UFC Vegas 17: Neal vs Thompson betting odds & predictions

Neal vs Thompson UFC Vegas 17 betting preview

The final main event of 2020 is a very interesting one between the veteran Stephen Thompson (15-4-1) and the red-hot Geoff Neal (13-2-0). Only one can prevail on this Saturday’s UFC Vegas 17 card in Las Vegas. Let’s take a look at how the odds are shaping up at UFC betting sites.

Neal is 7-0 over his last seven fights, including a 5-0 record through his first five fights in the UFC. He knocked Mike Perry out in the first round in his most recent trip to the octagon last December. Eight of Neal’s last nine wins have come by way of stoppage, with seven knockouts and one submission victory. Neal has slowly been climbing up the welterweight ranks with each win and now gets his shot to enter the top 10 with a win over an established contender.

Thompson (15-4-1) snapped a two-fight losing streak with a decision victory over Vicente Luque at UFC 244 last November. The 37-year-old Carolinian was once one of the top welterweights in the world with a 13-1 record and seven straight wins when he got his first title fight against Tyron Woodley. That fight ended in a draw, and Thompson went just 1-3 over his next four fights with losses to Woodley, Darren Till and Anthony Pettis and a win over Jorge Masvidal.

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What makes this fight so difficult to cap is that Neal has not faced anyone of Thompson’s caliber to date. And while Thompson has shown clear signs of slowing down, all of his recent losses have come against top-tier competition. Is Neal much better than Luque, who Thompson just soundly defeated?

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This all comes down to how high you are on Neal. We know what we are going to get out of Thompson at this point in his career; the knockout power is gone, but the high IQ and polished striking from distance will give him a strong chance at a decision victory. Can Neal break through with a big knockout win? Only time will tell, but we think yes; his straight-forward attacking style and powerful striking will eventually land something to earn the 30-year-old the win.

Best bet for Neal vs Thompson at UFC Vegas 17