Rodolfo Vieira vs Cody Brundage 4/29/2023 Predictions, Picks and Odds
On Saturday, April 29, 2023, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will feature a match between Rodolfo Vieira and Cody Brundage at UFC Vegas 72. Vieira, priced at -275, is favored to win over Brundage, priced at +220. Both fighters have similar heights and weights, with Vieira measuring 6’0″ and weighing 185 lbs, while Brundage also measures 6’0″ and weighs 185 lbs. Vieira has a wingspan of 73″, while Brundage stretches 72″.
When it comes to their fighting statistics, Vieira has a career record of 8-2-0, while Brundage has a record of 8-3-0. Vieira lands more significant strikes per minute, with 3.62 compared to Brundage’s 2.34, and has a higher accuracy rate of 54% compared to Brundage’s 52%. In terms of defense, Vieira absorbs more significant strikes per minute with 5.09 compared to Brundage’s 2.88, but is able to thwart 49% of the significant strikes thrown his way, while Brundage stops 51% of his opponents’ shots.
Vieira is known for his exceptional grappling skills, but his loss to Anthony Hernandez showed that he needed to improve his boxing and cardio. On the other hand, Brundage is a relatively new fighter, having turned pro in 2019, and is an accomplished wrestler. Vieira is the more effective wrestler, with an average of 3.90 takedowns per 3 rounds, while Brundage has a finishing rate of 46% of takedowns attempted.
Rodolfo Vieira vs Cody Brundage 4/29/2023 Predictions, Picks and Odds
It is expected that Brundage will use a sprawl-and-brawl strategy to avoid engaging with Vieira on the floor, but his performance against Michal Oleksiejczuk showed that he struggled when fighting from his back. Given that Vieira is a world-class black belt and Brundage lacks polish, Vieira is likely to come out on top in this match.
Rodolfo Vieira’s last bout was against Chris Curtis, but it didn’t end the way he wanted. He lost the fight by unanimous decision in round 3, with Curtis landing 128 of 193 total strikes thrown. Vieira did manage to connect with 90 of his 149 total strikes, but he wasn’t as accurate as Curtis when it came to significant strikes. Curtis landed 62% of his significant strikes, including 80 of 136 aimed at the head, while Vieira connected with 59% of his significant strikes, landing 86 of 145, with 64 of them targeted at the head. Interestingly, 95% of Curtis’ significant strikes and 96% of Vieira’s significant strikes were thrown at a distance.
In his last outing in the Octagon, Cody Brundage went head-to-head with Michal Oleksiejczuk and lost via a punch to the head while on the ground in round 1. Oleksiejczuk struggled to connect with his significant strikes at a distance, managing to land only 0% of them, while Brundage fared slightly better with a 33% accuracy rate. Brundage’s overall accuracy was poor, connecting with only 1 of his 3 total strikes attempted and missing on both significant strikes aimed at the head. In comparison, Oleksiejczuk landed 15 of his 29 significant strikes, including 13 of 27 aimed at the head, and connected with 25 of his 40 total strikes thrown.
Middleweight: Rodolfo Vieira vs. Cody Brundage
Date: April 29, 2023
UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada Main Card
TV/Time: (ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET)
Preliminary Card (ESPN2, ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET)
Prediction: Vieira via submission
