Tag: UFC Fight Night

UFC on ESPN 8: Alistair Overeem vs. Walt Harris odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 8 fight between Alistair Overeem and Walt Harris, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Alistair Overeem and Walt Harris square off in a heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN 8 – also known as ESPN Fight Night 172 – at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Overeem (45-18) heads into this one with a three-inch reach advantage over his counterpart, while holding a distinct advantage in the significant strikes categories. He has a 3.54 to 2.96 advantage in significant strikes landed per minute, while dominating with a 62.38 significant strike-accuracy percentage to just 38.16 for Harris (13-7). Overeem isn’t a one-trick pony, however, as he also has a 1.39 to 0.35 takedown-average advantage and he has a 53.57 to 33.33 lead in the takedown-accuracy percentage department.

Overeem is looking to bounce back after a KO/TKO loss to Jairzinho Rozenstruik with four seconds left Dec. 7, 2019. Overeem suffered an ugly cut to the lip as a result. He is 2-3 across the past five outings with each decided by KO/TKO. Nine of his past 10 bouts have finished inside the distance, including nine via KO/TKO (5-4). Keep in mind when betting method of victory, he hasn’t won or lost via submission in 17 career bouts at the UFC level, and he has been submitted just once in 63 career professional bouts overall.

Harris needed just 12 seconds to polish off Aleksei Oleinik by KO/TKO July 20, 2019. Harris is 3-0 with a No Contest over the past four outings with an overturned result Dec. 29, 2018 against Andrei Arlovski at UFC 232. Like Overeem, Harris sees plenty of fights finish early. Seven of his past eight have finished inside the distance. And, like Overeem, work on the canvas isn’t a big part of what Harris does. In 20 career professional bouts he has never won via submission, and lost just once in that fashion.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NV, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Alistair Overeem vs. Walt Harris betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, May 14 at 4:45 a.m. ET.

OVEREEM (+130) is the slight underdog in this one, but he is worth a look for a small-unit bet. Both he and Harris (-154) do not go the distance, and will go toe-to-toe throwing hands. Perhaps if this fight were taking place in front of fans, the American Harris could feed off the crowd. But it will be in an empty arena due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. This is a coin-flip main event, so go with the better value – OVEREEM.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Overeem (+130) to win returns a $13 profit. A $10 bet on Harris (-154) to win fetches a $6.50 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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How to watch UFC Fight Night: Alistair Overeem vs. Walt Harris betting odds and viewing guide

Betting odds and viewing guide for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card featuring Alistair Overeem vs. Walt Harris.

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship schedule keeps rolling along with UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris set for Saturday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. Prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET with the main card set to start at 9 p.m. ET. The full event is available on ESPN+. Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds for all 11 fights on the UFC Fight Night main card and prelims.

UFC Fight Night Overeem vs. Harris betting odds: Main card (9 p.m. ET)

Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM. All lines last updated Thursday, May 14 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Alistair Overeem (+130) vs. Walt Harris (-154)

Heavyweight bout. No. 8 contender vs. No. 9 contender.

Claudia Gadelha (-189) vs. Angela Hill (+155)

Women’s strawweight bout. No. 6 contender vs. unranked.

Dan Ige (+115) vs. Edson Barboza (-139)

Featherweight bout. No. 15 contender vs. No. 11 contender.

Eryk Anders (+130) vs. Krzysztof Jotko (-159)

Middleweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Song Yadong (-182) vs. Marlon Vera (+150)

Featherweight bout. No. 14 contender vs. No. 15 contender.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NV, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

UFC Fight Night Overeem vs. Harris betting odds: Prelims (6 p.m. ET)

Matt Brown (+165) vs. Miguel Baeza (-200)

Welterweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Anthony Hernandez (-115) vs. Kevin Holland (-106)

Middleweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Mike Davis (-213) vs. Giga Chikadze (+175)

Featherweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Cortney Casey (-154) vs. Mara Romero Borella (+130)

Women’s flyweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Darren Elkins (-115) vs. Nate Landwehr (-106)

Featherweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Rodrigo Nascimento (-104) vs. Don’tale Mayes (-118)

Heavyweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

How/Where can I watch UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris

Where is it? VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville

When is it? Saturday, May 16 at 9 p.m. ET

How to watch: ESPN+

Get some action on UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris by placing a legal sports bets in Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey and West Virginia at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

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+ 29: Ben Rothwell vs. Ovince Saint Preux odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 29 fight between Ben Rothwell and Ovince Saint Preux, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Ben Rothwell and Ovince Saint Preux mix it up in a heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 29 – also known as ESPN Fight Night 171 – at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Rothwell (37-12) looks to keep things going in the right direction after snapping a three-bout skid with a Round 2 KO/TKO over Stefan Struve Dec. 7, 2019. The heavyweight had suffered three straight unanimous decision setbacks to Junior Dos Santos, Blagoy Ivanov and Andrei Arlovski between April 10, 2016 to July 20, 2019, and apparently vowed not to leave his fate in the hands of the judges against Struve. Can we expect him to be a lot more proactive again Wednesday? Each of his past six wins at the UFC level have come via either submission or KO/TKO.

Saint Preux (24-13) moves up from light heavyweight to the heavy division for this one. He is coming off a Round 2 submission win vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk Sept. 28, 2019. Saint Preux doesn’t waste a lot of time in his fights, and also doesn’t like to leave it up to the judges, as four of his past five fights have ended in submissions (2-2). He owns a 1.34 takedown average and 40.35 takedown-accuracy percentage. In fact, seven of his previous eight fights at the UFC level have finished inside the distance. He has had trouble stringing wins together lately, as he hasn’t had consecutive victories in the UFC since a 3-0 run from April 22-Nov. 4, 2017.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NV, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Ben Rothwell vs. Ovince Saint Preux betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday, May 12 at 2:25 a.m. ET.

ROTHWELL (+120) is actually a nice little value as a short underdog, especially since Saint Preux moved up to the heavyweight class and there likely will be a bit of an adjustment period for him. It will also be difficult for the former University of Tennessee linebacker to get Rothwell to the ground, which is where Saint Preux holds an advantage. Look for Rothwell to keep this bout upright and christen Saint Preux into the heavyweight ranks with a setback.

I like Rothwell to claim the upset, plus, I’m backing him to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+240), which is particularly attractive. In addition, taking Rothwell to win in either ROUND 1 (+450) or ROUND 2 (+650) could be rather lucrative, too. As such, taking NO (-213): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISATNACE? should be another winning prop.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Rothwell (+120) to win returns a $12 profit. A $10 bet on Rothwell to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+240) bags a $24 profit, while a $10 bet on a Rothwell win in Round 1 (+450) fetches a $45 profit. Rothwell winning in Round 2 (+650) will profit $65 on a $10 bet.

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 on ESPN+ 29: Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN+ 29 fight between Anthony Smith and Glover Teixeira, with MMA betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

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Anthony Smith and Glover Teixeira do battle in a light heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC on ESPN+ 29 – also known as ESPN Fight Night 171 – at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.

Smith (32-14) has plenty of experience in the octagon, but he has yet to meet Teixeira on the canvas. Smith is coming off a submission win last time out over Alexander Gustafsson June 1, 2019. Shortened bouts are usually the case for Smith, as eight of his past nine professional bouts have finished inside the distance. In fact, the judges rarely get involved with his outings, as he hasn’t won by unanimous decision in 10 fights dating all the way back to Feb. 21, 2016. Six of his past nine bouts have resulted in KO/TKO, with Smith on the winning side of five of those outings.

For Teixeira (30-7), he is working on a three-bout winning streak, including a split-decision win over Nikita Krylov last time out on Sept. 14, 2019. He has recorded a pair of submission wins during the three-bout win streak, and is 8-0 in her professional career by submission. He hasn’t posted a four-bout win streak since opening his UFC career with a 5-0 run from May 26, 2012 to Sept. 4, 2013. Two of his past four outings have gone to the judges’ card, but eight of his past 11 bouts overall have finished inside the distance.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NV, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday, May 12 at 1:45 a.m. ET.

SMITH (-176) is a rather moderate favorite on the 2-way line, and that’s fine even though you have to eat a little bit of chalk. In addition, coupling that bet with a NO (-334): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? isn’t a bad way to go. If that’s a little too risky for you, or not enough of a return, consider SMITH BY KO/TKO OR DQ (-112).

If you feel the fight will end inside the distance, and like Smith, he is a good bet to win in Round 1 (+300) or Round 2 (+550), as an early ending to the evening will result in a nice little return.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Smith (-176) to win returns a $5.68 profit. A $10 bet on Smith to win by KO/TKO or DQ (-112) earns a $8.93 profit, while a parlay bet of Smith (-176) and No (-334): Will the fight go the distance fetches a $10.38 profit. A $10 bet on Smith winning in Round 1 would profit $30, while a $10 bet on Smith winning in Round 2 profits $55.

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 Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira betting odds and viewing guide

Betting odds and viewing guide for Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night card featuring Anthony Smith vs. Glover Teixeira.

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship will get right back at it Wednesday with UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. Prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET with the main card set to start at 9 p.m. ET. The full event is available on ESPN+. Below, we look at the BetMGM betting odds for all 11 fights on the UFC Fight Night main card and prelims.

UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira comes on the heels of UFC 249, which saw Justin Gaethje upset Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title.

UFC Fight Night Smith vs. Teixeira betting odds: Main card (9 p.m. ET)

Betting odds courtesy of BetMGM. All lines last updated Monday at 1:30 p.m. ET. *OTB: Off the Board, lines not posted

Anthony Smith (-175) vs. Glover Teixeira (+145)

Light heavyweight bout. No. 3 contender vs. No. 8 contender.

Ben Rothwell (+120) vs. Ovince Saint Preux (-147)

Heavyweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Alexander Hernandez (OTB) vs. Drew Dober (OTB)

Lightweight bout. No. 15 contender vs. unranked.

Ricky Simon (-182) vs. Ray Borg (+150)

Bantamweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Karl Roberson (+145) vs. Marvin Vettori (-175)

Middleweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Want to place a bet on UFC Fight Night? Place bets at BetMGM online in CO, IN, NV, NJ and WV! New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

UFC Fight Night Smith vs. Teixeira betting odds: Prelims (6 p.m. ET)

Andrei Arlovski (OTB) vs. Philipe Lins (OTB)

Heavyweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Michael Johnson (-110) vs. Thiago Moises (-110)

Lightweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Sijara Eubanks (-357) vs. Sarah Moras (+275)

Women’s bantamweight bout. No. 15 contender vs. unranked.

Gabriel Benitez (+140) vs. Omar Morales (-172)

Lightweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Hunter Azure (-182) vs. Brian Kelleher (+150)

Featherweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

Chase Sherman (OTB) vs. Isaac Villanueva (OTB)

Heavyweight bout. Unranked vs. unranked.

How/Where can I watch UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira

Where is it? VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville

When is it? Wednesday, May 13 at 9 p.m. ET

How to watch: ESPN+

Get some action on UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Teixeira by placing a legal sports bets in Colorado, Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey and West Virginia at BetMGM. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook. Please gamble responsibly.

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 249: Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the big UFC 249 matchup between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje with UFC betting odds and picks.

Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje square off for the lightweight strap in the co-main event at UFC 249 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with the main card on pay-per-view.

The highly anticipated bout between Ferguson (26-3-0) and Khabib Nurmagomedov has been scrapped yet again, this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as Khabib returned home to Russia and is not willing to risk fighting. Gaethje (21-2-0) stepped in on short notice as opponent previously, but has not gotten an extra month to prepare after the first card in England was wiped out and this event was pushed back.

Ferguson last fought at UFC 238 on June 8, 2019, and he is 5-0 across his past five bouts, including four wins as a favorite. In addition, he has won two fights either by corner or doctor stoppage, while four of the past five outings have finished inside the distance. In other words, he doesn’t like to leave his fate in the hands of the judges. Five of his past 10 outings have resulted in a submission, too, which isn’t surprising given his 42.86 takedown-accuracy percentage, 0.56 takedown average and 1.40 submission average. While he goes to the mat, he can throw hands, too, and he has a respectable 5.81 significant strikes landed per minute with a 45.33 significant strike-accuracy percentage. He also enjoys a 6.5-inch reach advantage over Gaethje.

Gaethje has no interest in going to the canvas. In fact, he has zeroes across the board in the takedown and submission statistics. He does rain down blows early and often with his fists, posting a heavy 8.57 significant strikes landed per minute, while posting a solid 55.59 significant strike-accuracy percentage. He started just 1-2 in his UFC career, but found his sea legs and has rattled off three straight victories since. All three of those wins came in the first round, so Ferguson will have to be very mindful of the big blow early. In 23 professional bouts, Gaethje has had just two fights go the distance, with wins by decision in each.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, May 7 at 6:40 p.m. ET.

Gaethje (+145) is a dangerous opponent, but FERGUSON (-176) is worth a roll of the dice on the 2-way line. You’ll definitely want to back that up with other action, though, just in case Gaethje is able to surprise with a big, early blow.

Taking the total number of rounds UNDER 2.5 (-154) is the way to go, while avoiding the rather risky “will the fight go the full 5 rounds” (No, -500) prop. As mentioned, you can avoid the submission as a method of victory, but taking both fighters on the KO/TKO or DQ line isn’t a bad idea. Ferguson (+260) and Gaethje (+170) can both end the night of the opponent quickly, and if there is a knockout by either fighter, you win, even if that’s all you bet. Frankly, that’s too safe for me, and I like to take one fighter or the other, but you can come out ahead that way.

A better way to go might be taking Ferguson to win in a certain round. A Ferguson victory in Round 1 (+350), Round 2 (+520), Round 3 (+750), Round 4 (+1000) and Round 5 (+1400) can all be bet. I think the best bet here is a FERGUSON WIN IN ROUND 2 (+520), if you’re going to try and pinpoint it. Therefore, you’ll also want the FERGUSON BY KO/TKO or DQ (+260) prop attached.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Ferguson (-176) on the 2-way line nets a profit of $5.68. A $10 bet on Ferguson to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+260) nets a profit of $26, while betting $10 on Under 2.5 (-154) returns a profit of $6.49. The big hit would be a $10 bet on Ferguson winning in Round 2 as it would profit $52.

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 249: Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the big UFC 249 matchup between Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz with UFC betting odds and picks.

Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz tangle for the bantamweight strap in the co-main event at UFC 249 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with the main card on pay-per-view.

Cejudo (15-2-0) enters on a five-fight win streak, including a pair of KO/TKO wins against TJ Dillashaw (UFC Fight Night Jan. 19, 2019) and Marlon Moraes (UFC 238 June 8, 2019). The former Olympian has 17 career bouts, and he has never been submitted. On the flip side, he has never won by submission, either, so you can expect him to keep this one upright. Avoid that type method of victory when selecting your wagers. His last loss at the UFC level came April 23, 2016 in a split-decision loss to Demetrious Johnson at UFC 197. He also suffered a split-decision loss to Joseph Benavidez at The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale Dec. 3, 2016. He took out his frustrations from those two losses on Wilson Reis with a second-round knockout at UFC 215 (Sept. 9, 2017) and has been on a mission since, a calculated and careful mission, some might say.

A string of injuries has forced Cruz (22-2-0) from the octagon over the past few years. In fact, the last time we saw “The Dominator” was Dec. 30, 2016 when he left following a unanimous decision loss to Cody Garbrandt for the title at UFC 207. Yeah, it’s been a while, and rust is certainly a concern, especially against a polished pounder like Cejudo. Cruz hasn’t won in the octagon since June 4, 2016 against Urijah Faber. While Cejudo likes to throw hands and try and end it early, Cruz is more calculated and draws his fights out. Seven of his past eight fights have been decided by the judges, winning six of those battles. He is 4-1 across his past five championship bouts, too. Like Cejudo, Cruz doesn’t care much for the mat, last winning via submission Sept. 9, 2006.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, May 7 at 6 p.m. ET.

It’s hard to bet Cruz (+180) on the 2-way line, only due to the rust. This price is awfully attractive, though. Cejudo (-223) is the moderate favorite, and he is expected to keep his strap, but “The Dominator” represents a real danger when healthy. He is so technical which wows the judges, while Cejudo can play it safe on occasion, working ever so hard to protect what is his.

Looking to method of victory, you should avoid any talk of a submission. Instead, taking Cejudo by KO/TKO or DQ (+275) is worth a look, as is a roll of the dice on Cruz to win by decision/technical decision (+275). If you like to hedge bets, and cheer for a method of victory, not caring which fighter wins, those are the ways to go. Cejudo might try and end this one early, and there are concerns Cruz can go a full distance after such a long layoff. As such, taking UNDER 4.5 (+162) for total number of rounds, and NO (+150) WILL THE FIGHT GO THE FULL FIVE ROUNDS, might be the best bets.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Cruz (+180) to win on the 2-way line returns a $18 profit. A $10 bet on Cejudo to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+275) earns a $27.50 profit. A $10 wager on the Under 4.5 rounds (+162) fetches a net profit of $16.20, while $10 on NO, the fight will not go the full five rounds profits $15.

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 249: Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the big UFC 249 matchup between Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik with UFC betting odds and picks.

Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik do battle in a heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC 249 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with the main card on pay-per-view.

Ngannou (14-3-0) is looking to keep his impressive knockout streak alive against Rozenstruik (10-0-0), who has yet to taste defeat in his professional career. Ngannou, a.k.a. “The Predator,” has made quick work of his prey over the past three bouts, recording knockouts in the first round in each tilt. The fights haven’t been against slouches either, as he defeated Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez and Junior Dos Santos in order – not exactly cupcakes in the division. Ngannou has been on a mission since a title-shot defeat to Stipe Miocic in a unanimous decision loss in the main event of UFC 220 (Jan. 20, 2018), followed by another loss at the hands of the judges to Derrick Lewis at UFC 226 (July 7, 2018).

Rozenstruik, who hails from Suriname, presents a big challenge for the 33-year-old Ngannou. Rozenstruik throws a lot of punches, posting 3.72 significant strikes landed per minute to just 2.15 for Ngannou. He also has a 46.99 significant strike accuracy percentage to 37.70 for Ngannou. Neither of these fighters try to go to the mat, so you can avoid any thoughts of this one ending via submission. Since arriving at the UFC level, Rozenstruik has recorded four straight KO/TKO wins, including a Round 1 knockout of Andrei Arlovski at UFC 244 and a Round 5 KO/TKO against UFC veteran Alistair Overeem last time out on Dec. 7, 2019.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday, May 7 at 5 p.m. ET.

Ngannou (-278) is a heavy favorite, but if you were to bet the 2-way line, Rozenstruik (+225) is a much better value in this potential brawl.

Checking out method of victory, NGANNOU BY KO/TKO or DQ (-125) is a better bet than taking him on the 2-way line. This will be a toe-to-toe street fight, with both fighters throwing titanic blows. Ngannou doesn’t throw and land as many as Rozenstruik on average, but the ones he does land can rock his opponent in just one shot. It’s proven throughout his career.

While both of these fighters have ended things rather early in their recent fights, they might feel each other out early, looking to avoid the big blow from each other. As such, taking OVER 1.5 ROUNDS (-106) for the total number of rounds is worth a small-unit bet, too.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Ngannou (-278) to win returns just a $3.60 profit. A $10 bet on Ngannou to win by KO/TKO or DQ (-125) earns a $8 profit, while a $10 play on the Over 1.5 rounds (-106) nets a return of $9.43.

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 249: Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the big UFC 249 matchup between Jeremy Stephens and Calvin Kattar with UFC betting odds and picks.

Jeremy Stephens and Calvin Kattar tangle in a featherweight bout on the main card at UFC 249 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with the main card on pay-per-view.

Kattar (20-4-0) is the heavy favorite in this one, and most of the stats are heavily skewed in his favor. First off, “The Boston Finisher” holds a two-inch height advantage and a one-inch reach advantage. More impressively, he has a 5.12-3.09 advantage in significant strikes landed per minute, while posting a 41.08 significant strike accuracy percentage.

Kattar has won each of his past three UFC wins by KO/TKO, including the past two in Round 1. His only two losses at the UFC level have come by unanimous decision. One thing to remember, when looking to method of victory, is that Kattar has never won or lost one of his 16 professional bouts by submission. He is 2-0 across his past two UFC fights as the favorite.

For Stephens, he is just 15-14-1 in 30 bouts at the UFC level, including 0-3-1 with one no contests across the past four. Like Kattar, he doesn’t go to the mat very often, and none of his 26 professional fights have results in a submission win or loss, so this fight will be one either by KO/TKO or points. Across the past seven fights, Stephens is 2-4-1 as an underdog, too.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, May 6 at 8:50 p.m. ET.

Kattar (-250) is a rather heavy favorite on the 2-way line, but that’s the way to go. It’s very hard to envision a way Stephens (+200) gets it done against the more consistent fighter.

In addition, we mentioned above that Kattar doesn’t go to the mat for the finish, so avoid being tempted by Kattar to win by submission (+1100). Instead, focus on the KO/TKO or DQ WIN PROP BY KATTAR (+300), which can help you triple up your initial bet. Lastly, if you look to the Total number of rounds, UNDER 2.5 (+145) is quite attractive with two fighters standing toe-to-toe looking to land big knockout blows. “The Boston Finisher” will finish Stephens early, perhaps even in the opening round, which makes KATTAR TO WIN IN ROUND 1 (+550) an attractive play as well. If not, hedging on Kattar to win in Round 2 (+800) is also worth a look.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Kattar (-250) to win returns a $4 profit. A $10 bet on Kattar to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+300) earns a $30 profit, while a bet on the fight going less than 2.5 rounds (+145) returns a $14.50 profit. The real nice hit would be if Kattar wins in Round 1 (+550), profiting $55 on a $10 wager.

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 249: Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan De Castro odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing the big UFC 249 matchup between Greg Hardy and Yorgan De Castro with UFC betting odds and picks.

Greg Hardy and Yorgan De Castro square off in a heavyweight bout on the main card at UFC 249 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. The card kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+, with the main card on pay-per-view.

Hardy (5-2-1), the former Dallas Cowboys player, has had mixed results since making his UFC debut Jan. 19. 2019 in a disqualification loss to Allen Crowder. He has knockout wins over Juan Adams and Dmitri Smoliakov, but also a no-contest against Ben Sosoli and a unanimous-decision loss against Alexander Volkov last time out at UFC Fight Night on Nov. 9, 2019.

Hardy has been involved in eight professional fights, but he has neither won or lost via submission, so remember that when choosing method of victory in this one. In addition, each of his five professional wins have come via KO/TKO, so you know what you’re getting with Hardy – a brawl. As a favorite he has posted a 1-1-1 record, so not much to glean there.

As far as the 33-year-old De Castro (6-0) is concerned, he made his UFC debut at UFC 243 with a Round 1 KO/TKO win over Justin Tafa on Oct. 5, 2019. De Castro, who hails from the Cape Verde Islands, was a slight underdog in that fight against Tafa. Five of his six professional victories are also by KO/TKO, so like Hardy, he likes to fight upright and try to land big punches rather than ground and pound. Four of his professional victories have come in Round 1.

Want to place a bet on UFC 249? Place them at BetMGM. New customer offer: Risk-free first bet! Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet now!

Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan De Castro betting odds

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday, May 6 at 6:15 p.m. ET.

Hardy (-200) is the chalk here, and risking two times your potential return isn’t terribly attractive. In addition, he hasn’t exactly dominated in his previous fights, posting rather uneven results. However, he is a brawler, and he is up against a rather inexperienced fighter, especially at the UFC level. You have to figure De Castro is going to walk into a big blow, and it’s over, especially since Hardy holds a ridiculous 6.5-inch reach advantage.

If you look to method of victory, HARDY BY KO/TKO or DQ (+140) is quite attractive. In addition, it’s extremely unlikely the judges are needed for this one, so playing NO (-250) WILL THE FIGHT GO THE FULL 3 ROUNDS? is the way to go. If you are looking to De Castro to spring the slight upset, he is attractive to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+210), while fetching +165 to win on the 2-way line.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Hardy (-200) to win returns a $5 profit. A $10 bet on Hardy to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+140) earns a $14 profit, while a bet on De Castro to win by KO/TKO or DQ (+210) returns a $21 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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