UFC Vegas 85 Predictions & Best Bets

After a week off, the UFC is back up and running this weekend with yet another UFC Apex fight card, UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs Imavov (from here on out, being referred to as UFC Vegas 85). In typical UFC Fight Night at the Apex style, we get a middleweight main event. Here are my UFC Vegas 85 predictions and best bets.

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UFC Vegas 85 Predictions & Best Bets

Roman Dolidze (+145) vs. Nassourdine Imavov

Not only do we get a middleweight main event, but we get two fighters in it who didn’t even win their last fights. This is a pretty tough matchup to call, but I’m leaning toward Roman Dolidze due to his knockout power. He’s got seven knockouts (and three submissions) in 12 professional MMA wins.

Plus, Phil Hawes MMA Math says to take Dolidze since he beat Hawes, who in turn beat Nassourdine Imavov. Catch all that?! Dolidze as a dog is the play

Drew Dober (+163) vs. Renato Moicano

I’m going dog again in the co-main event, a lightweight tilt between Drew Dober and Renato Moicano. Once again, I’m going with the striking power – 14 career knockouts for Dober, none for Renato Moicano. Plus, Moicano has been on the shelf since November 2022. If this fight stays on the feet, Moicano is going to eat too many shots from Dober to survive.

Randy Brown (-250) vs. Muslim Salikhov

The third fight from the top is a far easier one to call. Previously scheduled for December at UFC 296, Randy Brown and Muslim Salikhov will try a second time to make it into the cage on Saturday (Brown got ill last minute first go around).

‘Rude Boy’ Randy Brown has all the advantages going into this one – he’s far more well-rounded and dangerous on the feet and the ground, he has an eight-inch(!!) reach advantage, and he’s six years younger. It should all add up to a win for the Jamaican-American.

Molly McCann (-250) vs. Diana Belbita

‘Meatball’ Molly McCann makes her strawweight debut on Saturday after having spent her whole career as a flyweight. She’s rematching Diana Belbita, who she beat at 125 pounds back in 2019.

Cutting down to 115 pounds to fight someone else who normally fights at 125 pounds but is cutting down as well seems pointless.

Regardless, McCann should win, and if you want a better number, take her via decision at +100 – that’s how she won their first encounter, and I don’t see her getting a finish here either.

Marquel Mederos (-130) vs. Landon Quinones

After opening at -220, Marquel Mederos’s number has moved into a much more advantageous range for us. Mederos should be the better, faster, and more powerful striker in this prelim matchup against Landon Quinones.

And the man knows how to finish an opponent, with six of his eight wins coming via knockout. Look for Mederos to kick off his UFC career on a winning note on Saturday.

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