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The UFC 309 Prelims are well underway from Madison Square Garden in New York City as we're ready for another betting prediction and pick for this next clash in the Middleweight (185) Division. Former Champion Chris Weidman will take on Fight Ready MMA's Eryk Anders in an exciting matchup. Check out our UFC odds series for our Weidman-Anders prediction and pick.
Chris Weidman (16-7) has gone 12-7 in the UFC since 2011. Since coming back from his leg injury, Weidman has gone 1-1 with a loss to Brad Tavares in his return fight while notching a win over Bruno Silva in his most recent bout. He'll look for another win in front of a hometown crowd. Weidman stands 6'2″ with a 78-inch reach.
Eryk Anders (16-8) has gone 8-8-0-1 since joining the UFC in 2017. After a number of losses, he's gone 2-1 over his last three fights and most recently beat Jamie Pickett in a unanimous decision effort. He comes in as the short betting favorite looking to continue his journey towards the top-15 rankings. Anders stands 6'1″ with a 75-inch reach.
Here are the UFC 309 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 309 Odds: Chris Weidman-Eryk Anders Odds
Chris Weidman: +102
Eryk Anders: -122
Over 2.5 rounds: -238
Under 2.5 rounds: +180
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Why Chris Weidman Will Win
Chris Weidman is one of the toughest fighters on the UFC roster and his ability to return from the type of leg injury he suffered is nothing short of remarkable. He's not just returning, however, as he looked to be thriving in his last win over Bruno Silva. While there was some controversy over Weidman seemingly poking Silva in the eye on four separate occasions, he was in control of that fight in terms of the striking and was on his way to a decision win. He'll look to avoid those mistakes in this bout against another dangerous knockout artist.
Chris Weidman got a healthy dose of reality about where his body is at ahead of #UFC309:
“[My son] struck me out and I’m telling you 10 years ago, that would not have happened… I felt old doing that. But when I’m in the MMA gym, I still feel good.”
(🎥 @DamonMartin) pic.twitter.com/pafOJwI344
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) November 6, 2024
It was impressive to see Weidman so fluid with his striking during his last fight. He outpaced Silva 88 strikes to 30 and landed on 68% of his attempts. Of course, his grappling is his greatest strength and we're not likely to see him get taken down in this one, but it'll be interesting to see if he's willing to engage a physically strong opponent like Anders in the wrestling. Expect Weidman to perform well in this one if he has a smooth training camp behind him.
Why Eryk Anders Will Win
Eryk Anders won his last fight against Jamie Pickett unanimously, but it's worth noting he's come up short against some of the ranked fighters in the division. Nevertheless, Anders continues to evolve his skills and seemingly adds new wrinkles to his game with each passing fight. He's also been active in taking grappling matches outside of his UFC competition, so it's promising to see him refine his skills and sharpen areas where he could improve as a mixed martial artist.
Eryk Anders took the dub against Charles Radtke in a CFFC grappling event. Anders has shown an admirable desire to improve his ground game since suffering his only submission loss as a professional against Andre Muniz pic.twitter.com/pcOyMQTHY9
— Liam Picks Fights (@LiamPicksFights) November 11, 2024
Given Anders' recent developments on the ground, it'll be interesting to see if it's just a precautionary measure or if he's willing to put his skills to the test against a lifelong grappler like Weidman. Anders will have the power advantage on the feet and if he's able to close the distance, he could turn this into an ugly fight with his dirty boxing inside. Don't be surprised if we see the best version of Anders up to this point.
Final Chris Weidman-Eryk Anders Prediction & Pick
This should be a close matchup and we'll be waiting for either fighter to take the first shot attempt in this one. While Eryk Anders is the heavier hitter, Chris Weidman has looked very sharp in the striking over his last two fights. His experience over top competition is much more vast than that of Anders and we must not forget his status as a former champion.
I suspect Weidman will be able to do enough in the striking to deter Anders from shooting for any desperation takedowns. He's billed very close to the betting favorite and it's great to see some value behind his line. Fighting in his hometown, I expect Chris Weidman to put together another solid performance and earn the win.
Final Chris Weidman-Eryk Anders Prediction & Pick: Chris Weidman (+102)
