The Octagon travels to Macau, China this Saturday for UFC Macau: Yan vs. Figueiredo. Former UFC champions Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo clash in a five-round bantamweight headliner, with 13 fights on the undercard. In the latest edition of the Bookies.com Best Bets, we will break down the best UFC picks the main event plus two of the undercard fights ahead of this weekend’s event.

UFC odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and current as of publication. Check out our DraftKings Sportsbook Review.

Petr Yan (-298) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (+240)

The main event of UFC Macau is a five-round bantamweight bout between top contenders Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo. Yan is a -298 favorite at the top sports betting apps, and I like him to get his hand raised.

Yan is 31 and he is 9-4 in the UFC. The Russian is the former UFC bantamweight champion and is one of the best fighters in the division despite going 1-3 over his last four fights. Yan is skilled everywhere, with a well-rounded bag of tools including technical striking skills, five-round cardio, strong wrestling, and a sturdy chin. He is one of the best fighters in his weight class and someone who can get his belt back if he gets back on a roll. After winning his last fight, Yan is now looking to defeat another former UFC champ in Figueiredo and get closer to the belt again.

Figueiredo is 36 and he is 13-4 in the UFC. The Brazilian is the former two-time UFC flyweight champion and was one of the top fighters in that weight class. After losing his belt at 125 lbs, Figueiredo has moved up to 135 lbs and he has gone 3-0 in his new weight class, looking like a contender for a title in a second UFC weight class. He is a very experienced fighter who has great striking, slick submissions, a terrific gas tank, and a strong chin. That being said, he has not proven he is an elite fighter at bantamweight yet, and Yan will certainly test out his skills.

This should be a terrific fight between two former champions looking to make another run at a UFC title. I’m expecting a competitive fight that likely goes the full five rounds, but given Yan’s experience fighting at 135 lbs, plus his size advantage, I give him the edge here. 

Go with Yan to win as a -298 favorite, and for a prop, consider taking Yan to win this fight on the scorecards.

UFC Macau Best Bet: Petr Yan wins at -298 with DraftKings Sportsbook .

UFC Macau Odds: Carlos Ulberg (-245) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (+200)

On the main card is a light heavyweight bout between Carlos Ulberg and Volkan Oezdemir. Ulberg is a -245 favorite, and I like him to collect a knockout win in this fight.

Ulberg is 34 and he is 6-1 in the UFC. The New Zealander lost his UFC debut in 2021 by knockout but has since then reeled off six wins in a row, including five wins by stoppage. Ulberg is one of the top strikers in the UFC light heavyweight division and he is rounding out his game by also showing off submission abilities as well. He has improved a lot since his UFC debut three years ago and he looks like a legit contender. Should Ulberg get past Oezdemir and then pick up another big win after that, there is a good chance Ulberg could get a title shot at 205 lbs.

Oezdemir is 35 and he is 8-6 in the UFC. The Swiss fighter joined the UFC back in 2017 and has become a staple of the UFC light heavyweight division since then, holding a top-15 ranking for the last seven years and even fighting for the belt once. He is a very dangerous finisher who has stopped five opponents in the UFC, but his durability isn’t the best as he’s been finished three times. He is certainly a contender and someone who serves as a gatekeeper to the top of the UFC light heavyweight division, however, he has struggled with consistency.

I’ve liked Oezdemir for a long time and view him as an underrated fighter at 205 lbs, but Ulberg is on a roll right now and it’s not a good idea to fade him. 

Look for Ulberg to improve to seven wins in a row as a -245 favorite, and look for him to get the win with another brutal knockout.

UFC Macau Best Bet: Carlos Ulberg wins at  -245 with DraftKings Sportsbook .

UFC Macau Odds: Zhang Mingyang (-310) vs. Ozzy Diaz (+250)

Opening the main card is a light heavyweight matchup between Zhang Mingyang and Ozzy Diaz. Mingyang is a -310 favorite, and I like him to find a finish in this fight.

Mingyang is 26 and he is 1-0 in the UFC. The China native has won his last 10 fights in a row by first-round knockout, including his UFC debut over Brendson Ribeiro. He originally won a UFC contract after a win on Road to UFC in 2022, and after nearly two years away, debuted in the Octagon earlier this year with that signature win over Ribeiro. A pro since 2014, all 17 of Mingyang’s career wins have come by stoppage, and he has only been to the scorecards once. It is worth noting that while he finishes fights, he has been finished five times himself, as well.

Diaz is 33 and this is his UFC debut. The American competed in Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022 and was knocked out by Joe Pyfer, who has become a star in the UFC. Since that loss to Pyfer, Diaz has picked up two wins on the regional scene by knockout to earn this UFC deal. Diaz is a very exciting fighter who has finished all nine of his wins. However, he has been knocked out twice. On paper, this fight against Mingyang looks like it will be a war between two fighters who never go the distance. That being said, Diaz has an uphill climb in this fight.

The UFC is looking for new stars from China and Mingyang certainly qualifies as one due to his knockout power. Diaz has been chin-checked before, and I think Mingyang can do the same to him here. 

Go with Mingyang to get the win as a -310 favorite, and look for him to get a knockout.

UFC Macau Best Bet: Zhang Mingyang wins at -310 with DraftKings Sportsbook .