Max Holloway odds and betting lines for UFC 251 Fight Island

Max Holloway betting lines and odds for his UFC 251 fight vs. Alexander Volkanovski at Fight Island.

Max Holloway battles Alexander Volkanovski in a championship bout  during UFC 251‘s MMA fight tonight on Fight Island.

The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET on PPV, which you can watch on ESPN+ (sign up here!).

Holloway odds and lines

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Holloway (21-5-0) enters this bout as the underdog, per BetMGM oddsmakers, at +180 (wager $100, win $180). Volkanovski (21-1-0), the favorite, is at -213 (wager $213 to win $100).

New to the world of sports betting? With odds at +180, Holloway has an implied winning percentage of 35.71, or 9/5 fractional odds. For every $10 wagered, you’d profit $18.00 if Holloway pulls off the upset victory over Volkanovski.

Need to know where to place your bets on Volkanovski vs. Holloway? Our Joe Williams breaks down the Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway odds, picks and best bets for you.

Other interesting Holloway betting lines include:

  • Holloway to win in 60 seconds or less: +4000
  • Holloway by Decision/Technical Decision: +300
  • Holloway by Submission: +1400
  • Holloway by KO/TKO or DQ: +700
  • Holloway in round 1: +1400
  • Holloway in round 2: +1600
  • Holloway in round 3: +3000
  • Holloway in round 4: +2600
  • Holloway in round 5: +3100
  • Holloway on points: +300

UFC 251 Special Offer in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Also see:

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and 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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Jorge Masvidal odds and betting lines for UFC 251 Fight Island

Jorge Masvidal betting lines and odds for his UFC 251 fight vs. Kamaru Usman at Fight Island.

Jorge Masvidal battles Kamaru Usman in a championship bout for the welterweight title during UFC 251‘s MMA fight tonight on Fight Island.

The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET on PPV, which you can watch on ESPN+ (sign up here!).

Masvidal odds and lines

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Masvidal (35-13) enters this bout as the underdog, per BetMGM oddsmakers, at +195 (wager $100, win $195). Usman (16-1), the favorite, is at -239 (wager $239 to win $100).

New to the world of sports betting? With odds at +195, Masvidal has an implied winning percentage of 33.90, or 39/20 fractional odds. For every $10 wagered, you’d profit $19.50 if Masvidal pulls off the upset victory over Usman.

Need to know where to place your bets on Masvidal vs. Usman? Our Joe Williams breaks down the Usman vs. Masvidal odds, picks and best bets for you.

Other interesting Masvidal betting lines include:

  • Masvidal by KO/TKO, DQ or Submission: +255
  • Masvidal by Decision: +1100
  • Masvidal by Submission: +1700
  • Masvidal in round 1: +750
  • Masvidal in round 2: +1100
  • Masvidal in round 3: +1600
  • Masvidal in round 4: +2200
  • Masvidal in round 5: +2800
  • Masvidal on points: +1100

UFC 251 Special Offer in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Also see:

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and 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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UFC 251: Best parlay bets to cash in on at UFC 251

Highlighting Saturday’s UFC 251 with a three-fight parlay, with odds, analysis and picks.

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UFC 251 takes place Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 1:15 p.m. ET.

Jiri Prochazka will be making his UFC debut on this card, fighting Volkan Oezdemir in a light heavyweight bout in the feature match of the prelims. Oezdemir has seen five of his past seven fights finish inside the distance, while 13 of his 21 fights as a professional have been KO/TKO results. He has won 12 of those fights.

For Prochazka, he picked up a KO/TKO win in Round 1 last time out against CB Dolloway at Rizin FF: Rizin Fighting Federation 20 on New Year’s Eve 2019. Prochazka has ventured into the octagon 30 times as a pro, with 24 of those outings ending in a KO/TKO. He has won 22 of those fights, although it’s obvious he’ll see a huge jump in the quality of competition at the UFC level. Still, the books love KO/TKO/DQ (-143) as the leading method of how this fight will finish.

UFC 251 special betting line in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Looking to the Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs. Muslim Salikhov welterweight bout – also on the prelims card – here are two fighters who do not see the judges get involved very often.

For dos Santos, he has posted an 8-2 record at the UFC level, winning eight of his past nine. Four of the past five outings have finished inside the distance, although seven of his 10 fights have lasted into at least Round 3. As far as Salikhov is concerned, he is 3-0 over the past three fights, with three of his four bouts at the UFC level finishing inside the distance. In 18 pro fights he has posted 12 wins by KO/TKO with no losses. As such, go with NO (-118): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE?

Lastly, target the Makwan AmirkhaniDanny Henry bout for your third end of this parlay. Amirkhani, a.k.a. “Mr. Finland,” will be looking to rebound after a KO/TKO loss in the third round against Shane Burgos at UFC 244. Each of Amirkhani’s past two bouts have finished inside the distance. His opponent, Henry of Scotland, has seen five of his past six pro fights finish inside the distance. Each of Henry’s past two bouts at the UFC level haven’t even seen the bell to end Round 1. As a result, go with NO (-141): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE?

A $10 bet on this three-way parlay (+436) featuring KO/TKO/DQ (-143) in the Oezdemir-Prochazka fight, NO (-118) on the dos Santos-Salikhov fight going the distance, and NO (-141) on the Amirkhani-Henry bout going the distance will fetch a net profit of $43.66.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and 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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Paige VanZant huge underdog vs. Amanda Ribas at Fight Island’s UFC 251

Can Paige VanZant pull the upset over Amanda Ribas on Fight Island at UFC 251? She enters as a huge underdog in the matchup.

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Paige VanZant (8-4) is a huge underdog Saturday night at +550 odds, according to BetMGM oddsmakers, against Amanda Ribas (9-1), who enters at -834 odds, in their UFC 251 women’s flyweight matchup at Fight Island.

Are you new to sports betting? At -834 odds, Ribas returns just a $1.20 profit on a $10 wager with a victory.

On the flip side, VanZant’s underdog status would payout large, returning a $55.00 profit on a $10 wager. The oddsmakers don’t see it happening, though. At +550, that gives her implied winning odds of just 15.38% or 11/2 fractional odds to beat Ribas, who has an 89.29% implied odds of winning this matchup.

See: Amanda Ribas vs. Paige VanZant odds, picks and best bets

Despite the large odds against VanZant, the oddsmakers favor this fight going the distance with -125 odds. On a simple yes/no against going the distance, the bookmakers have it even at -112 for yes/no on the bout.

Both women are coming off a win in their last fight, with no height advantage with both standing 5-foot-4. Ribas weighs in at 125 lbs, while VanZant comes in at 155 lbs. Only an inch separates their reach, with Ribas having the advantage 66″:65″.

Ribas vs. VanZant odds and betting lines

Photo Credit: Kyle Terada – USA TODAY Sports

Odds via BetMGM.com sportsbook; last updated Friday at 9 p.m. ET.

  • Fight Result (2-way): VanZant +550 / Ribas -834
  • Total number of rounds: Over 1.5 -233 / Under +180
  • Will the fight go the distance? Yes -112 / No -112
  • Gone in 60 seconds: VanZant to win +2200 / Ribas to win +700
  • How will the fight finish? KO/TKO/DQ +240 / Submission +240 / Decision -125

UFC 251 Special Offer in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Also see:

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and 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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UFC 251: Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC 251 Fight Island bout between Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal tangle in a championship bout for the welterweight title on the main card at UFC 251 on Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View.

Usman (16-1) enters this one as a heavy favorite to retain his strap. He was expected to face Gilbert Burns originally, but that fight was scrapped after Burns, his brother and one of his coaches tested positive for COVID-19 in Las Vegas.

In steps Masvidal (35-13) for a fight that more fans wanted to see anyway. Usman is one inch taller and has a two-inch reach advantage. More importantly, Usman, a switch-stance fighter, owns a slight 4.60-4.33 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, and a 52.89-47.73 significant strikes accuracy-percentage advantage. He is also a 2-to-1 leader in takedown average at 3.44-1.70. The “Nigerian Nightmare” has won all 11 of his fights at the UFC level, including two straight title bouts. Last time out he polished off Colby Covington at UFC 245 (Dec. 14, 2019) in the fifth round by KO/TKO, although four of his past five, and eight of the past 10, have gone the distance.

For Masvidal, he has turned things around after two-bout mini skid which included a split-decision loss to Demian Maia at UFC 211 (May 13, 2017) and a unanimous-decision setback against Stephen Thompson at UFC 217 (Nov. 4, 2017). Since then, Masvidal has cobbled together a three-fight win streak, all by way or KO/TKO, including a doctor’s stoppage last time out against Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in the main event (Nov. 2, 2019). In fact, each of Masvidal’s past five wins at the UFC level have been by way of KO/TKO, so Usman will have to be very careful of those devastating Masvidal fists.

UFC 251 Special Offer in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 11:50 a.m. ET.

Usman (-228) is a heavy favorite to retain his belt for a third straight fight, and he hasn’t lost at the UFC level yet. The better bet, even in a title fight, would be going with USMAN BY DECISION/TECHNICAL DECISION (+175) on the 7-way Method of Victory line, as eight of his past 10 fights have gone the distance.

If you’re not feeling a winner, but you just think the FIGHT WILL GO THE DISTANCE (+125), that’s not a bad return, either. OVER 3.5 ROUNDS (-112) is a solid play, too, as there is very little chance Usman is able to finish this one that early.

Also see:

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and 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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UFC 251: Amanda Ribas vs. Paige VanZant odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC 251 fight between Amanda Ribas and Paige VanZant, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Amanda Ribas and Paige VanZant do battle in a women’s flyweight bout on the main card at UFC 251 Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View.

Ribas (9-1) makes her fourth appearance at the UFC level, and she looks to remain unbeaten at the top level, too. Her last fight was March 14 on the Lee-Oliveira card in Jacksonville, Fla., sneaking past Randa Markos by unanimous decision. That’s the same way Ribas won against Mackenzie Dern Oct. 12, 2019. Only three of Ribas’ 10 career fights have gone the distance, however, and she is 3-1 via KO/TKO and 3-0 by way of submission in her professional career.

VanZant (8-4) is a heavy underdog (+500) in this one despite the fact she owns a 52.0-42.33 significant strike-accuracy percentage advantage. She’ll be wise to keep the fight toe-to-toe if she wants a chance. Ribas owns a 2.02-1.31 takedown average and 50.0-33.33 takedown-accuracy percentage advantage, while also leading 1.61-0.98 in submission average. VanZant is just 2-3 over her past five outings, and that includes two losses by submission. This will be her first fight in nearly 16 months due to a rash of arm injuries. The last time we saw her was a submission win over Rachael Ostovich Jan. 19, 2019.

UFC 251 Special Offer in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Ribas vs. VanZant odds and betting lines

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Ribas (-715) is a heavy favorite, so you’ll have to be a bit more creative than just betting the 2-way line. There is no way you can risk more than seven times your potential return.

Also see:

Look to RIBAS BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (+115) in this one, as it’s a much better value than the 2-way line. In addition, load up on round betting, as RIBAS IN ROUND 1 (+333), RIBAS IN ROUND 2 (+500) and RIBAS IN ROUND 3 (+900) all pay well. If you want to roll the dice, bet Rounds 2 and 3 and hope it doesn’t go to the judges. That would make for quite a nice payday.

NO (-112): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? is a sound play, too. Five of the past six fights for VanZant have finished inside the distance, and her takedown defense and vulnerability on the canvas makes this one likely to end before the judges get to determine a winner.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Ribas to win by KO/TKO, DQ or Submission (+115) returns a profit of $11.50. A $10 wager on Ribas to win in Round 2 (+500) returns a profit of $50, while a $10 pick on Ribas to win in Round 3 (+900) fetches a return of $90.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and 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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UFC 251: Jessica Andrade vs. Rose Namajunas odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC 251 fight between Jessica Andrade and Rose Namajunas, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Jessica Andrade and Rose Namajunas square off in a women’s strawweight bout on the main card at UFC 251 Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View.

Andrade (20-7) – a.k.a. “Bate Estaca” – looks to bounce back after a title fight loss to Zhang Weili in 42 seconds last time out on Aug. 31, 2019. Before that loss, Andrade defeated Namajunas in a title fight May 11, 2019. So, this will be an interesting rematch. Win or lose, Andrade makes it fun. Each of her three fights have ended via KO/TKO, with two victories. However, four of her past seven have ended up going the distance.

Also see: UFC 251 Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal: Main Card Odds

Namajunas (9-4) has been champing at the bit since losing her strap at UFC 237 in that May 11 bout. Prior to that setback, she had consecutive wins over Joanna Jedrzejczyk and a submission victory over Michelle Waterson. Namajunas – nicknamed “Thug” – is certainly battle tested against the best in the division. She owns a three-inch reach advantage vs. Andrade, and towers over the 5-foot-1 Andrade by four inches. While Namajunas dominates in the height and reach departments, Andrade has a 6.55-3.95 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, while also leading 3.21-2.17 in takedown average.

UFC 251 Special Offer in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Jessica Andrade vs. Rose Namajunas betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 6:40 a.m. ET.

ANDRADE (+162) is worth a roll of the dice on the 2-way line, as she proved she can push Namajunas (-200) aside before. However, I’d go lightly on this one. If you think this one is too close to call, perhaps how the fight will finish is more your speed. Taking DECISION (-143) is the way to go.

ANDRADE BY DECISION/TECHNICAL DECISION (+350) on the 5-way line is a solid wager, too, assuming she is able to pull off the mild upset. Roll with OVER 2.5 ROUNDS (-162) or YES (-118): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? on round wagering.

Also see:

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Andrade (+162) to win outright pays a profit of $16.20. A $10 ticket for a win by Andrade via decision/technical decision (+350) fetches a return of $35. If you like the fight to go the distance (-118), a $10 wager gives you an $8.47 profit.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and 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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UFC 251 Fight Island: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC 251 fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway tangle in strap battle for the featherweight title on the main card at UFC 251 Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View.

Volkanovski (21-1) has what Holloway (21-5) wants, and what was once his – the featherweight championship. The Australian defeated Holloway last time out at UFC 245 by unanimous decision in a co-main event on the Usman-Covington card Dec. 14, 2019. In fact, Volkanovski’s last loss was seven years ago, falling to Corey Nelson via TKO (punches) May 9, 2013 at AFC 5: Australian Fighting Championship. Since arriving on the UFC scene, Volkanovski has won each of his eight fights, with three KO/TKO and five unanimous decision victories.

Holloway (21-5) lost his belt to Dustin Poirier at UFC 236, but bounced back with a win over Frankie Edgar at UFC 240 to scratch back to the top. However, as mentioned above, Holloway was edged by Volkanovski at UFC 245 in his most recent bout. Each of Holloway’s past three events have ended in unanimous decision, two being losses. He has fought into the third round in each of his past nine events, so don’t expect a quick finish to this one.

UFC 251 special betting line in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Volkanovski vs. Holloway betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday, July 10 at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Volkanovski (-223) is heavily favored vs. Holloway (+180) in the rematch, but keep in mind that the former champ from Hawaii hasn’t dropped back-to-back fights since setbacks against Conor McGregor and Dennis Bermudez back in the summer of 2013.

Holloway has a lot of mileage on his body, as this will be his 21st fight, tops in the featherweight class. He leads all feathers with 16 wins, three more than runner-up Darren Elkins. Holloway also has eight KO/TKO wins with seven total fight night bonuses. I can see Holloway pulling the upset in the rematch to get his title back, but I’d rather suggest a generic KO/TKO/DQ (+210) finish to this one rather than a specific winner.

Also see:

In addition, taking NO (+180): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? is a tremendous value, and makes the Under 4.5 (+180) Rounds wager make little to no sense. Give yourself a little more wiggle room with the distance wager.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Volkanovski (-223) returns a net profit of just $4.48. A $10 wager on this fight ending via KO/TKO/DQ (+210) fetches a profit of $21, while a $10 play on No (+180) for the fight going the distance returns a net profit of $18.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and 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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UFC 251: Petr Yan vs. Jose Aldo odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC 251 fight between Petr Yan and Jose Aldo, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Petr Yan and Jose Aldo square off in a bantamweight bout on the main card at UFC 251 Saturday at the UFC’s Fight Island facility on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The prelims kick off at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, followed by the main card set for 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View.

Yan (14-1) might have a three-inch disadvantage in reach, but that’s about the only shortcoming here. The switch stance fighter has a sizable 5.65 to 3.47 advantage in significant strikes landed per minute, and 1.73 to 0.64 in takedown average. Yan is coming off a KO/TKO win in Round 3 against Urijah Faber last time out at UFC 245, and is 6-0 at the UFC level with three KO/TKO victories and three wins by unanimous decision, too. The only setback of his career came at ACB 32, a split-decision loss to Magomed Magomedov in March, 2016.

The veteran Aldo (28-6), coming off a split-decision loss to Marlon Moraes at UFC 245, is just 3-5 in the previous eight outings with three knockout losses. In addition, five of his past eight fights have finished inside the distance, too.

UFC 251 Special Offer in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Petr Yan vs. Jose Aldo betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, July 9 at 6 a.m. ET.

Yan (-228) is a heavy favorite against the veteran Aldo (+185), and risking more than two times than your potential return is a bit of risky business, so you’ll need to be more specific. Rolling with YAN BY KO/TKO or DQ (+120) on the 7-way Method of Victory line is a better way to go. If you want to take YAN BY KO/TKO, DQ or SUBMISSION (+110) on the 5-way line, adding another route to a winning ticket, it won’t cost you much more.

Also see: UFC 251 Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal: Main Card Odds

UNDER 4.5 ROUNDS (-143) is a solid play, too, as Yan is a heavy hitter, ranking second among active bantamweights with 1.52 knockdowns per 15 minutes. Yan also has an impressive 2.5 striking differential. On the flip side, he is fifth among bantamweights with a 67.8 significant strike-defense percentage and 87.5 takedown-defense percentage. All of those stats point to a shorter fight, and a Yan win.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet Yan by KO/TKO or DQ (+120) returns a profit of $12. A $10 wager on Yan (-228) on the 2-way line fetches a net profit of $4.39, while betting $10 on the Under 4.5 Rounds (-143) returns a net profit of $6.99.

To watch the full card, sign up for ESPN+ now.

If you want some action on this MMA bout, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter, and follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and 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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UFC 251 Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal: Main Card Betting Odds

Previewing UFC 251 and looking at the betting odds for the main card as Kamaru Usman takes on Jorge Masvidal Saturday, July 11.

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UFC 251 takes place Saturday at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Kamaru Usman (16-1) takes on Jorge Masvidal (35-13) in a welterweight title fight as the main event. The main card will begin at 10 p.m. ET and is available on pay-per-view. ESPN+ and ESPN will carry the preliminaries beginning at 6 p.m. ET. Below, we preview the main card of UFC 251 and look at BetMGM‘s betting odds.

UFC 251 betting odds

Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. All lines last updated Thursday at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Kamaru Usman (-264) vs. Jorge Masvidal (+210)

Masvidal stepped up as the replacement for Gilbert Burns in the welterweight title fight after Burns tested positive for COVID-19. The highly-experienced American fighter comes in as the division’s No. 3 contender and is an underdog against the Nigerian Nightmare, who currently holds the belt.

UFC 251 Special Offer in CO, IN, NJ and WV: Bet $1 at BetMGM.com, WIN $100 in free bets if Kamaru Usman wins at UFC 251. Place your bets now! Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions.

Alexander Volkanovski (-223) vs. Max Holloway (+180)

The featherweight title is on the line as belt-holder Volkanovski (21-1) faces the No. 1 contender in Holloway (21-5). Holloway is five inches taller but gives up two inches of reach.

Petr Yan (-228) vs. Jose Aldo (+185)

The first title bout of the night is between the bantamweight’s third-ranked contender in Yan (14-1) and No. 6 challenger in Aldo (28-6). The belt became vacant after Henry Cejudo retired following his defeat of Dominick Cruz at UFC 249.

Jessica Andrade (+162) vs. Rose Namajunas (-200)

The No. 1 and No. 2 contenders in the women’s strawweight division meet, with Namajunas opening as the favorite despite her No. 2 ranking. “Thug” (Namajunas) is 9-4, while “Bate Estaca” is 20-7.

Amanda Ribas (-834) vs. Paige VanZant (+575)

The most lopsided bout of the main card is between the 14th-ranked women’s flyweight contender in Ribas and the unranked VanZant. Ribas enters at 9-1, while VanZant has fallen to 8-4 with three losses in her last five fights.

UFC 251: How to watch

When: Saturday, July 11 – the main card begins at 10 p.m. ET

Where: Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

How to watch: The main card of UFC 251 is available on pay-per-view

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

If you want some betting action on any of these MMA bouts, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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