UFC Vegas 88 is in the books but MMA’s world leader keeps right on rolling this Saturday with UFC Vegas 89. Headlined by a flyweight matchup between Amanda Ribas and Rose Namajunas, UFC Vegas 89 has 13 other fights and while very few of them have major significance, that’s still plenty of opportunity to get some bets in.
As always, all odds are courtesy of our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Rose Namajunas -218
Namajunas takes on Ribas in the main event this Saturday and this is an excellent bounce back spot for “Thug Rose.”
Ribas is a solid fighter but she’s pretty consistently lost to the best opposition she’s faced at both 115 and 125 pounds. Namajunas certainly qualifies as that. The former two-time strawweight champion is the much more dangerous striker, with significantly superior technique on the feet, and a capable enough grappler to not let Ribas hold her down for long stretches.
Namajunas has some difficulties in her flyweight debut, but Manan Fiorot is a much larger and more physical fighter than Ribas, and I expect Namajunas to be better acclimated at this point as well. There is always the concern that Namajunas might simply not show up on fight day, like she did against Carla Esparza, but fighting at the APEX may actually help her in this regard. I expect a vintage performance.
Billy Quarantillo -120
Who doesn’t love Billy Q? Quarantillo takes on Youssef Zalal and while this fight should be fun (all Billy Q fights are), Quarantillo should win. Quarantillo only loses to top flight competition and Zalal is solid, but he already got drummed out of the UFC once, and his wins in on the regional circuit over a 6-2 guy, a 9-3 guy, and a 0-0 guy don’t exactly fill my with confidence that this go around will be any different.
Karl Williams To Win By Decision, +165
Justin Tafa has never been taken down in the UFC. Justin Tafa has also only defended two takedown attempts in the UFC. Those attempts came from Carlos Felipe and Harry Hunsucker. No disrespect to those gentlemen, but Karl Williams is a bit better at the whole wrestling thing. This seems like a straightforward fight where the good, powerful wrestler repeatedly takes down the striker who is smaller than him. But since Tafa is tough and Williams isn’t a big finisher, I think it’ll go to the judges.
Payton Talbott -148 + Andre Lima -180
Thus far I’ve been going to the well backing my favorites off the most recent season of Contender Series and it’s been pretty successful. So with two of my top prospects from that season fighting on one card, I figure I might as well parlay them.
Talbott is fighting another top-shelf prospect in Cameron Saaiman, but with his high output striking, if he can keep things on the feet, he should have a good debut.
Lima is taking on the 20-year-old Igor Severino but the kid is super green and his high level kickboxing should carry Lima through, so long as he can also keep things standing.
Parlay these two bets together for +160 odds.
Kurt Holobaugh (+130) + Cody Gibson (+120)
We’ve been getting absolutely wrecked on Long Shots this year, but we trudge on, and we do so with a gimmick parlay. Both Holobaugh and Gibson were on the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter as returning veterans and while Gibson lost a competitive fight in the finals of the bantamweight tournament, Holobaugh won the lightweight season. Now both of them are underdogs to fine-but-unspectacular fighters. Tie them together and let’s finally cash one of these.
Parlay these two bets together for +406 odds.
Another week, another APEX card. But this is the price we pay for UFC 299 and UFC 300, and it’s worth it.
Until next week, enjoy the fights, good luck, and gamble responsibly!
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