UFC 299 Best Bets

UFC 299 Best Bets

UFC 299 is about as good as a UFC pay-per-view can get. The card is filled with elite talent, close fights, and entertaining scraps. All of that action presents some great betting opportunities. Here are three of the best bets you can make on UFC 299. 

*All lines are taken from DraftKings and are accurate as of 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 8.*

Benoit Saint-Denis ITD -150 

The first bet that stands out for UFC 299 is for Benoit Saint-Denis to finish Dustin Poirier. That prop is currently lined at -150. The money line has Saint-Denis lined as a -205 favorite while Poirier is a +170 underdog. 

One important factor in this bout is that it is a five-round co-main event. That is a massive factor for an inside-the-distance bet. I am expecting this fight to be a war and have a very hard time seeing it go to the scorecards. That makes it easier to take the prop. 

As far as projecting this fight goes, a couple of important factors favor Saint-Denis. First, he is significantly younger than Poirier and has sustained much less damage in his career. On top of that, Poirier is coming off a knockout loss while Saint-Denis has shown superhuman durability. That combination gives me more confidence in Saint-Denis’ durability. 

Saint-Denis is also an underrated grappler. The most discussed aspect of his game is his violent striking, but his ability to mix in takedowns has elevated his game. Once he lands a takedown, he throws a ton of ground and pound while showing impressive BJJ skills. 

Ultimately, I have to side with Saint-Denis because I think he is more durable and has a sizeable grappling edge. That combination will help him find a finish. At -150, I am betting Saint-Denis to finish Poirier at UFC 299. 

Petr Yan -125

One of the most intriguing fights on UFC 299 is a bantamweight matchup between Petr Yan and Song Yadong. The bout is closely lined as Yan sits at -125 while Yadong is +105. My bet for this UFC 299 matchup will be on the underdog. 

Yan has struggled to win fights recently and sits at 1-4 in his last five fights. That slide has greatly affected the price in this fight. I am not overly concerned with Yan’s rough stretch of performances, however. Those losses came against Aljamain Sterling, Merab Dvalishvili, and Sean O’Malley. Those fighters all fall into one of two categories, elite grapplers or long strikers. Yadong does not fall into either of those categories. 

I am expecting this to be a striking battle between two great fighters. Although, I favor Yan because he is much more technical and makes better reads. Plus, he has more tools. Yadong is a strong boxer who wants to exchange heavy shots. The same is true for Yan, but he is also capable of landing kicks from the outside. Lastly, Yan is much better defensively which is always a positive. 

I view this as a buy-low spot for Yan. The former champion is 31 years old, taking a step down in competition, and is only lined as a -125 favorite. That makes him a strong bet for UFC 299. 

Maycee Barber Eyes Julianna Peña Fight: “She Isn’t That Great”

Maycee Barber -3.5 +120

The final bet that I like for UFC 299 is for Maycee Barber to cover the -3.5-point spread against Katlyn Cerminara. That prop is currently lined at +120. 

This fight is a massive clash of styles. Barber is an aggressive brawler who wants to get in her opponent’s face. Cerminara is a long striker who wants to point strike from distance. One of those two styles will win out. 

I like Barber to be the fighter who utilizes her style more efficiently. My reasoning for that is because she is reckless and willing to take the risks required to get inside. Barber will move forward and get in Cerminara’s face. Plus, Barber has the clinch skills to neutralize Cerminara’s movement and she throws damaging shots in that position. Eventually, I think those shots will pile on and lead to Barber finishing the fight. 

Barber covering her point spread at dog money is very possible. I think she finishes the fight, but there are also paths to her winning a wide decision. Barber could hold Cerminara up against the fence and win three rounds or she could do a large amount of damage and earn a 10-8. At +120, Barber has paths to finish this fight or win a decision by a large margin. That makes this a solid bet for UFC 299. 

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