UFC 300 Betting Preview: Live Odds and Our Best Bets for Saturday Night at T-Mobile Area
Welcome BACK UFC fans! This weekend it is all going down at the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas, as this UFC 300 card is projected to be the biggest event in UFC history.
This card is jam-packed! We've got 12 fights, lots of former champs, some current champs, and a mix of up-and-coming stars. Enjoy the action!
Why Super Sodiq Will Slow The Hype Train on Saturday Night
Super Soqiq Yusuff (6-2, UFC) is taking on Diego Lopes (2-1, UFC) in the 9th match of the evening. Lopes has all the hype, and media attention around him, and rightfully so. He looks the part, he has the skills, and has won his last 2 UFC fights in the first round via Arm Triangle on Gavin Tucker and via Punches on Pat Sabatini.
It feels like the UFC is positioning this young kid to be a star in the future and he may very well get there. This was a tough decision for me as I really do like what this kid brings to the octagon, and I would not be shocked if he gets his hand raised again this weekend.
Having said that, I believe he will have to knock out or submit Sodiq, otherwise a late round decision may not favor Lopes. Many believe Sodiq is coming into this fight as the dog because of his loss coming at the hands of Edson Barbosa, which was a tough 5 round loss.
Had he won that, he would be the favorite in this fight, so books are giving us + money on a fighter that should be favored, I will take these odds everyday!
Sodiq is compact, quick, has power in his hands, isn't afraid to step forward, and will exchange on the feet. Sodiq is one tough fighter and I do not believe Lopes will be able to knock him out, and if Lopes tries to take him to the ground good luck.
Sodiq is one of the biggest and strongest featherweights in the UFC. He has great distance control which allows him to fend off any takedowns Lopes will try, and that could help him set up a possible take down on Lopes, if he chooses to go that route.
If Lopes tries to exchange on the feet he could be in trouble, Sodiq can be precise and clean with his strikes and if Lopes loses a little control in a wild exchange, Sodiq could sting him with shots.
If Sodiq controls the pace, keeps the distance, and finds his range, I do believe he will have his hand raised as he continues to climb in the featherweight division.
My Bet: Sodiq "Super" Yusuff (+120 at DraftKings)
Top UFC 300 Bonus: Bet $5, Get $150 from DraftKings
Who Really is The BMF in The UFC
There are so many good fights on this card, it is tough to choose which ones to give out, as our subscribers are on 7 different plays as of this writing. This one may be the fight of the night, and is the one I am looking forward to the most. This fight is for the BMF Belt, which UFC created for UFC 244.
I went back and forth on both fighters all week, who doesn't love both of these guys? We are talking about Max "Blessed" Holloway (21-7, UFC) taking on Justin "Highlight" Gaethje (8-4. UFC). It is stunning to think Max is actually the younger fighter given all of his fights and wars in the octagon, but it is true, Max is 32 and Justin is 35.
These guys are practically the same size, height, weight, with Gaethje having the slight reach advantage. I expect nothing short of a war in this fight. Both men have gone to the deep end, taking and giving blows. Max's last 3 losses have come at the hands of one of the greatest fighters ever in Alexander Volkanovski.
He was never able to climb that mountain and now has his sights set on new challenges, and Gaethje will be that. Both fighters average around 7 significant strikes per minute, and both absorb a fair amount as well. I doubt either one will look to grapple, as both have been pure strikers in their UFC careers. Gaethje has the power advantage, but Max has the endurance, cardio, and better defense.
I believe Max is the more cerebral fighter, who can not only avoid the major damage, but absorb the blows from Gaethje to last into the later rounds. The deeper this goes, the more I believe it will favor Max where he may be able to catch Gaethje as the exhaustion kicks in.
Both fighters have great cardio and stamina, but where Gaethje can get caught I believe is in the later rounds if Max keeps peppering him with shots. Gaethje will use his power, and when he does, he gives up energy and begins to bleed the tank with each shot. This will be a battle on the feet and has a very good chance to go the distance.
Holloway will be tough to KO as it just doesn't happen. I believe Holloway's footwork and boxing acumen will be able to help him out point Gaethje in this 5 round fight. If Holloway can avoid the big damaging blows, I think he has a great shot, especially as a plus money dog.
My Bet: Max "Blessed" Holloway ML (+138 at FanDuel)