The UFC touched down in The World’s Playground this weekend, and we’re covering all your betting needs for a stacked Atlantic City fight card, which should deliver octagon intensity from top to bottom.
We’ve already covered the main card, so let’s stop wasting time and dive right into the most noteworthy betting picks for the UFC Atlantic City preliminary card contests.
Picks Summary
- Ibo Aslan ML (-125)
- Melissa Gatto ML (-160)
*All odds from Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
Ibo Aslan vs. Anton Turkalj
UFC Atlantic City Light Heavyweight Preliminary Bout
Saturday, March 30, 2024 – 07:00 PM ET at the Boardwalk Hall
Ibo Aslan
Turkish MMA arrives to the UFC octagon this Saturday evening when Ibo Aslan makes his promotional debut following an impressive Dana White’s Contender Series round one TKO victory over Paulo Renato Jr.
Interestingly, all twelve of Aslan’s pro career wins came by knockout, and the only person to overcome his relentless punching power was his weekend opponent, Anton Turkalj.
- Aslan Pro Record: 12-1-0
- Aslan KO/TKO Wins: 12
- Aslan Submission Wins: 0
Anton Turkalj
Turkalj, 27, entered the UFC with an unblemished 8-0 pro record. Unfortunately, this is where his undefeated reign came crashing down, as he’s lost three consecutive bouts since, including stoppage losses to Tyson Pedro and Jailton Almeida.
- Turkalj Pro Record: 8-3-0
- Turkalj KO/TKO Wins: 5
- Turkalj Submission Wins: 2
Aslan vs. Turkalj: Fight Tape Analysis
One would expect Turkalj to enter Atlantic City full of confidence; he’s already defeated Aslan, after all. However, going back, he was fortunate to survive the first five minutes, as the Turkish prospect truly put a beating on him, but gassing out in the second round as a crucial mistake saw him surrender to a rear-naked choke.
Turkalj is serviceable in all areas of MMA, but to be brutally honest, nothing stands out from his skillset since his tenure under the UFC banner. Moreover, Aslan is the most impressive win on his record, and even then, he was very fortunate to survive the Turkish star, whose aggression levels will be extremely difficult to overcome twice.
UFC Atlantic City Preliminary Card Odds & Prediction
The UFC pricing with OddsTrader’s top sportsbooks makes Aslan a betting favorite. On paper, most would see Turkalj’s success in the first bout and instantly attack the underdog price.
However, Aslan was just 23 years old at the time. His skills have only advanced, his fight intelligence will be higher and to lose his gas tank in an identical scenario as the first fight would deem him the stupidest fighter on the roster. That said, we don’t envision this happening, and the Turkish debutant will find his revenge and finish the job he failed to achieve back in 2020.
UFC Pick: Aslan ML (-125) [1.25u returns 1u profit] at Bet365
Melissa Gatto vs. Viktoria Dudakova
UFC Atlantic City Women’s Flyweight Preliminary Bout
Saturday, March 30, 2024 – 07:00 PM ET at the Boardwalk Hall
Melissa Gatto
Back-to-back stoppage victories for Melissa Gatto were an idealistic beginning to her UFC tenure in 2021. Unfortunately, the Brazilian flyweight couldn’t hold onto an unbeaten record when she crossed paths with Tracy Cortez and Ariane Lipski in her most recent bouts, and lengthy periods of inactivity have likely prevented us from seeing her true potential.
- Gatto Pro Record: 8-2-2
- Gatto KO/TKO Wins: 2
- Gatto Submission Wins: 4
Viktoria Dudakova
Russia’s Viktoria Dudakova blasted through Istela Nunes and Jinh Yu Frey in 2023. Still, with her first fight of the new year lined up this weekend, there’s an overwhelming feeling that the UFC may have thrown her to the wolves, considering her lack of experience and age.
- Dudakova Pro Record: 8-0-0
- Dudakova KO/TKO Wins: 2
- Dudakova Submission Wins: 4
Gatto vs. Dudakova: Fight Tape Analysis
There’s no denying Gatto’s recent losses, but watching her exchange leather with a talented Lipski, as well as considering her fuller flyweight frame with a heavy top game; I’m unsure Dudakova has the necessary skills to keep her streak alive.
Despite proving to own a striking advantage over Frey last time, Dudakova surrendered an entire round of top control. Now, with a larger, more talented grappler in Gatto to deal with, I struggle to envision how the Russian can avoid being dominated in this same area.
UFC Atlantic City Preliminary Card Odds & Prediction
The UFC odds have positioned a conservative -160 moneyline price on Gatto. I say ‘conservative’ simply because I’d line this contest closer to the -200 region.
Dudakova can bang, but she doesn’t have Lipski’s striking offense, and Gatto showed promise in those exchanges with her. Dudakova will be completely outmatched in the grappling realm, and as a former strawweight, she doesn’t have the size or strength to muscle her way out of the expected challenging ground positions she’ll be in.
UFC Pick: Gatto ML (-160) [1.60u returns 1u profit] at Bet365
*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
