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Things are heating up at UFC Vegas 114: Emmett vs. Vallejos as we bring you one other betting prediction and pick for this next bout within the Welterweight (170) Division. Xtreme Couture’s own Chris Curtis will tackle Myktybek Orolbai of Kyrgyzstan in a high-level matchup on the Prelims. Check our UFC odds series for the Curtis-Orolbai prediction and pick.
Chris Curtis (32-12) has gone 6-4-0-1 contained in the UFC since 2021. After losing back-to-back fights against Brendan Allen and Roman Kopylov, he beat Max Griffin via split decision his last day out and hopes to money in because the underdog during this tilt.
Myktybek Orolbai (15-2-1) is 4-1 since debuting in 2023, most recently knocking out Jack Hermansson with an overhand right in the primary round. He’s been in a position to finish three of his 4 UFC wins inside the space and can have a willing dance partner in Curtis.
UFC Vegas 114 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 114 Odds: Chris Curtis-Myktybek Orolbai Odds
Chris Curtis: +225
Myktybek Orolbai: -278
Over 2.5 rounds: -154
Under 2.5 rounds: +120
Why Chris Curtis Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Max Griffin – S DEC
- Last 5: 2-2-0-1
- Finishes: 15 KO/TKO, 3 SUB
Chris Curtis clearly lost the primary round during his last fight against Max Griffin, but rallied within the second and third rounds with energetic boxing to edge the close win on the judges’ scorecards. Curtis has been known to begin slow up to now as he’s more concerned with gauging distance and getting a feel for his opponent’s timing. This time around, he’ll need to be anxious a couple of multifaceted approach from Orolbai that might include the wrestling.
Curtis is at his best, nevertheless, when he’s in a position to let his hands fly contained in the pocket. He’s a really defensively-minded boxer and utilizes his Philly shell to roll off punches while using his head movement. He doesn’t typically take a ton of harm and may often hurt his opponents before they’re in a position to land clean on him, but he’ll still need to work on a productive first round and never falling behind within the striking numbers.
To achieve success here, Curtis can have to be the aggressor and initiate Orolbai on his own terms. He cannot allow his opponent to dictate the pace and where this fight takes place since it’ll be tough for him to fight back when he’s acting defensively and on his back foot. Curtis will need a powerful begin to this fight where he manages the second round and steps back on the gas along with his pressure and cardio within the third round.
Why Myktybek Orolbai Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Jack Hermansson – KO (overhand right, R1)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 7 KO/TKO, 6 SUB
Myktybek Orolbai made quick work of Jack Hermansson his last day out, clearly catching him on a foul night and landing a clean overhand right while Hermansson was too slow to defend. Initially coming into the UFC as a submission grappler, Orolbai has done a ton of labor to enhance his striking and has looked decisive on the feet over his previous couple of bouts. Hermansson is not any easy win and if he’s in a position to dominate Chris Curtis along with his striking, he could make the move to facing top-15 competition during his next upcoming bouts.
Orolbai has managed to face within the cage with volatile strikers like Uros Medic and Elves Brener since arriving to the UFC, almost all the time looking just like the more measured fighter while calculating his counter striking. He’s been responsive in initiating the grappling up to now, but given the strong wrestler Curtis is, we are able to expect Orolbai to welcome a kickboxing bout largely going down on the feet.
The largest concern for Orolbai will probably be the fluid boxing of Chris Curtis and learning the best way to disrupt his timing. Curtis’ boxing could be very clean and precise, but Orolbai can throw things off by mixing within the leg kicks and initiating the clinch to attain elbows and knees from in close. The dirtier Orolbai could make this fight appear, the more it’ll profit him over the course of three rounds.
Final Chris Curtis-Myktybek Orolbai Prediction & Pick
This ought to be one other high-level bout on the Prelims and it’s surprising to see Chris Curtis such a large betting underdog given his strong grappling abilities and clean advantage within the boxing. Nonetheless, he’s been known to begin slow up to now and his last bout against Max Griffin showed that he wasn’t in a position to put things together for a full three rounds. Against Orolbai, a start like which will prove costly in attempting to defend the constant and consistent striking pressure from his opponent.
Still, we’ll need to roll with Myktybek Orolbai as he’s been way more consistent and will offer solid resistance to anything Curtis will throw at him en path to a probable decision.
Final Chris Curtis-Myktybek Orolbai Prediction & Pick: Myktybek Orolbai (-278); OVER 2.5 Rounds (-154)