pm ET, with all the action available on ESPN+.

UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Strickland Odds

Odds at Caesars Sportsbook as of December 13, 2022.

Saturday night’s main event is pegged as a pick ‘em in the UFC odds, with both Cannonier and Strickland sporting -110 odds. Arman Tsarukyan has emerged as a -180 favorite in his co-main event matchup with fellow lightweight Damir Ismagulov, who lags as a +155 underdog.

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Cannonier vs Strickland Odds & Prediction

Jared Cannonier looks to maintain his perch as the No.3-ranked middleweight in the UFC. “The Killa Gorilla” went toe to toe with Adesanya, but was widely outstruck by the former champion in his first bid for a UFC crown. With the defeat, Cannonier has now lost two of his past four fights, ending a stretch of three straight wins since debuting as a middleweight.

Sean Strickland’s devastating first-round KO loss on punches to Alex Pereira put the brakes on a six-fight win streak that featured two finishes. Currently ranked seventh among UFC middleweights, “Tarzan” also went five full rounds on two occasions over that stretch, claiming the decision in recent dates with Jack Hermansson and Uriah Hall.

Cannonier vs Strickland Stats

Cannonier proved his ability to challenge for a UFC title while keeping his feet in his recent loss to Adesanya. While he struggled to keep pace with the champion, Cannonier did turn in the most prolific striking display of his UFC career, landing 90 of 157 significant strikes while making four takedown attempts.

Jared Cannonier’s elbows are devastating. Poor blonde Brunson 🥺#MMATwitter pic.twitter.com/vtg9pJ2kJC

— El Champ Champ (@ElChampChampMMA) December 9, 2022

However, Cannonier failed to execute on four takedown attempts, and was unable to capitalize on over four minutes of control during the contest. Indeed, the Killa Gorilla has compiled a middling 51% striking accuracy over his UFC career, but has proven he can wear down opponents, with 10 of his 15 career wins coming by KO or TKO.

Cannonier vs Strickland Recent Fights

Sean Strickland saw his steady march toward a shot at the UFC middleweight title put on hold by his stunning first-round KO loss to Alex Pereira last summer at UFC 276. After struggling to generate consistent results in his early days in the UFC, Tarzan had been enjoying an impressive 6-0 run prior to his loss to Pereira. With eight of his past 11 victories coming by decision, Strickland has proven his staying power in the octagon.

PEREIRA KNOCKS OUT STRICKLAND pic.twitter.com/5hSggpgvjk

— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) July 3, 2022

However, Strickland also supports surprising striking power. The 31-year-old American ranks third all-time among UFC middleweights with 5.99 significant strikes landed per minute, and sports a 69.0% strike defense, tops all-time in the 185-pound division.

Pick: Strickland (-110)

Tsarukyan vs Ismagulov Odds & Prediction

Arman Tsarukyan tries to maintain his grasp on the No. 8 spot in the UFC lightweight rankings. Tsarukyan engaged in an epic clash with Mateusz Gamrot at UFC Vegas 57, earning Fight of the Night honors and his third performance in as many outings.

Despite struggling to stay on his feet against Gamrot, Tsarukyan is adept at level changes, recording 17 takedowns in seven UFC contests, and has dominated on the mat in four of his five UFC wins to date.

Tsarukyan vs Ismagulov Recent Fights

Damir Ismagulov puts an epic 19-fight win streak on the line when he steps in the octagon to face Tsraukyan on Saturday night.

The 31-year-old established himself as a power puncher in his early days as a pro fighting in Russia, but has embraced the long game since joining the UFC, with seven of his past eight wins coming by decision.

Pick: Ismagulov (+155)

Other UFC Vegas 66 Picks

• Drew Dober (-155): Fresh off back-to-back decisive finishes, Dober faces Bobby GBreen, who is coming off the worst loss of his UFC career.
• Matt Semelsberger (+210): Look for Semelsberger to return to the win column against Jake Matthews in a clash of underrated strikers.
• Journey Newson (+230): Newson offers intriguing value as an underdog against Sergey Morozov, who has struggled against accomplished submission specialists since joining the UFC.