UFC Vegas 86 Best Bets
UFC Vegas 86 is not the best fight card the UFC has ever put together. Frankly, it does not feature a lot of high-level talent. That makes it a difficult card to bet on. Still, there are a few spots on the card that present solid betting value. Here are three of the best bets you can make on UFC Vegas 86.
*All lines are taken from DraftKings and are accurate as of 12:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8. *
Robert Bryczek -162
The first bet that stands out on UFC Vegas 86 is for Robert Bryczek to beat Ihor Potieria. Bryczek is currently lined as a -162 favorite while Potieria is a +138 underdog.
I am not overly excited to bet on Bryczek at this price tag. It is his UFC debut and his regional film was not overly impressive. At the same time, it does not take much for me to get excited about betting against Potieria. That is the driving factor behind this play.
The book is out on Potieria. In the UFC, he has a 1-3 record with three knockout losses. Potieria is over-aggressive, gets hit, and does not take shots well.
Bryczek is not anything special; however, his best trait is his boxing and he hits hard. That is a good skill set considering the weaknesses outlined in Bryczek’s game.
It is important to note that Poteira is making his middleweight debut. Plus, he is taking this fight on short notice. That is an awful combination and does not inspire confidence. In a different scenario, the move down a division could help. In this situation, the weight cut will be suboptimal and he is fighting a guy that hits like a light heavyweight.
The price tag does not jump off the page, but -162 on Bryczek is one of the better bets that can be made during UFC Vegas 86.
Rodolfo Vieira -115
The second bet that stands out for UFC Vegas 86 is for Rodolfo Vieira to beat Armen Petrosyan. The bout is closely lined as Vieira sits at -115 while Petrosyan sits at -105.
Vieira has a sensational BJJ. In grappling sequences, he will have an advantage against a good portion of the UFC roster. In this matchup, he is not fighting an elite defensive grappler. Petrosyan does not have elite takedown defense. That will give Vieira opportunities to get his submission game working. Ultimately, I think Vieira lands a takedown and works to the back while Petrosyan works back to his feet.
Petrosyan does have an advantage while this fight is standing and he will probably have a cardio edge. It makes sense that this bout is closely lined.
Despite strengths on the Petrosyan side, I prefer to bet on Vieira at UFC Vegas 86. The grappling advantage is notable and has been improving since transitioning to MMA.
Jeremiah Wells -148
The final bet that I like at UFC Vegas 86 is for Jeremiah Wells to defeat Max Griffin. Wells is a -148 favorite while Griffin is a +124 underdog.
Wells and Griffin are both in the older portions of their careers as they sit at 37 and 38, respectively. I think Wells has more left in the tank, however. That is mainly because he has much less tread on his tires. That can be seen in the fact that he has 16 professional fights to Griffin’s 29. At the same time, he has fought more frequently and has had more impressive performances.
In terms of skills, Wells has a skill set that I respect. On the feet, he has ridiculous power. The threat of his hands makes it difficult for his opponents to close the distance because they risk being knocked out. On top of that, he can land takedowns to win close rounds. In my opinion, that skill set can take out Griffin.
Overall, I think -148 on Wells is a generous price. It is not heavy chalk and he is the clear favorite in this fight. That makes it one of the best bets you can make on UFC Vegas 86.
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