UFC Fight Night: Makhachev Vs Moises Betting Odds & Picks
UFC
To kick off the post-Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier fiasco, we have a fighter who many are calling the second coming of Khabib Nurmagamedov. Islam Makhachev is taking on the high level jiu-jitsu practitioner, Thiago Moisés. In the co-main event, we are going to see the return of former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Meisha Tate, battling Marion Reneau who has stated this will be the final fight of her career. Also on the card will be hellacious knockout artist Jeremy Stephens who will be making his return to the lightweight division after an 8-year stint as a featherweight.
All odds are provided by Fanduel Sportsbook. Odds are subject to change*
NOTE: All picks and predictions are for entertainment purposes only. Fightlete does not facilitate gambling activities. Please gamble responsibly if you so choose.
Results from the last event
Drew 3-1-1NC
Abraham 4-0-1NC
Results for 2021
Drew 47-48
Abraham 24-19
Johan 0-0
Islam Makhachev (-750) Vs Thiago Moisés (+490)
Fight go the distance? Yes (-118) or No (-116)
Drew’s Pick: No
This should be pretty close to a layup for Makhachev, as the odds indicate, but I would never take a bet with those odds. I think he will be able to get it done inside the distance. This is his first five-round main event, so I think he will be looking for a fast and furious finish.
Abraham’s Pick: No
Makhachev is a huge favorite in this main event and for good reason: he has been absolutely dominant in his UFC career. Many people believe he is going to be as dominant as Nurmagomedov and it’s hard to argue the way he manhandled Drew Dober in his last contest. Expect this to be no different. It’s over before we hear the final bell.
Johan’s Pick: No
The truth is that the fight can go either way. Islam Machachev can either grind him out and manhandle him for five rounds or the fight can be stopped towards the last two rounds. My pick is that Makhachev breaks Moisés' will and he ends up getting the submission finish either in the fourth or fifth round. The finishing rate for fighters out of Eagles MMA has been increasing and I do not see it stopping this Saturday.
Marion Reneau (+102) Vs Meisha Tate (-124)
Drew’s Pick: Tate
Although the experts will say to stay away from emotional picks, I am going with Tate purely because the story and comeback is awesome. Tate is a legend of the sport but has been away from MMA since 2016. Although she is probably still dangerous, I am riding with Tate because the storyline is intriguing.
Abraham’s Pick: Tate
This will be Tate’s first fight since 2016. She didn’t win that night, but five years later, there will be a different result. Reneau has announced this will be her last fight before retirement, so she will definitely want to end it on a high note. This will be a hard fought battle, and it’ll be a bit rough considering both are on a losing streak, one’s retiring and the other is returning after five years away from the sport. Still, I think Tate gets it done in a close decision victory.
Johan’s Pick: Tate
Although Tate will be coming back from a near 5-year retirement, she is a world class fighter compared to Reneau. Reneau is on a four-fight losing streak and this seems to be more of a tune-up fight for Tate before she fights someone in the top 10.
Jeremy Stephens (+184) Vs Mateusz Gamrot (-230)
Drew’s Pick: Stephens
This is my oddball pick, but there is a reason behind it. Stephens has not won an MMA bout since 2018 and has harbored four losses and a no contest in the meantime. Meanwhile, Gamrot has found some success but is only on his third UFC appearance. I believe that Stephens will take on the “hungry dog runs faster” approach as his future with the company is on the rocks.
Abraham’s Pick: Stephens
Yes, Stephens is on a losing streak. Even so, he has lost to the top of the heap like Calvin Kattar, Yair Rodriguez and Jose Aldo, to name a few. If Gamrot takes this fight to the ground, he should be taking home a win, because Stephens’ kryptonite has been his takedown defense. Yet, Stephens as an underdog here with his knockout potential has me liking the risk on “Lil Heathen.”
Johan’s Pick: Gamrot
Although Gamrot is making just his third appearance in the UFC, people in North America tend to forget he was one of the most successful champions in KSW. He is not fairly new to the world stage, and I believe that Gamrot will use his superior grappling skills to frustrate Stephens. Gamrot will use his ground-and-pound to stop Stephens in the second round.
Dustin Stolztus (+198) Vs Rodolfo Vieira (-250)
Drew’s Pick: Vieira
Both of these fighters are fresh in the game and hardly have any losses in the cage. I believe the oddsmakers are relying heavily on Vieira’s jiu-jitsu background, but Stolztus is no stranger to the ground game. Still, I will go with Vieira as a somewhat safe play, but anything can happen.
Abraham’s Pick: Vieira
Both men are coming off a loss. Unfortunately for Stolztus, I don’t see him coming out on top in this one. Vieira is a renowned jiu-jitsu competitor, so he has the advantage on the ground from that perspective. Don’t be surprised if we see a submission win for the 4-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu champion.
Johan’s Pick: Stolzfus
Although I want to say Vieira as my pick, his last fight proved two things to me. First, he has very little heart when he is faced with adversity. Second, he got tapped out. Even though he is one of the most decorated jiu-jitsu practitioners, I see Stolzfus having the striking advantage and I think that will be too much for the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.
Billy Quarantillo (+172) Vs Gabriel Benitez (-215)
Drew’s Pick: Quarantillo
Quarantillo is one of the most likeable and captivating characters on MMA Twitter. Both his online and in-cage personas are super fun to engage with, so I am going with another emotional pick that will hopefully build up some value at these odds.
Abraham’s Pick: Benitez
This will be Quarantillo’s hardest fight to date. Benitez is a smart fighter but is prone to fighting reckless when he gets rocked. If he stays the course, he should be able to outbox Quarantillo. This should be a fight with plenty of exciting moments with Benitez taking the slim decision victory.
Johan’s Pick: Quarantillo
Quarantillo’s last fight will be a wake up call for him, and I believe that will see a revamped version of him this Saturday. Quarantillo has an all-around game with solid cardio that could prove to be too much for Benitez.