UFC Vegas 47 Preview: Middleweights look to make a statement

After a week off following a wild night of action at UFC 270, the UFC is back in action this weekend in Las Vegas.

Just a week before Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker renew their rivalry at UFC 271, the main event at UFC Vegas 47 will also see the middleweights take centre stage, as number six ranked Jack Hermansson takes on number seven ranked Sean Strickland in the main event.

We preview the fight below and run through the latest UFC betting odds.

Both middleweights looking to fill the void

Life as a UFC middleweight is tough. Not only has Israel Adesanya reigned supreme since his arrival in the division in 2018, but his rival Robert Whittaker has done a fair job of eliminating several other contenders since he lost the belt to ‘Stylebender’ in 2019. Whilst casual fans may point to this and suggest the division does not have great depth, in reality, it’s one of the most stacked in the company.

Whilst Adesanya and Whittaker have proven themselves a level above the other contenders, the ensuing vacuum has left space for a new contender to emerge, particularly one that hasn’t lost to the other two already. In that sense, Jack Hermansson and Sean Strickland could well fit the bill.

High hopes remain for Hermansson

The UFC has had high hopes for Hermansson since he strung together four consecutive wins between May 2018 and April 2019, but his progress towards the top of the division stalled somewhat after being knocked out by the imposing Jarod Cannonier. A win against Kelvin Gastelum put him back on track, before he would lose a decision to Marvin Vettori in December 2020.

With a strong wrestling base, Hermansson has great all-round ability and his striking is also nothing to scoff at. He showed with his win against Edmen Shahbazyan last time out that when at his best he can put a complete performance together and should be encouraged, despite the results, by the standard of opposition he’s shared the octagon within recent years.

Hermansson is more of a finisher than his opponent, with six finishes in the UFC, three by way of knockout and three by way of submission. With his Greco-Roman wrestling background, he would also expect to have the slight advantage on the ground and averages more takedowns and more submissions per fight than Strickland.

Surging Strickland looking for statement win

Sean Strickland’s story is nothing short of inspiring. After a serious motorcycle accident threatened to curtail his career in 2018, Strickland was forced into a two-year hiatus from the sport. Since his return, he’s racked up four consecutive wins and a fifth one on Saturday night could propel him into the title picture.

After trying his hand at welterweight earlier in his career, Strickland is on a five-fight win streak since returning to 185 pounds and his middleweight record stands at an impressive 19-0. Now he’s found his weight, he looks far more impressive, and you only need to look at his all-round display in his last fight against Uriah Hall for an example of the levels the American is capable of on his day.

Although no slouch on the ground, he lands strikes at a considerably higher rate than his opponent and has an excellent understanding of how to operate at range and control the tempo of his fights and will likely have the edge on the feet. If Hermansson thinks he can dominate him on the ground, he could well be mistaken, as Strickland has a 82% takedown defence amongst the best in the division.

Strickland has been the distance in 65% of his UFC appearances, with three of his four appearances since returning from injury going to the judges. Hermansson on the other hand has been the distance in just four of his 13 UFC appearances.

Strickland is currently the 4/9 favourite to win a sixth fight in a row and is 7/4 to take a decision for the third fight in a row. Hermansson is currently the 7/4 underdog to win outright and is 7/2 to get a seventh UFC finish.