Odds provided by Duelbits accurate as of 7/22/2025

Robert Whittaker -145 Reinier de Ridder +119

Bigtime clash here at Middleweight in our main event. Robert Whittaker is a slick striker with good volume and combinations, along with a solid ground game, in particular defensively, although his durability has faded in recent years, with finish losses to Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev. Reinier de Ridder has quickly become a name to watch in this division with three finishes since joining the UFC, showing awkward but effective striking and a high-level ground game.

I like these odds on Whittaker, as his stock is low right now following his loss to Khamzat. Meanwhile, RDR is coming off a win where he was lined as a big underdog against a weaker opponent than Whittaker. With that, I'll take Whittaker straight and trust his historically strong takedown defence and technical striking to get him the win.

Bet: Whittaker MoneyLine

Petr Yan -400 vs. Marcus McGhee +300

Exciting matchup here at Bantamweight as a former champion takes on a contender looking to enter the title conversation. Petr Yan is an incredibly skilled fighter with some of the best striking in the division and a ground game that he mixes in beautifully; however, he tends to start slowly, which often results in him losing the first round. Marcus McGhee is a high-volume striker coming in off an impressive win against Jonathan Martinez.

With the drop in competition, I'll go with Yan to secure his first finish since 2020, as we saw McGhee hurt late in his last fight, and this is a significant step up in competition. Yan may not have produced the finishes in recent years, but that has been largely a product of his difficult schedule rather than a reflection of his finishing ability.

Bet: Yan KO/ Round 2/3 Props

Shara Magomedov -667 vs. Marc-Andre Barriault +460

All action Middleweights square off in this one. Shara Magomedov is a flashy and dangerous striker with a strong kicking game, although his grappling skills still raise a major question mark. Marc-Andre Barriault is a gritty fighter with good pressure, although his durability is a significant concern, given that he has been knocked out in the first round in two of his last three fights.

This fight is a clear pass betting-wise, as there is no value in Magomedov straight or by KO, while it is too difficult for me to trust Barriault in enemy territory due to his durability issues, making it too risky to take on an underdog shot.

Bet: Pass

Asu Almabayev -108 vs. Jose Ochoa -114

Short notice replacement steps in here for this fun Flyweight clash. Asu Almabayev is a strong grappler who is coming in off his first UFC loss, where Manel Kape finished him. Jose Ochoa is a big and hard-hitting guy for the division, coming off a win over Cody Durden, where he showed he can handle veteran competition.

I bet Ochoa here as I believe he will be able to use his size and strength to overpower Almabayev in the grappling and use his powerful striking to dominate this fight at range.

Bet: Ochoa MoneyLine

Nikita Krylov -200 vs. Bogdan Guskov +160

Light Heavyweight finishers square off in this don't blink matchup. Nikita Krylov is a well-rounded finisher who is willing to rush into the fire, for better or worse, as he did in his last fight with Dominick Reyes, where he suffered a brutal knockout loss. Bogdan Guskov is a power puncher who has earned three straight finishes since his UFC debut, although he was controlled early in his last fight and has been hurt on the feet before.

I am a little concerned about backing Krylov after his performance against Reyes earlier this year. Still, in this matchup, I feel he has significant advantages on the ground and in cardio, while also being the higher output striker. With that, I'll go with Kyrlov's finish and submission props, as I have a hard time seeing this fight going all three rounds, and he is the biggest submission threat Guskov has ever faced.

Bet: Krylov Inside the Distance/ Submission Props

Bryce Mitchell -127 vs. Said Nurmagomedov +103

New division for a familiar face here in this one at Bantamweight. Bryce Mitchell is a strong wrestler with basic standup who drops down in weight here after his second loss in his last three fights. Said Nurmagomedov is a dangerous fighter with wild standup and a nasty choke game, although his cardio has caused him to slow down later in fights.

I'll play some Nurmagomedov submission props here, as he has finished three UFC opponents with his guillotine, which he'll have another chance to use, given that Mitchell is likely to engage in grappling. Not to mention, we saw Mitchell caught in a choke just months ago by Jean Silva.

Bet: Nurmagomedov Submission/ Round 1 Props

Muslim Salikhov +360 vs. Carlos Leal -500

Welterweight strikers go head to head in this prelim matchup. Muslim Salikhov is a veteran striker who is now over forty years old, but he remains a dangerous opponent, as evidenced by his last fight, which ended in a wheel kick knockout of Song Kenan. Carlos Leal is a violent fighter with powerful boxing skills that he uses to pressure his opponents at a high pace.

I initially thought about taking the over in rounds here, but I can't trust the durability of Salikhov at this point in his career so I'm going to pass betting on this one.

Bet: Pass

Da'Mon Blackshear -333 vs. Davey Grant +255

Veterans collide in this clash of styles at Bantamweight. Da'Mon Blackshear is a skilled grappler with strong submission skills and solid striking abilities, although he has suffered several knockout losses. Davey Grant is an all-action fighter with high pace striking and good cardio, which has helped him win three of his last four, including two third-round stoppages.

This is a tough matchup to find value on either side, but I like the over in rounds as Grant has not been submitted since 2018, and I have a hard time seeing either man land a knockout.

Bet: Over 2.5 Rounds

Amanda Ribas -185 vs. Tabatha Ricci +150

Strawweight grapplers look to move up in the rankings with a win here. Amanda Ribas is an all-action fighter with a strong high-volume kickboxing style and a high-level grappling game. Tabatha Ricci is a solid grappler with decent control and some submissions, although her striking is very limited.

Ribas is going to have a significant striking advantage in this matchup, and she has the grappling to keep it standing if she wants to so I'll take some longshots here on her to get a knockout late in the fight, as her volume could break down Ricci, and she has shown she will be aggresive till the final horn.

Bet: Ribas KO/ Round 3 Props

Ibo Aslan -256 vs. Billy Elekana +205

Hard hitters face off in this Light Heavyweight prelim. Ibo Aslan is a powerful knockout puncher whose last three fights have all ended in the first round; however, in his most recent fight, he was dominated on the ground by Ion Cutelaba, and Anton Turkalj also had considerable grappling success against him. Billy Elekana looks to bounce back from a loss in his short-notice UFC debut, where he had some early success with ground control before getting finished by Bogdan Guskov.

I'll go with a small bet on Elekana at this price as he showed some good grappling prowess in his short-notice debut, and Aslan has struggled when facing grapplers, with both of his losses coming by submission.

Bet: Elekana MoneyLine

Mohammad Yahya +260 vs. Steven Nguyen -333

Featherweights square off here, each looking for their first UFC win. Mohammad Yahya is a tough striker who has struggled at the UFC level, having little success in two fights against Trevor Peek and Kaue Fernandes. Steven Nguyen is a skilled boxer who is willing to mix up his game, and despite not securing a win in his UFC debut, he showed his heart by fighting through a lot of damage to reach a decision.

I'm comfortable taking the price on Nguyen here, as he has shown a lot of promise despite not picking up a win in the UFC yet. Meanwhile, Yahya has simply not looked like he belongs anywhere near the UFC level, having shown no real offence.

Bet: Nguyen MoneyLine

Martin Buday +240 vs. Marcus Buchecha -313

Intriguing matchup here at Heavyweight sees the debut of a grappling phenom. Martin Buday is a big guy, even for a Heavyweight, who uses his size to wear down opponents. Marcus Buchecha debuts here and brings a lot of excitement from his grappling days, where he competed at a very high level, including matches with the likes of Gordon Ryan and Garry Tonon, although his MMA experience is minimal, having only gone past round one in a decision loss.

I'll take a chance on the underdog here, as despite not being the highest level of fighter, Buday has the experience advantage and a tough style for a grappler to beat, given his strong takedown defense and his never being submitted. With that, Martin Buday is this week's Underdog Best Bet of the Week.

Bet: Martin Buday MoneyLine (Best Bet)