UFC 278 Best Bets
Last week, James did his best bets for UFC San Diego, and now it will be my first attempt at releasing my best bets. The UFC 278 card looks promising as it is headlined by three major fights spanning three different divisions. However, the rest of the card does not look as appealing as it is not filled with many big names. Similar to last week, there are a lot of favorites that are -200 and higher, which makes it tougher to find value when making bets. Finally, here are three of the best bets for UFC 278.
*All lines are taken from DraftKings and are accurate as of 12 p.m. PT on Friday, August. 19*
Jose Aldo +120
Jose Aldo has a tough Bantamweight matchup against the impressive Merab Dvalishvili. This is an important matchup with both fighters coming in with big win streaks and in a sense, this fight could get Aldo one final title shot. Dvalishivili is a strong wrestler with good striking that is on a great run with wins over John Dodson, Cody Stamann, and Marlon Moraes. However, he has not faced an elite-level talent like Jose Aldo.
Aldo is getting old in UFC years as he is 35 but he is still extremely sharp and dangerous. I think Aldo can get the job done against Dvalishvili because Aldo has a great record against wrestlers such as Chad Mendes, Frankie Edgar, and Urijah Faber. He is phenomenal at halting wrestlers with his great footwork and distance control as well as using his elite striking skills to create openings to hurt his opponents. Even though he is a slight underdog, I think the savvy veteran will be able to figure out a way to pull off the upset and Aldo will hopefully get his last shot at the title if he is victorious.
Leon Edwards +280
This is the main event at UFC 278 as the incredible Champion Kamaru Usman will look to defend his belt against the extremely talented Leon Edwards. Usman has been clearing out the welterweight division but Edwards might be his toughest challenge yet as he is coming in on a huge win streak. Edwards has not lost a fight in ten fights since his defeat to Usman back in 2015.
Edwards comes in at a +280 underdog, and it will be a tall task if he wants to dethrone the king but I think he can achieve that goal. He can use his fantastic clinch work to damage Usman with nasty elbows and knees. Also, Edwards has the advantage in the striking department, especially with his kicks, but we will see if he can pick Usman apart from the outside while trying to avoid Usman’s powerful jab. It is imperative that Edwards can stop takedowns, get back up quickly if he has been taken down, and that he does not fade in the championship rounds. Edwards is a bit of a long shot, but there is nothing like being able to brag that you cashed in on the underdog that finally dethroned Kamaru Usman.
Sean Woodson -345
Sean Woodson is facing Luis Saldana in a Featherweight bout in the prelims at UFC 278. Woodson is coming in as a major favorite at -345, which is similar to multiple other fights on the card. This should be a relatively easy pick, as Woodson should come out on top in this fight.
Obviously, -345 is not a big money-making bet like Edwards or Aldo, but nevertheless, it should be a lock. Woodson is 4-1 in the UFC, and his only loss was in a fantastic fight against the entertaining Julian Erosa. Woodson lives up to his nickname “The Sniper” as he uses his incredible 6’2 frame and mind-boggling 79.0” reach to pick apart his opponents. He is talented at staying on the outside and using his effective striking to not only damage his opponents but find the right moments to achieve a finish. Woodson has the advantage in the striking and reach department, which should lead to a victory on Saturday at UFC 278.
UFC betting can be tricky, but these were three possible UFC 278 bets. There is a should-be lock in Sean Woodson at -345, a nice +120 underdog in Jose Aldo that can also be used in parlays, and a big underdog in Leon Edwards at +280.
