UFC on ESPN+ 42: Josh Parisian vs. Parker Porter odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark fight between Josh Parisian vs. Parker Porter, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and predictions.

In a heavyweight bout on the main card, Josh Parisian and Parker Porter meet at UFC on ESPN+ 42 – also called UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Clark – Saturday at the UFC’s APEX facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+, followed by the main card on ESPN/ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET.

Parisian (13-3) will be making his UFC debut, as he accomplished everything he possibly could at the lower levels. He simply wasn’t being tested anymore, posting six straight knockout wins, five in the first round. His last loss came Feb. 16, 2019, at the Lights Out Championship 2, a submission loss to Brett Martin, so that’s something to watch.

Porter (10-6) made his company debut at UFC 252 on Aug. 15 against Chris Daukaus, and he was knocked out at 4:28 of the first round. Now, he looks to flip the script and welcome Parisian to the UFC level in the same fashion. It has been a mixed bag for Porter in his career. Four of his past seven fights have finished inside the distance, going 4-3 in those outings. At the lower levels, he has shown the versatility to be able to win by way of knockout or submission.

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Josh Parisian vs. Parker Porter: Betting odds, predictions and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 4 p.m. ET.

PARISIAN (-205) is a moderate favorite for a reason, and he’ll get it done to drop Porter (+170) to 0-2 at the UFC level.

I just don’t like the fact Porter hasn’t dominated at the lower levels, and he was dusted in a knockout in his UFC debut. Yes, the heavyweight division is a lot different than the lighter divisions, and one of the losses for Porter was a disqualification. But I am not in a hurry to back a fighter who is just 5-5 over his past 10 career fights. Parisian is on a serious roll, and he brings a tremendous amount of punching power with him.

I’d be surprised if this one gets late into the second round. BET UNDER 1.5 ROUNDS (-134), and taking PARISIAN IN ROUND 1 (+220) and PARISIAN IN ROUND 2 (+400) is a good bet. Yes, you’ll lose one bet, but if he wins in the first two rounds, you’ll still be well in the black.

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UFC on ESPN+ 42: Miguel Baeza vs. Takashi Sato odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 42 fight between Miguel Baeza vs. Takashi, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and predictions.

In a welterweight bout on the main card, Miguel Baeza and Takashi Sato meet at UFC on ESPN+ 42 – also called UFC on ESPN 18 and UFC Fight Night 183 – Saturday at the UFC’s APEX facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+, followed by the main card on ESPN/ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET.

Baeza (9-0) puts his unblemished record on the line against the experienced Japanese southpaw Sato (16-3). The American steps into the octagon towering four inches over his counterpart with a 1.5-inch reach advantage. In addition, he holds a 4.78 to 3.94 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, and he is a lot more pinpoint, posting a 56.12 to 41.90 significant strikes-accuracy percentage advantage.

Sato has a slight advantage on the ground, and that’s where he’ll likely want to take the fight as soon as possible. Baeza, meanwhile, will want to turn this into a street fight. He has won seven of his nine career professional bouts via KO/TKO, including each of his two fights at the UFC level over Hector Aldana and Matt Brown. Both of the knockout wins for “Caramel Thunder” in the UFC have come in the second round.

Sato knocked out Jason Witt in 48 seconds last time out on June 27 at this very same facility, bouncing back from a submission loss to Belal Muhammad on the UFC 242 card. All three of Sato’s UFC level fights have finished inside the distance, with two wins by knockout and the submission loss to Muhammad. In fact, nine straight pro fights for Sato have finished inside the distance.

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Miguel Baeza vs. Takashi Sato: Betting odds, predictions and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 3:39 p.m. ET.

SATO (+135) is worth playing for the mild upset. He is an experienced fighter who has the punching power to match that of Baeza (-162), something the latter hasn’t seen to date against any of his opponents. Sato can do it in a number of ways, too. He can wow the judges with his technical ability, and he can finish on the ground if need be, too, although that’s not his specialty. Sato has 19 career pro fights, with 12 ending via KO/TKO (11-1).

The lean is to Sato in this bout, as he has the experience and ability to win it in a number of different ways. SATO BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (+230) is a decent value on the 5-way line, too, and take UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (-176) as part of a winning ticket.

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UFC on ESPN+ 42: Bill Algeo vs. Spike Carlyle odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark between Bill Algeo vs. Spike Carlyle, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and predictions.

In a featherweight bout on the main card, Bill Algeo and Spike Carlyle meet at UFC on ESPN+ 42 – also called UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Clark – Saturday at the UFC’s APEX facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+, followed by the main card on ESPN/ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET.

Carlyle (9-2) steps into the octagon standing four inches shorter than his counterpart, and he has a 2.5-inch reach disadvantage, too. But what he lacks in physical stature, he makes up for with experience, takedown ability and wrestling.

Carlyle was surprised last time out on the main card May 30 against Billy Quarantillo, losing a unanimous decision. If you remember, Carlyle thought he had the finish, and walked away casually with his back turned. The fight wasn’t over, and Quarantillo clocked him in the back of the head, knocking him to the fence. That might have really struck a chord with the judges, and it’s a lesson that Carlyle learned the hard way. In two fights at the UFC level, he is 1-1, recording a first-round knockout in 85 seconds against Aalon Cruz in Jacksonville on Feb. 29.

Algeo (13-5) made his UFC debut last time out on Aug. 29 in this very same venue, falling by unanimous decision to Ricardo Lamas on the Smith-Rakic card. He is a punching machine, racking up an impressive 7.87 significant strikes landed per minute over his career, but that speed was a bit muted in his bout with the veteran Lamas. Fights at the Ring of Combat level, or in the CFFC is much different than the experienced and speed of fighters at the top level of MMA.

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Spike Carlyle vs. Bill Algeo: Betting odds, predictions and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

CARLYLE (-189) is right about at the level of my limit for betting a fighter on the 2-way line. However, he was embarrassed a bit and angered by his loss last time out against Quarantillo. He won’t be caught letting his guard down ever again, and he is likely to be ultra-aggressive firing out of the box against Algeo.

Algeo is in need of a win to avoid the potential danger of being dropped from the promotion, but you simply can’t take him on the 2-way line. He struggled in his fight against Lamas, and the switch stance Carlyle will be looking to get Algeo to the ground as quickly as possible. He is 3-0 via submission in 11 career professional fights, and 5-0 via KO/TKO. That’s eight fights for Carlyle finished inside the distance, and he’ll look to add another one here.

Bet NO (-154) ON ‘WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE?’, as it is worth the moderate juice, and taking CARLYLE BY KO/TKO, DQ OR SUBMISSION (+115) on the 5-way line is also a good play.

To watch the early prelims and prelims, sign up for ESPN+ now.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN+ 42: Anthony Smith vs. Devin Clark odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 42 fight between Anthony Smith vs. Devin Clark, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and predictions.

In a light heavyweight bout on the main card, Anthony Smith and Devin Clark meet at UFC on ESPN+ 42 – also called UFC on ESPN 18 and UFC Fight Night 183 – Saturday at the UFC’s APEX facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+, followed by the main card on ESPN/ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET.

Smith (33-16) carries a ton of experience into the octagon for his bout against Clark (12-4). When the two touch gloves before the bell rings, Smith will be standing four inches taller than Clark with a one-inch reach advantage.

Smith has been in freefall since a unanimous decision loss for the title at UFC 235 against Jon Jones on March 2, 2019. Smith has won just once in the past four fights, although losses to Glover Teixeira and Aleksandar Rakic are certainly nothing to hang your head about. Still, Smith is moving further and further away from a chance to get back to the top of the division and fight for a strap. He can ill afford another setback. Two of his past three fights have finished inside the distance, and eight of his 10 bouts at the UFC level have ended up with a stoppage, including four knockout wins and two submission victories.

Clark doesn’t have the lengthy resume like Smith. He has yet to fight for a title at the UFC level, but he has been pretty good. He has back-to-back wins over Dequan Townsend and Alonzo Menifield, both via unanimous decision. Clark’s loss against Ryan Spann on Oct. 12, 2019 came by way of submission in the second round, and like Smith, he also has a setback against Rakic (on the UFC 231 card). Since arriving at the UFC level, Clark is 6-4 with all six wins via unanimous decision, while his four losses have come with two submission setbacks and a pair of knockouts.

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Anthony Smith vs. Devin Clark: Betting odds, predictions and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 3 p.m. ET.

SMITH (-139) will get off the schneid with a victory over Clark, snapping his little mini skid. Take him on the 2-way line for a solid win.

In addition, play NO (-110): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? as I am just not feeling the defense of Clark. The latter has dominated the fights he is supposed to dominate, but whenever he has faced stiffer competition, he hasn’t offered a lot of resistance. He is susceptible to the big punch, and his grappling isn’t that great, either. As such, I think Smith ends this via stoppage. Take SMITH BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (+165) for a solid value.

Look for a fight finish in ROUND 2 (+470) and/or ROUND 3 (+700). If you bet a two-round block, and bet a non-winner specific set and the fight ends in either round, you’ll be well ahead even losing one of the ends.

To watch the early prelims and prelims, sign up for ESPN+ now.

Get some action on UFC on ESPN+ 42 by placing a legal sports bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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UFC on ESPN+ 42: Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Norma Dumont odds, picks and prediction

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN: Smith vs. Clark between Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Norma Dumont, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and predictions.

In the women’s bantamweight preliminary bout, Ashlee Evans-Smith and Norma Dumont meet at UFC on ESPN+ 42 – also called UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Clark – Saturday at the UFC’s APEX facility in Las Vegas. The prelims kick off at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+, followed by the main card on ESPN/ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET.

Evans-Smith (6-4) steps into the octagon as a moderate favorite, and the main reason is her speed. She has posted 4.86 significant strikes landed per minute while managing a 35.70 significant strikes accuracy percentage. Evans-Smith hasn’t fought since Feb. 17, 2019, the longest layoff of her career. She was expected to return after a 13-month hiatus due to injury and surgery, fighting on the UFC London card in March 2020. However, we all know COVID-19 wiped out plenty of events and sent the sports world into disarray.

Evans-Smith is just 1-3 across the past four bouts, with two losses by unanimous decision and one via submission in the first round against Sarah Moras at UFC 215. The last time she tasted victory was over two and a half calendar years ago against Bec Rawlings at UFC 223 on April 7, 2018.

Dumont (4-1) made her UFC debut on the Benavidez-Figueiredo card in Jacksonville on Feb. 29, getting knocked out in the first round against Megan Anderson. It turns out that “The Immortal” didn’t live up to her nickname. The 30-year-old from the Gordinho Fight Team now gets to face a veteran champing at the bit to get back into the octagon and get a win. It’s a tough spot.

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Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Norma Dumont: Betting odds, predictions and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 2:55 p.m. ET.

The long layoff for EVANS-SMITH (-139) doesn’t concern me at all, as she knows what it takes to prepare herself during fight week, even after a long time away from the octagon. On the flip side, Dumont (+115) didn’t look good in her first fight at the UFC level, as Anderson made quick work of her.

In 10 career professional fights, Evans-Smith has three victories by knockout with no losses. She might come out with fists flying, trying to put away Dumont early. As long as she can avoid going to the canvas, as wrestling isn’t exactly her forte, she’ll get her hand raised and she’ll do it well within the distance, too.

To watch the early prelims and prelims, sign up for ESPN+ now.

Get some action on UFC on ESPN+ 42 by placing a legal sports bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.

Also see:

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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