UFC Vegas 81 Odds: Jennifer Maia-Viviane Araujo prediction, pick, how to watch
We're back with our predictions and picks for UFC Vegas 81 as we look towards our Co-Main Event of the evening, taking place in the Women's Flyweight (125 lb) Division between two ranked contenders. Fellow Brazilians square off as No. 9 Jennifer Maia will take on No. 11 Viviane Araujo.
Jennifer Maia (21-9-1) has gone 6-5 during her UFC career since 2018. She famously challenged then-champion Valentina Shevchenko for the belt at the peak of her career. Maia is 3-2 in her last five fights heading into this one, but she's currently on a two-fight win streak that's seen her take down Maryna Moroz and Casey O'Neill. She'll get a shot to continue her rise up the rankings with a win over another ranked contender. Maia stands 5'4″ with a 64-inch reach.
Viviane Araujo (11-5) has gone 5-4 during her UFC career since joining the roster in 2019. After a solid start with the promotion, she's been up and down the rankings and has fallen out of the top-10 with her recent losses. Her last win came in May 2022 against Andrea Lee but since has lost back-to-back fights against Alexa Grasso and Amanda Ribas ahead of this bout. Expect this to be a huge get-back spot for her. Araujo stands 5'4″ with a 68-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Vegas 81 Odds: Jennifer Maia-Viviane Araujo Odds
Jennifer Maia: -164
Viviane Araujo: +134
Over 2.5 rounds: -450
Under 2.5 rounds: +300
How to Watch Jennifer Maia vs. Viviane Araujo
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+, Watch ESPN
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Jennifer Maia Will Win
Billed as a strong grappler, Jennifer Maia struggled mightily to stand and strike with skilled kickboxers like Katlyn Chookagian and Manon Fiorot in previous back-to-back losses. However, she's had a youthful resurgence as of late and has picked up wins over much younger, fresher fighters in her last two bouts. Maia was able to pick up consecutive unanimous decision victories in her last two fights as she controlled with her grappling for all 15 minutes of both fights. She has a very clear game plan in each one of her contests and if she can see success with it, she instantly becomes a dangerous opponent for anyone high on the rankings.
With most of her wins coming by way of decision, there's no question that Jennifer Maia will look to tie up with Araujo and bring her to the ground early. Maia's biggest success comes from her suffocating top pressure and ability to keep opponents down while she lands cumbersome ground-and-pound. She's not much of a knockout artist and she hasn't notched a submission since 2020, so expect Jennifer Maia to continue doing what's been working for her as she comes in with a lot of confidence to this fight.
Why Viviane AraujoWill Win
For Viviane Araujo, it seems as though this fight has been a long time coming given the similar career paths of her and her opponent. They were slated to face each other on two occasions back in 2020, but VISA issues and an Araujo positive COVID test fizzled both of their bouts out. Since then, Araujo managed to capture three important wins and climbed her way to a title-eliminator fight against Alexa Grasso. Recency bias may indicate a decline for Araujo, but she had to face two very tough opponents in consecutive fights and couldn't get anything going with her output. For this fight, we'll have to see the older version of Araujo enter the cage if she wants to have a chance as the underdog.
Typically a high output striker, Araujo struggled to get anything going in her last two fights. It seemed as though she took her foot off the gas once her opponents pressed forward, which will have to be a focal point for her this time around. She has a very impressive 82% takedown defense rate and should stuff some of Maia's takedowns early on when she's fresh. Araujo is a seasoned veteran on the ground and has never been submitted, so don't expect her to panic when she finds herself underneath Maia. If anything, Araujo should look to work her submission game and keep Maia uncomfortable whenever she's in top position.
Final Jennifer Maia-Viviane AraujoPrediction & Pick
This fight should be exciting as both of these fighters come from a similar background and have had their paths cross a few times in the past. Jennifer Maia will seem to be the stronger fighter in the grappling exchanges and the betting odds are an indication that she may look to control this fight on the ground. Viviane Araujo hasn't shown much aggression through her fights and typically waits until it's too late to turn up her volume. The only way she can win this fight is if she stays aggressive and seeks offense throughout all three rounds. Jennifer Maia won't be a huge threat to finish this fight, so Araujo should look to sell out and try to find a submission win. For our prediction, let's take a chance on Viviane Araujo as we bet the upside of a possible finish.
Final Jennifer Maia-Viviane Araujo Prediction & Pick: Viviane Araujo (+134); Wins by Submission (+800)
