After taking the week off last week, the UFC is back in your life this Saturday with another Fight Night card from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, NV.

In this week’s main event, third-ranked middleweight contender Jared Cannonier takes on ninth-ranked contender Kelvin Gastelum in a bout with title implications for the winner, and as with every event, there are some great UFC betting opportunities to take advantage of at sportsbooks and betting sites.

Jared Cannonier vs. Kelvin Gastelum Odds

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

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Jared Cannonier vs. Kelvin Gastelum Betting Analysis

Jared Cannonier is one of the most unheralded fighters in the sport at the moment. A former heavyweight who dropped to 205 pounds before ultimately settling in at middleweight, Cannonier is not the most well-rounded fighter but what he does bring to the table is extremely violent.

Cannonier is a puncher by trade and he possesses the power and timing to turn the lights out on nearly anyone. We’re talking about a man who used to knock out heavyweights in highlight-reel fashion.

Now he’s fighting men who weigh nearly 100 pounds less, so it’s not surprising that he only has one loss since dropping to 185 and that came in a competitive bout against former champion Robert Whittaker.

While Cannonier was making his way down to middleweight, Gastelum was doing the opposite. After making his UFC debut by winning the middleweight tournament on The Ultimate Fighter 17, Gastelum immediately dropped to welterweight where he became a certified contender only to be constantly plagued by weight-cutting issues, forcing him back up to 185.

As a middleweight, Gastelum’s run has been up-and-down, facing a who’s who of the sport to mixed results. Gastelum is certainly a more well-rounded fighter than Cannonier, with a background in wrestling he sometimes chooses to avail himself of, but at his core Gastelum is also a puncher, with a shatterproof chin and lightning fast hands.

UFC Vegas 34 Best Bet

Though I have historically not been a fan of Gastelum, against Cannonier this matchup should favor him. Gastelum’s chin can stand up to the firepower of Cannonier and the inverse may not be the same.

Moreover, Cannonier does not have great takedown defense and we’ve seen Gastelum employ his wrestling more frequently of late. On the feet this will be competitive and Gastelum’s ability to mix in takedowns should give him the advantage here.

You can find Gastelum at +140 on FanDuel ➜ and a similar price on other betting apps. That's good value.

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Other Bets To Consider

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval: While the main event is nothing to sneeze at, the best fight on this weekend’s card might be the flyweight barnburner between third-ranked Pantoja and sixth-ranked Royval. Both men are strikers and while Pantoja has the better resume, Royval is the taller man and a southpaw, which could trouble the Brazilian. Moreover, now in his 15th year of professional MMA, I think we’re starting to see Pantoja decline while Royval is still in his prime, so a speculative bet on Royval at +140 on FanDuel ➜ is worth the risk.