UFC 217 Betting Picks & Predictions for Main Card

The UFC has had some difficult moments this year with injuries and suspensions hitting the organization hard and ruining some cards – Jon Jones being caught taking performance-enhancing drugs again, for example. However, Saturday night could be the highlight of the year for the UFC with three title fights highlighting the main card at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Here’s a look at each of those five fights, their MMA odds and our UFC 217 betting picks.

UFC 217 Betting Picks & Predictions for Main Card

Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre

Bisping’s middleweight title is on the line as the legendary St-Pierre returns from a four-year layoff and fights for the first time at middleweight. St-Pierre is a -115 favorite with Bisping at -105. The 38-year-old Bisping (30-7) won the middleweight title in an upset knockout victory over Luke Rockhold last June and has defended it once. St-Pierre is the longest-reigning welterweight champion in UFC history, having defended the title nine consecutive times between 2008 and 2013. This is Bisping’s 28th UFC bout, tied with Jim Miller for most appearances in company history. Bisping’s 20 victories in UFC competition are most in company history. His 16 victories in UFC middleweight competition are most in divisional history. Bisping’s current five-fight UFC winning streak is the longest of his more than 11-year tenure with the organization. St-Pierre (25-2) returns to competition for the first time since UFC 167 in November 2013. St-Pierre’s nine consecutive UFC title defenses before relinquishing the belt represent the third longest defense streak in company history behind Demetroius Johnson (11) and Anderson Silva (10). GSP’s 12-fight UFC winning streak is second longest among active fighters in the company behind the flyweight champion Johnson (13). GSP hasn’t suffered a defeat since April 2007. UFC 217 Betting Pick: George St-Pierre

Cody Garbrandt vs. TJ Dillashaw

This is for Garbrandt’s bantamweight belt and he’s a -180 favorite with Dillashaw at +150. Garbrandt and Dillashaw were originally scheduled to fight at UFC 213 event in Las Vegas, but Garbrandt (11-0) was forced to pull out with a back injury. The two are former teammates at Team Alpha Male in California. Garbrandt, 26, won his title in convincing fashion last December, defeating Dominick Cruz via unanimous decision. Dillashaw is a former champion on a two-fight winning streak. After this fight, Garbrandt said he wants to drop to flyweight and knock off the UFC’s longest-reigning champion in Demetrious Johnson. Garbrandt is also interested in potentially boxing Connor McGregor. UFC 217 Betting Pick: Cody Garbrandt

Joanna Jędrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas

Jędrzejczyk is a huge -565 favorite as she defends her women’s strawweight title. Most believe that Jedrzejczyk is the best women’s fighter alive and has yet to lose in 14 professional fights. She is coming off a dominant unanimous decision victory against Jessica Andrade at UFC 211. Namajunas (6-3) has won four of her past five matchups, the most recent an impressive win against Michelle Waterson by rear-naked choke in the second round in April.  Namajunas’ lone defeat in her past four fights was against former No. 1 contender Karolina Kowalkiewicz at UFC 201. A win for Jedrzejczyk would tie Ronda Rousey’s record for most consecutive title defenses (six) among female fighters. UFC 217 Betting Pick: Joanna Jerdzejczyk

Stephen Thompson vs. Jorge Masvidal

Thompson is -170 for this welterweight bout with Masvidal +145. Thompson (13-2-1) is coming off a knee surgery that has sidelined him since March. He suffered a majority decision loss to current champion Tyron Woodley in a 170-pound title fight at UFC 209 in Las Vegas. Those two also fought last November to a draw. Thompson had won seven straight fights before those two against Woodley. Looking back on it, Thompson, who missed time over the summer because of knee surgery, says he has his share of regret, but has moved on from it. Masvidal (32-12) suffered a split-decision loss to Demian Maia at UFC 211 in May. Before that, he had won three consecutive bouts, including finishes over Donald Cerrone and Jake Ellenberger.  Masvidal likely would have been granted a title shot had he won his last fight against Maia. Maia is one of the most one-dimensional welterweights in the UFC, but he got it done against Masvidal, who himself has admitted Maia identified a hole in his game during that split decision win. UFC 217 Betting Pick: Stephen Thompson

Johny Hendricks vs. Paulo Borrachinha

The rising star and Brazilian Borrachinha is a -220 favorite for this middleweight bout, with former champion Hendricks at +180. Hendricks (18-7) is trending downward in winning only two of six fights since losing his UFC title back in 2014, last time out missing weight and losing via second-round TKO to Tim Boetsch. After 20 fights without being stopped, Hendricks has now been finished by strikes twice since 2016. Borrachinha (10-0) finished Oluwale Bamgbose and Garreth McLellan in his first appearances inside the Octagon. Borrachinha only went past the first round once in his professional career. This is easily the biggest opponent and it’s coming on a massive card. UFC has given Borrachinha an opportunity to really make a name for himself. UFC 217 Betting Pick: Paulo Borrachinha

Final UFC 217 Betting Thoughts & Predictions

I hate to go all chalk on a card like this, but I really don’t see any of the underdogs winning. Let’s just hope it goes off without a hitch.