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 Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen.
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UFC 318 Prelims Card Picks & Bets: Marvin Vettori vs. Brendan Allen
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Marvin Vettori (+170) vs. Brendan Allen (-205)
A couple of ranked 185-pounders will get together just before the Phillips-Oliveira bout, as Marvin Vettori (No. 10) and Brendan Allen (No. 11) go toe-to-toe. Allen, who is 0-2 in his last two fights, is a sizable -205 Moneyline favorite. Vettori, who's also on a two-fight slide, comes back at +170 to get back in the win column.
Vettori is 19-8-1 in his professional career, and he's yet to lose a fight by finish. But there's a first time for everything, and I'm going to take a +450 shot on Allen to submit Vettori on Saturday. The Italian-born fighter is sound defensively, but I don't think he's an elite defensive wrestler. His takedown defense rate is 69%, and he has allowed four takedowns during his current 0-2 stretch in the UFC.
As for Allen, he's superb when it comes to wrestling and finishing fights. The 29-year-old is 24-7-0 in his career with 14 submissions and five knockouts. Just before his 0-2 stretch against Nassourdine Imavov (U-DEC) and Anthony Hernandez (U-DEC), the American had rattled off four consecutive submission victories. His best chance to win this fight is to take it to the mat. I believe the Brazilian jiu-jitsu blackbelt is live to secure a finish if he manages to get Vettori to the ground. Give me Allen to win by submission at +450.
Bet: Brendan Allen To Win By Submission (+450)
