Anthony Smith vs. Jimmy Crute is on the main card for UFC 261 betting on April 24 from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.
This should be a great fight between a former light heavyweight contender in Anthony "Lionheart" Smith and an up-and-coming young fighter in Jimmy "The Brute" Crute.
UFC betting lines have Crute as a -205 favorite while Smith comes back at +172.
Here are our best free Smith vs. Crute picks and predictions for UFC 261 on Saturday, April 24.
Smith vs Crute fight odds
| Method of Victory | Anthony Smith | Jimmy Crute |
|---|---|---|
| Win Outright | +172 | -205 |
| Win by KO/TKO | +600 | +165 |
| Win by Points | +460 | +310 |
| Win by Submission | +850 | +750 |
| Draw | +5,000 | +5,000 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
Smith vs Crute betting preview
Anthony Smith is the No. 6-ranked light heavyweight contender and is fresh off a first-round submission victory over Devin Clark in November. That win snapped a two-fight losing skid for Smith, who had a unanimous decision loss to Aleksandar Rakic and a TKO at the hands of Glover Teixeira.
Smith is just two years removed from going the distance against Jon Jones for the light heavyweight title. He's 8-4 in his last 12 fights, with each win coming by finish. The 32-year-old is a well-rounded fighter who has won his last three fights by submission and also has polished Muay Thai.
Jimmy Crute is No. 13 in the light heavyweight rankings and is 12-1 in his MMA career, including 4-1 in the UFC. In his last two fights, he earned Performance of the Night bonuses with first-round stoppages of Modestas Bukauskas and Micha? Oleksiejczuk.
The 25-year-old Aussie has a background in judo and BJJ, and is an excellent grappler with knockout power in his hands.
Smith vs Crute tale of the tape
| Anthony Smith | Jimmy Crute | |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Age | 25 |
| 6-foot-4 | Height | 6-foot-2 |
| 205 lbs | Weight | 205 lbs |
| 76 inches | Reach | 74 inches |
| 34-16-0 (18 KO) | Record | 12-1-0 (5 KO) |
Smith vs Crute UFC prediction and betting pick
PREDICTION: Crute by points or submission +190 - Smith has a slick submission game but he doesn't have the best defensive wrestling, getting bullied up against the cage and on the ground in his last two losses against Rakic and Teixeira.
Smith has a takedown defense of just 51 percent and that's bad news against someone with Crute's strength and grappling ability.
Despite Crute's power, it won't be easy for him to knock out Lionheart, who is known for his toughness, and managed to last until the fifth round despite taking a brutal beating from Teixeira.
Look for Crute to grind out a decision victory or pull off a submission after taking top control. Keep in mind that Crute has four wins by submission in his career, including pulling off a Kimura versus Paul Craig, who is one of the division's top grapplers.
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