UFC 286: Prelim Picks and Predictions
UFC prelims always hold plenty of value for UFC bettors and 286's prelims are no exception. We've got you covered with our three favorite picks, highlighted by Ludovit Klein taking down Jai Herbert.
UFC 286 heads to London and will serve up the trilogy fight between rivals Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman, and perhaps what could be the fight of the year between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev.
The card looks to be every bit as impressive as last month’s historic lineup. The preliminaries are loaded with great fights and UFC odds have provided some excellent value to boost your MMA winnings this weekend.
Here are our free picks and predictions for the UFC 286 preliminaries on March 18.
UFC 286 prelim picks and predictions
Juliana Miller vs. Veronica Macedo
• Prediction: Miller ML (-435)
• Best Bet: Over 2.5 rounds (-115)
Jai Herbert vs. Ludovit Klein
• Prediction: Klein ML (-175)
• Best Bet: Klein by KO/TKO/DQ (+110)
Muhammad Mokaev vs Jafel Filho
• Prediction: Mokaev ML (-800)
• Best Bet: Mokaev by submission (+110)
Click on each fight to jump to the full analysis.
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The first fight on the card between Miller and Macedo happens to have some value in it. Miller is a BJJ specialist with unorthodox striking and Macedo hasn’t fought in three years. “Killer” Miller is coming off an impressive win over Brogan Walker last August and should be penciled in for another victory here.
Macedo doesn’t defend takedowns very well, and it’s hard to imagine anything improving after being out for so long. This should be a slow-paced fight that sees Miller pinning Hardy down for long stretches, with the possibility of submission later on as Macedo tires.
On the moneyline, Miller is a lock, but we’ll elect to take a risk for a bigger return picking the fight to go Over 2.5 rounds.
Prediction: Miller moneyline (-435 at DraftKings)
Best Bet: Over 2.5 rounds (-115 at DraftKings)
Herbert vs. Klein is the best fight of the prelims. Klein is up against a capable opponent with all the tools necessary to beat him, but Herbert has shown a lot of promise and possesses glaring physical advantages that can make Klein’s night difficult.
However, Herbert is not the most aggressive fighter and fares poorly against fighters who can close the distance. This clash of kickboxers should favor Klein’s technique, and Herbert isn’t the most tenacious of fighters when he gets hurt.
Once Klein bypasses Herbert’s reach — which he should do after landing some debilitating leg kicks from a distance — he’ll close him up. In light of a KO prop for Klein, we’re sticking with the moneyline.
Prediction: Klein moneyline (-195 at DraftKings)
Best Bet: Klein moneyline (-195 at DraftKings)
Mokaev vs. Filho looks to be lopsided, with Mokaev being the biggest favorite on the entire card. Both fighters are known for their groundwork, but Mokaev has the edge. This will be Filho’s second fight on the promotion after getting a contract from Dana White’s Contender Series, but it will take a small miracle for him to win.
The Manchester native is a disciplined grappler who grinds his opponents to a halt. Because Filho can be dangerous at times and is no slouch on the ground himself, Mokaev might not want to shoot in too often if he doesn’t have to.
Mokaev is being built as a star in the making, and Filho is just here for the ride. Eventually, Mokaev should take Filho’s back and choke him out, earning a submission win for a +110 score.
Prediction: Mokaev moneyline (-800 at DraftKings)
Best Bet: Mokaev to win by submission (+110 at DraftKings)
