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UFC 259: Cruz vs Kenney Prediction

By any estimation, Dominick Cruz is either the greatest or second-greatest bantamweight ever. He’s 35 so it’s understandable that he is not as quick as he once was. But he still shouldn’t be an underdog against Casey Kenney in this bout. Casey is a talented prospect but he has a clearly defined weakness for wrestling (Merab Dvalishvili took him down 12 times) and Cruz is one of the best ever at setting up shots and scoring takedowns.

On the feet, Cruz’s trademark footwork will confuse Kenney and I expect him to land takedowns consistently. Cruz should win handily; bet on him at +115 with FOX Bet.

UFC 259: Benavidez vs Askarov Prediction

Similar to Cruz, Joseph Benavidez should not be an underdog to Askar Askarov. Benavidez is one of the best flyweights ever and was only denied being a long-reigning champion by the presence of arguably the greatest fighter of all time, Demetrious Johnson, competing at the same time. Though he has fallen off somewhat recently, Benavidez still possesses more skill than a vast majority of flyweights.

Askarov is a much-hyped prospect mostly because of his gaudy record and an absence of other contenders in the division but he’s a limited fighter who needs takedowns to succeed. Benavidez remains exceedingly good at stuffing shots and creating scrambles when he is taken down. Benavidez should be favored so jump on this value at +112 with FanDuel.

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UFC 259: Nunes vs Anderson Prediction

Of all the fights on the card, this one is the most straightforward. Amanda Nunes is the undisputed GOAT of women’s MMA and her run through both the women’s bantamweight and women’s featherweight divisions is among the most impressive in MMA history. In Anderson, Nunes faces the last woman of her generation who she has not beaten, but that will be rectified on Saturday.

Anderson is a good striker and an enormous featherweight, but her skills pale in comparison to the greatest female fighter ever in UFC. Anderson is going to focus on not getting taken down; Nunes will likely oblige her and instead just crack the slower Anderson with punches until the fight is stopped. Ride with Nunes by KO/TKO at +110 with William Hill.

UFC 259: Yan vs. Sterling Prediction

The third title fight on UFC 259 is a pick’em fight and with good reason: it’s one of the most compelling UFC matchups possible. Yan is the bantamweight champion and nearly undefeated in his career (losing a bad split decision that he avenged a fight later). A hot-shot prospect with infinite upside, Sterling had some missteps early in his UFC career but finally seems to be putting it all together in his pursuit of the title. This is the kind of fight that should make the hair on your neck stand up.

From a technical standpoint, the matchup is no less intriguing. Yan uses boxing combinations and occasional wrestling to push a ridiculous pace on his opponents, who break as the fight goes on. Conversely, Sterling is a grappling-first fighter with competent striking who can end the fight swiftly with dynamic transitions on the mat. Ultimately, I favor the former to have more success.

In an evenly split fight, the combatant who works more will almost always curry favor with the judges and Yan is going to push the higher pace. If Sterling can consistently score takedowns, that changes the equation but that doesn’t seem likely, especially as the bout carries on into the later rounds. Sterling might start strong, but unless he can finish it early, Yan’s cardio and pressure should overtake Sterling. Bet on Yan by decision at +350 with PointsBet.