The Octagon returns to action after a week off for UFC Vegas 97: Burns vs. Brady. We have 13 fun fights set for this event, including an important five-round welterweight main UFC event between top contenders Gilbert Burns and Sean Brady. We will break down the headliner plus two other bouts in the latest edition of the Bookies.com UFC picks.

UFC Vegas 97 Main Event Best Bet: Brady vs. Burns

Odds via DraftKings sportsbook and current as of publication. Check out our DraftKings sportsbook review.

UFC Vegas 97 Main Event Best Bet

Sean Brady (-185) vs. Gilbert Burns (+154) 

In the main event of UFC Vegas 97, Sean Brady fights Gilbert Burns in a five-round welterweight bout. Brady is a -185 favorite, and I like him to get his hand raised.

Brady is 31 and he is 6-1 in the UFC. The American has been one of the top prospects at 170 lbs for several years now and he has turned into a contender as of late with big wins over Kelvin Gastelum and Michael Chiesa. Brady has a terrific ground game and he also has solid striking as well. He did get knocked out by Belal Muhammad two years ago, but now that Muhammad is the champion, that loss doesn’t look so bad in hindsight. Brady is still one of the top talents in the weight class, and if he can get past Burns in this battle, he will be closing in on a title shot.

Burns is 38 and he is 15-7 in the UFC. The Brazilian joined the UFC 10 years ago and he has been a soldier ever since then, constantly fighting the best opponents at both lightweight and welterweight over the last decade. He has proven to be one of the best grapplers in the UFC, and his striking is very good as well. However, he is getting up there in age and durability is a concern for Burns, having been stopped three times by strikes in the Octagon. Burns is extremely skilled, but Father Time may have finally caught up to Burns at this stage of his career.

I have been high on Brady for a long time, and I think this is the perfect opportunity for him to shine and turn into a serious contender in the UFC welterweight division. Burns has been a great fighter for many years, but he is getting up there in age and Brady is catching him at a good time. Look for Brady to pick up the biggest win of his UFC career thus far at -185 odds.

UFC Vegas 97 Best Bet: Sean Brady wins at -185 with DraftKings Sportsbook

Other UFC Vegas 97 Best Bets

Steve Garcia (-192) vs. Kyle Nelson (+160)

In a featherweight bout, Steve Garcia takes on Kyle Nelson. Despite being a +160 underdog at the betting apps, I like Nelson to get the win.

Garcia is 32 and he is 5-2 in the UFC. The American has been one of the hottest featherweights in the division for the last two years, scoring four straight wins by knockout inside the Octagon. After bouncing between several weight classes during his MMA career, Garcia has finally found a home at 145 lbs. He is one of the most powerful strikers in the weight class and has leveled up lately. That being said, his level of competition hasn’t been great, and there are still some question marks about Garcia as he moves up the ladder against better opponents.

Nelson is 33 and he is 4-4-1 in the UFC. The Canadian started his UFC career 1-4 and he could have been cut, but the promotion kept him in the fold and he has rewarded the matchmakers by scoring a 3-0-1 record since then. Nelson has looked fantastic as of late, winning his last three fights in a row including a big knockout win over Bill Algeo in his last fight. It’s worth noting all of those wins came in an underdog role. Nelson has been knocked out twice in the UFC, which is concerning against a big puncher like Garcia, but he is likely the more complete fighter overall.

Garcia has looked great lately, but so has Nelson, and I think the Canadian is being undervalued in the betting odds. This is closer to a Pick ‘em type of fight in my eyes, so to get Nelson at +160 is a good bet, in my opinion. Look for the Canadian to avoid the power shots of Garcia, land some big shots of his own, and edge out the win here as a +160 betting underdog.

UFC Vegas 97 Best Bet: Kyle Nelson wins at +160 with DraftKings Sportsbook

Jacqueline Amorim (-310) vs. Vanessa Demopoulos (+260) 

In a women’s strawweight bout, we have Jacqueline Amorim taking on Vanessa Demopoulos. Amorim is a -310 favorite, and I like her to get the win.

Amorim is 29 and she is 2-1 in the UFC. The Brazilian lost her UFC debut when she gassed out after a big first round against Sam Hughes to bounce back with big wins over Cory McKenna and Monsterrat Conejo Ruiz by stoppage. Overall, Amorim has eight wins in MMA and all of them have come by stoppage, proving her finishing capabilities. She is one of the top grapplers in the weight class and she also has some decent striking as well, making her a dark horse contender. With some more UFC victories, look for Amorim to crack the top 15 rankings.

Demopoulos is 35 and she is 5-2 in the UFC. The American has a very solid UFC record but at least three of her wins have been controversial decisions in her favor. While it says something about her style that she is getting her hand raised, at the same time, Demopoulos could easily be 2-5 right now instead, so she has had the fortune of judging going her way. Either way, Demopoulos is a decent fighter who is scrappy and who will fight for your money. She is also very durable, having never been finished in her MMA career, which makes this fight against Amorim so intriguing since it will pit a finisher up against someone who’s never been stopped.

Amorim is the better overall fighter who has superior grappling, and she should be able to dominate this fight if it hits the mat. Demopoulos has poor takedown defense and I don’t think she will be able to stop the takedowns here, so go with Amorim to win as a -310 favorite. 

UFC Vegas 97 Best Bet: Jacqueline Amorim wins at -310 with DraftKings Sportsbook