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The UFC 287 Prelims will begin as we draw closer to the Main Card of Saturday's action. The Prelims will open up with a huge fight in the Heavyweight Division. Karl Williams will take a three-week turnaround and fight heavyweight mainstay Chase Sherman. Don't miss this fight as the Prelims follow! Check out our UFC odds series for our Williams-Sherman prediction and pick.
Karl Williams is 8-1 in his mixed martial arts career and will be seeing his second appearance in the UFC after winning his debut fight just three weeks ago against Lukasz Brzeski. Williams is a tremendous wrestler and managed eight takedowns en route to a unanimous decision win. His skills look to be a serious problem in this division and he'll welcome a step-up in competition as he faces a UFC vet in Sherman. Williams stands 6'3″ with a 79-inch reach.
Chase Sherman is 16-11 as a professional fighter and has a UFC record of 4-10. He's had a rocky run since joining the promotion and has gone 1-5 in his last six UFC bouts. He has, however, faced the much better competition at this point of his career and will have a big experience advantage over Williams. Sherman stands 6'4″ with a 78-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 287 Odds: Karl Williams-Chase Sherman Odds
Karl Williams: -480
Chase Sherman: +330
Over (2.5) rounds: -130
Under (2.5) rounds: +102
How to Watch Karl Williams vs. Chase Sherman
TV: ESPN, ESPN+
Stream: ESPN App, UFC Fight Pass
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT (Prelims)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Karl Williams Will Win
In his last fight against Lukasz Brzeski, Williams showed that his wrestling skills are on a completely different level than most of the other heavyweights in the division. He's relentless when seeking the takedown and does a great job using his size to trip opponents off their balance. Once he lands, Williams is very good in keeping top position and threatening with ground-and-pound. His first two opponents had no answers for his wrestling, so it'll be interesting to see if an experienced fighter like Sherman can pick up on the impending takedowns.
Williams comes into this contest as a heavy favorite due to his wrestling advantage. The main issue for Williams has been his cardio, but going all three rounds in his last fight will have him confident to go another three in this one. The hope is that Williams will have had the time to adjust to the weather in Miami and will have good cardio coming in. If he can once again work the takedown relentlessly, he'll win this fight easily.
Why Chase Sherman Will Win
Chase Sherman has proved to be a dangerous opponent for any UFC newcomer, but has unfortunately fallen into the position of being a “test” for new fighters looking to break into the division. With 15 of 16 wins by way of knockout, Sherman has the power in his hands to shut the lights off. While he was a hectic striker early in his career, Sherman has adjusted his game and now approaches fights more methodically and patiently with his striking than in the past.
To win this fight, Sherman will have to try and keep this fight standing as he tires Williams out by stuffing the takedowns. Williams will almost certainly want to get Sherman to the mat for this one, so it'll be imperative for him to get up quickly from the ground. If he can show that the takedowns have no effect on him, he could be able to outlast Williams in the striking. Look for Sherman to do everything he can in stopping the takedowns while keeping his output on the feet dangerous.
Final Karl Williams-Chase Sherman Prediction & Pick
Karl Williams is the clear pick in this one as he has a huge advantage in the wrestling. However, he hasn't been able to show a great ability to finish the fight and can get caught in some hairy decisions if he continues to fight three-round fights. Sherman won't go away at any point in this one, so the biggest focus for Williams should be to break his spirit with chain wrestling. If the takedowns can land like they have for Williams, he'll win this by controlling Sherman handily. With Williams' line juiced so much, let's take the under as he goes for an emphatic finish here.
Final Karl Williams-Chase Sherman Prediction & Pick: Karl Williams (-480); UNDER 2.5 rounds (+102)
