UFC 292 Preliminary & Early Prelims Picks: Best Undercard Bets

UFC 292 is just over 24 hours away as today’s best MMA fighters take over TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. While a large portion of fans tend to focus on the main card action and betting opportunities, Saturday night’s preliminary and early prelims bouts are also worth checking out if you’re looking for a win.

Your friends at Betting News have everything you need to know ahead of UFC 292’s early action, including the latest odds and our expert picks for every preliminary card and early prelims fight this weekend.

UFC 292 Preliminary Card Picks

The UFC 292 odds listed below are as of 8:53 a.m. on Friday, August 18 via BetOnline.

Middleweight: Chris Weidman (+227) vs. Brad Tavares (-267)

Chris Wideman (15-6) makes his highly-anticipated return after horrifically snapping his right leg in the cage just over two years ago. Meanwhile, Brad Tavares (19-8) heads into UFC 292 looking to avoid a third straight loss after getting knocked out by Bruno Silva back in April.

Weidman returning with a win would make for a great story, however, it’s important to temper expectations. On top of his being inactive for about 28 months, he was only 2-6 in his last eight fights before the injury. While Tavares hasn’t exactly racked up victories lately, he’s still fresher with a .500 record (2-2) in his last four outings.

With cardio potentially being an issue for Weidman, I’ll take Tavares knocking him out Saturday night. After all, each of Weidman’s last six losses came by KO/TKO.

Best Bet: Brad Tavares by KO/TKO (+125)

Middleweight: Gregory Rodrigues (-361) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (+286)

After getting KO’d by Brunno Ferreira at UFC 283, Gregory Rodrigues (14-5) aims to rebound at TD Garden tomorrow night. Standing in his way is Denis Tiuliulin (10-7, 1NC), who’s dropped two of three fights since making his debut.

Tiuliulin doesn’t look like he belongs on the UFC stage, losing twice by technical submission in his last three outings. While Rodrigues isn’t a submission expert, he’s still 6-2 with five KO/TKO victories in his eight previous contests. He clearly knows how to finish the job.

Tiuliulin will do his best to survive the incoming three rounds, but Rodrigues will lay him out before we even get close to the time limit.

Best Bet: Gregory Rodrigues by KO/TKO (+150)

Lightweight: Austin Hubbard (-175) vs. Kurt Holobaugh (+150)

Austin Hubbard (15-6) makes his return at UFC 292 after back-to-back unanimous decision wins over Julian Lane and Kegan Agnew. On the other side, Kurt Holobaugh (19-7, 1NC) also returns to the promotion after a brief stint in XFC that saw him knock out both Joziro Boye and Jose Luis Verdugo.

I could see this fight going either way, but I’m taking Hubbard to emerge victorious. His first UFC run was unsuccessful, but at least he went 3-4 over that span, whereas Holobaugh went 0-3 with a no-contest under the promotion’s umbrella.

On top of absorbing fewer significant strikes per minute than his opponent (2.97 vs.4.28), Hubbard also possesses superior grappling numbers and has slightly better cardio than Holobaugh. I see the favorite using his wrestling skills to tire Holobaugh out before eventually winning this one by some form of decision.

Best Bet: Austin Hubbard by Points (+165)

Bantamweight: Brad Katona (-160) vs. Cody Gibson (+140)

Brad Katona (12-2) rides a five-fight winning streak to Boston after going 0-2 in his first UFC run. Meanwhile, Cody Gibson (19-8) has won four of his last fights and looks to keep the momentum going as he makes his return following an eight-year absence.

Regardless of who wins, I expect a lengthy bout at UFC 292 since both men aren’t strangers to going the distance. Ten of Katona’s 14 career outings went the distance while six of Gibson’s previous 10 bouts did the same.

Still, if I have to choose a winner, I’m going with Katona. He’s the hotter fighter at the moment with momentum stemming from a successful BRAVE CF Bantamweight Championship defense last October. With an 80% winning percentage in fights that go the distance, I see him surviving tomorrow’s war.

Best Bet: Brad Katona by Points (-120)

UFC 292 Early Prelims Picks

Middleweight: Andre Petroski (-221) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (+186)

Andre Petroski (9-1) is now on a four-fight winning streak following UFC 281’s unanimous decision victory over Wellington Turman. Standing across from him is Gerald Meerschaert (35-16), who most recently suffered a first-round TKO loss to Joseph Pyfer at UFC 287.

While Meerschaert has much more experience, I’m going with the young up-and-comer. Petroski hasn’t looked out of place at all at the highest level, finishing three of his first four UFC opponents. His best days are ahead of him, whereas his opponent’s prime is in the rearview.

Considering how Meerschaert has been knocked out thrice in his last eight fights after just one KO/TKO lost in the first 43, I don’t see him surviving all three rounds. Look for Petroski to win via knockout.

Best Bet: Austin Hubbard by Points (+165)

Women’s Flyweight: Andrea Lee (+250) vs. Natalia Silva (-300)

Andrea Lee (13-7) heads into the UFC 292 festivities looking to avoid a third consecutive loss. That’ll be easier said than done as she faces Natalia Silva (15-5, 1NC), who’s been the victor one each of her last nine matchups.

I just don’t see Silva coming up short Saturday. She’s been as dominant as they come, finishing eight of her last nine foes. That includes a pair of TKO victories in her first three UFC fights, proving that she’s showing zero signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Lee is a solid grappler, but I can’t doubt Silva’s finishing ability — especially with six submission victories during her winning streak. Back the 26-year-old to submit her veteran opponent at TD Garden.

Best Bet: Natalia Silva by Submission (+400)

Women’s Flyweight: Karine Silva (-160) vs. Maryna Moroz (+140)

Karine Silva (16-4) is the favorite in this matchup after beginning her UFC career with three straight submission wins. At the same time, Maryna Moroz (11-4) is hungry for a bounce-back showing after she came up short against Jennifer Maia (via unanimous decision) back in November.

Even though this should be a competitive bout, I can’t go against the oddsmakers. Silva has looked terrifying, finishing each of her last seven opponents with six of those victories coming in the first round. A longer fight suits Moroz, which is why I see Silva trying to end things early.

Moroz’s 22% takedown accuracy and 47% defense highlight how she isn’t the best grappler, which is why I see Silva out-wrestling her before notching the submission win.

Best Bet: Karine Silva by Submission (+210)

UFC 292 FAQ

When is UFC 292?

UFC 292 will take place on Saturday, August 19, 2023.

Where is UFC 292?

UFC 292 will take place at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.

What time does UFC 292 start?

• UFC 292 Early Prelims Start Time: 6 p.m. ET
• UFC 292 Preliminary Card Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Start Time of UFC 292’s Main Card: 10 p.m. ET

How can I watch UFC 292?

The UFC 292 early prelims can be viewed on ESPN+ before the preliminary card is broadcasted on both ESPN and ESPN+. The main card can then be viewed on ESPN+ or your local PPV providers.

How can I bet on UFC 292?

All of the top online sports betting sites will have UFC 292 odds, but here are some of the sites we recommend most for MMA betting enthusiasts.