UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Song betting picks – Sep 17, 2022

Who will grab the spoils when a bunch of new names clash for UFC Fight Night this weekend in Las Vegas?

The UFC has many critics, but the effort to rejig the entire fight card for UFC 279 could be studied as part of an MBA. Many pundits thought the last-minute matchups were superior to the original card, and it certainly delivered some entertaining bouts.

We return to more familiar ground here with a solid Fight Night featuring a wave of fighters looking to make their mark. These are our best bets for the main card leading up to Cory Sandhagen vs Song Yadong in the headline act.

Chidi Njokuani vs Gregory Rodrigues

Chidi Njokuani (22-7-0) is a Nigerian born kickboxer on a four-fight winning streak. Njokuani entered the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Series, where he made a big impression with a TKO of Mario Sousa. He followed this up with a KO over Marc-André Barriault to earn Performance of the Night honours, and a KO of Duško Todorović that earned another bonus cheque. Njokuani is tall and rangy for the middleweight division, standing at 6’3″ and boasting an 80-inch reach.

Gregory Rodrigues (12-4-0) is an eight-time BJJ National Champion who also likes to finish his fights via KO. At his most recent outing Rodrigues dispatched Julian Marquez with some heavy knockout punches, and he has notched recent KO wins over Jun Yong Park and Josh Fremd. The Brazil-born fighter is also tall for the division, standing 6’3″, but will be at a five-inch reach disadvantage in this bout.

Don’t blink during this crazy matchup or you might miss the action. We’re tipping Njokuani in this evenly matched contest.

Andre Fili vs Bill Algeo

Andre Fili (21-9-0) comes into this bout with what can only be described as a very inconsistent record. Across 19 UFC appearances, Fili has managed to secure back-to-back victories on just three occasions. His longest winning streak stands at two, and he as won just once out of his last five contests – hardly confidence inspiring. It’s difficult to imagine him suddenly finding the form required to maintain his place on the UFC roster.

Bill Algeo (16-6-0) brings a slightly better record with three wins from his last five outings and appears to be still improving. Algeo has the superior ground game having been a successful high school wrestler and later earning his black belt in BJJ under Tim Carpenter. This grappling skillset is complimented by a strong kick-boxing base, and we expect him to pose too many questions for Fili here.

We are confidently tipping Algeo to win this bout at -102.04 with Bovada.

Joe Pyfer vs Alen Amedovski

Joe Pyfer (9-2-0) earned his shot at UFC glory with a big KO win over Osman Diaz in Dana White’s Contender Series. It’s hard to assess his earlier results on the provincial circuits, but Pyfer certainly looks like a combat athlete. The 25-year-old from Pennsylvania could always slip into bodybuilding if results don’t go his way. Pyfer was awarded a second shot by White after injuring his elbow at his first attempt and made the most of his opportunity to earn a contract.

Alen Amedovski (8-3-0) is a Macedonia-born fighter in search of his first UFC win. He joined the company with a perfect 8-0 record via Bellator but has since lost three fights in succession. Amedovski has had his struggles with injuries, working as a Roman handyman while getting his body into shape, but will need to show something if he hopes to make a lasting career in the prize-fighting game. Non-UFC form can be hard to assess, so we must take his early wins with a grain of salt and focus on the underwhelming recent efforts.

With little exposed form to go on, we are tipping the younger, fitter Pyfer to get the job done here at the skinny odds.

Tanner Boser vs Rodrigo Nascimento Ferreira

Tanner Boser (20-8-1) is a solid hard-hitting Canadian who has shared the octagon with some of the biggest names in the sport. Boser lost a decision victory to Cyril Gane, the top-ranked heavyweight challenger, back in 2019, and boasts a recent KO win over Ovince Saint Preux. Tanner has also lost to both fan favourite Ilir Latifi and longstanding warrior Andre Arlovski, so he has some runs on the board. Tanner scored a TKO via leg kicks early in his career, so look out for some vicious low shots to help soften up his opponent.

Rodrigo Nascimento Ferreira (9-1-0) is another graduate of Dana White’s Contender Series looking to cement his spot within the premier MMA organisation. Ferreira booked secured his contract with a submission victory over Don’Tale O’Neil Mayes back in May 2020. He was then thrown in the deep end against Chris Daukaus, suffering a KO loss, and had a win overturned when testing positive to a banned substance at his most recent trip to the octagon.

We are tipping Ferreira in an upset. Although less experienced, he appears to have more upside.

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