UFC Vegas 93: Half of main card goes against bookies’ odds

UFC Vegas 93—headlined by Tatsuro Taira vs Alex Perez—has concluded in Las Vegas, with plenty of upsets on Sunday afternoon (AEST).

Both the main card and co-main event went the way UFC betting sites expected. Taira won by technical knockout over Perez, while Miles Johns came out on the right side of a decision against Douglas Silva de Andrade.

But of the remaining four fights on the main card, three went against the bookmakers’ odds.

Almeida, Hiestand, Fugitt all score upsets

Opening up main card action on Sunday afternoon was Adam Fugitt vs Josh Quinlan.

Fugitt was a slight underdog at $2.05, but managed to edge Quinlan in a tight split decision after going the distance against his compatriot.

Next, Asu Almabayev took on Jose Johnson. The Kazakh was a heavy $1.17 favourite in his third UFC fight and lived up to the tag. Though he wasn’t able to come away with a knockout or submission, he did win easily on points to improve to 20-2 as a professional.

Following Almabayev, Brady Hiestand took to the Octagon to take on Garrett Armfield. Armfield was a strong $1.52 favourite to beat young Hiestand.

However, for the second time in his short UFC career, the American found himself in a compromised position on the mat. Late in the third round, he was forced to tap out courtesy of a rear naked choke.

Rounding out the evening’s big upsets, Brazil’s Lucas Almeida took on home favourite Timmy Cuamba. Almeida was a $2.64 underdog but managed to beat the bookies’ odds and move to 15-3 after prevailing in a decision over Cuamba.

Next up, the UFC heads back to the Middle East. Robert Whittaker will take on Ikram Aliskerov in the main event of the 12-fight card, with Sergei Pavlovich battling Alexander Volkov in the co-main.

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