2022 PFL Regular Season: Welterweights & Women's Lightweights Betting Analysis and Picks

The road to the top is not an easy one in the world of MMA. The reality is that the UFC is seen as the cream of the crop in the industry but getting there takes a ton of skill and hard work. One of the reasons that the PFL was put in place was to deliver another path for fighters to earn their way into the UFC, although there are no guarantees, even for those fighters who go on and win their weight class in aby given year. The fighters have 10 weeks, which includes a regular season and playoff, to shine, and we are about to head into Week 3 of the 2022 season. There are 4 fights on the main card, which can be viewed on ESPN+ on Friday night, starting at 5:30 PM EST. It’s not a huge main card, but there are still 4 very good fights to check out, so let’s take a moment to break them all down along with their PFL Betting Odds.

MMA Betting Preview for Professional Fighter’s League: Welterweights & Women’s Lightweights

Rory MacDonald (-425) Vs Brett Cooper (+325)

The evening begins with a Welterweight bout featuring a pair of fighters heading in very different directions in their careers. MacDonald comes in with a career mark of 22-8-1, but he is coming in on the heels of back-to-back losses, both of which came in the last version of the PFL. On the flipside, Cooper is on a modest 2-fight win streak, which includes a win in his only fight under the PFL banner. A tough test for MacDonald, but I think he does enough to get the decision.

Anthony Pettis (-255) Vs Myles Price (+205)

We have the Lightweights up next in a bout that includes a fighter that many of you will be familiar with. Pettis spent a ton of time in the UFC, going against some of the best in the business, but his last 2 fights came in the PFL, and both were losses. Price is 11-7 overall and will be making his first fight under the PFL banner after winning in Bellator last time out. I’ll admit that Pettis makes me a little nervous, but I am still taking him to win by decision.

Ray Cooper III Vs Carlos Leal

This Welterweight bout has the potential to be the fight of the night, as both of these men are coming into this one on great runs of form. Cooper III comes into this one on a 5-fight win streak, but perhaps more importantly, he is also the defending PFL champion in this weight class. Leal is on a 10-fightnwin streak, taking his record to 15-3 in the process, but it has been a year since he last stepped into the octagon. I think that may hurt him, so I am taking Cooper III to win.

Kayla Harrison (-4900) Vs Marina Mokhnatkina (+1200)

The main event of the night is a women’s Lightweight bout that is probably about as mismatched as you can get. That said, it takes just one punch to deliver an upset. It would be a big one, though, as Harrison is a perfect 12-0 and the defending champion in this tournament. Mokhnatkina is 6-2 overall and winner of 2 in a row after dropping 2 straight fights. The reality is that she looks in over her head here, so it should be a straightforward win for Harrison.

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?