UFC 211: WIll Miocic avenge loss to dos Santos?

What: UFC 211: Stipe Miocic vs Junior Dos Santos II

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas

When: 10 p.m. ET, Saturday

TV: Pay-per-view

Odds: Miocic (-125), dos Santos (-105)

Odds courtesy of Stratosphere sportsbook

Stipe Miocic defends his UFC heavyweight title Saturday night against former champion Junior dos Santos in the headline match of UFC 211 in Dallas.

This is a rematch from a December 2014 fight in which dos Santos won a unanimous decision.

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I remember that fight well, as it was one of the more interesting heavyweight fights I had seen in quite a while. Both fighters had their moments in the action-packed bout.

I thought either fighter could have gotten his hand raised that night.

Miocic has really improved his overall MMA game since, winning four in a row including a first-round KO of Fabricio Werdum in May 2016 for the UFC heavyweight title.

Dos Santos, who has split his last six fights, is coming off a decision win over a tough heavyweight in Ben Rothwell back in April 2016.

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Dos Santos usually does his best work in a fight that stays at range, where his kicks and punches are devastating, but I’m not sure he'll get that type of fight Saturday night.

This fight can play out a couple ways, one with dos Santos keeping it at range and winning a striking battle, or a close-range fight in which Miocic can use his superior wrestling.

At some point over the five rounds, Miocic will be able to get inside on dos Santos and make it difficult for him to land strikes.

This is not an easy call, but I lean toward the champ Miocic, who just seems to get better with every fight.

Pick: Miocic (-125)

Featherweights: Frankie Edgar (-135) vs. Yair Rodriguez (-105)

There's another good fight in the Featherweight division between former Lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and rising propsect Yair Rodriguez.

Edgar is a -135 favorite here (I thought he would be higher than that), with Rodriguez getting +105 as the underdog.

Edgar clearly has the edge in experience and quality of opponents, but that just hasn't been a good trend to bet in the UFC the last few years.

Rodriguez is coming off an easy second-round finish over another veteran fighter in B.J. Penn back in January. He should be full of confidence Saturday night.

Pick: Rodriguez (+105)

Lightweights: Dustin Poirier (-120) vs. Eddie Alvarez (even)

I like Dustin Poirier to finally get a win over a big-name opponent when he faces former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.

Alvarez just lost his Lightweight title last November to Conor McGregor and might be in letdown spot, fighting in the middle of the card with not much to gain with a win.

Pick: Poirier (-120)

2017 record: 10-11 (-1.00 units)