Dos Santos vs Carwin: Headline fight of UFC 131 cannot go distance
Published:Picking a winner of the headline bout of UFC 131 between Shane Carwin and Junior Dos Santos is tough to call, but one virtual banker bet is the 2/9 that the fight fails to go the distance.
With the winner potentially being next in line to face reigning UFC heavyweight champion Cain Valesquez, neither will want to leave anything in their lockers, which means that some big punches are liable to be thrown, particularly in the opening round.
Of the 26 combined UFC fights involving either Carwin or Dos Santos, 22 have been ended in the first round, with Carwin never having been involved in a bout reaching round three.
Striking is perhaps the leading asset of both fighters, with Carwin having the heavier hands, but Dos Santos having the edge in terms of speed and sharpness.
The first big blow in the fight could decide the outcome and if there is an edge it may lie with Dos Santos.
Carwin virtually punched himself out in the first round of his last fight with Brock Lesnar and eventually paid the penalty when he was stopped in round two which ended his 100 per cent winning UFC record.
Therefore, he may be cautious of the same thing happening again if he begins too quickly against Dos Santos and this slight doubt and negativity in his mind could be critical.
Dos Santos’ speed advantage should help him avoid Carwin’s big shots and it is 10/17 in the UFC betting that he extends his winning run to eight fights.
Carwin’s best chance may come if making good use of his wrestling skills and he is 7/5 to return to winning ways.
Five of the last seven successes secured by Dos Santos have been by either KO or TKO and it is 3/2 that this is his method of victory again.
