Liam Hamill (4-1) vs Ethan Pauley (8-2)
Both fighters enter this one looking to bounce back from CFFC debuts that didn’t go their way. Hamill was finished quickly by Ron Humphrey, while Pauley dropped a decision to fellow grappler Kevin Pease. I expect Pauley to lean on the same game plan he is known for: using half-power straights to walk Hamill back to the cage, lock up a body lock, and trip him to the mat. From there, he’ll look to use ground-and-pound to soften Hamill up before jumping on the neck for a submission finish.
Cornell Beachem Jr (4-1) vs Eman Hardy (2-1)
This one has a finish written all over it, one way or another.
Hometown favorite Beachem is an NCAA Division III national wrestling champion with real explosiveness, and at -310, the market agrees he should be able to control where this fight takes place as long as he doesn’t get careless. Hardy is the wildcard: flashy, crowd-pleasing, and dangerous on the feet, but his takedown defense is still raw. His history of surviving loose submission attempts against lesser competition also raises questions about whether that holds up here.
If Hardy times a flying knee, he ends it. Beachem could blow his stack after a round of spam wrestling and can’t get the finish, Hardy wins. If Hardy’s cardio has taken a step forward, he could be live to dart in and out and steal a decision. Either way, the ceiling for this fight is high.
My play:
2-leg parlay: Ethan Pauley + Cornell Beachem Jr. − 1.5 units at +110.
You can find these odds on BetOnline.ag.
