Julius Walker and Rafael Cerqueira both came into UFC with undefeated records in professional MMA. But they are a combined 0-3 since joining UFC and both will be looking for their first win in the promotion on Saturday night. Before these light heavyweights battle to get their first victory in UFC, continue reading to get my Julius Walker vs Rafael Cerqueira prediction.
Our Julius Walker vs Rafael Cerqueira Pick
- Pick: Julius Walker by knockout
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
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Tale of the Tape
| Julius Walker | Rafael Cerqueira | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 26 | 35 |
| Reach | 78″ | 76″ |
| Stance | Orthodox | Southpaw |
| Record | 6-1-0 | 11-2-0 |
Julius Walker vs Rafael Cerqueira Preview
Julius Walker made his UFC debut at a Fight Night in Seattle earlier this year. He dropped a split decision to Alonzo Menifield despite earning Fight of the Night honors. That close loss showed his toughness and ability to engage at a high level against a UFC-caliber opponent. Walker is a heavy favorite to get his first win in UFC here and he is expected to be the busier striker throughout this fight.
Rafael Cerqueira steps in with a professional record of 11‑2. He has finishing ability and has earned 10 of his 11 career wins inside the distance. Cerqueira is 0-2 since joining UFC. He has lost by first round knockout in his first two UFC fights. Those losses came against Ibo Aslan and Modestas Bukauskas. Cerqueira will look to last longer in this fight or to be the one to end it early this time around.
Betting Insights
- Walker comes into this fight a -675 favorite. Cerqueira is the underdog at +490
- This fight is not expected to last long. The over/under is set at 1.5 rounds. The over is +200 and the under is -270. This reflects expectations of a fight that could end after a round or so.
- All six of Walker’s career wins have come inside the distance.
- Cerqueira has gone six straight fights without seeing the second round.
Julius Walker vs Rafael Cerqueira Prediction
Both of these fighters are here for a good time and not a long time. We should see fireworks from the very start of this matchup and the question is which fighter will land the significant shots necessary to claim the win. I think that Walker looked a lot better in his UFC debut than Cerqueira has looked in his first two fights in the promotions so far and that the American will get his first victory as a member of the UFC roster.
My best bet for this fight is for Walker to win by knockout. There isn’t a ton of value in betting on Walker to win outright or for this fight to end in under 1.5 rounds. Prop betting on a first-round knockout for Walker might be the best route to take based on the odds.
