Liam Lindsay

The UFC is back in Sydney, Australia this weekend for a double title fight headliner, main-evented by Dricus du Plessis and Sean Strickland. One fight that could very arguably be placed up on the main card is the clash between Colby Thicknesse and Aleksandre Topuria, so we're going to talk a little more about it today.

**This fight takes place in the Bantamweight division (135 lbs.)**

Colby Thicknesse enters the fight with an undefeated 7-0 record. The Australian is the former HEX Bantamweight Champion and has four career finishes.

Aleksandre Topuria holds a 5-1 record. Despite making his MMA debut nearly ten years ago, he's remained inactive. However, he has a 100% finish rate.

**Official Odds: Colby Thicknesse +250, Aleksandre Topuria -385.**

Thicknesse is an Australian with a well-rounded skill set, who uses a grappling-heavy approach, proven as both his KO/TKO wins have come via ground-and-pound. Training out of Freestyle MMA, the same gym that  Alex Volkanovski trains out of, he's been surrounded by some of the best minds in the game. Thicknesse coached TUF alongside Volkanovski, working with UFC alumni Bryan Battle and Ricky Turcios. With his gritty style, he'll look to drag Topuria into deep waters and drown him.

On the other side, Aleksandre Topuria brings a dangerous combination of knockout power and submission skills. He is the older brother of UFC Featherweight Champion, Ilia Topuria. His background in grappling gives him confidence on the ground, but he shines on the feet with devastating boxing combinations. However, Aleksandre last fought on May 20th, 2023, so this layoff could affect his performance against the much fresher Colby Thicknesse. He has finished all of his wins inside two rounds, showing his ability to put opponents away quickly.

With these prospects looking to impress in their UFC debuts, this is a fight you don’t want to miss. Both men are backed by the two best Featherweights in the world, and will bring their all to make a stamp at UFC 312.

Verdict's Sleeper Fight of the Week: Thicknesse vs. Topuria

Douglas Vegas Bets

The UFC is heading back to Sydney, Australia, at the Kudos Bank Arena for a PPV card headlined by the rematch between Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and Sean Strickland with the Strawweight belt on the line in the co-main event as Weili Zhang takes on Tatiana Suarez. I went over those fights and every other matchup on the card to give my predictions and best bets, so let's get into it.

**Odds provided by Duelbits accurate as of 2/7/2025**

## Dricus Du Plessis -222 vs. Sean Strickland +175

This highly anticipated Middleweight rematch will go down here at our main event. Dricus Du Plessis has become famous for his awkward style of frequent blitzing with powerful strikes, and his freakish strength allows him to dominate his opponents in grappling. Sean Strickland also has a unique style, carrying a very boxing-heavy approach, mixing in some teep kicks, he's also hard to hit clean as he is very defensively responsible.

I'll pick Du Plessis to get the job done again here. He is the fighter much more likely to find the finish, and we already saw he can take a decision with the bigger punches and takedowns. 

Prediction: Du Plessis by 2nd Round Submission

## Weili Zhang -101 vs. Tatiana Suarez -120

The Strawweight title is on the line between two fierce competitors in our co-main event. Weili Zhang has continually improved over her domination of the division with powerful, high-volume striking and a strong ground game that helped her submit Carla Esparza and take a decision in her last fight against Xiaonan Yan. Tatiana Suarez is an undefeated wrestler who has struggled to consistently stay active as injuries have plagued her career, forcing her to take several years off when she was seemingly about to get her first opportunity at the belt, although when she has been in the cage, she has always been dominant, with four finishes in her last five fights.

I lean towards Zhang here, as I can't justify taking Suarez as a favorite here against a dominant champion when she hasn't consistently competed, and her best performances were over five years ago.

Prediction: Zhang by Decision

## Tallison Teixeira -164 vs. Justin Tafa +133

Powerful Heavyweights clash here in this one that could end in the blink of an eye. Tallison Teixeira makes his debut here as an undefeated finisher coming off a first-round knockout on Dana White's Contender Series. Justin Tafa is a dangerous puncher, with all of his UFC wins coming by first-round knockout, although his game is missing a lot as he struggles greatly whenever his opponent can grapple.

I'll go with Teixeira here as he has a sizable reach advantage, he is younger, and if there is any grappling he will have the advantage.

Prediction: Teixeira by 1st Round TKO

## Jimmy Crute +132 vs. Rodolfo Bellato -161

Light Heavyweight finishers square off here in what is sure to be a wild fight. Jimmy Crute was once a top prospect who seemed well on his way to being a real contender, although with three losses and a draw in his last four, including a brutal submission loss to Alonzo Menifield the last time we saw him has left many wondering if he has it in him anymore. Rodolfo Bellato comes into this off a crazy debut win where Ihor Potieria dropped him badly and seemingly had him finished before completely gassing out, which Bellato took advantage of by getting top position and finishing the fight.

I like Crute here as, despite his rough stretch, this is a massive step down in competition, and if he can return to the form he had early in his career, he can dominate this matchup both standing or on the ground. With that, Jimmy Crute is this weeks best bet of the week.

Prediction: Crute by 1st Round KO (Best Bet)

## Jake Matthews -244 vs. Francisco Prado +190

Welterweights on the rise go head-to-head here to open up the main card. Jake Matthews is a tough veteran with a well-rounded game, leaning heavily on his boxing but still having the ground game to take the fight there if needed. Francisco Prado comes up from Lightweight here after showing crazy toughness and solid power in his hands through his first three UFC fights.

I think Matthews takes a decision here as he is the much more experienced fighter with a more well-rounded skillset, but Prado has proven very difficult to finish.

Prediction: Matthews by Decision

## Jack Jenkins +190 vs. Gabriel Santos -238

Two Featherweights looking to keep their momentum going face off in this featured prelim. Jack Jenkins is a fun striker with a very hard leg kick, although his ground game is still questionable. Gabriel Santos is a dangerous fighter with a very well-rounded offensive attack, although his defense can be lacking at times, with him having a lot of trust in his chin, as was the case against David Onama where he was knocked out by the powerful striker.

I've got Santos here, as I think he is the much more dangerous fighter with a big advantage in the grappling.

Prediction: Santos by 3rd Round Submission

## Tom Nolan -101 vs. Viacheslav Borshchev -120

Powerful Lightweight strikers will test their skills against one another in this fun matchup. Tom Nolan is a young prospect who is very big for the division with big power and questionable defense, which has led to four of his last five fights ending in the first round. Viacheslav Borshchev is a skilled kickboxer who mixes up his kicks and his boxing very well, although his durability has been inconsistent, with him getting dropped badly by Nazim Sadykhov and Chase Hooper. 

I'm going to take Borshchev here as despite him being the older guy at the physical disadvantage he is the far more skilled and experienced fighter making me believe he can overcome the size of Nolan.

Prediction: Borshchev by 2nd Round KO

## Cong Wang -385 vs. Bruna Brasil +295

Up and coming Flyweights battle here to see who will move up in the division's ranks. Cong Wang came into the UFC with a lot of hype and scored an early knockout in her debut, although she suffered a massive upset loss in her last fight after getting dropped and choked out by Gabriella Fernandes. Bruna Brasil comes from the popular Fighting Nerds, and she showed growth in her game with her last win over Molly McCann, where she dominated both the striking and grappling. 

At these odds, I can't justify taking Wang after what we saw from her last time out, so I'll pick Brasil as the underdog, but I don't have much confidence there.

Prediction: Brasil by Decision

## Aleksandre Topuria -385 vs. Colby Thicknesse +290

Two debutants are matched up here in this highly anticipated Bantamweight matchup. Aleksandre Topuria comes in with plenty of expectation as the older brother of Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, and he comes in with five wins, all coming inside the distance. Colby Thicknesse comes from the gym of former champion Alexander Volkanovski, and he does so with a solid ground game.

This price may seem high given Topuria's experience, but he has surely gained plenty of valuable experience training alongside his brother, which I expect will work in his favor here and help him find another quick finish.

Prediction: Topuria by 1st Round Submission

## Kody Steele -270 vs. Rongzhu +215

Young Lightweights clash here, looking to make a name for themselves in a deep division. Kody Steele makes his debut here off an impressive performance on Dana White's Contender Series, where he showed his solid boxing to go with a strong grappling base. Rongzhu looks to bounce back here after a tough loss in a fight against Chris Padilla, where he looked very good before suffering swelling that shut his eye and forced the doctor to stop the fight.

I'm going with Rongzhu as the underdog here, as I feel this could turn into a very close striking match with Rongzhu having more experience at this level.

Prediction: Rongzhu by Decision

## Kevin Jousset -250 vs. Jonathan Micallef +200

Two Welterweights who are both very familiar with fighting in Australia in their regional days. Kevin Jousset is a solid kickboxer from the famous City Kickboxing gym, coming off a hard-fought war with Bryan Battle where he was finished in the second round after a crazy pace early. Jonathan Micallef is a solid grappler coming in off a first-round submission win that earned him a contract on Dana White's Contender Series. 

I'll pick Jousset in this one as I feel he is the much better striker with good enough grappling to dictate where the fight takes place.

Prediction: Jousset by Decision

## Quillan Salkilld -667 vs. Anshul Jubli +450

Lightweights looking to establish their place square off in this interesting matchup. Quillan Salkilld is a well-rounded fighter who comes in off a solid win on Dana White's Contender Series, which was his seventh straight win since losing his pro debut. Anshul Jubli is a skilled fighter who showed solid striking early against Mike Breeden before collapsing late and being finished. 

Salkilld should have every advantage in this matchup and is the hometown guy so I'll pick him to win, but I would caution people as betting on a debutant at these odds is an unnecessary risk.

Prediction: Salkilld by 2nd Round TKO

UFC 312 Odds Breakdown

UFC 312 goes down this weekend, headlined by Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis taking on Sean Strickland in a rematch. The official weigh-ins took place today; here are the results.

## Main Card 10 PM EST

**Middleweight:** Sean Strickland (185) vs. Dricus Du Plessis (185)

**Strawweight:** Weili Zhang (115) vs. Tatiana Suarez (114.5)

**Heavyweight:** Tallison Teixeira (263) vs. Justin Tafa (266)

**Light Heavyweight:** Jimmy Crute (206) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (205)

**Welterweight:** Jake Matthews (170.5) vs. Francisco Prado (170.5)

## Prelims 7 PM EST

**Featherweight:** Jack Jenkins (146) vs. Gabriel Santos (145.5)

**Lightweight:** Tom Nolan (155.5) vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (156)

**Flyweight:** Cong Wang (125) vs. Bruna Brasil (125.5)

**Bantamweight:** Aleksandre Topuria (135.5) vs. Colby Thicknesse (135.5)

**Lightweight:** Kody Steele (156) vs. Rongzhu (156)

**Welterweight:** Kevin Jousset (171) vs. Jonathan Micallef (170)

**Lightweight:** Quillan Salkilld (156) vs. Anshul Jubli (155.5)

*Nyamjargal Tumendemberel had issues cutting weight, the Flyweight  fight between him and Hyun Sung Park has been canceled 

UFC 312 Weigh-In Results

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.

Marco Polo Reyes