UFC Austin Odds: Zachary Reese-Cody Brundage prediction, pick, how to watch
Will Zach Reese live up to his hype? Check out our UFC odds series for our Reese-Brundage prediction and pick.
We’re back with another prediction and pick for UFC Fight Night: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan as the Prelims continue from Austin, Texas. Our next bout takes place in the Middleweight (185) Division and features debuting Zachary Reese taking on factoryX’s Cody Brundage.
Zachary Reese (6-0) will be making his debut as an undefeated fighter following his submission finish on Dana White’s Contender Series. Of his six professional fights, Reese has been able to finish all of them with four by KO/TKO and two by submission. While he’s still fairly new to MMA, he’s already shaping up to be a solid incoming prospect. Reese stands 6’4″ with a 77-inch reach.
Cody Brundage (9-5) comes into this fight with a 3-4 UFC record since 2021. His last fight was marked as a disqualification win for Brundage as he suffered repeated blows to the back of the head against Jacob Malkoun and couldn’t continue. Prior to that, he was 2-3 in his last five fights and lost three consecutively. Now, he’ll be looking for a get-back performance and hopefully another finish as the betting underdog. Brundage stands 6’0″ with a 72-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Austin Odds: Zachary Reese-Cody Brundage Odds
Zachary Reese: -235
Cody Brundage: +186
Over 1.5 rounds: +152
Under 1.5 rounds: -196
How to Watch Zachary Reese vs. Cody Brundage
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET/ 1:00 p.m. PT (Prelims)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Zachary ReeseWill Win
Zach Reese is still relatively new to the MMA world, but he’s only known wins and finishes up to this point of his journey. His only loss came in his first amateur fight to Kevin Holland, but it’s been smooth sailing for him en route to the UFC. He’s very skilled and athletic all-around. He fights with an unorthodox stance and does his best work when he’s pressuring and blitzing forward. He’ll throw a number of combinations with his hands while mixing in spinning kicks and variations to the head and body. He’s got solid power in his hands and can easily knock opponents out with a few clean connections.
To win this fight, Zachary Reese would see great success from pressuring forward on Brundage and getting him on his back foot. His takedown defense up to this point hasn’t been great, but he’s very good with his jiu jitsu off of his back and often relies on finding offense from there when taken down. He’ll have the striking advantage here as the more technical fighter, but don’t be surprised if he has to combat the takedown and work from his back against Brundage. All in all, Reese has more ways to finish this fight.
Why Cody BrundageWill Win
Things haven’t gone great for Cody Brundage lately and prior to his last fight, he rode a three-fight losing streak in which he was finished twice and lost one unanimous decision. His last fight wasn’t going great until Jacob Malkoun repeatedly hit him with illegal strikes to the back of the head. Brundage was awarded the DQ-win and faced backlash from the fans for not being able to continue. The strikes proved to be significant as Brundage had to take additional time to nurse the injury. He’s back now and the hope is that he’s in full health as he’d desperately like to get back on the winning track.
Cody Brundage often falls victim to playing into his opponent’s game plan. Momentum shifts are common during his fights, so he’d benefit from sticking to a more concrete game plan in this one. He lands about 2.5 takedowns per fight and could see success taking this one down to the mat. While he’ll be at a reach disadvantage, Brundage could also threaten by closing the distance and finding uppercuts up the middle. Still, he’ll have to be wary of his chin from the punishment he’s taken in the past.
Final Zachary Reese-Cody BrundagePrediction & Pick
This is an interesting fight and it’ll be the first big test of Zachary Reese’s MMA career. He has yet to suffer a loss and he’s finished all of his fights. He’s also a massive guy for this division and he’ll be the much bigger fighter in the octagon. Still, Cody Brundage has seen his fair share of adversity and he’ll be a tough opponent to walk through.
Cody Brundage has been in a tough spot lately and it’s tough to back him at this point. Still, he’s got a knack for turning the tide during his fights, so don’t be surprised if he can catch Reese sleeping at some point. Still, our prediction will favor Zachary Reese as his walk-down style of fighting poses a bad matchup for Cody Brundage.
Final Zachary Reese-Cody Brundage Prediction & Pick: Zachary Reese (-250)
