Latest Odds, Betting Guide For UFC ‘Busan’

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Get a detailed breakdown of the betting lines for UFC Fight Night 165, which is set to hit Sajik Arena in Busan, South Korea, this Saturday (Dec. 21, 2019), including best bets, underdogs, favorites and much more!

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will cater to early risers and night owls with its final event of the year, which sees Chan Sung “The Korean Zombie” Jung look to continue his newfound rise at the expense of former champion Frankie Edgar in Busan. Europe will also get in on the South Korean action when Aleksandar Rakic takes on Volkan Oezdemir in a fight that could determine the next Light Heavyweight contender, while local favorite Doo Ho Choi looks to break his slump against fellow striking specialist Charles Jourdain.

Betting when delirious from sleep deprivation is ill-advised, so let’s get UFC Fight Night 165 hammered out while everyone’s appropriately functional.

What Went Wrong at UFC 245?

Some unexpected heroics from Alexander Volkanovski kept it from being a total victory, but Marlon Moraes’ split decision over Jose Aldo still secured a tidy profit. Major props to Irene Aldana for her stunning upset knockout victory over Ketlen Vieira.

UFC Fight Night 165 Odds For The Undercard:

Raoni Barcelos (-120) vs. Said Nurmagomedov (EVEN)
Ciryl Gane (-750) vs. Tanner Boser (+525)
Seung Woo Choi (-275) vs. Suman Mokhtarian (+235)
Omar Morales (-185) vs. Dong Hyun Ma (+160)
Alexandre Pantoja (-220) vs. Matt Schnell (+180)
Miranda Granger (-190) vs. Amanda Lemos (+165)
Ryan Benoit (-120) vs. Alateng Heili (EVEN)

Thoughts: The betting public caught on to two of the most tempting underdogs, unfortunately, but there’s still value to be found in Said Nurmagomedov and Alateng Heili.

Raoni Barcelos is a beast of a fighter, one whose praise I’ve been singing since he first signed with UFC. Stylistically, though, Nurmagomedov looks like trouble. Barcelos’ counter-punching style looks like the wrong solution against a rangier foe who relies on high-speed kicks, and the Dagestani’s hips and scrambling skills look potent enough to take Barcelos’ ground game out of the equation. Slap Ciryl Gane onto the parlay to regain the positive odds and go from there.

Ryan Benoit just hasn’t developed his game beyond sheer punching power. And his lack of striking technique and poor takedown defense present tempting targets for the counter-punching and strong wrestling of Alateng. Making matters worse for “Baby Face,” he’s coming off of a gigantic layoff, and though he could have improved in the interim, his lack of development between his 2013 UFC debut and most recent fight in 2017 suggest that it’s unlikely. “The Mongolian Knight” for the win.

As far as the favorites, you can’t go wrong with Omar Morales. He’s a lethal striker going up against a man in Dong Hyun Ma who’s had the snot kicked out of him in his last two fights with competent kickboxers. Morales showed strong enough takedown defense to nullify Ma’s judo and he has the Korean massively outgunned on the feet.

UFC Fight Night 165 Odds For The Main Card:

Chan Sung Jung (-180) vs. Frankie Edgar (+158)
Aleksandar Rakic (-150) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (+130)
Doo Ho Choi (-290) vs. Charles Jourdain (+245)
Mike Rodriguez (-125) vs. Da Un Jung (+105)
Marc-Andre Barriault (-130) vs. Jun Yong Park (+110)
Kyung Ho Kang (-250) vs. Liu Pingyuan (+210)

Thoughts: Not really sold on the main card, honestly. I do think a smidge on the Korean underdogs would work, though. Da Un Jung has some wrestling in his back pocket and Mike Rodriguez has been taken down seven times in the two UFC fights he’s had where his opponent attempted a takedown, while Jun Yong Park looks capable of holding his own in a boxing battle with Marc-Andre Barriault.

UFC Fight Night 165 Best Bets:

• Parlay — Ciryl Gane and Said Nurmagomedov: Bet $40 to make $50.80
• Parlay — Ciryl Gane and Alateng Heili: Bet $40 to make $50.80
• Parlay — Omar Morales and Jun Yong Park: Bet $30 to make $67.20
• Parlay — Omar Morales and Da Un Jung: Bet $30 to make $64.80

Sure, y’all can’t get up early for the last UFC event of the year? I’ll put you down as “maybes.” See you Saturday, Manaics.

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Fight Night 165 fight card this weekend, starting with the ESPN+“Prelims” that are scheduled to begin at 2 a.m. ET, then the main card portion that will also stream on ESPN+ at 5 a.m. ET.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Fight Night 165: “Edgar vs. Korean Zombie” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.

Initial Investment For 2019: $300
Current Total: $1052.52