The UFC are sticking with their routine of switching between Las Vegas and Fight Island and will be back in Sin City again this weekend for UFC 258. It is a solid card that we have set for Saturday night, with 5 fights set to go on the main card. The headline event here is a title fight for the Welterweight belt, but there are some other great looking matchups on tap ahead of that one. There are 5 fights to cover here, so let’s get right into it and take a closer look at each, with predictions included and their UFC odds.
UFC 256: Usman Vs Burns | MMA Betting
Julian Marquez (-170) Vs Maki Pitolo (+140)
We have a middleweight bout kicking off the main card, with a couple of fighters looking for a bounce back win stepping into the octagon. Marquez was on a 5-fight win streak before taking the loss in his last bout, with that one coming via split decision. That loss took him to 8-2 in his career. Things have not been very good for Pitolo of late, as he is on a run that has seen him lose 3 of his last 4. I don’t think things get any better for Pitolo here, as I like Marquez to win by KO.
Bobby Green (-270) Vs Jim Miller (+210)
The Lightweights are up next, and once again it’s another pair of fighters looking to recover from a loss. Green has been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride, losing 2 in a row before reeling off 3-straight wins. Those, though, were followed by a loss his last time out, killing his momentum. Miller is 32-15, but has been on a poor run of form, losing 2 of his last 3 fights. I see this one going the distance, with Green getting the decision.
Kelvin Gastelum (-220) Vs Ian Heinisch (+180)
A pair of fighters sitting just outside the top 10 in the Middleweight division are up next, but it could be argued that one of them needs this fight more than the other. Gastelum is on a run that has seen him lose 3 in a row, albeit against very good fighters. That run had dropped him to #11 in the division. Heinisch was on a similar run, losing 2 in a row before getting back to winning ways last time out. I think this one goes the distance, with Gastelum getting the win.
Maycee Barber (-110) Vs Alexa Grasso (-120)
As the odds suggest, this Flyweight bout is one that looks to be very evenly matched. It is going to be interesting to see how Barber reacts after taking the first loss of her career, which dropped her to 8-1 overall. Grasso has been a little up and down of late, going 3-2 in her last 5 fights, with the last 3 all going the distance. Barber has a habit of finishing things early, but I think she has to go all the way to get the win in this one.
Kamaru Usman (-265) Vs Gilbert Burns (+205)
The headline event of the night looks like a beauty, with Usman looking to defend his Welterweight title against Gilbert Burns in what has the makings of a great fight. You need to go all the way back to 2013 to find the last time that Usman lost a fight, so it’s more than fair to suggest that he is at the top of his game right now. With just 1 loss in his last 6 fights and wins over some big names, Burns has earned a shot at the title. While I think he takes this one the distance, I think he comes up short.
UFC Betting News
Odds and Lines: UFC Betting | Live
- UFC Fight Night Odds: Blanchfield vs Fiorot Pick Plus Betting Preview
- UFC Fight Night Odds: Blanchfield vs Fiorot Pick Plus Betting Preview
- Bet UFC 299: O’Malley vs Vera 2 MMA Betting Lines for the Bantamweight Championship
- UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria Betting Analysis for the Main Card and Prelims
- UFC 297 Strickland vs Du Plessis Going for the UFC Middleweight Championship
