UFC Vegas 88 Odds, Under Dogs And Best Bets!

The countdown to UFC 300 kicks off this weekend (Sat., March 16, 2024) inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Tai Tuivasa battles Marcin Tybura in the latest “Fight Night”-themed main event. UFC Vegas 88 will also see The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 29 winner, Bryan Battle, square off with Contender Series veteran, Ange Loosa, while Kennedy Nzechukwu tries to send Ovince Saint Preux packing for good and undefeated Featherweight, Isaac Dulgarian, throws down with Christian Rodriguez.

It’ll be awhile before the next pay-per-view (PPV), but that just means more time to build a nest egg. Here’s how …

What Went Wrong at UFC 299?

Josh Parisian

Sprinting directly after Robelis Despaigne with his chin in the air was the dumbest move he could have done (see it), but frankly I should have expected that from him. That’s on me.

Katlyn Cerminara

She had the clear edge at range that I expected, but was way too eager to play Barber’s game. Though Barber did do a better job of forcing the clinch as the rounds went by, Cerminara’s willingness to oblige her was unexpected and self-defeating.

Gilbert Burns

Man, two more minutes of top control would have done it. Props to Jack Della Maddalena, who fought a great fight and came up clutch (even with a broken wing), but I feel like Burns could have made that fight so much easier on himself if he’d forced the wrestling more.

Kevin Holland

I’m still not exactly sure what his plan was. He seemed like he was barely trying to wrestle and never adjusted to Michael Page throwing the same overhand right at his face over and over. That said, expecting some kind of plan from Holland was, in retrospect, very dumb on my part.

Benoit Saint-Denis

I think I can be forgiven for assuming he wouldn’t enter the cage with a staph infection.

What Went Right?

Asu Almabayev, Michel Pereira and Kyler Phillips

Pure dominance throughout. Well done to all three.

Curtis Blaydes

I mean, I’m not going to pretend that’s how I saw it going (watch it), but whatever works, right?

Petr Yan

It wouldn’t be a Yan fight if he didn’t give away the first round, but the rest was vintage “No Mercy.” Glad to have him back.

Mateuz Gamrot

It also wouldn’t be a Gamrot fight if he didn’t suffer the goofiest knockdown imaginable. Once he got into gear, though, “Gamer” looked plenty sharp.

UFC Vegas 88 Odds For The Under Card:

Mike Davis (-305) vs. Natan Levy (+245)

Davis’ inactivity is a concern, but he’s better than Levy in virtually every area save kicks. Levy has yet to look good in the Octagon, giving up rounds even in wins over bottom-tier Lightweights Mike Breeden and Genaro Valdez. Davis’ boxing blows Levy’s out of the water and his wrestling should be more than sufficient to keep it in his wheelhouse.

Josiane Nunes (-155) vs. Chelsea Chandler (+130)

Look, I like watching Nunes hurl eight-dozen overhand lefts in 15 minutes, but she’s not what you’d call a good fighter. Case in point: the three women she beat in the Octagon are now a combined 2-8 in UFC. That’s not enough to convince me that she beats Chandler, a significantly larger woman with real power and a nasty top game to boot. Hammer that Chandler undercard line.

Jafel Filho (-190) vs. Ode Osbourne (+150)

We just watched Osbourne get torched on the mat by Asu Almabayev. And while FIlho isn’t that level of wrestler, he’s close enough to it to be worth a look. Osbourne’s also woefully inconsistent and prone to fading, while Filho showed terrific grit against Daniel Barez last time out. Try a moderate bet on “Pastor.”

Josh Culibao (-192) vs. Danny Silva (+160)

I like Silva as the underdog here. As hittable as he is, he’s also exponentially busier than Culibao, landing more significant strikes in one Contender Series fight than Culiabo has in his entire Octagon career. We’ve seen Culibao wilt in the past, so put some down on Silva.

Cory McKenna (-125) vs. Jaqueline Amorim (+105)

Amorim’s history of cardio issues make it too risky to bet it all on her, but she’s still worth a look. McKenna’s only real standout skill is her top control, but Amorim’s Brazilian jiu-jitsu pedigree outstrips “Poppins’” by a gigantic margin and she’s a solid wrestler to boot. Amorim also hits way harder than McKenna and has nearly 10 inches of reach on her.

Charalampos Grigoriou (-166) vs. Chad Anheliger (+140)

Small bet on Anheliger as the underdog. Outside of that blitz on Contender Series, Grigoriou’s recent efforts haven’t impressed me, and the durable Anheliger is equipped to exploit both Grigoriou’s cardio issues and tendency to leave his chin unprotected as he lunges in.

UFC Vegas 88 Odds For The Main Card:

Tai Tuivasa (-125) vs. Marcin Tybura (+105)

Skip it. Either Tuivasa blows him away inside of two minutes or Tybura grinds him to dust and both seem equally likely from where I’m sitting.

Bryan Battle (-175) vs. Ange Loosa (+145)

Loosa has looked sharp enough of late that this feels too volatile.

Kennedy Nzechukwu (-535) vs. Ovince Saint Preux (+380)

I mean, might as well slap Nzechukwu into a parlay. At this point in Saint Preux’s career, his only meaningful skills are being a tall, rangy, awkward southpaw. Nzechukwu is a taller, rangier, more awkward southpaw who’s also nine years younger and throws way more punches.

Isaac Dulgarian (-198) vs. Christian Rodriguez (+164)

Put a bit down on Dulgarian. The last time Rodriguez fought someone his size as opposed to blowing weight and bullying Bantamweights, Jonathan Pearce absolutely smothered him. Dulgarian is equipped to do the same, but he’s also unproven past the first round, so don’t go nuts.

Macy Chiasson (-218) vs. Pannie Kianzad (+180)

Both of these women are too inconsistent to merit a bet.

Gerald Meerschaert (-238) vs. Bryan Barberena (+195)

Meerschaert has had more downs than ups lately, but going toe-to-toe with Andre Petroski for three rounds is way more impressive than getting dropped twice and taken down 13 times by Makhmud Muradov. Barberena is mostly shot, painfully undersized for 185 pounds, and only has one finish in the last 5.5 years. I’m with “GM3.”

UFC Vegas 88 Best Bets:

• Single bet — Chelsea Chandler: $50 to make $65
• Single bet — Danny Silva: $40 to make $64
• Single bet — Chad Anheliger: $40 to make $56
• Parlay — Jaqueline Amorim and Kennedy Nzechukwu: $35 to make $50.16
• Parlay — Mike Davis and Isaac Dulgarian: $40 to make $39.94
• Parlay — Jafel Filho and Gerald Meerschaert: $50 to make $60.45

At least UFC Vegas 88’s main event figures to be less nightmarish than “Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev.” See you Saturday, Maniacs.

Initial Investment For 2024: $600
Current Total: $559.88

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Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 88 fight card right here, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, then the remaining main card balance (also on ESPN+) at 7 p.m. ET.

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