We are heading to Vancouver, BC, as the UFC has put together another fun Fight Night for us. Headlined by rising star Reinier de Ridder and long-time contender Brendan Allen, we should have a great night of fights.
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 matchup between two very sharp boxers who will be approaching this fight almost exactly opposite. Chito Vera is a counterpuncher who relies on getting his opponent's movements and tendencies down as the fight goes on.
However, he can sometimes wait a little too long to strike. Zahabi, on the other hand, relies on constant pressure and volume. He isn’t the biggest puncher, but he is really slick and will lay it on his opponents.
Vera hasn’t looked great in his last two fights, losing to Sean O’Malley and Deiveson Figueiredo, and this will be his first fight of 2025. He hasn’t opened up much and has struggled to find his range. Chito has an issue winning decisions because of his low output, and I think he will run into that problem again this weekend, as Zahabi will keep constant pressure on him.
MY PICK: Aiemann Zahabi by Decision -110
Kevin Holland's fights are always interesting, and you can never really know what to expect from him. He is talented enough to fight with just about anyone, but he is extremely inconsistent. He now takes on Mike Malott, a rising contender in the Welterweight division.
Malott is still fresh in his UFC run with a 5-1 record as he is taking on Hollan, who has a record of 15-11 in the UFC. Malott hasn’t fought any huge talent yet, and this would be a big win for him as he continues to climb in the division.
Malott is a solid kickboxer who is composed in exchanges and has some power behind both his punches and kicks. I also think he is the superior grappler in this matchup. However, Holland has a huge reach advantage of 8 inches, which may help him out here. Still, I think Malott takes this one if he can stay composed and not let Holland stay at his distance.
MY PICK: Mike Malott -110
This is going to be an interesting one between two guys who are primarily grapplers. RDR has made waves since joining the UFC, as the former PRIDE double champion has won all four of his UFC fights, including a victory over former champion Rob Whittaker.
He will have another tough fight in Brendan Allen, who is coming off a solid win himself after beating Marvin Vettori last time out. Allen is taking this fight on short notice, as Anthony Hernandez had to drop out of what was likely a title eliminator.
As I mentioned, these guys are both primarily grapplers. However, I think RDR has an advantage wherever this fight goes. Allen is great at taking people's backs, but I think RDR will primarily hold the dominant position in the grappling exchanges.
He also has improved greatly as a striker, and he should hold the advantage there as well. Allen is as tough as they come, but I think he is simply outclassed in this matchup. Give me RDR to finish it.
MY PICK: Reinier de Ridder by TKO/KO or Sub +110