UFC 246 Picks
Ready for UFC 246 Las Vegas picks and betting odds & predictions? The UFC is taking no time to ease into the new year, as the first pay per view event of 2020 will be headlined by the return of combat sports phenom Conor McGregor, where he will face long time UFC legend Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. Other than the star-studded main event, there are plenty of rapidly growing prospects and contenders fighting on this card. 13 total fights. 205 possible in-octagon minutes. Lets rock.
Event: UFC 246: McGregor vs. Cowboy
Date: Saturday, January 18th, 2020
Time: Main Card: 10 P.M. EST. Prelims: 8 P.M. EST.
Location: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Broadcast: ESPN+
Main Card (10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Pay-Per-View)
Main Event: Conor McGregor (-235) vs. Donald Cerrone (+185)
Free UFC 246 Picks – There was chatter that this bout was to take place at UFC 239 in July because McGregor’s suspension ended then, but ultimately never gained traction because he didn’t want to fight in the offered co-main event slot. Now, McGregor will make his first UFC appearance since his suspension, which was warranted due to the incidents that circled his fight against Khabib Nurmagomedov.
As for Cerrone, he was on a truly masterful three fight win streak before losing two in a row against Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje. His win streak included stoppages against Mike Perry and Alexander Hernandez, and a unanimous decision win over Al Iaquinta.
McGregor seems to be the easy pick here, but fighting at 170 pounds favors Cerrone. McGregor is known for being a notoriously fast starter and Cerrone is known to struggle against those type of fighters. Although Cerrone is the superior wrestler and submission specialist, I expect this fight to stay on the feet, which leans the way of Conor McGregor.
MMA Betting Prediction: Conor McGregor
Diego Ferreira (-230) vs. Anthony Pettis (+185)
Free UFC 246 Picks – Pettis will return to the 155 pound division after spending both of his 2019 fights at 170 pounds, where he beat Stephen Thompson and lost to Nate Diaz. Since losing the UFC Lightweight title in 2014, Pettis has been extremely inconsistent. He looks to start 2020 in the win column and gain the momentum back that he once had. Ferreira has been near fantastic since losing to Dustin Poirier in 2014, winning his last five bouts and most recently, winning at UFC 242 against Mairbek Taisumov.
I am slightly worried about the weight cut for Pettis, but the betting value of Pettis is hard to ignore here. The last time he was a betting underdog, he beat Stephen Thompson and won performance of the night. I’ll take Pettis here.
MMA Betting Prediction: Anthony Pettis
Holly Holm (-140) vs. Raquel Pennington (+120)
Free UFC 246 Picks – This rematch was scheduled for UFC 243 in October, but Holm withdrew due to injury. It will now happen in Las Vegas at UFC 246. Holm, one of the greatest women kickboxers of all time, gained an unfathomable amount of popularity when she was the first to beat Ronda Rousey. Since then, she is only 2-5, most recently losing to Amanda Nunes at UFC 239. Pennington won her sole 2019 bout against Irene Aldana via a very narrow split decision.
This is a big fight for the top of the 135 pound women’s division that lacks a true number 1 contender and with a definitive win here, either women could take that spot. Holm currently sits at a -140 favorite and I think that would be higher if it weren’t for recency bias. Holm is the better fighter and the value backs her here.
MMA Betting Prediction: Holly Holm
Sodiq Yusuff (-140) vs. Andre Fili (+115)
Free UFC 246 Picks – When the UFC has a main event that will sell, they try to put at least one fight between two young, rising stars on the main card. This is that. Yusuff, only 26 years old, has made a name for himself since earning a contract on the Contender Series. He has won his first three UFC fights, two by first round stoppages. Fili had a successful professional year in 2019, winning both his bouts and most recently winning by first round knockout in July. Yusuff is someone the UFC wants to back and as the better striker here, I expect him to win and gain a massive following in the process.
MMA Betting Prediction: Sodiq Yusuff
Other fights on PPV
Claudia Gadhela (+110) vs. Alexa Grasso (-130)
MMA Betting Prediction: Grasso
Prelims on ESPN+
Maycee Barber (-550) vs. Roxanne Modaferri (+390)
MMA Betting Prediction: Barber
Nasrat Haqparast (-250) vs. Drew Dober (+200)
MMA Betting Prediction: Haqparast (Play of the Night)
Alexey Oleinik (-140) vs. Maurice Green (+115)
MMA Betting Prediction: Green
Grant Dawson (-180) vs. Chas Skelly (+150)
MMA Betting Prediction: Dawson
JJ Aldrich (-115) vs. Sabina Mazo (+100)
MMA Betting Prediction: Aldrich
Askar Askarov (-135) vs. Tim Elliot (+110)
MMA Betting Prediction: Elliot
Brian Kelleher (-122) vs. Ode Osbourne (+100)
MMA Betting Prediction: Osbourne
Aleksa Camur (-160) vs. Justin Ledet (+130)
MMA Betting Prediction: Camur