Fans who will bet on UFC Fight Night 90 favor Roy ‘Big Country’ Nelson to win his fight versus Derrick ‘The Black Beast’ Lewis on Thursday, 7th July at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Don’t let his, uh, less than defined physique – or the fact that he’s also known as Cheeseburger and the True Burger King – fool you; Nelson has defeated the likes of Brendan Schaub, Matt Mitrione, Cheick Kongo, Stefan Struve, Mirko Cro Cop and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira in the past. The UFC betting odds for his bout with Lewis are:
Derrick Lewis 1½ (+170) +105
Roy Nelson 1½ (-200) -125
But Lewis has tasted the smell of success too, being a former Legacy Fighting Championship heavyweight champion. Let’s see how the two compare:
Roy Nelson
• Country: USA.
• Age: 40 years old.
• MMA record: 21 wins (14 by KO, 4 by submission, 3 by decision)-12 losses (2 by KO, 10 by decision)-0 draws.
• KO percentage: 64%
• Submission percentage: 18%
• Decision percentage: 18%
• Height: 6’0”
• Weight: 258 pounds (heavyweight).
• Reach: 72”
• Leg reach: 44”
• Strikes landed/minute: 2.2
• Strike accuracy: 35.2%
• Strikes absorbed/minute: 4.8
• Defense: 47.7%
• Takedown average: .7
• Takedown accuracy: 20.9%
• Takedowns defended: 63.3%
• Submission average: .16
• Style: Shaolin Kung Fu, Boxing, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
• Team: Country Club, Kings MMA.
• Trained by: Jeff Mayweather (boxing), Renzo Gracie (BJJ).
• Rank: Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Black sash in Kung Fu.
• Active: 2004-present.
Derrick Lewis
• Country: USA.
• Age: 31 years old.
• MMA record: 15 wins (14 by KO, 1 by submission)-4 losses (2 by KO, 2 by decision)-0 draws-1 no contest.
• KO percentage: 93%
• Submission percentage: 7%
• Decision percentage: 0%
• Height: 6’3”
• Weight: 264 pounds (heavyweight).
• Reach: 79”
• Leg reach: 43”
• Strikes landed/minute: 3.9
• Strike accuracy: 59.9%
• Strikes absorbed/minute: 1.5
• Defense: 36.7%
• Takedown average: 1.1
• Takedown accuracy: 33.3%
• Takedowns defended: 63.3%
• Submission average: 000
• Team: 4oz Fight Club.
• Active: 2010-present.
Lewis is coming off a three-fight winning streak, including a Performance of the Night against Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC Fight Night: Rothwell vs. dos Santos on April 10th, 2016. On the other hand, Nelson bounced back from a three-fight losing with a win over Jared Rosholt via unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night: Hendricks vs. Thompson on February 6th, 2016. Of course, fans who bet on UFC should make allowance for the fact that those three losses were to Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, and Josh Barnett. It could arguably be said that Lewis has yet to face a big name like any of those, thus accounting for his UFC betting underdog status. Additionally, people who bet on UFC should not discount the age factor, whether they think Nelson has experience on his side, or Lewis has youth in his.