UFC Vegas 89 Best Bets
UFC Vegas 89 is not a strong fight card. The event is filled with debutants, low-level fights, and questionable fights. It is a poor card to bet on, but there are a few potential bets that can be made. Here are three of the best bets for UFC Vegas 89.
*All lines are taken from DraftKings and are accurate as of 2:45 p.m. on March, 22.*
Cameron Saaiman +130
The first bet that stands out from UFC Vegas 89 is for Cameron Saaiman to beat Payton Talbott. Saaiman sits as a +130 underdog while Talbott is a -155 favorite.
I am expecting this bout to be a close fight. I give the edge to Saaiman, however. The reasoning begins with the fact that he is more experienced and has been tested against a respectable level of competition. On the other hand, Talbott is early in his UFC career and has not been tested.
The matchup also has a few important elements that favor Saaiman. The most important is that Talbott has been a slow starter throughout his career. That gives Saaiman a great opportunity to win the opening round. In the second and third rounds, Saaiman has the cardio to fight with Talbott. At the same time, he could invest in kicking the body and legs to slow Talbott down.
Lastly, I am not sold on Talbott’s grappling. In his UFC debut, he showed inexperience in that realm. Saaiman is not an elite grappler, but he could use takedowns to interrupt Talbott’s flow. At worst, he can get to the hips, initiate clinch exchanges, and push Talbott to the fence.
This is a close fight and the underdog has various reasons for optimism. That makes Saaiman one of my favorite bets on UFC Vegas 89.
Billy Quarantillo -110
The second bet I like for UFC Vegas 89 is for Billy Quarantillo to beat Youssef Zalal. The bout is a pick ’em with each fighter sitting at -110.
Quarantillo has strong cardio and a willingness to push the pace. The goal for him is to get his opponent’s face and unload with volume. That eventually wears on his opponents and he pulls ahead late in fights.
I am expecting Quarantillo to have chances to unload with volume. Zalal often fights with his back to the fence. He has strong movement in that area, but he often finds himself backed up. That is where Quarantillo does his best work.
If Zalal works to grapple, Quarantillo uses BJJ to get back to his feet and he works the body in the clinch. That should prevent Zalal from slowing the pace down.
I like Quarantillo to get the job done against Zalal. At -110, that is a solid price and is one of the best bets from UFC Vegas 89.
Luis Pajuelo +140
The final bet that I like for UFC Vegas 88 is for Luis Pajuelo to beat Fernando Padilla. Pajuelo is currently the +140 underdog while Padilla is a -166 favorite. I think there is value on the underdog.
This bout is Pajuelo’s UFC debut, but there is a lot to like about his fighting style. I was impressed with his Dana White’s Contender Series performance and his regional tape verifies his skills. Pajuelo is an aggressive striker who breaks opponents with aggressive boxing in the pocket. If he gets his offense going, he is hard to stop because he never stops throwing and he digs to the body.
I like Pajuelo’s chances against Padilla. That is largely because Padilla has shown willingness to trade with opponents in the pocket. If he does that against Pajuelo, he could be in trouble. That is not to say Padilla is poor in that position, but it favors Pajuelo because of his cardio, durability, and volume. Lastly, Pajuelo could land leg kicks to weaken Padilla’s movement. That will allow him to work his way into the pocket more often.
At an underdog price, Pajuelo has a clear path to victory and holds advantages in a few key areas. That makes him a solid bet for UFC Vegas 89.
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