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We're set for another betting prediction and pick for this stacked UFC 297 fight card from Toronto as we turn our attention towards the Bantamweight (135) Division for the next bout. Canada's own Serhiy Sidey will take on Florida's Ramon Taveras as both fighters make their debuts for the UFC. Check out our UFC odds series for our Sidey-Taveras prediction and pick.
Serhiy Sidey (10-1) will be making his UFC debut after earning a contract on Dana White's Contender Series with a stunning knockout victory. He has an 8-1 combined record under both the BFC and BFL promotions. He beat Ramon Taveras on DWCS with a straight right knockout and now he'll get an opportunity to do the same on the biggest stage. Sidey stands 5'11” with a 72-inch reach.
Ramon Taveras (9-2) will also be making his debut ahead of this fight. His initial DWCS audition was ruined by his opponent for this fight, but Taveras got the call back just a month later and redeemed himself with a TKO finish over a dangerous opponent. He'll now have a chance to avenge his loss and get his first UFC win over his previous rival. Taveras stands 5'8″ with a 70-inch reach,
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 297 Odds: Serhiy Sidey-Ramon Taveras Odds
Serhiy Sidey: -185
Ramon Taveras: +154
Over 1.5 rounds: -115
Under 1.5 rounds: -115
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Why Serhiy Sidey Will Win
Serhiy Sidey is a traditional Muay Thai kickboxer fighting out of Burlington, Ontario, Canada. He'll be making his official UFC debut in his home state along with facing an opponent he beat once already. It's a perfectly drawn-up debut for the 27-year old and he has every intent on finishing this fight. Six of his wins have come by KO/TKO and he's often quick to land follow-up strikes once he gets his opponent on the canvas. He's very willing to stand and trade in the center of the octagon, but he's done a great job at covering up and keeping his arm guard high through his recent fights. In his first fight with Taveras, it was a straight right in the first round that got him the stoppage victory. Confidence over an opponent with a win like that is huge, so expect him to be firing away in this one again.
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Sidey will find success in this fight if he's able to check the leg kicks and keep Taveras honest in close-range. Taveras is very aggressive and likes to crowd his opponents with heavy shots. Sidey proved to have the slightly faster hands in their first meeting and it proved to be the difference as the two had several close exchanges all night. Sidey will certainly be aware of the power coming back his way, but he should be able to find Taveras' chin once again if he can stay fresh and keep his shots crisp.
Why Ramon Taveras Will Win
Ramon Taveras is an absolute berserker and those unfamiliar with him as a fighter are in for a treat on Saturday night. He's very strong for a Bantamweight and he has crazy knockout power in his hands. A brawler who's more than willing to take two shots just to get one off, Taveras does his work by standing in front of his opponents and walking them down. He doesn't utilize a ton of side-to-side foot movement and rather likes to explode into his striking combinations. He'll throw punches and kicks to just about anywhere, but his hallmark is how hard he throws throughout the whole fight. His looping punches got him caught against Serhiy Sidey their first time out, but he certainly dialed it in and looked much better in his DWCS return.
Ramon Taveras once again had the slower striking speed in his last fight against Cortavious Romious, but his head movement and accuracy improved greatly from his last time out. Still, he's leaving his head open when bobbing and weaving, leaving him open to the quick strikes of Serhiy Sidey. Look for Taveras to be much more defensively-minded in this one as he tries to pick his shots carefully. He did a great job of staying accurate and efficient his last time out, so expect that wrinkle to be translated into this one.
Final Serhiy Sidey-Ramon Taveras Prediction & Pick
This fight will be extremely exciting to see on the Prelims and both fighters have a lot on the line during their debuts. They're also both very aggressive and tough guys, so we should be in for a great scrap in an exciting weight class. Sidey owns the first fight and will have a solid gameplan for beating Taveras once again.
However, Ramon Taveras has improved since his loss and if he can keep his composure, he could land the one shot he needs to sit Sidey down. It might be tough to choose a side for this fight considering both guys know each other well, but we'll give Serhiy Sidey the slight edge given their history. For our prediction, we'll instead favor the fight to end in a KO/TKO/DQ for the solid value on the betting line.
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Final Serhiy Sidey-Ramon Taveras Prediction & Pick: Fight Ends in KO/TKO/DQ (-150); Serhiy Sidey (-185)
