The UFC returns to Las Vegas, Nevada, this weekend, and we’re covering all your betting needs for a fight card stacked with talent.
Let’s waste no more time and dive right into the most noteworthy betting picks for the UFC Vegas 82 preliminary card bouts.
Picks Summary
- Jose Johnson ML (-190) at Caesars Sportsbook
- Joanderson Brito ML (+110) at Bet365
Chad Anheliger vs. Jose Johnson
UFC Vegas 82 Bantamweight Preliminary Bout
Saturday, November 18, 2023 – 03:25 PM ET at UFC Apex
Chad Anheliger
Following his Contender Series victory over Muin Gafurov, Canada’s Chad Anheliger defeated Jesse Strader in his UFC debut. Following that was a meeting with Alatengheili, who defeated Anheliger by decision after outworking and out-striking him.
Even during his regional scene tenure, I never envisioned the Canadian as a serious threat to a UFC level of competition. Although he prevailed as a +340 dog on DWCS, I don’t believe he has the complete MMA skill set to survive the test of time versus the upper echelon of pro-MMA.
- Anheliger Pro Record: 12-6-0
- Anheliger KO/TKO Wins: 7
- Anheliger Submission Wins: 3
Jose Johnson
In his second Contender Series appearance, Texas native Jose Johnson secured a UFC contract by defeating unbeaten Jack Cartwright. A year later, he ultimately completed his first octagon war when he was defeated by a Da’Mon Blackshear twister submission late in the first round.
Strong grapplers with sufficient wrestling offense and respectable cardio have walked through Johnson, but he will enter Saturday’s bout as the more versed mixed martial artist of the two.
- Johnson Pro Record: 15-8-0
- Johnson KO/TKO Wins: 8
- Johnson Submission Wins: 2
Anheliger vs. Johnson: Fight Tape Analysis
Despite the imperfections of Johnson, it appears that Anheliger is facing significant challenges in this particular encounter. The disparity in dimensions is inequitable, and Anheliger does not possess the wrestling abilities necessary to capitalize on Johnson’s most significant vulnerability.
Johnson hasn’t been a world-beater by any means. Still, he has fought a significantly higher level of competition, and the size discrepancy should be more than enough to succeed versus an opponent of Anheliger’s caliber.
UFC Vegas 82 Main Event Odds & Prediction
The UFC pricing with OddsTrader’s top sportsbooks makes Johnson a -190 favorite. While I’d prefer a betting line closer to the -150 region, it’s still one of the most noteworthy pieces of value from the favorites available on this card.
UFC Pick: Jose Johnson ML (-190) [1.9u returns 1u profit] at Caesars Sportsbook (check our Caesars Sportsbook Review)
Jonathan Pearce vs. Joanderson Brito
UFC Vegas 82 Featherweight Main Event Bout
Saturday, November 18, 2023 – 03:50 PM ET at UFC Apex
Jonathan Pearce
Jonathan Pearce concluded a sequence of five consecutive victories by securing a knockout triumph over Jacob Rosales during his participation in the Contender Series. However, his initial appearance in the UFC resulted in an unexpected defeat due to a stoppage inflicted by Joe Lauzon. The individual in question has achieved a consecutive series of five victories, the most recent being a triumph over Darren Elkins in December, which was determined by a decision.
- Pearce Pro Record: 14-4-0
- Pearce KO/TKO Wins: 9
- Pearce Submission Wins: 2
Joanderson Brito
“Tubarao,” another fighter who successfully graduated from the Contender Series, also had a setback in his UFC debut. However, he’s now riding a string of victories, which started with a swift 41-second knockout of Andre Fili and was then sustained by two consecutive instances of locking submissions over Lucas Alexander and Westin Wilson.
- Brito Pro Record: 15-3-1
- Brito KO/TKO Wins: 6
- Brito Submission Wins: 7
Pearce vs. Brito: Fight Tape Analysis
Pearce faces an opponent he cannot intimidate, marking a significant departure from his first encounter with Lauzon, which ended in a disastrous debut. Brito possesses exceptional physical attributes, characterized by formidable strength and a highly effective top game.
Consequently, he is well-suited to impose defensive pressure on “JSP” and perhaps keep him on the defensive. Pearce’s optimal strategy is gradually depleting Brito’s stamina until the Brazilian experiences a decline in performance. However, this approach encounters two notable challenges.
Firstly, it should be noted that Brito possesses the remarkable ability to sustain a very high level of performance for an extended duration, above what would be considered sensible or reasonable. In order for Pearce to endure, it is imperative that Brito’s fuel supply is depleted. The location of Pearce’s chin is very identifiable. Since Elkins successfully targeted it with accurate right-handed punches, it is reasonable to assume that Brito can do the same.
UFC Vegas 82 Main Event Odds & Prediction
The current UFC odds make Brito a betting underdog, which is expected because Pearce owns the larger consecutive win streak.
That said, money is slowly coming in on the underdog, who initially opened at +126 and has since dropped to +110.
Ultimately, I expect an overwhelming force in Brito, who’ll likely stop Pearce through either a combination of grappling and submission techniques or an early KO/TKO.
UFC Pick: Brito ML (+110) [1u returns 1.10u profit] at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
*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.
