The UFC heads to Virginia this weekend for another exciting instalment of the Fight Night series. Our main event features two top Flyweight contenders, with Joseph Benavidez and Deiveson Figuerido going at it. Our Co-Main takes us to the Women’s Featherweight division, with Felicia Spencer and Zarah Dos Santos battling it out. We’ll preview both of these fights, providing our best bets in the process.
Joseph Benavidez: Benavidez enters this main event with a very impressive 28-5 career record. He has won 9 of his last 10 fights, including a consecutive trio against Perez, Ortiz, and Formiga. One of the more versatile fighters in the UFC, Benavidez has 8 knockouts, 9 submissions, and 11 decision victories to his name.
Deiveson Figueiredo: Figueiredo is no slouch either, entering this bout with a 17-1 career record. He joined the UFC in 2017, going an impressive 6-1 since joining the promotion. Known for his strong finishing ability, he has 8 knockout wins and 6 submissions to his name thus far.
Prediction: Benavidez to Win $1.80
Because he had to compete with Mighty Mouse for so long, I think Benavidez is one of the more underrated fighters in the UFC. He has the complete skillset and a ton of experience in these high-profile events that his opponent doesn’t have. Especially over 5 rounds, I think his combination of skill, power, and technique will get the job done.
Felicia Spencer: Spencer has had a strong MMA career to date, entering this bout with a 7-1 overall record. She went 6-0 in Invicta before joining the UFC, where she beat Megan Anderson and lost to Cris Cyborg in her first two fights. She’s known primarily as a submission specialist, earning 4 of her victories thus far by submission.
Zarah Dos Santos: The 33-year-old Brazilian enters this bout with a 6-3 career record. She fought recently in the UFC 243 undercard, where she was ultimately submitted by Megan Anderson. She is the comfortable underdog in this co-main event, which her lack of a Wikipedia page would indicate.
Prediction: Spencer by Submission
Spencer is definitely the better fighter here, but the current odds of $1.12 aren’t too inspiring. To get a better ROI, taking a look at the method of victory markets is probably the best option. Given her history of submissions and Dos Santos’ vulnerability on the ground, I think Spencer by submission is the best bet here.