‘Wonderboy’ Slight Betting Favorite Over Neal

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is less than 10 days away from its UFC Vegas 17 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, currently scheduled for Sat., Dec. 19, 2020 inside the promotion’s APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Headlining duties fall to welterweight contenders Stephen Thompson and Geoff Neal, who took over the five-round main event when Leon Edwards was felled by coronavirus and yanked from his 170-pound showdown opposite Khamzat Chimaev.

“Wonderboy” is currently the -125 betting favorite, according to BetOnline.ag, against +105 for “Handz of Steel.”

Thompson (15-4-1) has not competed since capturing a unanimous decision win over Vicente Luque back in late 2019. The 37 year-old “Wonderboy” is ranked No. 5 in the welterweight division despite losing three of his last five.

Neal (13-2), ranked No. 11, cut his teeth on season one of Dana White’s “Contender Series” and has looked electric ever since. “Handz of Steel” is now 5-0 inside the Octagon with four finishes, including last December’s destruction of Mike Perry.

For the rest of the UFC Vegas 17 fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.