Khalil Rountree Jr. vs. Chris Daukaus Prediction: Can Daukaus Get Back on Track at UFC Fight Night?
Khalil Rountree Jr. vs. Chris Daukaus Prediction: Can Daukaus Get Back on Track at UFC Fight Night?
Get ready for some serious octagon action this weekend as Chris Daukaus and Khalil Rountree Jr. step into the octagon for an exciting light heavyweight battle. It's a matchup that promises thrills, as Daukaus has been once in 18 fights. Rountree is riding a three-fight win streak, while Daukaus is riding a three-fight losing streak, which has Rountree as a -175 favorite in this fight. Can Daukaus get back on track in his new weight division?
Khalil Rountree Jr. vs. Chris Daukaus Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Saturday, August 12, 2023
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- Where to Watch: ESPN, ESPN+
Khalil Rountree Jr. vs. Chris Daukaus Prediction
Khalil Rountree Jr., known as 'The War Horse,' is a fighter with a lot of surprises up his sleeve. He's got a unique style that can switch from calm to explosive in no time. Rountree is now riding his second three-fight win streak of his UFC tenure, and he is coming off one of his biggest wins, a split decision over Dustin Jacoby. With five knockouts in seven UFC wins, Rountree has proven he is just as powerful as he is technical.
Rountree's training in Thailand totally transformed his game. He came back with a Muay Thai stance and a really powerful leg kick that knocked Modestas Bukauskas off his feet. Rountree's hands are super fast and can catch opponents off guard. But Rountree has had problems with consistency. When he is on, he's on, but it seems like you never quite know what Rountree you will get when he steps in the octagon. That can be good and bad, considering it makes it harder for opponents to read him, but it feels like sometimes he just comes out flat. Still, this will be a tough opening test for Daukaus at light heavyweight.
Chris Daukaus is making his debut in the light heavyweight category, and he's hoping for a fresh start. He had some good moments as a heavyweight, but he also faced some tough losses. Moving to a lighter weight could give him an advantage in speed and power, which is gonna be interesting to see. The catalyst to this drop in weight class was likely a back-to-back-to-back knockout losing streak to Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Curtis Blaydes, and Derrick Lewis. Those are three tough fights at heavyweight, especially for a guy who should probably be fighting at light heavyweight. Well, he finally is now, and I expect him to actually have some good success in this division.
Daukaus is a very powerful striker, and that power should mostly convert across his new weight class. He is also a hard book to read, mixing up his stances, which keeps his opponents guessing. However, he can be a bit one-track-minded when it comes to fighting, and he's all about those punches. Out of his seven UFC fights, only two made it to the second round, so he's definitely all about going for the finish.
One thing is for sure, and that is that we have two powerful strikers who love to throw down early. That is probably why the under is set at 1.5, and the under is -180 on that. To be honest, that fights the fight more of a coin flip to me, and I love the move down in weight classes for Daukaus. He was a faster, more elusive fighter at heavyweight, and that should only magnify now that he is 40 pounds lighter.
Rountree is not an easy matchup, which is why Daukaus is a sizeable underdog, but for these odds, I do not hate the play on Daukaus to find a finish. All of his UFC wins have come by knockout, and he was not afraid to go for broke with his striking at heavyweight against some of the most powerful punchers in the world, so I expect him to do the same at light heavyweight. Rountree has been finished twice before in the UFC, so we know that chin is crackable. I'll take my chances at +310.
Khalil Rountree Jr. vs. Chris Daukaus Pick
Pick: Chris Daukaus by KO +310 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds for this pick
UFC Odds
Article Author
Ben Rajavuori is a handicapper out of Minneapolis, MN. He has been creating sports content for almost four years now and is an expert in all things NFL, MLB, NBA, UFC, and NCAAB. Ben thrives on diving deep into statistics to find the best angle on every bet. You can follow him on Twitter @WeBeatTheSpread.