Picks for UFC Fight Night 146 – Bet Tim Boetsch While He’s Still an Underdog

• UFC Fight Night 146: Lewis vs Dos Santos goes live Saturday, March 9th via ESPN+4
  
• Tim Boetsch will reassert himself as the comeback kid
• The best bets and odds for the respective bouts are listed below

UFC Fight Night 146 features a couple of high stakes Heavyweight tilts, including the headline feature.

Former UFC Heavyweight titlist Junior Dos Santos locks horns with the last man to contend for the Heavyweight crown, Derrick Lewis. Also, Intrust Bank Arena will watch acclaimed Sambo specialist Blagoy Ivanov take on returning leviathan Ben Rothwell.

For a preview of the main card, see UFC Fight Night 146: Lewis vs Dos Santos Odds & Predictions.

Wichita, Kansas hosts many fun fights beyond what the big boys are getting up to, though. See my three best bets for the evening below.

Kunitskaya Bests Reneau

This women’s Bantamweight bout between Yana Kunitskaya and Marion Reneau has divisional significance.

Per UFC’s ranking system, Kunitskaya is ranked at #9 while Reneau sits at #6. Analyzing their respective career trajectories, it makes sense that Kunitskaya would be slated as the favorite.

Kunitskaya vs Reneau Odds

*All odds taken 3/5

Kunitskaya has already vied for championships in both Invicta FC and UFC but is still learning and growing in her young career.

Reneau’s record reflects a better strength of competition up until this juncture, with wins over names like former title contender/Olympic medalist Sara McMann and upcoming Strawweight title challenger Jessica Andrade. Reneau is creeping on turning 42, though.

Kunitskaya stands to galvanize herself from past losses to Tonya Evinger as well as Cris Cyborg, and she has more of that pugilistic plasticity – meaning that she’s a younger fighter making measurable rapid strides fight to fight, has less mileage overall, and is absorbing new information like a sponge.

Some light drilling today after sparring with the BOSS👑 @sugarraysefo 🦊 #ufcwichita #foxy
🇷🇺 легкие отработки после спаррингов с @sugarraysefo 😈 https://t.co/q0ADilWSZT

— Yana Kunitskaya (@YanaKunitskaya) February 22, 2019

I see Kunitskaya taking this and surging higher in the 135 lb hierarchy.

Pick: Kunitskaya (-175)

Boetsch Upsets Akhmedov

Nowadays, I tend to favor Dagestan fighters in pretty much 95% of the fights they’re booked in. I think The Barbarian (Boetsch) can de-fang Wolverine in this one, though.

Akhmedov has yet to do anything in his past Octagon visits that would compel me to place a bet on him against Boetsch here.

Boetsch vs Akhmedov Odds

The only losses Tim Boetsch has had in recent years have been to either former champions, title challengers, or fighters presently ranked in the top 15.

Akhmedov is at the level where a UFC stalwart like Boetsch could definitely stand a chance at catching him with some heavy hands.

To me, this reads as a sound underdog bet based on both the odds presently set up and Boetch’s tendency to secure come from behind wins with his preternatural power.

"WHAT A COMEBACK! WHAT A COMEBACK!"

Feb. 25, 2012 – @TimBoetsch makes @joerogan lose his mind with this epic comeback against Okami. #UFCGlendale pic.twitter.com/JvHF1IunG4

— UFC (@ufc) April 13, 2018

Akhmedov has more room for upward mobility/longevity in the sport, but I see Boetsch rallying and stopping the Dagestan fighter. I have the underdog Boetsch scoring the upset.

Pick: Boetsch (+125/ +135)

Dariush Conquers Dober

This bout promises fireworks between two martial artists in the UFC’s deepest division. These fighters hover around that top 20-25 mark at Lightweight. Looking at the last six fights each man has had, it paints a contrarian picture to the stance I’ll take.

Dariush is 3-2-1 while Dober is 5-1. But as Dan Hardy has said on commentary in the past, records are for DJs.

Dariush vs Dober Odds

Both men have similar finishing rates, solidly well-rounded skillsets, and both train out of great camps. I have Beneil Dariush all day in this one, though.

😴 😴 😴@BeneilDariush has the ability to put people to sleep. #UFC222 pic.twitter.com/G1KWR4RJUX

— UFC (@ufc) March 1, 2018

Dariush has more impressive wins over better quality competitors despite the aforementioned dynamic with both men’s respective records in their last six.

Dariush has claimed the scalps of men like Jim Miller, James Vick, and Michael Johnson to name a few. Before March 9th, bet Beneil.

Pick: Dariush (-190/ -175)