Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale odds and pick – Maynard short favorite over Diaz
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Nate Diaz faces Gray Maynard in Las Vegas Saturday night.
LAS VEGAS -- The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale this Saturday night on Fox Sports 1 features an intriguing lightweight fight between Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz. Maynard about a -140 favorite in this fight, with Diaz getting odds of about +120.
The event is set for Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Both fighters could really use a win here, as each is coming off a KO-loss in his last fight. Maynard shockingly was knocked out in the first round by TJ Grant in a fight he was favored to win. Diaz was stopped by Josh Thomson in the second round.
Before his loss to Grant, Maynard won a close decision over always-tough Clay Guida. That came after two great fights against former champion Frankie Edgar. One fight ended in a draw, and in the other, Gray was stopped in the fourth round.
Diaz had a title shot two fights back when he was dominated by former champion Benson Henderson.
Look for Diaz to throw a lot of punches in this fight and use a stick-and-move strategy to keep Gray off balance. Gray has gotten away from his style as a highly-skilled wrestler, which made him the No. 1 contender a few years back, and has lately been looking to keep fights on the feet and trying to knock opponents out.
This should be a close fight with lots of action, as both fighters usually like to come forward and press the pace.
I have to go with Nate Diaz at plus-money in this fight. He still has more upside in his game, while we may have already seen the best Maynard has to give. Diaz is the play.
Hugh Citron is the first Las Vegas oddsmaker to have posted numbers on MMA fights. He contributes to The Linemakers on Sporting News for big UFC events.
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