Christmas will be coming early this August for MMA fans, as UFC 202 treats us to a spectacular showcase between two of the best fighters in the game in Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor. The fireworks will begin early on Saturday with a number of bright stars shining in the preliminaries, before the night is set ablaze with a host of entertaining Main Card matchups that will culminate with Diaz and McGregor pummeling each other out under the bright lights of Las Vegas. Join us below as we take you through some of our surefire MMA odds winning picks for the weekend.
Sure MMA Betting Picks for UFC 202
Elizabeth Phillips (4-2) vs. Raquel Pennington (4-4)
Pick: Pennington
Philips (1-2 in UFC) has not fought in over a year and it remains to be seen if she can bring the fight to Pennington this Saturday. Usually, I’d give a fighter like her the benefit of doubt, but last I saw her in the cage, Phillips struggled with nearly every aspect of her game. Conversely, Pennington (4-2 in UFC) has been actively involved in combat and holding her own quite well. More importantly, Pennington is balanced enough to go the distance and earn a decision or submission, or even finish a fight via knockout early. The same things that can’t be said of Phillips, who only has one UFC victory to her name. It’s therefore surprising that Phillips and not Pennington is favored in this fight’s betting lines. So, simply put, be on the lookout for a win by the versatile Pennington, who spots a very good price in the money lines.
Colby Covington (9-1) vs. Max Griffin (12-2)
Pick: Covington
Griffin is as good as they come when we are talking about punching and kicking hard, and the manner in which he has rebounded strongly since losing to Chidi Njokuani in a five-round split decision (which was actually his lone loss in his last nine fights) has been impressive. Making a strong UFC debut against Colby Covington should thus be very likely for him. That said, Covington won’t be easy to fight, as is illustrated by his strong one-loss record since entering the UFC. More than that, Griffin struggled with wrestling specialist Randall Wallace and that could easily play into Covington’s hands, considering the American Top Team (ATT) product boats of excellent wrestling skills. Should Griffin’s shaky takedown defense show its ugly head in this fight, as we expect it to do, then Covington should be able to have the upper hand, tapping his opponent by the second round.
Tim Means (25-7-1) vs. Sabah Homasi (11-5)
Pick: Means
It doesn’t get surer than this. Homasis is a late-replacement fighter with zero UFC experience and fighting skills that are far from fine-tuned for the octagon style. Means, meanwhile, is a hell of an experienced fighter with plenty of high-level experience, including three stoppage victories in his last three contests. So, yeah, give me Means and a quick stoppage within the first two rounds.
Nate Diaz (20-10) vs. Conor McGregor (19-3)
Pick: McGregor
Even with McGregor owning a better win record and boasting of some of most lethal punches in game, picking him over jiu-jitsu master Diaz is a bit of a risk after the American outlasted him in UFC 196. Diaz has an above-average boxing game and excellent grappling skills that will keep him in this game, and the better conditioning he has now (as opposed to preparing for McGregor in a few days’ notice when they met earlier in the year) means an even tougher matchup for Connor. But then again, there is simply no way McGregor will be dropping two fights in a row and to the same opponent; the Irishman it too proud to do that. With everything on the line for McGregor, I expect him to swing better, go the distance better, and mix up everything—including some occasional-but-devastating kicks—to eventually score a win in not longer than Round Three.
