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Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is one of the most popular sports in the world of online betting. With the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Bellator helping MMA gain prominence in the mainstream.
We created our UFC Betting Guide for bettors of all skill levels. Want to skip ahead? Use the quick links below to jump directly to the topic you’re most interested in.
For any fight fan, be it a casual or a hardcore one,it is more than likely that they are ready to get the snacks and set the T.V. once the UFC fight card lands.
For this guide, our focus points are the UFC Main cards and events, which as of the last few years, usually take place once per month, and can happen twice in a month on very few occasions (Once a year at the most).
What differentiates these particular events, is the number they are assigned; unlike the “Fight Nights” and “UFC on ESPN” events, these Main cards continue the sequence of UFC Events that has been going on for years.
From the UFC 1 event back in 1993, the company has produced 270 numbered events by the end of January 2022, and will keep going forward.
A Stacked Card:
The numbered UFC events are not only special for the number they have, they usually have the most interesting and exciting matches of the month.
The Main Cards are set as Pay-Per-View events, as they usually have at least one and up to three title fights taking place, as part of the 4 or 5 exciting matches to wrap up the evening.
Interesting and Close Match-ups:
In order to sell a fight, we need to be thrilled, so the match-makers try their best to keep the event as interesting as possible.
It is likely to see the odds being close on most of these matches, as the point is to have them being as close as possible on paper before the fighters get to the cage.
A High-risk high-reward potential.
Due to the current wave of dominant champions, along with the fighters holding win streaks it is possible to see one of the fights have a huge betting favorite and huge underdog.
Betting on the big underdog could be a high risk play, but it also lands a massive pay-out if it does happen.
Take a look at the Prelims and Undercard:
We all love to get to the couch and watch the main event, as it is expected to be a blast and give us exciting fights, but for those who want to get some extra catch, tuning in a few hours prior would be a great opportunity.
The prelims and undercard are the openly televised part of the event, and should be on par with any other fight night, giving us a fair amount of fights to score some quick cash as they shouldn’t be difficult to pick as the main card.
Look at the previous challenges both fighters have faced and the outcomes:
“Styles makes Fights”, is a line hardcore fight fans should have embedded in the back of their mind rent free.
The fight is not decided by who is the strongest, or the fastests, or the youngest fighter, but the style match up and skillset they bring to the fight.
That said, it is not as simple as saying a martial art can just negate another and so on.
Take a look into both fighter’s pedigree and skillsets, along with their recent performances to have a better look on how they finish their fights, the way they have handled fighters with similar styles to their opponent and the level of competition they are accustomed to.
Go for the Parlay bets, but avoid placing a huge upset in them:
For those new to betting, a parlay bet is a bet in which you go for multiple outfits instead of the result of a single match.
This kind of bet means that missing a single one of your predicted outcomes will make you lose all your money, however, in case of winning, it will multiply your risk factor and give you a great payout the more fights you add.
If you find multiple fights in which the favorite fighter is likely to crush the opponent, rack them up in a parlay, and turn those pay-outs into a big one.
For the same reason, you should avoid including a major upset in the parlay, to make sure you score the parlay money, and you can risk to bet on the upset fight on the side to score the extra cash.
For any fight fan, be it a casual or a hardcore one,it is more than likely that they are ready to get the snacks and set the T.V. once the UFC fight card lands.
For this guide, we dive into the things you need to know if you plan to bet on the UFC Fight Night events, which by now take place almost every weekend, as the promotion rarely takes a weekend off as of recent years.
The UFC fight nights are the build up to the biggest events, as they showcase all the fighters and their path forward in the promotion, from the newcomers and the seasoned fighters looking to climb up in the rankings, to title eliminator fights.
Take a look at the fighter’s record and late performances:
This point is a pretty important one in Fight Nights, as we take a look at the up and coming talents and prospects.
Any fighter doing their debut brings questions for that could turn a bet risky.
Will they be able to perform when put on the biggest promotion in front of the crowd and the cameras? Will they be able to handle the level of competition?
These and other questions can be answered by looking into their recent performances and the promotions they come from.
This also helps with most fighters on a fight card.
Check how much experience do the fighters have on their resume:
Sometimes we get a fighter with a record going into their 20th or 30th fight, other times we get fighters who have as little as 7 or 8 fights in a good record.
Knowing how many fights the contestants have had, the way they have finished or been finished in them and their overall fight length is a good indicator of how well they will do in the octagon.
Don’t bet only on the main event & card:
As long as personal experience goes, most people tune into the fight when the main card rolls up on T.V., but there are from 12 to 15 fights spread across a UFC event, which means we usually get 6 hours of fights in a single day.
12+ fights mean that there are multiple possibilities to get your cash flowing, do not just tune in to the main 4-5, tune in early and get the most out of each event.
It’s good to have personal Favorites, but the heart and wallet can go separate ways:
We all have our favorite fighters, or at least some that we really want to do well in their events and get a crack at the belt.
As much as we want those fighters to have a perfect run, you have to put your feelings aside to analyze a fight, especially when it is a tough match-up.
If you really want a fighter to win but everything seems to point against him or her, there is no shame in betting against your favorite to score the cash.
There are two outcomes, you either cash in on the fight, or you can be happy for your fighter.
Know what type of Wager you are going for:
There are 3 main types of wagers for a UFC fight.
This type of betting could also include the round the fight will get finished in, to increase the pay-out.
In order to get the most of your money, you are going to want to study the fighters enough to get more precise with your wagers, but for casual fans or to start betting, it is always comfortable to just start picking the Moneyline wagers and get comfortable with your picks.
There was a time where Dana White would answer that there would never be a female division in the UFC, but after the First Female fight took place on UFC 157 on February 23, 2013, we can’t get enough of them.
Up to this point, there are 4 female weight classes active, each with their champion, and they are:
The female fighters are more likely to compete in multiple weight divisions, opposed to the Males, who mostly fight in one division, and fully switch to another division when they see fit.
Rose recaptured her belt on April 24, 2021, after beating Weili Zhang in an exciting fight, and defended her belt once in the rematch.
A great tale in hard work and confident calm amidst the storm.
Her ever-improving striking under the tutelage of Duke Roufus and Trevor Wittman is what has made the difference in going from young and exciting prospect to young and exciting champion.
Her cerebral and calculated chaos has been not only fun to watch, but also a handful for her opponents.
Schevchenko held onto the youngest division’s belt after the original champion was stripped, but it came to her hands after a war against Joanna Jedrzejczyk on UFC 231 back on December 8th , 2018.
The Bullet has held world championships in Kickboxing and Muay Thai, being an extremely dangerous striker, but also capable of working and submitting opponents on the ground.
She currently rides an 8 fight win streak, with 6 defenses on her belt.
The most recently crowned female champion.
Peña was the victor in one of the biggest upsets in MMA recently, battering and then submitting Amanda Nunes on December 11th, 2021.
The Ultimate Fighter season 18’s winner has not yet defended her belt, but after some ups and downs in her last 5 fights, she proved she has it in her to be the best in the world.
The Lioness has been a dominant fighter, and is widely regarded as the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time.
She is the first woman to become a two-division champion, and the third fighter to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously.
She is also the first and only fighter to defend two UFC titles while holding both, thanks to her dominant and well rounded fighting style.
UFC weight classes were first introduced in 1997.
At UFC 12, the first two UFC weight classes were introduced, UFC lightweight division and UFC heavyweight division.
By UFC 31, the weight classes were modified to reflect the current MMA standard.
Up to this point, there are 8 Male weight classes active, each with their champion, and they are:
It has been one hell of a crazy ride in the last few years, with some fighters becoming double champions, and a lot of movement on the belts recently, but here is a little breakdown to each of the current division champions:
Francis Ngannou became the Heavyweight champion on March 27th, 2021, after knocking out Stipe Miocic in their second meeting.
He has what everyone believes is the strongest KO power in UFC Heavyweight history.
He may not be the most technical or fast fighter, but as he proved in his title defense, he has the tools to mix things up and be dangerous to any challenger he faces.
Glover Teixeira is one of the fighters we could label the “Old Guard”, having entered the UFC back in 2012.
He managed to capture the light heavyweight strap after defeating Jan Blachowicz on October 30, 2021, becoming the second oldest UFC champion in history behind Randy Couture and the oldest first time champion in UFC history.
A brazilian jiu jitsu black belt with a ton of experience in the cage, and a lot of time invested in the improvement of his striking gave us a very well balanced champion after he caught a second wind on his career, which now racks up 33 wins and 7 losses.
Adesanya is regarded as one of the best strikers in the UFC, being able to handle and break his opponents by picking the right strikes on perfect timing.
He unified his interim title into the undisputed title in a fight with Robert Wittaker, and then continued with 3 defenses, against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa and Marvin Vettori.
His fighting style and personality are quite a match, and they keep fans on the edge of their seat.
The Nigerian Nightmare is a fitting nickname for a fighter who has held his title since March 12, 2019 and demolished all the opposition he has faced in the division with no signs of slowing down.
He captured the belt after beating Tyron Woodley, and after 5 title defenses, he currently holds a 19 fight win streak, and the number 1 rank on the MMA male’s pound for pound ranking of the world.
Charles Oiveira is a fighter who holds a lot of UFC Records, including the most submission wins in the organization’s history at 15, most finishes and most post-fight bonuses at 18..
He currently holds a 10 fight win streak, including the capture of the belt on May 15th, 2021,and his defense against Dustin Poirier.
A dangerous Jiu Jitsu Black belt who has sharpened his striking in the last years.
Back on the 14th of December, 2019, Alexander conquered the Featherweight division after taking the belt from Max Holloway, and has not stopped since racking up defenses against Holloway, and Brian Ortega.
He is a very skilled fighter with a lot of heart and a focused mind, shown on his grappling exchanges with a dangerous Ortega on his title defense.
On March 6, 2021 at UFC 259 Sterling won his title fight with Petr Yan by disqualification due to an intentional illegal knee in the fourth round, becoming the new Bantamweight Champion.
He became the first fighter in UFC history to win a championship by disqualification, which had the fans turn against him in no time.
With him pulling out of the rematch due to lingering neck issues from surgery, most fight fans do not support him as the champion, and turn their attention to the Interim champion instead.
Figueiredo has just recently picked his belt back from his rival, Brandon Moreno, on the third of back to back fights, on January 22nd, and having a possible 4rth fight on the table, has the fans thrilled.
The current champion has great knock out power on his hands, and all the division is aware of it, as it has been his weapon of choice to take the best part of the fights he has been in.
After the disqualification from his fight with Sterling, Yan pushed for a rematch that was about to happen, in order to prove he was the real champion.
After Sterling pulled out, Yan went into war with Cory Sandhagen and came out victorious, taking over the Interim Championship belt on October 30, 2021.
With the Unification fight scheduled this year, the fans expect Petr to get back to a spot where it feels like he rightfully belongs.
“Styles Make Fights”, is a line that may have had its origins in boxing, but it has never been more true than in Mixed Martial Arts.
We are going to dive deep into the details that will give you an edge in betting by looking into the fighting style and credentials of the contestants.
The sport is far away from what it was originally, and a fighter to dominate a single style is no longer a viable option for any fighter who is trying to get to the top, as most fighters are proficient in a few striking arts and some areas of the ground game.
Striking:
This part of the fight game is the one that focuses on the stand up, and the one part that most regular fight fans enjoy the most.
Boxers:
A good boxer is a fighter who can deal some damage with their hands, they are usually good at closing the distance and having some good footwork, but the normal boxing guard has to be adapted to avoid a wrestler.
Kickboxers:
These are fighters who have more tools at their disposal and tend to control the striking distance with their kicks and then close it with their hands, making them pretty dangerous.
Muay Thai Fighters:
Just as dangerous as Kickboxers, the Muay Thai fighters not only have kicks and punches at their disposal, but have some nifty tricks up their sleeve, being more used to clinch fighting, and their use of knee and elbow strikes in close distance.
Grappling:
Grappling refers to all arts that focus on throws, takedowns, position control and submissions, but in MMA it also adds the opportunity for ground & pound.
Wrestling:
Wrestlers have been making a statement in recent years, with an aggressive takedown and ground control style that opens a lot of room to make damage and take the fight over.
Judo:
Judokas have few fighters who represent their art on the highest levels of MMA, but those that have done so, have made a huge impact.
Some believe that Judo is mostly about throws, but they have great control in putting their opponents off balance, and they focus on being heavy and controlling the ground positions to open up their submission game.
Sambo:
Sambo is a Russian martial art, recognized as a type of wrestling to the USA wrestling and olympic committees.
This art has an interesting distinction from other grappling arts, which is the focus on leg locks, and not only the takedowns, controls and other more common submissions.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu:
Jiu Jitsu takes a little from every other grappling art and keeps evolving as time passes, being the youngest martial art.
Takedowns, Throws, ground controls, all kinds of submissions and passes, and everything in between.
This martial art is a necessary part of the sport for any fighter, either to attack or to get out of trouble.
It has been years since the UFC started bringing in a whole generation of full-fledged MIXED martial artists, and there is no turning back from that point.
There can be fighters who excel at one area over the others, but fully neglecting the rest is something that you will not see in the UFC anymore.
In order to improve your betting picks, these are some general situations that usually happen in Fight Cards and are worth looking into:
Striker vs Striker:
It is always exciting to see a match where two strikers are going in to see who remains standing.
These match-ups test the skill and tool diversity of the fighters, and it not only depends on their fighting style, but their strength, speed and endurance.
When two strikers go at it, a fight is not likely to see the judges scorecards.
Striker vs Grappler:
The oldest tale in the world of MMA, a fighter who keeps things on the feets against a fighter who likes to take the fight to the canvas.
These fights get tricky, as times have changed and most fighters practice grappling to defend from the takedown, but not all grappler based fighters develop an excellent striking game.
It will take some good defensive wrestling or grappling credentials to make things an easier pick, but it could take some in-depth analysis.
Grappler vs Grappler:
This one could be the most complicated fight to analyze, as there is simply no way for one grappling art to neutralize the other, so it really comes down to the skill and credentials they bring into the table.
Takedowns and ground control scores points, but a dangerous submission game can end the fight at any moment if the ground and pound doesn’t do it first.
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