Preview: UFC 227 ‘Dillashaw vs. Garbrandt 2’

Middleweights

Thiago Santos (17-6) vs. Kevin Holland (12-3)

ANALYSIS: When Alexander Gustafsson’s bout with Volkan Oezdemir fell through, the UFC threw this one together, and while it is not quite a suitable replacement, it is always fun to see Santos in action. “The Ultimate Fighter Brazil” Season 2 alum was a raw athlete who figured to wash out when the UFC signed him, but Santos’ power kicking game proved violent enough to not only give him a spot on the roster but a niche as violent cult favorite. He still does not have much of a ground game and bouts like his April loss to David Branch have shown that Santos can be knocked out himself, but he remains a reliable bet to always bring the pain and excitement.

Santos takes on Texas’ Holland, who makes his UFC debut two months after failing to secure a contract on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series. Holland is an extremely long striker himself and has some knockout ability, but his DWTNCS performance was a bit of a mixed bag, focusing on a lot of flash rather than putting away Will Santiago. However, Holland is a talent to watch since he seems to have a strong submission game in his back pocket, even if he uses it to defend takedowns more than ever initiating it himself.

ODDS: Santos (-390), Holland (+320)

THE PICK: I am curious to see what happens if Holland decides to wrestle here, partially to see exactly what that part of his game looks like and partially because it might be his best path to victory against Santos. While Holland is an interesting prospect, if this stays on the feet, I expect Santos’ sheer horsepower to take care of things fairly quickly. My pick is Santos via first-round knockout.

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