UFC 269 provided fans with a lot to talk about over the weekend, from the main event clash to Julianna Pena shocking the world by defeating Amanda Nunes. Now, mixed martial arts fans are turning their attention to UFC Vegas 45. The event will be held on Saturday, December 18 at the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The night will feature a main event heavyweight collision between Derrick Lewis and Chris Daukaus. Both men are top-10 fighters in the division, so it’ll be interesting to see who leaves Vegas one step closer to a championship opportunity.
Fortunately, BetOnline has odds on the UFC Vegas 45 main event, which should help shed some light on who’s favored to win.
UFC Vegas 45: Derrick Lewis vs Chris Daukaus
Odds via BetOnline as of Monday, December 13
- Record: Derrick Lewis (25-8-0) vs Chris Daukaus (12-3-0)
- Moneyline: Lewis (+119) vs Daukaus (-139)
- Total rounds: N/A
- Method of victory: N/A
Check back on BetOnline.ag for more updated odds and prop bets.
Lewis Enters Vegas as Underdog
Despite being the No. 3-ranked heavyweight fighter in the company, Lewis will enter UFC Vegas 45 as the +119 underdog.
On one hand, it’s understandable. Daukaus hasn’t lost in quite some time while Lewis suffered a TKO defeat for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship against Ciryl Gane at UFC 265 back in August. The loss halted the two-time challenger’s four-fight winning streak, so fans are now waiting to see just how he’ll bounce back from the hands of defeat.
With that being said, it’s tough to count Lewis out just yet at UFC Vegas 45. He’s tied for the most knockouts in UFC history with 12 and has 20 KO/TKO victories in his entire MMA career. While Daukaus has only been knocked out twice in his own career, UFC 269 proved that you can never say never in this sport.
Nevertheless, Lewis only lands 2.49 significant strikes on 50% accuracy compared to Duakaus’ 9.03 and 53% ratings, respectively. It could wind up being a tough fight for the veteran, especially following his loss to Gane. Only time will tell if Lewis’ skid continues or if he finds himself back in the title picture one more time.
UFC Vegas 45 Odds Slightly Favor Daukaus
Meanwhile, BetOnline is currently favoring Daukaus to walk out of UFC Vegas 45 with a victory at -139 odds. The 32-year-old Philadelphia native has been hot as of late, winning 10 of his last 11 fights — including his last four in a row since joining UFC in August 2020.
Daukaus’ current UFC streak has been nothing short of impressive. He’s won each of his last four bouts by KO or TKO within the first two rounds of the fight. His last victory came over the grizzled Shamil Abdurakhimov at UFC 266 in September and it was his longest UFC fight to date, ending by TKO at 1:23 in the second round. That just further illustrates how dominant he’s been.
As mentioned before, the fact that Daukaus averages 9.03 strikes on 53% accuracy is pretty impressive. Considering how Lewis was just knocked out by Gane, it wouldn’t be surprising if BetOnline eventually lists the favored method of victory as KO/TKO in Daukaus’ favor. He’s also good at absorbing blows, proven by his 3.40 strikes absorbed on 64% defense.
Nevertheless, the UFC Vegas 45 main event is obviously the biggest fight in Daukaus’ career thus far. While Lewis may not be as dominant as he once was, he still is a two-time UFC Heavyweight Championship challenger. Beating him would serve as a big boost for Daukaus, who is currently the No. 7-ranked fighter in the division.
In the end, it’ll all depend on which version of Lewis that we get at UFC Vegas 45. If it’s the one that set the record for most knockouts in the heavyweight division, it could be a long night for Daukaus. If not, the sky is the limit for the former police officer.
