Expert prediction
UFC Fight Night: Anthony Smith vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. Prediction, Odds, and Picks (Dec 9)
- Khalil Rountree Jr. is a hell of a striker, but his wrestling skills are questionable.
- Anthony Smith has a finish rate of just under 92% in his professional MMA career.
Anthony Smith vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. is the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 233, which is taking place this coming Saturday at UFC Apex in Vegas. These two light heavyweights have eight Performance of the Night bonuses between them, so anything but a real thriller in the Octagon would be a surprise.
Whatever happens on December 9, no one should be surprised. Still, the Smith vs. Roundtree Jr. odds do favor the latter. What do we think? Keep reading to see our top pick!
How to Watch
- When: Saturday, December 9, 2023, at 10:00 p.m. ET
- Where: UFC Apex, Enterprise (Las Vegas), Nevada
- How to Watch: ESPN+
Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Anthony Smith | |
| Khalil Rountree Jr. |
Fight Preview
Anthony Smith is an MMA legend with a 37-18 record and a finish rate of 91.89%. The last time he finished someone was in 2021 when he beat Ryan Spann by submission.
That’s probably his plan for the UFC Fight Night 233 co-main event as well. The thing is that he probably can’t outbox his opponent, so taking the fight to the ground seems like a smart alternative.
Khalil Rountree Jr. is 13-5 overall (with one no contest), with eight wins y KO/TKO. He’s a hell of a striker, famous for his oblique kicks, which some UFC fighters and pundits want to ban.
This guy definitely has what it takes to ruin Smith’s knees on Saturday, but he does have one major weakness. He’s not a very good wrestler.
The evidence of this is that in his 14 fights under the banner of the UFC, he recorded zero takedowns. Plus, his takedown defense is only 56%.
Anthony Smith vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. Prediction
Anthony Smith strongest weapon is striking, but this guy’s also decent when it comes to wrestling. We think he can take his opponent down and finish him on the floor.
READ ALSO: UFC Fight Night: Song Yadong vs. Chris Gutiérrez Prediction, Odds, and Picks (Dec 9)
Whether it’s going to be a KO/TKO finish or a submission, we’re not sure, but we do think Lionheart is going to upset the odds on Saturday.
Pick:
MMA
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