This weekend's UFC 318 card in New Orleans, Louisiana, is going to be a banger. The BMF Title is on the line in the main event between champion Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier (No. 6). Three additional ranked bouts accompany this title fight. Two of the top-15 clashes are preliminary contests. Below, I'll dive into each of the ranked prelim fights, as well as a third bout, from a betting perspective. Here are my top three UFC 318 prelims card picks and bets for Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira.
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UFC 318 Prelims Card Picks & Bets: Kyler Phillips vs. Vinicius Oliveira
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Kyler Phillips (+124) vs. Vinicius Oliveira (-148)
The preliminary card wraps up with a thrilling ranked Bantamweight fight between Kyler Phillips (No. 12) and Vinicius Oliveira (No. 15). Oliveira (-148) is amid a four-fight winning streak in the UFC, while Phillips (+124) is 3-1 in his last four fights.
I think there's value with Phillips as an underdog in this spot, so I'll take a flier on the +124 payout that comes with him. The American is 7-2 in the UFC, notching notable victories against Song Yadong (U-DEC) and Pedro Munhoz (U-DEC). Phillips is the sharper, more technical fighter in this bout, and I think that ultimately gives him the edge.
From a defensive standpoint, Phillips has a 60% strike defense rate, and he's also fending off 75% of opposing takedown attempts. He's landing 2.63 takedowns per 15 minutes, as well as averaging 5.28 significant strikes per minute. Oliveira should have no issues matching his high-octane pace. However, the Brazilian has conceded six takedowns in his last three fights and owns a modest strike defense rate of 52%. With Phillips having slight statistical advantages throughout this fight, I think he'll do enough to get his hand raised in this 15-minute contest.
Bet: Kyler Phillips Moneyline (+124)
