UFC Vegas 47: Hermansson vs. Strickland Odds, Schedule, Predictions

Sean Strickland has positioned himself as the latest and greatest challenger in the middleweight division. He'll have the opportunity to add more weight to his words in the main event of UFC Vegas 47 against Jack Hermansson. 

Strickland has put together a four-fight win streak since returning to the middleweight division in late 2020. He hasn't lost since a fight against Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in 2018. 

With the middleweight division pretty light on contenders, a win against Hermansson could have him in a much bigger fight next. 

However, Hermansson isn't someone that should be overlooked. The 33-year-old is a dangerous veteran with a demonstrated ability to finish fights. 

It should set up for a great main event. Here's a look at what's on tap for the evening of fights and a preview of the biggest fights on the card. 

Main Card (ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET)

• Jack Hermansson (+180; $100 bet wins $180) vs. Sean Strickland (-220; $220 bet wins $100)
• Punahele Soriano (-190) vs. Nick Maximov (+160)
• Shavkat Rakhmonov (-235) vs. Carlston Harris (+190)
• Sam Alvey (+330) vs. Brendan Allen (-435)
• Tresean Gore (-150) vs. Bryan Battle (+130)
• Julian Erosa (N/A) vs. Steven Peterson (N/A)

Prelims (ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET)

• Miles Johns (-180) vs. John Castaneda (+155)
• Hakeem Dawodu (-170) vs. Mike Trizano (+150)
• Chidi Njokuani (-105) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (-115)
• Alexis Davis (-250) vs. Julija Stoliarenko (+200)
• Jailton Almeida (-435) vs. Danilo Marques (+330)
• Jason Witt (+115) vs. Philip Rowe (-135)
• Malcolm Gordon (+230) vs. Denys Bondar (-290)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

This is a great test for Strickland. Hermansson might be the most well-rounded fighter "Tarzan" has seen in the Octagon. 

"The Joker" has a steady jab and good enough boxing skills to carry a round. However, he really shines on the mat. He has great ground-and-pound that can finish fights and he's not bad at finding submissions either. 

He has six submission victories including a heel hook against Kelvin Gastelum. 

Strickland is an all-purpose fighter in his own right. He pushes a good pace at 5.45 significant strikes per minute, but he also has a good wrestling base he can turn to when things are getting stale on the feet. 

The question will be who is able to impose their will more often in the fight. On paper, they are very similar so aggression could be the deciding factor. With the slightly higher volume and the momentum of his winning streak, that is likely to be Strickland. 

Prediction: Strickland via decision

Punahele Soriano and Nick Maximov might not be well-known at this point, but both have demonstrated high ceilings. This opportunity to be the co-main event of UFC Vegas event could propel the winner to much bigger things. 

Soriano is the more proven one in the UFC. This will mark his fourth fight in the organization and he'll be tasked with bouncing back from his first career loss against Brendan Allen. 

In that loss, Soriano made a classic mistake for a young fighter. He put in a strong first round but expended too much energy to get there and spent the next two rounds clinging on for dear life. 

Maximov has only fought in the UFC once but already has the look of a dangerous grappler. He will continue to throw takedowns attempts at his opponent and work to get them to the ground. 

Soriano is the favorite but he's going to have to keep Maximov at bay with his power. If he can crack him early and dissuade him from spamming takedowns he'll be in good shape. 

But if Maximov has success draining Soriano with constant takedown attempts he could spring the upset. 

Prediction: Maximov via decision

The lead-in to the co-main is a classic grappler vs. striker matchup in the welterweight division. Shavkat Rakhmonov will play the role of favorite and put his perfect 14-0 record on the line against Carlston Harris. 

Both fighters have just two UFC appearances but they've both made an early impression. 

Rakhmonov has a second-round submission win over Michel Prazeres and a first-round submission win over Alex Oliveira. Both are legit UFC veterans who represent a solid baseline in the division. 

Harris has two first-round finishes, but they came against Christian Aguilera and Impa Kasangany. Those aren't exactly the same caliber of opponent. 

But the interesting aspect of this fight will be the grappler vs. striker element. Harris has pop in his hands and has shown the ability to finish fights. But Rakhmanov is the kind of whirlwind grappler that can stifle someone if they aren't able to keep him at range. 

Prediction: Rakhmonov via second-round TKO

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