This week the UFC hosts an event in Singapore, with two of the best grapplers in mixed martial arts facing each other in what is a highly-anticipated fight for hardcore grappling fans, at least.
It’s Demian Maia vs. Ben Askren as the main event on Saturday, October 26, and we’re here to bring you the best betting advice, top odds, and an in-depth preview before this welterweight clash gets underway.
Demian Maia vs. Ben Askren
Demian Maia clawed (well, choked) his way to the top of the UFC welterweight rankings only to fall short against the top-tier talent in the division. Losing to Tyron Woodley by complete domination in July 2017 before then being worked over by Colby Covington and Kamaru Usman (now the champion) later led Maia to a position within the division where he’s no longer a top contender, but a feared competitor nonetheless.
He’s proved his worth as a ranked welterweight with consecutive wins against Lyman Good and Rocco Martin before now turning his attention to Ben Askren.
Askren’s in an unprecedented position. After being traded to the UFC from ONE Championship, the formerly undefeated fighter won in a controversial way against Robbie Lawler in his promotion debut before then getting brutally knocked out by Jorge Masvidal in the fastest time ever in the UFC.
Jorge Masvidal vs. Ben Askren pic.twitter.com/UtfRQd34e0
— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) July 7, 2019
Askren was on the verge of a title shot after having only joined the promotion recently. He’s now fighting against Maia in a matchup that could determine whether he survives in the welterweight rankings.
Askren himself said, “If I don’t get this win, I may be in trouble.”
Grappler's Delight #UFCSingapore @demianmaia 🆚 @Benaskren pic.twitter.com/VzScPWydmq
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 23, 2019
Fight Breakdown
Although this looks like a classic grappler vs. grappler matchup on paper, we’ve been fooled by these types of stylistic challenges before. UFC fans will surely recall the blockbuster, knockout-guaranteed bout that was Francis Ngannou vs. Derrick Lewis that only turned out to be a long, drawn-out 15-minute snoozefest as neither fighter looked to put pressure on the other.
But there’s surely no way that this one won’t be entirely contested on the mat, right?
We’ve got Demian Maia, one of the most highly-skilled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighters in mixed martial arts up against Ben Askren, one of the best pure wrestlers in the UFC today. Although both fighters prefer to spend the vast majority of their time on the floor with another, they both have significantly different strategies and techniques while on the mat.
Maia, despite often being regarded solely as a BJJ guy, has great wrestling ability, both on the defensive and offensive front. Although his takedown accuracy shows a 25 percent success rate and that he failed to take down Tyron Woodley, Colby Covington, and Kamaru Usman, in consecutive fights, that’s more speaking volumes about the elite defensive wrestling capabilities of each of those top-level welterweight fighters.
The reality is that he’s a terrifying grappler not just because of the takedown itself, but what he can do when he actually securely takes an opponent down. If Maia is to land in top control against Askren this weekend, Askren’s in a world of trouble and if there’s sufficient time on the clock, Maia has every chance of submitting Askren.
But likewise, Askren on top is a scary thought for Maia.
Askren’s strategy in this fight will be like any other: move forward, bend over, grab a leg, take the opponent down, and work from top control. There’s even a chance that he can just advance forward and do this successfully against Maia from the very start of the fight in Singapore – Askren really is that good at wrestling. However, simply moving forward to secure any takedown is likely to be problematic for Askren.
If Maia can turn a scramble to his advantage, he can threaten submissions, sweeps, counters, and attacks from a wide variety of positions, both on top and from the bottom. Working from the bottom against Askren won’t be easy, however. Askren has great top control and a unique ground and pound system that we’ve yet to see from him in the UFC so far.
The reality is that Maia’s not going to be easy for Askren to take down. And if this fight does remain on the feet, Maia will surely have a significant striking advantage against Askren, who is an incompetent striker and arguably the worst stand-up fighter on the UFC roster.
In a pure grappling fight, there’s enough reason to pick Demian Maia to win.
In a mixed martial arts bout with striking included – where Maia has a massive advantage – there’s even more reason to pick Maia to win.
Prediction: Demian Maia to win by submission – round two
Bet on Demian Maia to win: +145 at BetDSI
UFC Singapore – Best Odds
Main Card
- Demian Maia (+145) vs. Ben Askren (-175)
- Michael Johnson (-300) vs. Stevie Ray (+250)
- Beneil Dariush (-155) vs. Frank Camacho (+135)
- Ciryl Gane (-370) vs. Don’tale Mayes (+310)
- Laureano Staropoli (+150) vs. Muslim Salikhov (-170)
Prelims
- Ashley Yoder (+130) vs. Randa Markos (-150)
- Alex White (+165) vs. Rafael Fiziev (-190)
- Enrique Barzola (+160) vs. Movsar Evloev (-185)
- Julia Avila (-210) vs. Karol Rosa (+175)
- Maurice Greene (+200) vs. Sergei Pavlovich (-240)
- Alexandra Albu (+100) vs. Loma Lookboonmee (-120)
- Jeff Hughes (-245) vs. Raphael Pessoa (+205)
Read More:
- Beginner’s Guide to UFC Betting
- What’s different between weight classes in the UFC?
- 5 MMA Betting Experts Talk UFC Gambling Strategies, Advice, and Best Tips
- The 5 Most Shocking Upsets in UFC Title Fight History
Jake is a mixed martial arts reporter from Australia. At WagerBop, he merges his appreciation of combat sports and a strong passion for analytics to uncover opportunities for readers.
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