The UFC Atlanta Main Card is starting to heat up as we’re set for another betting prediction and pick inside the Bantamweight (135) Division. Former Champion of Team Alpha Male Cody Garbrandt will take on Brazil’s Raoni Barcelos in a battle of tested UFC veterans. Check the UFC odds series for our Garbrandt-Barcelos prediction and pick.
Cody Garbrandt (14-6) has gone 9-6 during his UFC career dating back to 2015. At just 33 years old, Garbrandt has lived a lifetime in the UFC while becoming former champion and is now set to make another run at the title. He hopes to bounce back from a loss as the betting underdog in this one. Garbrandt stands 5-foot-8 with a 65.5-inch reach.
Raoni Barcelos (19-5) has gone 8-4 inside the UFC since 2018. He suffered a tough five-fight streak that saw him go 1-4 with three decision losses, but he’s since bounced back with consecutive wins and the biggest victory of his career against Payton Talbott. Barcelos stands 5-foot-7 with a 67-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Atlanta Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Atlanta Odds: Cody Garbrandt-Raoni Barcelos Odds
Cody Garbrandt: +164
Raoni Barcelos: -198
Over 2.5 rounds: -140
Under 2.5 rounds: +110
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Why Cody Garbrandt Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Deiveson Figueiredo – SUB (rear naked choke, R2)
- Last 5: 2-3
- Finishes: 11 KO/TKO
Cody Garbrandt suffered a tough loss during his last fight at the hands of Deiveson Figueiredo, but it’s not a loss to scoff at given the talent level of his opponent. In his prior bout against Brian Kelleher, Garbrandt turned back the clock with a vintage one-shot KO in the first round to spell the victory. He’s still got magic in those hands of his and if he can find the right stylistic matchup throughout the looks during this fight, he could land another shot for the win.
While Garbrandt’s hand speed and head movement have certainly lost a step from the younger, championship version of himself, we continue to see brief flashes of his technical striking and ability to cut unique angles on opponents. Reading the movements of Barcelos will be key during this fight as Garbrandt stands his best chance to win by landing a counter-strike.
Garbrandt will also have to combat the forward pressure and aggressive tendency for Barcelos to clinch with his opponents. Garbrandt is very slick in utilizing his wrestling and we could see him get creative along the fence if Barcelos puts him there.
Why Raoni Barcelos Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Payton Talbott – U DEC
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 8 KO/TKO, 3 SUB
Following his 1-4 streak, Raoni Barcelos dialed some things in and learned from his mistakes over the last two fights. Billed as a massive +710 underdog against the likes of Payton Talbott, Barcelos turned in a striking masterclass where he was the much more patient fighter and landed the more damaging shots. While he didn’t out-strike Talbott, he picked his shots carefully and landed with more emphasis for the win.
It may be difficult for Barcelos to find the mark against a twitchy opponent like Garbrandt, but it’s certain that his straight jab and overhand right will leave a mark if he’s able to land clean. Garbrandt’s chin has also been compromised throughout the years while Barcelos has only been TKO’d once in his career.
Barcelos is the rightful betting favorite and he’ll benefit from commanding the center of the octagon early in this one. His ability to pressure opponents and negate their offense while tying into the clinch will be paramount in stifling the movement and activity from Garbrandt in this one.
Final Cody Garbrandt-Raoni Barcelos Prediction & Pick
This will be an interesting fight given how long these two men have been going at things within this stacked Bantamweight Division. Both have had their ups and downs, but both come into this fight following solid performances and a foundation to work from.
Barcelos has looked particularly dangerous over his last two fights and his win over Payton Talbott could be his first big leap in the right direction. Cody Garbrandt, on the other hand, is out to prove that he’s still capable of holding the belt once again.
This should be an extremely back-and-forth fight where both men land significant offense. It could be a matter of who lands more clean and more frequently, so don’t be surprised if Barcelos can lands a few shots throughout this one. However, I think the twitchy movement from Garbrandt will become a problem and could lead to a decision win for the underdog. We’ll take a chance on the more active striker for our final prediction.
Final Cody Garbrandt-Raoni Barcelos Prediction & Pick: Cody Garbrandt (+164)
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