- Rafael Fiziev is a bigger betting favorite in his rescheduled bout versus Rafael Dos Anjos.
- Fiziev opened at -130 odds to beat Dos Anjos last January but is now up to -200 in the latest odds boards.
- The two lightweights are booked to fight for the third time on July 9th.
The third time’s the charm?
Rafael Fiziev has opened as a bigger betting favorite in his rescheduled bout against former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos.
According to the best UFC betting sites, Fiziev is the -200 odds on favorite to beat Dos Anjos, who came back a the +170 betting underdog in their July 9th lightweight bout:
UFC Fight Night 214:
Rafael Dos Anjos (+170)
Rafael Fiziev (-200)https://t.co/QeI2pMTueD @RdosAnjosMMA— BestFightOdds (@BestFightOdds) June 21, 2022
This is the second time that the oddsmakers have opened the betting odds for this bout. Last January, Fiziev opened as the -130 favorite and Dos Anjos the slight +108 bottom dog. However, their February bout was moved to March due to visa issues but Fiziev tested positive for COVID-19 and it was put on hold again. Last month, both fighters agreed to a July 9 date.
Dos Anjos Beats Moicano by Unanimous Decision
Rafael Dos Anjos beats Renato Moicano by unanimous decision (+200) to earn his 20th win in the UFC 😤🔥pic.twitter.com/JFiPeaf5QQ
— Caesars Sportsbook (@CaesarsSports) March 6, 2022
With Fiziev pulling out of their March showdown on fight week, Dos Anjos took a short-notice 160-pound catchweight bout against Renato Moicano to remain on the event. In that bout, Dos Anjos defeated Moicano via unanimous decision to win his second consecutive bout after losing four out of his previous five bouts.
The 37-year-old Dos Anjos won the UFC lightweight title by defeating Anthony Pettis at UFC 185 but lost it two fights later. RDA also challenged for the interim UFC welterweight title at UFC 225 but lost to Colby Covington. He is one of the UFC’s longest-tenured fighters and ranks second overall in total fight time. Dos Anjos has a record of 31-13 with five knockouts and 10 submission victories.
Dos Anjos will be the betting favorite for the 5th time in his last eight bouts. During that period, the Brazilian won all four bouts where he opened as the odds-on favorite while losing three out of four fights where he was listed as the betting underdog. In his last appearance, RDA was the -200 favorite against Moicano.
Fiziev Wheel Kicks Brad Riddell
#UFCVegas44 Highlight Video: Rafael Fiziev Wheel Kicks Brad Riddell https://t.co/IE5XgBOHVL pic.twitter.com/hPjdVuRyZK
— Sherdog (@sherdogdotcom) December 5, 2021
Fiziev was last seen delivering a sensational wheel kick knockout of Brad Riddell at UFC Vegas 44 last December 4, 2021. The victory was the fifth straight for the Thailand-based Kyrgyztani since getting knocked out by Magomed Mustafaev in his UFC debut. Four of those wins have earned Fiziev a post-fight performance bonus.
The 29-year-old is a former World Muaythai Federation and IFMA champion. He began his MMA career in Asia, fighting for promotions like Primal FC, Road FC, and Titan FC before joining the UFC in 2019. He owns a first-round knockout win over Moicano, whom his next opponent fought in his last assignment. Fiziev has a record of 11-1 with seven knockouts and one submission victory.
While Dos Anjos is without doubt Fiziev’s biggest test in the UFC so far, his opening odds of -200 against the Brazilian are the shortest of his UFC career. Fiziev has even opened as a betting underdog three times inside the Octagon, including at +110 against Riddell and +195 against Marc Diakiese. He won both fights convincingly.
