Live from the United Center in Chicago, IL, we have an amazing card at UFC 319. The Middleweight title is on the line as current champ Dricus Du Plessis takes on undefeated challenger Khamzat Chimaev. We also have a ton of other fights lining this entire card.
Today, I will break down my 3 favorite bets for this weekend’s fight card. Let’s get into it!
This should be a fun fight against two pretty high-level guys early in the card. Barboza is one of the greatest strikers to ever grace the UFC Octagon. He has a career UFC record of 18-12 with 8 KO/TKOs in that span.
He now takes on Drakkar Klose, who is 9-3 in his UFC career, but is coming off a brutal KO loss back in December. Klose is a very strong and explosive fighter, but he will have a tough time cracking the striking ability of Barboza.
Both of these guys are pretty old, Barboza at 39 and Klose at 37, but they still have some fight left in the tank. I think Barboza and his legendary kicks will give him this fight. I think he will manage the distance well and capitalize when Klose needs to close the distance.
MY PICK: Edson Barboza -140
I cannot wait for this fight. Aaron Pico is making his highly anticipated UFC debut against one of the UFC’s hottest prospects, Lerone Murphy. Both of these guys are extremely explosive and could be potential challengers in the lightweight division.
This fight comes with a ton of question marks, though. The last Bellator phenom we saw in the UFC, Patchy Mix, got dismantled. So, can Pico change the tune? I think Pico needs to lean on his wrestling background in this fight.
He was a junior world freestyle champion and the number one recruit in the nation before foregoing college and fighting full-time. Murphy is a very dangerous striker, and while Pico is also skilled in his striking game, he needs to play to his strengths. Give me Pico to give Murphy his first career loss this weekend, but in a close decision.
MY PICK: Aaron Pico +140
Here. We. Go. The Middleweight title is on the line as current champ DDP takes on terrifying challenger Khamzat Chimaev. This fight is guaranteed to be fireworks, as Chimaev is known for his high-paced attacking, and DDP is known for his unorthodox, but brutal, style of fighting.
DDP’s last loss as a pro was all the way back in 2018, and since then, he has beaten everyone in his path, including Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, and Sean Strickland. Chimaev has never lost, and his 2 latest wins were against former champions Robert Whittaker and Kamaru Usman. He has proven he is legit in every way, and now he finally gets his title shot.
Chimaev is a big favorite in this one, sitting at -258 at the time of me writing this. DDP is as tough as they come, and his unorthodox style of striking has given people tons of problems. The issue with that is Khamzat won’t be looking to stand for too long.
Chimaev has an average control time of 55.2% in his UFC career, meaning he is in a dominant position in grappling more than half the time he's fought in the UFC. I love DDP, and I think he has a chance here, but I’m not sure he will be able to handle the onslaught of Khamzat. I think Khamzat takes his back and ends it pretty early.
MY PICK: Khamzat Chimaev by Submission +130