The Prelims will roll on from UFC Fight Night: Charlotte as two heavyweights rumble the octagon in an exciting bout. Karl Williams will make his second octagon appearance against division mainstay Chase Sherman. This bout was scheduled to happen at UFC 287, but medical issues during the weight cut called for cancellation. 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 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 Charlotte Odds: Karl Williams-Chase Sherman Odds
Karl Williams: -430
Chase Sherman: +300
Over (2.5) rounds: +114
Under (2.5) rounds: -146
How to Watch Karl Williams vs. Chase Sherman
TV: ESPN, ESPN+
Stream: ESPN App, UFC Fight Pass, fuboTV
Time: 11:30 a.m. ET/ 8:30 a.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 heavyweights in the division. He’s relentless when seeking the takedown and does a great job using his size to trip opponents off-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 weight cut hasn't been an issue for him and he's had time to improve on his cardio ahead of this fight. If he can once again work the takedown relentlessly, he’ll win this fight easily.
Why Chase Sherman Will Win
Chase Sherman was forced to pull out of this original card due to medical issues. He's had over a month to recover from his undisclosed ailment, which may be indication that something serious happened during his last weight cut. It'll be very interesting to see how healthy he is, given he'll have his hands full with Williams. 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. If he can keep composure in his boxing, he could have a chance as the big underdog.
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
The pick here will stay the same as it was the first time these two were set to fight – Karl Williams will get this win behind his dominant wrestling. While Sherman has KO power, it's doubtful that he'll be able to find the chin of the much larger Williams. Sherman also shows little competency in defensive wrestling, so Williams should look to chain together his takedowns and win with ground-and-pound. Let's take him to get the win here and add a fun small prop for some value.
Final Karl Williams-Chase Sherman Prediction & Pick: Karl Williams (-430); By KO/TKO in Round 3 (+1200)
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