MMA ODDS AND ENDS FOR FRIDAY: RDA VS. COVINGTON TARGETED FOR UFC 224 |

There are a couple new battle rumors to report on in today’s MMA odds and ends, including an interim title fight that is guaranteed to excite fans. Here are the sin, along with my first thoughts on them:
Rafael dos Anjos vs. Colby Covington, UFC 224
According to a report by BJPenn.com, UFC 224 is going to get a serious principal event. An interim welterweight title bout is being targeted between leading conteders Rafael dos Anjos and Colby Covington. The event takes place Saturday, May 12 at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. RDA vs. Covington is being targeted for the primary event over the previously-announced women’s bantamweight title fight between Amanda Nunes and Raquel Pennington. RDA (29-9) is an ideal 3-0 since moving up to welterweight including a dominant decision win over Robbie Lawler in his final outing. The former lightweight kingpin will be seeking to add a second belt for his mantlepiece. Covington (13-1) is 8-1 overall in the UFC and has won five-straight fights including a dominant choice on Demian Maia his out time. This is a truly incredible matchup featuring two of the best welterweights in the UFC. I am expecting tight odds with this particular one, but perhaps with a lean towards RDA, who is more proven in the championship level from the Octagon.
Michel Prazeres vs. Zak Cummings, UFC Fight Night 129
A welterweight bout featuring Michel Prazeres and Zak Cummings is the latest addition to UFC Fight Night 129, which goes down Saturday, May 19 at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile. This bout was confirmed by Globo. Prazeres (24-2) is 8-2 at the UFC and has won six-straight fights. He’s been an underrated member of the UFC lightweight division but after several failed weight cuts he’s being forced to move up to welterweight. At 5’6???, he’s going to be one of the tiniest fighters in the branch. Cummings (21-5) is 6-2 in the UFC and is coming from two-straight wins, but he was recently injured during a bad weight reduction for a bout against Thiago Alves and will soon be coming into this bout on a long layoff. Despite Prazeres’ victory in the UFC, he is going to be a really small welterweight and Cummings has shown himself to be a winner in 170lbs. I would anticipate close odds with this one with perhaps a little lean towards Cummings, although I would caution betting from the underrated Prazeres even with all the new weight class.
Felipe Silva vs. Claudio Puelles, UFC Fight Night 129
A lightweight matchup between Felipe Silva and Claudio Puelles has also been added to UFC Fight Night 129. Globo also reported this bout. Silva (8-1) is currently 1-1 in the Octagon with a TKO win over Shane Campbell along with a KO loss to Mairbek Taisumov. He has been inactive in general averaging just one fight a year but has been successful when he can compete. Puelles (7-2) is 0-1 in the UFC, having endured a KO loss to Martin Bravo in his introduction. But he is only 21 and ought to continue to improve. This is a close fight but I’ll go with all the upside and state Puelles ought to be favored because of being 12 years younger, even though he has not tasted success in the Octagon yet.
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