Douglas Vegas Bets

Former Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz officially retired from mixed martial arts today after it was announced that he was not going to be able to compete in his scheduled fight with Rob Font at UFC Seattle. He has competed professionally since 2005 and will finish with a record of 24-4.

Cruz was a two-time Bantamweight champion in the UFC and held the belt in the WEC, with wins over legends like Uriah Faber, TJ Dillashaw, and Demetrious Johnson. His career was unfortunately plagued by injuries, with him being forced to take several long layoffs, one of which interrupted his title reign and another that kept him out over three years after losing to Cody Garbrandt. His last win came at UFC 269, where he came back after suffering an early knockdown to win a unanimous decision against Pedro Munhoz. He did lose the final fight of his career although he was competitive with a much younger and dangerous Marlon Vera until a fourth-round headkick ended the fight. Cruz will continue to work as a commentator for the UFC in the role he has served for years, providing quality analysis on many historic cards including UFC 229, which was the most purchased PPV in UFC history.

What is your favorite Dominick Cruz memory? Let us know in the comments.

Dominick Cruz Retires From MMA

A replacement has been found quickly after it was announced that Brandon Royval would not be able to compete in his scheduled main event against Manel Kape. Kape will now face undefeated contender Asu Almabayev who was originally scheduled to face Allan Nascimento on the same day (first reported by Sportilinet). The fight is scheduled for March 1st from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

## Announcement: Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev Flyweight Main Event

This will be Kape's first main event with his last fight being a knockout win over Bruno Silva at UFC Tampa late last year. Almabayev gets a big opportunity here after beating veteran Matheus Nicolau by a decision last October extending his UFC win streak to four.

Who are you picking in this new Flyweight main event? Let us know in the comments.

Asu Almabayev Replaces Brandon Royval For Main Event Against Manel Kape

The odds are out as hard-hitting Middleweights Jared Cannonier and Gregory Rodrigues are set to clash in a five-round main event. This fight is scheduled for February 15th from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

*Odds provided by Duelbits accurate as of 2/5/2025**

## Current Odds: Jared Cannonier +160, Gregory Rodrigues -204

These odds mean a risk of $100 on Jared Cannonier could win $160, while it would take a risk of $204 on Gregory Rodrigues to win $100.

This will be Cannonier's sixth straight main event with his last fight being a decision loss to Caio Borralho last August. Rodrigues enters this having won three straight with the most recent coming by decision over Christian Leroy Duncan at UFC 304.

## Past Odds: Jared Cannonier

*Odds via FightOdds.io*

Jared Cannonier (+210) vs. Caio Borralho (-250) UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho - Loss

Jared Cannonier (+106) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (-126) UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Imavov - Loss

Jared Cannonier (+120) vs. Marvin Vettori (-150) UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs. Cannonier - Win

Jared Cannonier (-115) vs. Sean Strickland (+105) UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Strickland - Win

Jared Cannonier (+435) vs. Israel Adesanya (-500) UFC 276 - Loss

## Past Odds: Gregory Rodrigues

*Odds via FightOdds.io*

Gregory Rodrigues (+110) vs. Christian Leroy Duncan (-130) UFC 304 - Win

Gregory Rodrigues (-238) vs. Brad Tavares (+203) UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer - Win

Gregory Rodrigues (-360) vs. Denis Tiuiulin (+285) UFC 292 - Win

Gregory Rodrigues (-290) vs. Brunno Ferreira (+260) UFC 283 - Loss

Gregory Rodrigues (+115) vs. Chidi Njokuani (-125) UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Song - Win

Who are you picking in this fun Middleweight clash? Let us know in the comments.

Betting Odds: Jared Cannonier Underdog Against Gregory Rodrigues for Main Event Clash

It was a breakout win for France's Nassourdine Imavov today as he scored a second-round knockout over former Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya. This fight was the main event from the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

## Result: Nassourdine Imavov def. Israel Adesanya via 2nd Round TKO (0:30)

The fight was competitive through the first round, with Adesanya putting on the pressure and defending several takedown attempts, although late in the round, Imavov landed a big uppercut that sent Adesanya backward momentarily. The second round saw an early eye poke of Adesanya briefly halt action before Imavov landed a massive right-handed and quickly jumped on Adesanya to finish the fight. 


>"I think there is no doubt I am worth the belt" - Nassourdine Imavov

What did you think of the performance from Imavov? Let us know in the comments.

Nassourdine Imavov Knocks Out Israel Adesanya at UFC Saudi Arabia

Former Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will fight Nassourdine Imavov in the main event this weekend at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The official weigh-ins took place today; here are the results.

## Main Card 3 PM EST

**Middleweight:** Israel Adesanya (185) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (185)

**Middleweight:** Shara Magomedov (185) vs. Michael Page (185.5)

**Heavyweight:** Sergei Pavlovich (249) vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik (252)

**Featherweight:** Said Nurmagomedov (135.5) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (135)

**Lightweight:** Fares Ziam (156) vs. Mike Davis (155.5)

**Featherweight:** Muhammad Naimov (145.5) vs. Kaan Ofli (145)

## Prelims 9 AM EST

**Heavyweight:** Shamil Gaziev (260) vs. Thomas Petersen (263)

**Lightweight:** Terrance McKinney (156) vs. Damir Hadzovic (155.5)

**Flyweight:** Jasmine Jasudavicius (125) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (126)

**Featherweight:** Bogdan Grad (145.5) vs. Lucas Alexander (148.5)*

**Heavyweight:** Hamdy Abdelwahab (260) vs. Jamal Pogues (264)

*Alexander missed the Featherweight limit by 1.5 Ibs, the fight will continue

UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Imavov Weigh-In Results

The next Flyweight title challenger is likely to come from this matchup as Brandon Royval is set to defend his number one contender position against Manel Kape and the odds are out. This matchup is scheduled for March 1st from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

*Odds provided by Duelbits accurate as of 1/30/2025*

## Current Odds: Brandon Royval +175, Manel Kape -227

These odds mean a risk of $100 on Brandon Royval could win $175, while it would take a risk of $227 on Manel Kape to win $100.

This will be Royval's third straight main event with the most recent resulting in a split decision win over the previously unbeaten Tatsuro Taira. Kape looks to build on a very strong performance against Bruno Silva where he stopped him in the third round.

## Past Odds: Brandon Royval

*Odds via Fightodds.io*

Brandon Royval (+245) vs. Tatsuro Taira (-285) UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Taira - Win

Brandon Royval (+256) vs. Brandon Moreno (-306) UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 - Win

Brandon Royval (+163) vs. Alexandre Pantoja (-188) UFC 296 - Loss

Brandon Royval (+177) vs. Matheus Nicolau (-192) UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Allen - Win

Brandon Royval (-230) vs. Matt Schnell (+210) UFC 274 - Win

## Past Odds: Manel Kape

*Odds via Fightodds.io*

Manel Kape (-430) vs. Bruno Silva (+330) UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Buckley - Win

Manel Kape (+170) vs. Muhammad Mokaev (-200) UFC 304 - Loss

Manel Kape (-420) vs. Felipe dos Santos (+320) UFC 293 - Win

Manel Kape (-210) vs. David Dvorak (+190) UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Cannonier - Win

Manel Kape (-280) vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (+255) UFC Fight Night: Font vs. Aldo - Win

Who are you taking in this fun Flyweight main event? Let us know in the comments.

Betting Odds: Manel Kape Favored Against Brandon Royval in Main Event Clash

Former Welterweight champion Leon Edwards is set to return against fan favorite Jack Della Maddalena and the betting odds have been released. This fight is scheduled for March 22nd at the O2 Arena in London, England.

*Odds provided by Duelbits accurate as of 1/30/2025*

## Current Odds: Leon Edwards +111, Jack Della Maddalena -141

These odds mean a risk of $100 on Leon Edwards could win $111, while it would take a risk of $141 on Jack Della Maddalena to win $100.

This will be the first time we see Edwards since he lost his title to Belal Muhammad at UFC 304. Jack Della Maddalena returns from a lengthy layoff due to injury here with his last fight being a knockout win over Gilbert Burns at UFC 299.

## Past Odds: Leon Edwards

*Odds via Fightodds.io*

Leon Edwards (-200) vs. Belal Muhammad (+160) UFC 304 - Loss

Leon Edwards (-163) vs. Colby Covington (+143) UFC 296 - Win

Leon Edwards (+225) vs. Kamaru Usman (-265) UFC 286 – Win

Leon Edwards (+315) vs. Kamaru Usman (-345) UFC 278 – Win

Leon Edwards (-460) vs. Nate Diaz (+410) UFC 263 – Win

## Past Odds: Jack Della Maddalena

*Odds via Fightodds.io*

Jack Della Maddalena (-161) vs. Gilbert Burns (+141) UFC 299 - Win

Jack Della Maddalena (-125) vs. Kevin Holland (+105) UFC Fight Night: Grasso vs. Shevchenko 2 - Win

Jack Della Maddalena (-600) vs. Bassil Hafez (+425) UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Bueno Silva - Win

Jack Della Maddalena (-305) vs. Randy Brown (+275) UFC 284 - Win

Jack Della Maddalena (-660) vs. Danny Roberts (+540) UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivac - Win

## Full Card Odds

Leon Edwards +111 vs. Jack Della Maddalena -141, Welterweight

Jan Blachowicz +180 vs. Carlos Ulberg -233, Light Heavyweight

Who are you taking in this pivotal Welterweight matchup? Let us know in the comments.

Betting Odds: Leon Edwards Underdog vs. Jack Della Maddalena at UFC London

Fan favorite and Light Heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is set to make his next title defense against top-ranked Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313, and the odds are out. This fight is scheduled for March 8th from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

*Odds provided by Duelbits accurate as of 1/30/2025*

## Current Odds: Alex Pereira -112, Magomed Ankalaev -112

These odds mean you would need to risk $112 on Alex Pereira to win $100, while it would take a risk of $112 on Magomed Ankalaev to win $100.

This will be Pereira's fourth title defense, with all his title wins coming by knockout, including his latest victory, which came over Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307. Ankalaev will look to finally claim UFC gold here after coming up just short in a draw against Jan Blachowicz years ago; he earned this shot with a decision win over Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308.

## Past Odds: Alex Pereira

*Odds via Fightodds.io*

Alex Pereira (-460) vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. (+360) UFC 307 - Win

Alex Pereira (-157) vs. Jiri Prochazka (+137) UFC 303 - Win

Alex Pereira (-129) vs. Jamahal Hill (+109) UFC 300 - Win

Alex Pereira (-125) vs. Jiri Prochazka (+105) UFC 295 - Win

Alex Pereira (-110) vs. Jan Blachowicz (-110) UFC 291 - Win

## Past Odds: Magomed Ankalaev

*Odds via Fightodds.io*

Magomed Ankalaev (-280) vs. Aleksandar Rakic (+240) UFC 308 - Win

Magomed Ankalaev (-550) vs. Johnny Walker (+400) UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 - Win

Magomed Ankalaev (-400) vs. Johnny Walker (+300) UFC 294

Magomed Ankalaev (-335) vs. Jan Blachowicz (+305) UFC 282 - Draw

Magomed Ankalaev (-605) vs. Anthony Smith (+505) UFC 277 - Win

## Full Card Odds

Alex Pereira -112 vs. Magomed Ankalaev -112, Light Heavyweight Title Fight

Justin Gaethje -156 vs. Dan Hooker +122, Lightweight

Who are you picking in this long-awaited Light Heavyweight battle? Let us know in the comments.

Betting Odds: Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev Odds Even ahead of UFC 313

The UFC is back in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the ANB Arena in Riyadh for a stacked fight night card headlined by former Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya -164, taking on streaking contender Nassourdine Imavov +134. I went over that matchup and every other fight on the card to give my predictions and best bets, so let's get into it.

**Odds provided by Duelbits accurate as of 1/28/2025**

## Israel Adesanya -164 vs. Nassourdine Imavov +134

The main event this week is a high-stakes Middleweight clash between two men who are firmly in the title picture. Israel Adesanya reigned over this division for years with his slick kickboxing, although over recent years, the speed he once had has seemingly faded, and with him losing three out of his last four, it may be time to question how much is left in the tank. Nassourdine Imavov enters this fight having won three straight over top ten ranked opposition with his strong boxing standing out of an overall well-rounded game despite some cardio issues which have come and gone throughout his career.

I am a big fan of Imavov's game and will bet him here as the underdog with this matchup favoring him in a few different areas. He is the younger guy, he's been more active, he has the grappling upside, and his cardio issues are less likely to show up in a kickboxing match with a counter striker. With all that, Imavov is my best bet of the week.

Prediction: Imavov by Decision (Best Bet)

## Shara Magomedov -185 vs. Michael Page +149

These two flashy strikers square off here at Middleweight. Shara Magomedov is a lightning-fast kickboxer who is undefeated with four wins coming in the UFC including a wild knockout of skilled kickboxer Armen Petrosyan his last time in the cage. Michael Page is a one-of-a-kind striker with a hands-down style that allows him to move very freely before making big actions to land damage on his opponents as they often struggle to react.

I lean toward Magomedov here as he has a few key factors going his way including being the natural Middleweight, much younger, and fighting with the crowd behind him. Still, I am not sold on him being worth betting at this price against a veteran like Page, so this fight is a pass for me. 

Prediction: Magomedov by Decision

## Sergei Pavlovich -323 vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik +250

Big punchers collide here in this Heavyweight clash that you shouldn't take your eyes off. Sergei Pavlovich is as dangerous as anyone in the UFC for the first round with all his wins coming by early knockout although when extended by Alexander Volkov he struggled to keep a pace or pose much of a threat. Jairzinho Rozenstruik is a veteran kickboxer with dangerous power and solid technique, but he is getting up there in age and has suffered several early knockout losses.

At these odds, Rozenstruik has to be the side, if this fight gets out of round one I believe he will win two and three at a pretty high rate although, with several early knockout losses in his UFC career, there is a big concern there.

Prediction: Rozenstruik by Decision

## Said Nurmagomedov -179 vs. Vinicius Oliveira +144

Rising Bantamweights to watch go head to head in this fantastic matchup. Said Nurmagomedov is a very dangerous fighter with good striking and a nasty choke game that has finished three of his last four wins including strong competition in Cody Stamann and Saidyokud Kakhramonov. Vinicius Oliveira is a skilled and powerful striker who caught the attention of many last year with a flying knee knockout over Benardo Sopaj in his debut and a dominant decision over veteran Ricky Simon later on.

I'll pick Nurmagomedov here as both men are skilled strikers but he has the x-factor of being able to snatch the neck at any moment and he is fighting with a friendly crowd.

Prediction: Nurmagomedov by 1st Round Submission

## Fares Ziam +130 vs. Mike Davis -161

Lightweights, each looking to extend their four-fight win streak, face off here to open the main card. Fares Ziam is a tall striker who has improved tremendously since his early time in the UFC, with his most recent win against Matt Frevola feeling like a breakout performance. Mike Davis returns here after another long layoff, when active he has a very well-rounded game, as he has shown in fast-paced wars with Sodiq Yusuff and Mason Jones.

I like Ziam in this one as he is the longer guy who can win the striking at range, and he has been much more active, looking better each time he gets in the octagon. 

Prediction: Ziam by Decision

## Muhammad Naimov -294 vs. Kaan Ofli +225

Featherweights looking to get back in the win column battle in this featured prelim. Muhammad Naimov looks to bounce back from his first UFC loss after displaying big power in his first few outings, which resulted in wins over veterans Jamie Mullarkey and Nathaniel Wood. Kaan Ofli makes his UFC debut after failing to win the finale of The Ultimate Fighter 32, losing by knockout to Mairon Santos, although on the show, he still demonstrated a solid skillset with basic striking and dangerous submission skills in wins over Nathan Fletcher and Roedie Roets.

This is a good spot for Naimov to get a bounce-back knockout with Ofli having just been finished although I wouldn't be shocked if Ofli makes this competitive as Naimov isn't a great minute winner and was just submitted.

Prediction: Naimov by 2nd Round KO

## Shamil Gaziev -385 vs. Thomas Petersen +290

Heavyweights with the power to end a fight quickly square off here. Shamil Gaziev is a big and strong guy, which he can use to beat up his opponents early, but his cardio has been a massive issue. Thomas Petersen is a solid grappler for the weight class but his striking leaves much to be desired, in particular on defense, as he takes a lot of damage.

I'll pick Gaziev here as I believe he has the advantage wherever the fight goes early on, but with his cardio issues, I can't even think about betting on him at this price as Petersen could win simply by not getting finished early. 

Prediction: Gaziev by Decision

## Terrance McKinney -476 vs. Damir Hadzovic +350

Lightweights with kill-or-be-killed styles are matched up in this one. Terrance McKinney is a fast finisher, with all his wins coming by early knockout or submission, although when he fails to get his opponent out of there early, he doesn't have the cardio to survive. Damir Hadzovic returns after several years away here, he is a solid striker, although he struggled against solid grapplers at the UFC level.

I see the grappling of McKinney being far too much for Hadzovic to overcome unless he has made significant improvements to his game during the time off which I strongly doubt.

Prediction: McKinney by 1st Round Submission

## Jasmine Jasudavicius -238 vs. Mayra Bueno Silva +190

It's a big matchup here at Flyweight as two very skilled grapplers look to push their way into the contender conversation. Jasmine Jasudavicius is a high-paced wrestler who often overwhelms her opponents with pace and pressure. Mayra Bueno Silva is a dangerous submission artist with solid striking as well and she is moving back down in weight for this fight after losing two straight at Bantamweight.

This is a tough fight to call but I slightly favor Jasudavicius to win a decision as I feel she is the busier fighter in the cage and will be on the top in most grappling exchanges, although the finishing upside is firmly on the side of Bueno Silva here, giving me a lot of hesitation with this pick.

Prediction: Jasudavicius by Decision

## Bogdan Grad -101 vs. Lucas Alexander -120

Two dangerous strikers collide here in this fun Featherweight matchup. Bogdan Grad makes his debut off of Dana White's Contender Series, where he got redemption for his first time on the show, this time at a lower weight class where he looked much better. Lucas Alexander is a tall striker with decent power but there is some concern with him having missed weight and lost his last fight as a big favorite against Jeka Saragih.

I lean towards Alexander here as Grad struggled against Tom Nolan in big part due to his size advantage and despite being much shorter than Nolan, Alexander has the same reach which he can use to keep Grad at range.

Prediction: Alexander by Decision

## Hamdy Abdelwahab -111 vs. Jamal Pogues -111

Heavyweights looking to gain valuable experience will open the card here. Hamdy Abdelwahab is back for another UFC showing here after his lengthy suspension for a drug test failure after his debut win over Don'Tale Mayes. Jamal Pogues is a decent boxer who has shown solid durability and little finishing ability for the weight class as he has gone the distance in each of his last five fights.

I'll go with Pogues here but it's tough to have much confidence in either side here, if Abdelwahab is in good form he has a path with the wrestling, although he is very inexperienced and his striking does not look good which leads me to lean towards Pogues as the pick.

Prediction: Pogues by Decision

UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Imavov Odds Breakdown

After over a year away from the octagon the return of Marvin Vettori has officially been confirmed as he is set to rematch Roman Dolidze in a main event from the Apex on March 15th. This was first reported by MagicM MMA Bets.

## Announcement: Marvin Vettori vs. Roman Dolidze Middleweight Main Event

This will be the first time we see Vettori since he lost a brutal fight with Jared Cannonier in June 2023, the former title challenger is still just thirty-one years old. Dolidze will be looking to extend his win streak here after finishing Kevin Holland in his last fight at UFC 307 and winning a decision over Anthony Smith at UFC 303.

Who are you taking in this Middleweight rematch? Let us know in the comments.

Arman Tsarukyan