This weekend the UFC returns to action with yet another Fight Night card, but this one is better than most. Featuring the finals of The Ultimate Fighter 29’s bantamweight and middleweight tournaments, the card is also filled with several other interesting bouts for UFC betting fans.

Most importantly, the main event is an absolute banger of a contest between two of the best strikers in the featherweight division, Edson Barboza and Giga Chikadze. It’s a card that figures to be heavy on violence so let’s talk about the best bets at top sportsbooks and betting sites.

Edson Barboza vs. Giga Chikadze Odds

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

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Edson Barboza vs. Giga Chikadze Betting Analysis

Edson Barboza is one of the most underrated fighters in MMA. Universally respected among his peers, Barboza has fought one of the most difficult schedules of competitions for any fighter ever, and he’s been doing so for nearly a decade. Now, having dropped to 145 pounds, Barboza’s quality of competition has not gotten any easier. But the Brazilian seems to have finally found a rhythm that may get him his elusive title shot.

Barboza is a striker, pure and simple, and he’s one of the best in the world. His explosive power and good timing, anchored by the best leg kicks in MMA, make Barboza a formidable fighter to face when he is allowed to work at the pace and range he prefers. That is the key for Barboza.

Barboza likes to have space to operate in and prefers to set his feet to attack, which has made him susceptible to fighters who consistently pressure him and don’t allow him to get comfortable.

Fortunately for Barboza, pressure is not the name of Giga Chikadze’s game. In many ways, Chikadze is the same fighter as Barboza. With a karate and kickboxing background, Chikadze’s best weapon is his diverse range of kicks, and like Barboza he prefers the time and space to employ them.

As such, both men are liable to give the other exactly the sort of fight they want, which makes this a fascinating question of who will prevail.

UFC Vegas 35 Best Bet

It comes as no surprise that the betting line is so close given how similar these two are, but that is a mistake. Yes, Chikadze has looked good in the UFC thus far, but he has faced a significantly worse level of competition than Barboza, and he brings fewer physical gifts to the table.

Chikadze is a talented striker but Barboza has more power and his leg kicks figure to be the most effective strike in this bout. Furthermore, though he rarely employs it, Barboza is a BJJ brown belt and Chikadze has been exploitable on the floor before.

Barboza simply has more ways to win this fight and so I love a bet on him at -115 on FanDuel .

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Other Bets To Consider

Bryan Battle vs. Gilbert Urbina: Battle was the last pick of Alexander Volkanovski on The Ultimate Fighter but exceeded expectations to make it to the finals. Urbina actually lost in the semifinals but due to an injury to Tresean Gore, Urbina was slotted in as a replacement and it seems that the nature of his path to the finals has oddsmakers giving Battle too much credit. Battle is a scrappy fighter but Urbina is the better grappler and on the feet Battle doesn’t pack much power. Urbina as an underdog at +135 at FOX Bet is good value.

Kevin Lee vs. Daniel Rodriguez: Arguably the most anticipated fight of the weekend other than the main event, former interim lightweight title challenger Kevin Lee moves up to welterweight to try his hand as he faces rising prospect Daniel Rodriguez. Lee has talked a big game about being a top welterweight but his bark and his bite have not always been in sync, and that looks like it may happen again this weekend. Rodriguez is a powerful striker with a clean jab, a combination that has vexed Lee many times before. Rodriguez as an underdog at +130 on FanDuel is good value.