Dana White’s Contender Series 14 takes place Tuesday, July 24 at the UFC Gym in Las Vegas, Nevada. The offshore sportsbooks recently released the opening odds for the card, and here they are.
Dana White’s Contender Series 14 Opening Odds
Nick Newell -300
Alex Munoz +220
Jim Crute -350
Chris Birchler +250
Mike Davis -140
Sodiq Yusuff +100
Jeff Hughes -135
Josh Appelt -105
Chase Hooper -245
Canaan Kawaihae +175
And here are my initial thoughts on these opening odds:
– I’m glad to see the UFC finally give Newell a chance, even if it’s just the Contender Series (for now). Newell (14-1) has won three straight fights since his lone career loss to Justin Gaethje in 2014. He took three years off but returned earlier this year in LFA and won by submission. It’s true Newell only has one full limb, but that hasn’t stopped him from reaching his dreams. Munoz (4-0) is undefeated as a pro though he has fought a low-level of competition and hasn’t fought since 2016. The opening line may be a tad high for Newell but I do think he should be able to use his experience and get a big win here and maybe even land a UFC deal.
– Crute (7-0) is another one of these up-and-coming Australians. He’s an undefeated light heavyweight prospect and I think he has a lot of potential. Birchler (7-3) actually lost a split decision to Matt Hamill in his last fight and has been operating on a win-lose-win streak for the last few years. I’m not sure why Birchler is getting this opportunity, and I fully expect Crute to get the win in this fight.
– Davis (5-0) has won all of his pro fights by stoppage and has been looking really good in the Island Fights promotion. Yusuff (6-1) recently rebounded from his first career defeat in Titan FC to pick up a win in Brave FC. This is probably one of the tougher fights on the card to pick but I think this is going to be a fun fight to watch and I expect to see a knockout in this one either way.
– Hughes (9-1) was the LFA heavyweight champion and he has won three straight bouts since his lone career defeat to Dan Spohn. The problem is he typically wins by decision and will likely need a finish to impress Dana White on the show. Appelt (15-6) has won three straight fights as well since a submission defeat to Bobbby Lashley in Bellator. I think I would stay away from this fight. Hughes should win as he’s more well-rounded, but Appelt has a ton of power and has been looking good lately. Plus, it’s heavyweight, so typically the right move is dog or pass, and in this case it’s a pass for me.
– Hooper (5-0) is only 18 and it would be a heck of an accomplishment if he won this fight and signed with the UFC as a teenager. So far he’s been nearly perfect in his pro career with four finishes in his five wins. Kawaihae (3-0) is only 20 and he’s won all his fights by stoppage. Both guys have a lot of potential, but I have to go with Hooper here as he has more experience against better fighters.
