2023 is here, and after a little break to finish our year and give us some time to rest from all the holiday feasts and enjoy the start of the year, the UFC Fight Night starts the action on the second Saturday of January with a middleweight headliner to get everybody excited.
The UFC Apex in Las Vegas is getting ready to be the first venue to host an event this year.
Sean Strickland is headlining a second event in a calendar month, he is filling in on short notice after Kelvin Gastelum had to pull out due to injury, and is now trying to get on the winning column against a rising talent in the Russian Sniper, Nassourdine Imanov.
This event has some big names and a lot of lesser-known names that will be taking the spotlight and showcasing their talents.
You can check all the UFC/MMA bets, the analysis of each fighter, and the final bet you can make in this fight.
UFC Fight Night – Strickland vs. Imanov – Betting Odds and Free Picks – Info
When: Saturday, January 14th, at 4:00 pm ET
Moneyline odds:
Sean Strickland -110 / Nassourdine Imavov -110
Dan Ige -120 / Damon Jackson +100
Punahele Soriano -160 / Roman Kopylov +130
Ketlen Vieira -120 / Raquel Pennington +100
Umar Nurmagomedov -700 / Raoni Barcelos +500
Abdul Razak Alhassan -110 / Claudio Ribeiro -110
Mateusz Rębecki -730 / Nick Fiore +500
Mateus Mendonça +280 / Javid Basharat -350
Allan Nascimento -370 / Carlos Hernandez +280
Daniel Argueta -190 / Nick Aguirre +155
Jimmy Flick +275 / Charles Johnson -350
Priscila Cachoeira +200 / Sijara Eubanks -250
Where Can I Watch it?
UFC Fight Night: Sean Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov
Why Bet on Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland is 25-5 in his professional career with a 12-5 record since joining the UFC in 2014.
Two of those losses happened in his previous two fights. First, he lost to Alex Pereira (KO), who went on to become the UFC Middleweight champion a few months later.
In his most recent fight, Strickland lost to Jared Cannonier by a split decision.
Despite losing, Strickland did well in that fight, keeping up with The Killa Gorilla until the final bell.
Why Bet on Nassourdine Imavov
Nassourdine Imavov (12-3) is a Dagestan-born French fighter who started his pro-MMA career in 2016.
He lost on his debut, but then went on to make a name for himself in European promotions.
Finally, in 2020, he caught the eye of the UFC promoters.
Since joining the most competitive MMA company, he’s 4-1 with his only loss happening to Phil Hawes by majority decision.
Two of his UFC wins happened by TKO, while in his most recent fight, he defeated Joaquin Buckley by unanimous decision.
Sean Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov Final Betting Analysis:
Imanov is favored to win on Saturday and there are several reasons for that.
First of all, he’s been training for this event for months; Strickland hasn’t.
Secondly, he seems like the kind of fighter who could beat Strickland on any given day.
This is really short notice for Sean Strickland – less than a week.
While this fight being up a weight class at light heavyweight will help Strickland out due to the compressed time to cut weight, it will also help Nassourdine Imavov, who has struggled with his cardio in the past.
And Strickland’s current run is a factor to consider, he may be fighting tough opposition, but we once saw him as a legit contender for a belt, and he is just not there anymore.
We’re almost 100% certain Strickland isn’t going to last for another five rounds like he did less than a month ago.
Instead, Imavov is going to deal with him much sooner.
UFC Fight Night: Dan Ige vs. Damon Jackson
Why Bet on Dan Ige
Although Ige is on a three-fight losing streak, he has lost to Movsar Evloev, Josh Emmett, and Korean Zombie, who are three of the best fighters at featherweight.
Why Bet on Damon Jackson
Jackson, meanwhile, has yet to fight someone on the level of those three, but he has looked good against the competition he has faced.
Dan Ige vs. Damon Jackson Final Betting Analysis:
A lot of people are forgetting how good Ige is here.
He is the better striker in the matchup and also has solid takedown defense that he should be able to keep it standing.
Expect Ige to use his crisp boxing and out-volume Jackson to likely win a decision, but a KO is not out of the picture, as we have seen Jackson get knocked out multiple times.
UFC Fight Night: Punahele Soriano vs. Roman Kopylov
Why Bet on Punahele Soriano
Punahele Soriano made his UFC debut after a Contender Series victory over Jamie Pickett.
He enjoyed 2 straight Octagon victories with first Round KO/TKOs and then fell to Brendan Allen and Nick Maximov when the bell rang.
He then went back to the winning column with a 2nd round KO of Dalcha Lungiambula.
Why Bet on Roman Kopylov
Roman Kopylov had a bad night in his first two UFC fights, as he was submitted by Karl Roberson on his Debut and lost on the judges’ scorecards in his fight against Albert Duraev.
He did pick up the pace by getting a 3rd round TKO over Alessio Di Chirico and now looks forward to getting his second win in the UFC.
Punahele Soriano vs. Roman Kopylov Final Betting Analysis:
Soriano has a ton of power and can KO anyone.
Although he is not known for his wrestling, he should have a big advantage on the mat, as Kopylov has struggled with wrestling.
Both Soriano and Kopylov are there to be hit, but Soriano’s chin should handle more, and he also has more power.
He also has the capability of taking this to the mat and scoring a ground-and-pound TKO win.
Ultimately, this fight may look similar to Soriano’s last scrap in which he hurt Dalcha Lungiambula and finished him against the fence.
UFC Fight Night: Ketlen Vieira vs. Raquel Pennington
Why Bet on Ketlen Vieira
Having been in the promotion since 2016, Vieira has faced some tough competition in her time and has a 7-2 record in the Octagon.
After her last defeat against Yana Kunitskaya in 2021, she came back to the winning column stopping Ex-Champions Miesha Tate and Holly Holm one after the other.
She comes into this fight looking to make a statement to challenge for the belt soon.
Why Bet on Raquel Pennington
A UFC Veteran fighter known for her striking, Rocky has managed to get 4 fights to win streak after being on the losing side of a decision against Holly Holm.
The American fighter has a rounded game but her boxing has shined through and through during her career.
Ketlen Vieira vs. Raquel Pennington Final Betting Analysis:
Ketlen Vieira is the bigger, younger fighter in this women’s bantamweight matchup, and that will play in her favor.
Raquel Pennington is quite the striker and should handle herself well, but we just think that Vieira will use her superior wrestling to get to net the judges’ decision.
UFC Fight Night: Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Raoni Barcelos
Why Bet on Umar Nurmagomedov
Umar Nurmagomedov has a perfect 15-0 record including three-straight wins in the UFC.
In his first two bouts inside the octagon, he submitted Sergey Morozov and Brian Kelleher, and in his last time out in June, he defeated Nate Maness by unanimous decision.
Like other members of his family, Umar is a dominant wrestler with relentless takedowns, excellent conditioning, and high-end submissions.
That said, he’s also a fluid striker who moves well and is very dangerous with his kicks.
Why Bet on Raoni Barcelos
Raoni Barcelos is also coming off a dominant decision win after destroying Trevin Jones in October.
Barcelos had a 73-11 advantage in significant strikes and more than seven minutes of control time against Jones.
That allowed Barcelos to bounce back from consecutive decision losses to Victor Henry and Timur Valiev.
Before that highly-competitive defeat to Valiev, Barcelos had been on a nine-fight winning streak and had won his first five fights in the UFC.
The 35-year-old is a well-rounded fighter that combines formidable BJJ and crisp Muay Thai ability with a wrestling background.
Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Raoni Barcelos Final Betting Analysis:
Umar Nurmagomedov is bigger, way younger, and better in every aspect of MMA than Raoni Barcelos, and he is as focused as his cousin.
With Umar’s current momentum, and the quality of wrestling and fight IQ, this is quite a difficult position for Barcelos, and the odds just show it.
Nurmagomedov is going to be out to crush his opponent in what may likely be a one-sided bout.
UFC Fight Night: Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Claudio Ribeiro
Why Bet on Abdul Razak Alhassan
It has been a hard run for ARA, who has had 5 victories and 5 losses in the UFC, but 4 of those losses have been in his last 5 matches.
He is a finisher and has won all his fights via KO/TKO, but in recent times, he hasn’t been as sharp as he used to be, and he has had trouble every time that the judges’ scorecards have been involved.
Why Bet on Claudio Ribeiro
The Contender Series Graduate, Claudio Ribeiro is getting ready to do his UFC debut.
He has finished all 10 of his pro-MMA wins via strikes and is on a six-fight winning streak.
All he needs to do now is make himself comfortable in the Octagon and fight his usual game plan.
Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Claudio Ribeiro Final Betting Analysis:
Dana White’s Contender Series grad Claudio Ribeiro in his UFC debut. Ribeiro is way bigger (three inches of height, four inches of reach) and way younger (seven years) than Abdul Razak Alhassan.
With Abdul’s career going downward, this fight will be a way to say goodbye to a 6-year veteran and use him to propel the career of the new blood.
UFC Fight Night: Mateusz Rębecki vs. Nick Fiore
Why Bet on Mateusz Rębecki
Rębecki comes into this fight with a lot of experience under his belt, along with a submission finish to his credit as he graduated from the Contender Series.
He is now going to take his Debut as a chance to make a statement and pave the way forward.
Why Bet on Nick Fiore
The American Born fighter has a 6-0 perfect record so far, but he has been pulled right out of the regional circuit where he has found success and thrown into the UFC Cage.
It will be time to show if he has the skills for the step up in competition on his UFC Debut.
Mateusz Rębecki vs. Nick Fiore Final Betting Analysis:
Both fighters are coming in to make their UFC debut, and even though there is only a 5 years gap between them, experience is a big factor.
While Fiore has 6 professional fights, his opponent has 17, and that means that he has been through a lot more and should be finding comfort in stepping up on the Apex.
With dangerous striking, Rębecki should get the upper hand on the feet, and even if Fiore puts his dangerous ground game to play, he should have more than enough skill to avoid problems and even get his finish.
UFC Fight Night: Mateus Mendonça vs. Javid Basharat
Why Bet on Mateus Mendonça
Mateus is a good fighter who is coming in with a perfect 10-0 record, but this will be his UFC Debut coming out from a first-round KO to win against Ashiek Ajim in the Contender Series.
He is strong and explosive, but it seems like this might be quite the step-up right off the bat.
The Brazilian is eager to get in the cage, as he gets into the world’s most famous Octagon.
Why Bet on Mateus Javid Basharat
Javid “The Snow Leopard” Basharat walks into the Octagon holding a record of 13-0-0.
Basharat looks like the real deal at bantamweight and is potentially a future top-10 guy, so this match-up is quite surprising, but it seems to be in his favor by a long shot.
Mateus Mendonça vs. Javid Basharat Final Betting Analysis:
Basharat is a great striker, while Mendonca is there to be hit.
His striking defense is not good, as he is willing to take a punch to give one, which is a bad strategy against Basharat.
Wrestling is where Basharat will have a big advantage, so expect him to wrestle the Brazilian and either win a dominant decision or get a late stoppage.
UFC Fight Night: Allan Nascimento vs. Carlos Hernandez
Why Bet on Allan Nascimento
More than three years after suffering an agonizingly close decision loss to Raulian Paiva on Contender Series, Allan Nascimento (19-6) came up just short once again in his UFC debut opposite Tagir Ulanbekov.
He would not be denied again, upsetting Jake Hadley to return to the win column 6.5 months later.
All but one of his 15 pro finishes have come by submission.
Why Bet on Carlos Hernandez
A narrow decision over Daniel Barez proved sufficient to earn Carlos Hernandez (8-1) his Contender Series graduation papers.
He then took on fellow alumnus Victor Altamirano in his debut, which resulted in another split-decision victory.
Allan Nascimento vs. Carlos Hernandez Final Betting Analysis:
Now that Nascimento’s striking and wrestling has caught up to his terrific jiu-jitsu game, the Flyweight division has a problem on its hands.
As does Hernandez, of course.
Nascimento has a huge edge on the mat and has shown off enough takedown skills to drag Hernandez into his world as needed.
While Hernandez might be able to stay competitive on the feet, his decent striking is handicapped by a tendency to advance and retreat in straight lines, which should allow Nascimento to get him to the fence or time level changes as he comes in.
Expect a ground clinic for Nascimento’s 2nd octagon wins.
UFC Fight Night: Daniel Argueta vs. Nick Aguirre
Why Bet on Daniel Argueta
Dan Argueta acquitted himself well in his UFC debut last June, a late-notice bout against Damon Jackson; Argueta moved up to featherweight, survived some early trouble, and put together a strong third round despite clearly losing the decision.
That was typical of Argueta’s previous performances; “The Determined” can hold his own as both a striker and a wrestler, but doesn’t follow much of a focused gameplan, instead relying on constant activity to eventually outlast his opponents.
That’s served Argueta well on the regional scene, but he’ll likely need to tighten things up to find some sustained success in the UFC
Why Bet on Nick Aguirre
Aguirre has some potential, but does look to be hitting the UFC much too early; he’s mostly run through his professional opposition on the mat and hasn’t gotten a step up in competition to suggest he’s ready for a major promotion.
Things seem to point towards Aguirre using his ground game forte to try and score his first UFC victory.
Daniel Argueta vs. Nick Aguirre Final Betting Analysis:
Aguirre does look to have a solid submission game, and Argueta isn’t particularly mindful of his defense, so there is a chance the latter could charge directly into a choke.
But past that, Argueta should take over this fight as per his usual approach and wear Aguirre out; the pick is Argueta via third-round stoppage.
UFC Fight Night: Jimmy Flick vs. Charles Johnson
Why Bet on Jimmy Flick
The Jimmy Flick (16-5) grappling clinic on Nate Smith proved impressive enough to earn him a Contender Series contract.
He was even more impressive in his UFC debut, which saw him tap Cody Durden with a bonus-winning flying triangle.
This will be the first fight for “The Brick” in more than two years, as he originally retired in 2021.
Why Bet on Charles Johnson
Charles Johnson (12-3) saw his four-fight win streak snapped in his UFC debut, a one-sided loss to rising phenom Muhammad Mokaev.
He looked poised to be 0-2 in the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion after getting out-hustled by Zhalgas Zhumagulov but wound up the beneficiary of some highly questionable scoring.
He steps in for Jeff Molina on around five weeks’ notice.
Jimmy Flick vs. Charles Johnson Final Betting Analysis:
Flick shouldn’t be a 3:1 underdog in this matchup.
He’s an absolute wizard on the mat, and Johnson’s incredibly slow start against Zhumagulov suggests that an early Flick submission isn’t out of the question.
But man, it’s still an uphill battle for “The Brick.”
Johnson is incredibly difficult to hold down and a very effective striker once he gets into gear.
Even if he does come out flat again, he’s got the tools to survive a rough start and pour on the hurt in the later rounds.
The heart wants another Flick grappling masterpiece, but the head says Johnson buries him in power shots in the latter half
UFC Fight Night: Priscila Cachoeira vs. Sijara Eubanks
Why Bet on Priscila Cachoeira
Priscila Cachoeira (12-4) shambled her way to a 2-4 UFC start, including three straight losses to kick off her Octagon tenure.
“Zombie Girl” has since bounced back with a pair of wins, a controversial decision over Ji Yeon Kim, and a decidedly uncontroversial 65-second beatdown of Ariane Lipski.
Seven of her professional wins have come in form of a knockout.
Why Bet on Sijara Eubanks
Sijara Eubanks (7-7) bounced back from her unceremonious weight-cut-induced exit from TUF 26 by winning her first two UFC bouts via decision.
The fun wasn’t to last, as she’s now lost five of eight and three of her last four.
Priscila Cachoeira vs. Sijara Eubanks Final Betting Analysis:
Cachoeira is not a difficult woman to take down and, if nothing else, Eubanks still has great top control.
At the same time, Eubanks has proven prone to late collapses, and as we saw when Cachoeira fought Gina Mazany, the Brazilian is more than able to capitalize on any sign of weakness.
Eubanks has had years to fix all of the issues keeping her from living up to her potential, and now that she’s approaching 40, I think the time might be up.
Eubanks demolishes Cachoeira on the mat for about a round and a half before “Zombie Girl” batters her into submission.
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