It’s been a roaring summer in mixed martial arts, and there’s another strong card on tap this weekend.
After a disappointing main event at UFC 329, at which Conor McGregor lost due to a knee injury he sustained in the opening minute of the first round, we head to Oklahoma City with two former champions facing off.
Of the 12 scheduled fights, 10 have props available, and six of those fights are projected to end inside the distance.
The entire card begins at 5 p.m. ET and will stream on Paramount+.
Here are my UFC Fight Night Oklahoma City predictions:
UFC Fight Night Oklahoma City predictions
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman
It’s an excellent main event this weekend in the middleweight division as Du Plessis takes on Usman in Du Plessis’ first fight since he lost his championship at this weight.
Du Plessis is a cerebral fighter in this division who dissects opponents’ game plans and excels at beating them with a mix of volume striking and grappling.
Usman is not typically a middleweight, traditionally fighting down at welterweight, where he was the reigning champion from 2019-22.
He’s a legend, but Du Plessis is the guy whom I trust the most to snag a victory here.
Usman has bad knees. I suspect Du Plessis will chop down the 39-year-old’s legs and could get a late KO here as a result.
Even if it goes the distance, Du Plessis should be the clear side to bet on, as Usman, an excellent wrestler, will be too small to grapple effectively.
Prediction: Du Plessis wins and Over 4.5 minutes (-160, DraftKings).
Jared Cannonier vs. Christian Leroy Duncan
At 42 years old, Cannonier returns for the first time since August as a massive underdog. Duncan, 30, is in his prime at this point in his career and has won four straight, including wins over Roman Dolidze and Marco Tulio.
It’s a tough spot for Cannonier, as he was smashed on the feet by Michael “Venom” Page last time out and has looked noncompetitive against top-tier competition in recent years.
I’m taking the young gun to leapfrog the grizzled vet here, as Cannonier is on the wrong side of the age curve and Duncan should be coming into his own.
The favorite should roll.
Prediction: Duncan wins, and the fight starts Round 2 (-160, DraftKings).
Get the lowdown on the Best USA Sports Betting Sites and Apps
UFC Fight Night Oklahoma City full card picks
Chase Hooper vs. Mitch Ramirez: Hooper moneyline for parlays.
Tabatha Ricci vs. Fatima Kline: Fight goes the distance (-295, bet365).
Tommy McMillen vs. Alberto Montes: Either fighter to win by KO/TKO (+200, Hard Rock).
Austin Bashi vs. Jose Miguel Delgado: Fight goes the distance (+120, DraftKings).
Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani vs. Seokhyeon Ko: Lebosnoyani by KO/TKO or submission (+400, FanDuel).
Levi Rodrigues Jr. vs. Felipe Franco: Franco moneyline (+134, Kalshi)
Alden Coria vs. Stewart Nicoll: Pass.
RJ Harris vs. Alvin Hines: Harris moneyline (+120, BetMGM).
Anna Melisano vs. Dione Barbosa: Fight goes the distance (+168, FanDuel).
Ezra Elliot vs. Damien Anderson: Over 1.5 rounds (-130, theScore Bet).
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Erich Richter is a brazilian jiu-jitsu blue belt but he has a black belt in MMA betting. During the football season he’s showcased massive profits at The Post in the player prop market the last two seasons. While constantly betting long shots, his return on investment is 30.15 percent since 2022.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
