Dec 7, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, UNITED STATES; Eryk Anders (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Chris Weidman (red gloves) at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Eryk Anders vs Christian Leroy Duncan Preview, Predictions And MMA Betting Odds

Dec 7, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, UNITED STATES; Eryk Anders (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Chris Weidman (red gloves) at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Eryk Anders has been grinding through the middleweight division for years, collecting wins and losses. The 38 year old knows his window is closing fast. After years of inconsistency, Anders finally looked like the fighter everyone thought he could be when he dismantled Chris Weidman last December. Now he gets another chance to prove that performance wasn’t just a fluke.

Standing across from him is Christian Leroy Duncan, a 30 year old Englishman who represents everything Anders is trying to prevent. Duncan has youth, technique, and the kind of kickboxing background that usually gives wrestlers nightmares. This middleweight clash goes down at UFC Vegas 109. Both these fighters are looking for the W to get in the rankings.

Eryk Anders vs Christian Leroy Duncan Preview

Eryk Anders stands 6’1″ with a 75 inch reach. His southpaw stance and compact frame hide a surprisingly well-rounded skill set. He lands 3.54 significant strikes per minute with solid 48% accuracy while absorbing 4.05 strikes per minute. His wrestling credentials show up in the stats with 1.71 takedowns per fight and excellent 80% takedown defense.

Christian Leroy Duncan presents a more modern striking puzzle at 6’2″ with a 79 inch reach advantage. The switch-stance fighter lands 4.75 strikes per minute with impressive 59% accuracy. He’s also more defensively sound on the feet, absorbing just 3.01 strikes per minute with 51% strike defense. However, his wrestling stats tell a different story as he averages just 0.24 takedowns per fight with poor 11% accuracy and concerning 72% takedown defense.

Eryk Anders vs Christian Leroy Duncan MMA Betting Odds

According to Fanduel, Christian Leroy Duncan is a heavy favorite at -500. Meanwhile Anders sits as a substantial underdog at +385. That massive gap suggests the market sees this as a stylistic mismatch heavily favoring the younger striker.

The odds for the fight going the distance have also come out. The probability of the fight ending before the final bell is lower and the odds (+124) reflect that. The odds for the fight seeing the judges scorecards stand at -156.

Eryk Anders vs Christian Leroy Duncan Predictions And Picks

This matchup comes down to whether Anders can implement the game plan that worked so well against Weidman. The confined space of the smaller Octagon at the UFC Apex will be a key advantage, as it will limit Duncan’s movement. The veteran needs to pressure Duncan against the fence, mix in takedowns, and turn this into a grinding affair where experience matters more than technique.

Duncan’s path to victory seems clearer on paper but harder to execute under pressure. He needs to use his reach advantage to keep Anders at distance while stuffing takedown attempts. His superior striking accuracy and defensive metrics suggest he can outpoint Anders if he maintains range. The question is whether his takedown defense holds up against a determined wrestler who has been blending his attacks more effectively.

If we bet on the fight, we are going against the grain and betting on Eryk Anders to win the fight via unanimous decision.

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Christian Leroy Duncan

Eryk Anders

UFC vegas 109

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!