UFC 303 Preliminary Card Picks: Cub Swanson vs. Andre Fili (2024)
UFC 303 may have lost its biggest fight after Conor McGregor (broken toe) pulled out of his match against Michael Chandler, but this is still a stellar card. It is star-studded from top-to-bottom and features several veterans that never fail to entertain the fans. The main event between Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka is the best possible fight to replace the lost one, so it should be a great night of action.
The early prelims begin at 6 p.m. EDT and feature eight fights before the main card, which starts at 10 p.m. EDT. Several veterans on the card love to please the crowd, so do not miss the early fights. Here are my top picks from the prelim fight between Cub Swanson vs. Andre Fili.
UFC 303 Preliminary Card Picks: Cub Swanson vs. Andre Fili
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Cub Swanson vs. Andre Fili
Fan-favorite Cub Swanson is 40 and nearing the end of his career. He is facing Andre Fili, who lost via brutal knockout to Dan Ige his last time in the octagon. Both men have been around the sport for an eternity, and the fans should be raucous for this fight. Swanson is 14-9 in the UFC and 5-3 with the WEC prior. Fili is 11-10 (1 NC) in the UFC and has faced the best competition in the bantamweight division. Swanson could be walking off into the sunset after this fight; there is no official announcement, but he has spoken about retirement after his last fight. He will not compete for a belt anytime soon, but he has looked good against recent opponents, winning four of his previous six fights.
This matchup is much closer than the odds make it seem. Swanson is more defensive than Fili, defending 59% of strikes. He also lands more significant strikes (4.70) per minute than Fili (3.85). Fili's advantage is in the grappling department, where he lands 2.16 takedowns per 15 minutes, but Swanson is not one to lay on his back. This fight likely takes place standing up, and Swanson is the cleaner striker. It may be difficult, but Swanson can get the job done on the scorecards and land more damage over three rounds.
Bet: Cub Swanson (+200)