UFC 303 Playing Preview: Will Alex Pereira proceed to impress in Jiri Prochazka rematch?

Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka are set to run issues again.

This Saturday, in the primary occasion of UFC 303 in Las Vegas, Pereira and Prochazka rematch their 2023 mild heavyweight title battle that occurred at UFC 295. On prime of that, we now have 12 different marquee matchups going down on the Worldwide Combat Week occasion, so let’s check out one of the best bets for this weekend.

As at all times, all odds are courtesy of our mates at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Straight Bets

Michael “Venom” Web page (+130)

In the primary card opener this weekend, Web page takes on a Ian Machado Garry in a battle of outdated guard vs. new era, with severe divisional stakes.

There are a lot of individuals on the market who aren’t impressed with “MVP” as a fighter as a result of a overwhelming majority of his profession was spent crushing cans and outmatched opposition. I’m not certainly one of them. Sure, Web page has only a few good wins on his résumé, however I’ve additionally watched him battle, and mainly nobody has overwhelmed him in a hanging battle. (Douglas Lima knocked him out in actually bizarre — albeit spectacular — trend.) Garry talks an enormous recreation about his grappling talents, however we haven’t seen a lot of it and Web page is a tough man to take down. This looks like Web page goes to get the battle he desires, and when he does, he nearly by no means loses these.

Mayra Bueno Silva (-105)

Go forward and place a guess on Macy Chiasson as a result of I’m about to present this battle the contact of dying: I don’t perceive this line.

At first of 2024, “MBS” was the odds-on favourite to turn into the brand new ladies’s bantamweight champion, and hopefully steward a brand new period for the division after Amanda Nunes’s retirement. Now she’s a choose’em with Chiasson? What occurred?

Certain, MBS misplaced a listless determination to Raquel Pennington, however you realize who else misplaced to Pennington? Chiasson! She missed weight and nonetheless obtained tapped out! Certain, it’s potential Chiasson grinds out a boring win with wrestling, however MBS is the extra dynamic fighter and needs to be the clear favourite on this matchup.

Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC through Getty Pictures

Prop Bets

Alex Pereira To Win By KO/TKO/DQ (+110)

I wrote a full breakdown of this matchup for SBNation, however the brief model is that this: These two fought ~eight months in the past and it didn’t go so scorching for Prochazka. His model of hanging opens himself as much as have his leg chewed off by Pereira’s low kicks and his reckless abandon on the toes additionally opens him as much as counters. If Prochazka fights actually sensible, he nonetheless would possibly lose, and it appears he’s not going to even try this. So I’m anticipating historical past to repeat itself.

Diego Lopes To Win By Choice (+400)

Right here’s the factor: Brian Ortega hates protection. The person merely has little interest in it. He refuses to ever defend himself, relying as a substitute on his otherworldly toughness. Which, you realize, kinda works, till it doesn’t. Fact be informed, Lopes isn’t a lot better on this regard, however he’s larger, youthful, quicker, and has a extra superior recreation than Ortega does. Perhaps Ortega can merely out-wrestle Lopes and has ok protection to win determination that approach, however Lopes is so dynamic on the ground that I don’t suppose it’s seemingly. Lopes is just a youthful, higher model of Ortega, and so he ought to win this battle, but it surely gained’t be a end as a result of Ortega can’t be killed.

Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC through Getty Pictures

Parlay of the Week

This parlay is a little bit of a cop out however hey, gimmicks gonna gimmick. This weekend see’s two of my favourite prospects from the newest season of Contender Collection return to the cage, and so we’re going to parlay up these two Large Paws On A Pet guys.

Payton Talbott (-1600)

Talbott is the largest favourite on the cardboard and one of many largest in current reminiscence. Fact be informed, it’s most likely an excessive amount of for a younger man in solely his ninth skilled battle, however no matter. Talbott is a stud and he’s going to win. It is a child who most likely fights for a belt someday. Yanis Ghemmouri is in hassle.

Jean Silva (-102)

Silva misses weight for his battle with Charles Jourdain, which is at all times a bit regarding, however I nonetheless like his possibilities on Saturday. For one, lacking weight in 2024 has not been a lot of an indicator for achievement or failure. For an additional, I just like the matchup. Silva can compete with Jourdain comfortably on the toes and has the choice to combine issues up along with his grappling as effectively. Plus, Large Paws prospects are 9-1 within the UFC, with that lone loss being Carli Judice, who many (myself included) felt ought to have gained her determination. Experience the recent hand.

Parlay these two bets collectively for +110 odds.

Wrap Up

You need to love a pay-per-view battle week. Plus we now have every week off after this one, so let’s settle in and luxuriate in.

Till subsequent week, benefit from the fights, good luck, and gamble responsibly!

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