We’re back with our favorite selection of UFC main card best bets. UFC 269: Oliveira vs. Poirier main card UFC odds are available.
Read on for our complete betting guide and preview on this week’s favorite main card betting picks, including updated odds and free expert UFC 269 betting predictions.
Sean O’Malley vs. Raulian Paiva
UFC Bantamweight Main Card Bout
Saturday, December 11, 2021 – 09:04 PM EST at T-Mobile Arena
Sean O’Malley
- Professional MMA Record: 14-1-0
- Knockout Record: 10-1
- Submission Record: 1-0
- SIG Strikes Landed Per Minute: 8.25
- SIG Strike Accuracy: 62.98%
- Takedown Average: 0.63
- Takedown Accuracy: 50.00%
- Submission Average: 0.63
Since his arrival to the UFC in 2017, “Sugar” Sean O’Malley has become a household name and most impressively, he’s achieved significant popularity without entering the top-10 rankings of the bantamweight division.
Between his persona and a striking skillset to die for, the rise of Sean O’Malley has been a beautiful career to follow for avid fight fans.
Raulian Paiva
- Professional MMA Record: 21-3-0
- Knockout Record: 3-2
- Submission Record: 9-0
- SIG Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.25
- SIG Strike Accuracy: 46.51%
- Takedown Average: 0.62
- Takedown Accuracy: 27.27%
- Submission Average: 0.21
Following a decision victory over MMA Lab’s Kyler Phillips, Raulian Paiva will attempt to seal his position within the bantamweight elite by taking out the teammate and hyped-up name that is Sean O’Malley.
Paiva has been continuously underestimated since his promotional debut. Still, now with a three-fight winning streak for the UFC, he’ll take the next step towards becoming a top-ranked 135lb mixed martial artist.
Fight Analysis and Betting Pick
Whether you’re a fan or hater of Sean O’Malley, it cannot be denied that he’s a unique talent. Effortless striking inside and outside of the pocket behind a plethora of punch and kicking shot selections at his disposal present one of the most flamboyant strikers in the UFC today.
O’Malley’s ability to deliver the same punishing strikes whilst moving backward is a crucial skillset that’s assisted him across multiple contests. So, when the forward pressure of Paiva attempts to find the chin of O’Malley, expect a counter striking masterclass to take place.
There aren’t many fighters who’ll survive fifteens with O’Malley in the stand-up area, and I can’t envision Paiva being that guy. He’ll end up attempting takedowns once he realizes he’s outclassed in the striking department, but it’ll be too late by then.
O’Malley’s available betting odds aren’t desirable on the straight moneyline wager. However, the rainbow-haired precision striker should find it simple to finish Paiva inside the distance, creating some betting value I can get behind.
UFC Pick: O’Malley to Win by KO/TKO (+110) at DraftKings
Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Peña
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship Bout
Saturday, December 11, 2021 – 09:04 PM EST at T-Mobile Arena
Amanda Nunes
- Professional MMA Record: 21-4-0
- Knockout Record: 13-2
- Submission Record: 4-1
- SIG Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.50
- SIG Strike Accuracy: 57.18%
- Takedown Average: 2.50
- Takedown Accuracy: 53.06%
- Submission Average: 0.86
The most accomplished and recognizable figure in women’s MMA returns to the octagon on Saturday to defend her bantamweight crown.
Amanda Nunes leaves little imagination when she’s scheduled to fight, simply because her dominant reign as a two-division champion has left her challengers in tatters. With countless records broken and both the featherweight and bantamweight straps over her waist, can anyone find just a smidgen of success over the Brazilian?
Juliann Peña
- Professional MMA Record: 11-4-0
- Knockout Record: 3-1
- Submission Record: 5-2
- SIG Strikes Landed Per Minute: 2.80
- SIG Strike Accuracy: 67.82%
- Takedown Average: 2.49
- Takedown Accuracy: 53.57%
- Submission Average: 0.83
Julianna Peña is an O.G. amongst the UFC’s women’s divisions, having joined the promotion upon Dana White’s initial introduction of women’s MMA into his company.
A grappling skillset behind a grinding mentality has been the key to most of her successes. After eight years of competitive contests, she’s finally arrived in a main event title matchup.
Fight Analysis and Betting Pick
Styles make fights, is what they usually say. But for Amanda Nunes, her all-around MMA skillset has been almost untouchable since her rise to stardom.
A brutal 1-2 combination into an overhand right has been money for Nunes, alongside a robust set of grappling skills that can fend off the most dangerous of challengers.
To simplify, I don’t believe Peña stands a chance on Saturday. I anticipate the champion will want to become the first opponent of Peña to knock her out, and she’s more than capable of achieving this path to victory.
UFC Pick: Nunes to Win by KO/TKO (-150) at Unibet
