Anthony Smith vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. Betting Prediction

The second-to-last event of the 2023 UFC fight schedule is coming up this weekend in Las Vegas at the UFC APEX. On a stacked card of upcoming prospects, the co-main event is between two light heavyweight contenders fighting for a potential title shot in 2024–Anthony Smith and Khalil Rountree Jr.

Read more for the official Smith vs. Rountree Jr. prediction ahead of placing your UFC bets on this weekend’s MMA slate.

Anthony Smith vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. Information

Anthony Smith vs. Khalil Rountree Jr.

Location of the game: UFC APEX, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

Date & Time: December 09, 2023. 10 PM ET main card start

How to Watch: ESPN+

Last Fight Record

Smith is coming off a split-decision win over Ryan Spann in August at UFC Singapore.

Rountree is on fire and coming off a first-round TKO victory over Chris Daukaus in August.

Smith vs. Rountree Jr. Betting Analysis

Anthony Smith

Smith is an American mixed martial artist with a professional MMA record of 37-18, including 20 TKO/KO wins and 14 submissions. He is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and before the UFC he won middleweight titles at Victory FC and Cage Fury FC. Now in the UFC, Smith is a former title challenger and is currently the #8 ranked contender with a total of 7 post-fight bonuses under his belt.

“Lionheart” is a 6’4” orthodox fighter with a 76” reach at the age of 35. Inside the octagon, Smith averages 3.16 significant strikes landed and 4.45 absorbed per minute. His statistics seem so minimal for someone as decorated as him, but that’s probably what happens when a guy is about to make his 20th walk to the octagon in the same company.

Rountree Jr.

Rountree, an American mixed martial artist, holds a professional record of 12-5, securing victory in 8 bouts by TKO/KO. He is a top 15 ranked light heavyweight contender in the UFC and has earned three Performance of the Night bonuses in the company so far.

At 33 years old, “The War Horse” stands tall at 6’1″, fights from the southpaw stance, and boasts a 76″ reach. He averages 3.73 significant strikes landed per minute while absorbing 4.16 of those strikes. He is a pure striker with no takedowns and a 56% takedown defense.

Updates

There have been no reported injuries to either the UFC or ESPN, ensuring a smooth and injury-free event.

Anthony Smith vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. Betting Preview

Before this fight happens this weekend on the UFC schedule, we need to properly preview the betting lines and the styles of both fighters to make the correct Smith vs. Rountree Jr. prediction.

Starting with the available UFC odds, Rountree is coming into this weekend as the -195 betting favorite over the +170 Smith. The odds also heavily favor this bout ending inside the distance at -400.

The stylistic matchup between these two is exciting. Smith is not as dangerous of a striker, but he still has the power to hurt anyone. His goal will most likely be to take this fight on the ground and win in those exchanges. Smith is a very high-level grappler with good submission abilities.

Rountree might have had a career resurgence with his move to Thailand before UFC 236. He now has a traditional Muay Thai stance and has been kicking people’s legs practically off ever since.

Smith is going to have to be careful on the feet against Rountree. The kickboxing range will leave him open to a lot of damage from kicks, and then if he closes the distance it will be dangerous to get hit by a Rountree left hand.

One aspect of betting on this is the ability of both guys to finish their opponents. Smith’s remarkable career includes 37 wins, with a noteworthy 34 of them resulting in finishes, a fact that often goes unnoticed.

Anthony Smith vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. Betting Prediction

Sometimes listening to UFC expert picks doesn’t give you the best chance to win bets on UFC fights. The TV experts likely do not engage in sports betting and may lack knowledge of betting lines and trends.

With that being said, our official Smith vs. Rountree Jr. prediction from a sports betting perspective is that Rountree will get his hand raised after a TKO/KO win on Saturday night.

Smith is turning into a legendary fighter and has earned a ton of respect from anyone in the sport, but there are too many question marks around whether or not he will show up mentally on Saturday night in the cage.

Rountree’s early leg kicks will inflict damage on him since he is vulnerable to kicks, making it a strategic advantage. The first three minutes of this bout will decide what the rest will look like–or it might even end.

This will be the highlight finish of the night out of all the upcoming UFC fights this weekend.

• Pick: Rountree to win by KO/TKO (-120).

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