Matthew Lowrimore
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UFC 302 takes place on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This card features a lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier as the Main Event. Here are our best bets for this UFC card, which will include 3 fights on the Main Card.
Be sure to also check out the rest of our UFC predictions for all of the UFC 302 Main Card fights.
UFC 302 Main Card Best Bets
Islam Makhachev vs. Dustin Poirier – Over 1.5 Total Rounds (-150)
The Main Event at UFC 302 will see Islam Makhachev take on Dustin Poirier in the UFC Lightweight division and will also be for the UFC Lightweight title.
Makhachev is one of the biggest favorites on this card, so I will be looking for this fight to go over 1.5 rounds. Makhachev has seen 6 of his last 8 UFC fights go over 1.5 rounds, while Poirier has seen 10 of his last 12 fights do the same. Because both fighters have seen the majority of their recent fights go over 1.5 rounds, backing the same here will be the play.
Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa – Fight to go the Distance – Yes (+120)
The Co-Main Event at UFC 302 will see Sean Strickland take on Paulo Costa in the UFC Middleweight division. Strickland comes into this fight with an MMA record of 28-6 and he is 15-5 in the UFC. Strickland is averaging 5.91 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 41%. He is absorbing 4.33 strikes and has a striking defense of 62%.
Costa comes into this fight with an MMA record of 14-3 and he is 6-3 in the UFC. Costa is averaging 6.20 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 58%. He is absorbing 6.38 strikes and has a striking defense of 47%.
Strickland is the clear favorite in this fight, so instead I will be looking for this fight to go the distance. Both Strickland and Costa have both seen 4 of their last 5 UFC fights go the distance, therefore backing the same here will be our best bet.
Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos – Fight to go the Distance – Yes (-135)
The first fight on the Main Card at UFC 302 will see Randy Brown take on Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos in the UFC Welterweight division. Brown comes into fight with an MMA record of 18-5 and he is 12-5 in the UFC. Brown is averaging 4.37 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 46%. He is absorbing 3.33 strikes and has a striking defense of 54%.
Dos Santos comes into this fight with an MMA record of 24-7-1 and he is 10-3-1 in the UFC. Dos Santos is averaging 4.52 significant strikes and has a striking accuracy of 42%. He is absorbing 3.33 strikes and has a striking defense of 57%.
Brown is the heavy favorite, but instead I will be looking for this fight to go the distance. Brown has seen 4 of his last 6 UFC fights go the distance, while Dos Santos has seen each of his last 5 UFC fights do the same. Because of this, let’s back this fight to go the distance.
Be sure to also check our our UFC 302 four-fight parlay with odds of +459
