The Fight Analyst keeps the ball rolling with yet another profitable night. He is now 13-5 overall and is looking for a clean sweep this weekend!
The UFC is headed back to the states after an electrifying event in London that shattered gate records. The card delivered and then some, just like this weekend’s card will do the same.
The UFC is back in Columbus, Ohio for the first time in 13 years. They put on a stacked card for their return as well with a heavyweight showdown in the main event between No. 4 Curtis Blaydes and No. 9 Chris Daukaus.
The rest of the fight card is littered with great talent and hometown favorites like Matt Brown taking on Bryan Barberena. This is one fight night that you will not want to miss. With that said, let’s take a look at the best 3 bets for this weekend’s fights.
Chris Gutierrez vs. Batgerel Danaa
| The Fight Analyst’s Pick |
|---|
| Chris Gutierrez +115 to win |
In the bantamweight division, we have a great scrap between two heavy hitters in Chris Gutierrez and Batgerel Danaa. Both are scorching hot coming into this fight and are looking to keep their momentum going.
Gutierrez is quietly on a 5-fight winning streak and is vying for a spot inside the top-15 of the bantamweight division. He is a really good counter-striker with vicious leg kicks that could potentially be the difference-maker in this matchup.
Danaa has been lighting his opponents up in his short time in the UFC, coming off three back-to-back knockouts. He has some raw power that you normally don’t see in the bantamweight division and that will need to come in handy in this matchup against Gutierrez.
Gutierrez has fought the far better competition in his professional career and has yet to be stopped by strikes. His durability will help him overcome the power of Danaa and his leg kicks are going to be the game changer in this fight. Those leg kicks will rack up early and often which will ultimately let Gutierrez take over down the stretch and get the win.
| Decision Odds |
|---|
| Chris Gutierrez +175 by Decision |
Matheus Nicolau vs. David Dvorak
| The Fight Analyst’s Pick |
|---|
| Matheus Nicolau +105 to win |
This is an exciting matchup between two ranked contenders in the flyweight division in a fight between Matheus Nicolau and David Dvorak. Both fighters are riding respectable winning streaks into this fight and are looking to make a statement with a win here.
Nicolau is making good work of his second stint with the UFC racking up consecutive wins against elite competition in Manel Kape and Tim Elliott. He was once just a Muay Thai striker earlier in his UFC career but has since evolved into a more complete mixed martial artist.
Dvorak hasn’t lost a fight since 2012 and has won 16 in a row coming into this matchup. He is much like Nicolau in a sense where he can beat his opponents on the feet or on the mat. Keeping this fight on the feet though may be the best game plan to get the biggest win of his career.
I like what I have seen from both fighters as both will fight for your money. I also like seeing the progression of Nicolau since being cut from the UFC the first time. Since then he has implemented a lot more grappling to his game which could be the difference-maker here. Expect this fight to be relatively close every round but Nicolau steals the rounds with takedowns and control time.
| Decision Odds |
|---|
| Matheus Nicolau +250 by Decision |
Aliaskhab Khizriev vs. Denis Tiuliulin
| The Fight Analyst’s Pick |
|---|
| Aliaskhab Khizriev -125 to win in round 1 |
We have a middleweight clash between two UFC newcomers in Aliaskhab Khizriev and Denis Tiuliulin. Tiuliulin is stepping in on short notice for this opportunity while Khizriev is fresh off of his contender series win but back in 2020.
Khizriev looked everything like a 13-0 top middleweight prospect when he dispatched his opponent on the contender series in just 50 seconds. He has relentless pressure with both his striking and his grappling in which he just suffocates his opponent. That will come in handy in this matchup against Tiuliulin.
Tiuliulin has had some mixed success against supbar opposition on the regional scene in the Middle East/Russian organizations. He has power in his hands which will make him dangerous on the feet but after looking at the tape he tends to fault against grapplers much like the one he is facing this weekend.
This is a prime spot for Khizriev to look like one of the top prospects in the middleweight division. He should have no problem taking Tiuliulin down and either pounding him out or submitting him halfway into the first round.
