Fightlete staff betting picks and odds for UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad
Photo: UFC
It will be hard to follow the wild event that was UFC 259, but UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Muhammad has some top-rate matchups that any MMA fan can appreciate. The event t is headlined by No. 3 Welterweight Leon Edwards and No. 13 Belal Muhammad, a match for the ages between a budding star and a UFC vet who has not recently been active. The main event is complimented by a number of great fights across many weight divisions. Here are our betting picks for Saturday’s main card (and one from the prelims)!
All odds via DraftKings Sportsbook. Please Gamble responsibly.
Results for the last event:
Drew: 5-1, +4.32 units
Sean: 4-2, +1.48 units
Kirien: 3-3, -0.43 units
Mike: 2-4, -3.01 units
2021 totals:
Drew: 23-16, +4.37 units
Mike: 22-17, -5.21 units
Kirien: 16-23, -12.74 units
Sean: 14-20, -9.51 units
Leon Edwards (-265) vs. Belal Muhammad (+215)
O/U 4.5 rounds (-230,+165)
Kirien’s Pick: Edwards/Under
Leon Edwards' long awaited return to the ring also comes with an opportunity to fight for welterweight gold, according to Dana White. With a lot at stake, can Edwards focus on the task at hand, or will Muhammed play the spoiler? I expect Edwards to come out with a lot of energy after the layoff and to finish this one early.
Drew’s Pick: Muhammad/Under
Belal Muhammad is being serverly underrated in this fight. This is mostly due to how the UFC rankings are situated and Edwards’ impressive past. That being said, it has been over 600 days since Edwards’ last fight. Muhammad has stayed active and is hungry for a quick turnaround. I think Muhammad takes this a lot easier than many people think.
Sean’s Pick: Muhammad/Over
Belal Muhammad recently picked up his fourth win in a row at UFC 258, while Leon Edwards hasn’t fought since summer of 2019. The time off could hurt Leon but Belal is coming in less than a month from an impressive performance in a previous fight. If Belal can use his takedowns to slow down the pace and keep Leon’s output to a minimum he wins by decision.
Misha Cirkunov (-124) vs. Ryan Spann (+102)
Kirien’s Pick: Cirkunov
Spann was knocked out almost six months ago. Trying to bounce back from that can be tough, particularly against an experienced fighter. Spann’s lack of aggressiveness never gives him a chance and Cirkunov cruises to a decision victory.
Drew’s Pick: Spann
This is yet another instance where one fighter has been active and one has not. I am sticking to the theory that the active fighter gets it done in most cases. This leads me to Spann, who is coming off a loss, but has fought three times since his opponent has last been in the Octagon. Meanwhile, Cirkunov has not fought since Sept. 2019.
Sean’s Pick: Spann
Spann was KOed by Walker last year. In Sept 2019, Cirkunov managed a submission win over Jimmy Crute. I feel this is a fight that will be played out on its feet, despite both having the ability to finish on the ground. I have Spann by KO in the 2nd Round, a solid underdog pick.
Dan Ige (-134) vs. Gavin Tucker (+110)
Kirien’s Pick: Tucker
The veteran lefty is able to keep Ige off balance all fight, but Ige never gives in. This fight will go the distance and the judges will have a tough decision to make. I think Tucker does just enough to sneak away with this victory.
Drew’s Pick: Tucker
Before his loss to Calvin Kattar last year, Dan Ige was on an impressive 6-fight win streak. Tucker is on a 4-fight streak and had an impressive win over Danny Quarantillo a few months ago. I think +110 is great value for Tucker, so I am riding with him.
Sean’s Pick: Ige
Ige had 6 wins in a row before his loss to Kattar, while Tucker garnered attention with his one-sided defeat of Quarantillo. Both have some impressive wins under their belt, but I can’t pick against Ige with his olympic calibur wrestling. It shouldn't be close with Tucker and I think he wins a decision handily.
Jonathan Martinez (-335) vs. Davey Grant (+250)
Kirien’s Pick: Jonathan Martinez
Both fighters have had a lot of recent success, so this will be a competitive fight. Grant probably offers the most value for bettors, but there's a reason why Martinez is the favorite. I’m siding with Vegas on this one.
Drew’s Pick: Martinez
I normally don’t like taking such a heavy favorite, but Jonathan Martinez is just the better fighter here. Both are coming off a pair of wins, so the hunger is relatively even. I believe that Martinez will outlast Grant and finish him in the second or third round.
Sean’s Pick: Martinez
Martinez has only recently garnered attention with wins over UFC vets Thomas Almeida and Frankie Saenz. Grant is coming off an insane KO win and has the ability to keep Martinez from taking his spot— but it won’t happen. Martinez times out Davey and with a well placed knee and KO’s him in the first.
Angela Hill (-360) vs. Ashley Yoder (+275)
Kirien’s Pick: Ashley Yoder
Yoder may be the heavy underdog, but she is taller, longer and younger than Hill. I’ll take the physically superior underdog for a good value with this pick.
Drew’s Pick: Ashley Yoder
I really don’t love this pick because both fighters have been fairly inconsistent, but Ashley Yoder provides too much value to pass up. At the very least, Yoder is coming off a win, whereas Hill has dropped two straight. Why is Hill -360? I have no idea.
Sean’s Pick: Ashley Yoder
This fight is a toss up for me. Hill is the former Invicta FC Strawweight Champion, but her two back-to-back loses shows that she can’t hold her own against top competition. Yoder has faced a similar struggle with the same level competition. Both her and Hill should mix it up well on the feet. That being said, I’m siding with Yoder due to her wrestling skills that even have Mackenzie Dern a run for her money.