The UFC is back in Vegas this Saturday, and we’re expecting an instant classic when featherweight swingers Dan Ige and Andre Fili go head-to-head in the co-main event.
Elsewhere on the main card, an interesting betting line has been set in favor of Robert Bryczek, who’ll face a fighter in Ihor Potieria, who lost three of his four UFC bouts by KO/TKO.
Let’s waste no more time and dive right into the most noteworthy betting picks for the UFC Vegas 86 main card.
Picks Summary
- Dan Ige ML (-170)
- Robert Bryczek by KO/TKO (-138)
*All odds from Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
Dan Ige vs. Andre Fili
UFC Vegas 86 Featherweight Co-Main Event Bout
Saturday, February 10, 2024 – 04:00 PM ET at UFC Apex
Dan Ige
Following a canceled bout with Lerone Murphy, “50k” Dan Ige is accepting a significantly lower-ranked opponent in Andre Fili, thus placing his no.13 ranked position in danger.
However, he’s the betting favorite for a reason, and there’s no denying that Ige’s tenure as a UFC competitor has involved a much higher level of competition, with nine of his 14 promotional contests resulting in victory.
- Ige Pro MMA Record: 17-7-0
- Ige KOs: 5
- Ige Submissions: 5
Andre Fili
Saturday in Vegas will be a huge opportunity for Andre Fili to jump the featherweight rankings, and after a round-one knockout over Lucas Almeida just two months ago, confidence levels could be a huge factor for this MMA product of Team Alpha Male.
- Fili Pro MMA Record: 23-10-0
- Fili KOs: 10
- Fili Submissions: 3
Ige vs. Fili: Fight Tape Analysis
With both fighters holding sufficient abilities in the wrestling/grappling realm, I wouldn’t expect much of this contest, if any moments during this bout, to provide us with much groundwork. That said, I would expect Ige to own the advantage, as he’s proven time and time again that when required, he’ll utilize a strong wrestling game to seize control.
With that said, in a striking entanglement between the two, it’s difficult to ignore the technical aspect of Ige’s boxing and the power he has to go with it. Don’t get me wrong, Fili is down to scrap, but his defensive attributes and durability are significantly lower than Ige’s, and I believe this will be crucial in determining a victor for Saturday’s co-main event.
UFC Vegas 86 Co-Main Event Odds & Prediction
The UFC pricing with OddsTrader’s top sportsbooks believe Ige holds a 63% probability of winning this contest, but if we remove Fili’s most recent TKO win over Almeida, I believe the line would be much wider.
Skill-for-skill, and when considering the overall technique and paths to victory, Ige triumphs in all aspects from my viewpoint. I see great value in the UFC odds, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a finish surface against a fighter in Fili, who’s seen 44% of his UFC defeats arrive by KO/TKO or submission.
UFC Pick: Dan Ige ML (-170) [1.70u returns 1u profit] at Bet365
Ihor Potieria vs. Robert Bryczek
UFC Vegas 86 Middleweight Main Card Bout
Saturday, February 10, 2024 – 04:00 PM ET at UFC Apex
Ihor Potieria
Humble beginnings have been the story thus far, and that’s putting it politely when discussing Ukraine’s Ihor Potieria’s UFC career to date.
A 2022 debut for the promotion resulted in a standing TKO loss. While he managed to find success versus Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, this lone UFC success against a 41-year-old legend with durability issues was a luck-of-the-draw moment as he returned for two more fights in 2023 and lost back-to-back via KO/TKO.
- Potieria Pro MMA Record: 20-5-0
- Potieria KOs: 9
- Potieria Submissions: 7
Robert Bryczek
Robert Bryczek makes his UFC debut this weekend in Vegas, and while his career has predominantly involved stints on the European regional scene, 11 knockouts from 17 pro-MMA wins should give him confidence versus the worn and tested chin of Potieria.
- Bryczek Pro MMA Record: 17-5-0
- Bryczek KOs: 11
- Bryczek Submissions: 1
Potieria vs. Bryczek: Fight Tape Analysis
Potieria will drop a weight division this weekend, but a size differential won’t be as obvious as some expect. Will it assist his chin? Versus an opponent that doesn’t own an aggressive streak with KO-power, perhaps, but unfortunately, Bryczek isn’t that guy.
Potieria isn’t the worst striker by any means; he even looked respectable on the feet before the ground and pound stoppage versus Rodolfo Bellato last time out. However, his cardio faltered after the first round, and his durability concerns continue with a 1-3 UFC record and three stoppage losses.
Bryczek, with the power and vicious nature present, should be more than enough to overcome a fighter in Potieria who isn’t going to grapple and feed him the striking opportunities he seeks to collect a debut win in the octagon.
UFC Vegas 86 Main Card Event Odds & Prediction
The UFC prices have placed too much juice on the Bryczek moneyline for my liking. No problem, -138 for a Polish knockout feels right to me when looking at the trajectory of Poitiers, whose three UFC defeats were all thanks to a questionable chin.
UFC Pick: Robert Bryczek by KO/TKO (-138) [1.38u 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.
