Jack Hermansson vs. Kelvin Gastelum is the co-main event for UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 betting on Saturday, July 18 at "Fight Island" in Abu Dhabi.
Hermansson is the No. 6-ranked middleweight fighter in the UFC, while Gastelum is No. 7, and the UFC odds reflect this parity with Gastelum the slimmest of favorites at -118 against Hermansson at +100.
We break down the UFC betting odds for this middleweight battle and give our best picks and predictions for Hermansson vs. Gastelum on July 18.
| UFC Fight Night odds | Jack Hermansson | Kelvin Gastelum |
|---|---|---|
| Win outright | +100 | -118 |
| Win by KO/TKO | +550 | +310 |
| Win by points | +260 | +260 |
| Win by submission | +600 | +1,200 |
| Draw | +5,000 | +5,000 |
Hermansson vs Gastelum betting preview
Kelvin Gastelum is coming off back-to-back losses but considering they were a split-decision defeat against Darren Till and a loss to current champ Israel Adesanya, it doesn't drop his stock much. That said, even though he won three of his previous four fights before that (although one was later ruled no contest) against big names like Ronaldo Souza, Michael Bisping and Vitor Belfort, all three of those fighters were almost 40 years old so perhaps they shouldn't have raised his stock too much.
Either way, Gastelum is a terrific boxer who likes to slip into the pocket where he can do damage.
Jack "The Joker" Hermansson is fresh off a TKO loss to Jared Cannonier, but before that he had reeled off four wins in a row, including his own win over Jacaré and two victories by guillotine choke. Hermansson is a terrific grappler with fantastic submission skills but can be a bit awkward when it comes to striking.
| Jack Hermansson | Kelvin Gastelum | |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Age | 28 |
| 6-foot-1 | Height | 5-foot-9 |
| 185 lbs | Weight | 185 lbs |
| 77.5 inches | Reach | 71.5 inches |
| 20-5-0 (11 KO) | Record | 16-5-0 (6 KO) |
Hermansson vs Gastelum UFC predictions and betting picks
PREDICTION: Hermansson to win (+100) - This is an intriguing matchup of opposites, with Hermansson the better wrestler facing the superior striker in Gastelum. Both fighters have looked poor against opponents with opposing styles before, with Gastelum losing by submission to Chris Weidman in 2017 and Hermansson getting rocked by Cannonier last September.
That said, Gastelum doesn't have as much power as Cannonier and Hermansson's size advantage should allow him to control the clinch when Gastelum tries to slip into the pocket. Gastelum's takedown defense isn't on the same level as Cannonier's, so expect the Joker to take things to the mat and grind out a victory.
More UFC Fight Night picks and predictions
Jack Hermansson vs. Kelvin Gastelum is just one of the bouts slated for UFC Fight Night, but there are plenty of other exciting fights on this card. Check out our best picks and predictions for these other bouts taking place on July 18:
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Askar Askarov
Marc Diakiese vs. Rafael Fiziev
Ariane Lipski vs Luana Carolina
