Preview

UFC 277: Pena vs. Nunes 2 Full Card Betting Guide

The women’s G.O.A.T. returns for her bantamweight title in a rematch with Julianna Pena, who pulled off a stunning upset just a few months ago, on Saturday, July 30, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. In the co-main event, Brandon Moreno faces Kai Kara-France for the interim flyweight championship.

The 13-fight card is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET on ABC, with the main card scheduled for the traditional 10 p.m. ET start on ESPN+.

Make sure to check out Question Mark Kicks two hours before the prelims begin for Matt and Craig’s final thoughts on the fight card. Also join the duo for the Fight Night Picks Sidekick, as Matt and Craig breakdown the fights live alongside the main card.

Fight Previews

Welterweight

Orion Cosce (-181)

Record: 7-1 (0-1 UFC)

Wins: 6 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO

Props: Over 1.5 (-131); Wins ITD (-102), by decision (+400), by TKO (+187), by submission (+383)

Blood Diamond (+156)

Record: 3-1 (0-1 UFC)

Wins: 1 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 SUB

Props: Under 1.5 (+102); Wins ITD (+293), by decision (+458), by TKO (+310), by submission (+2533)

Best Value: Orion Cosce ITD (-102)
Odds are far too short on the much more polished mixed martial artist. I like him straight up (-181) and inside the distance.

Light Heavyweight

Nicolae Negumereanu (-108)

Record: 12-1 (3-1 UFC)

Wins: 7 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 1 DEC

Props: Over 2.5 (+119); Wins ITD (+233), by decision (+330), by TKO (+353), by submission (+707)

Ihor Potieria (-111)

Record: 20-2 (UFC debut)

Wins: 9 KO, 7 SUB | Losses: 1 KO

Props: Under 2.5 (-152); Wins ITD (+152), by decision (+439), by TKO (+252), by submission (+586)

Best Value: Nicolae Negumereanu (-108)
I liked him a lot more at plus odds, but this is still one of my favorite bets on the card.

Women’s Bantamweight

Ji Yeon Kim (+105)

Record: 9-5-2 (3-5 UFC)

Wins: 2 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 5 DEC

Props: Over 2.5 (-417); Wins ITD (+600), by decision (+165), by TKO (+919), by submission (+1200)

Joselyne Edwards (-128)

Record: 11-4 (2-2 UFC)

Wins: 5 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 1 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (+292); Wins ITD (+481), by decision (+125), by TKO (+875), by submission (+944)

Best Value: Edwards ITD (+481)
There’s mixed reports about whether this is at bantamweight or flyweight, but either way, if Edwards makes weight, she’s going to be the much bigger fighter. The nearly 5-1 odds on this prop are awfully tempting.

Welterweight

Michael Morales (-636)

Record: 13-0 (1-0 UFC)

Wins: 10 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: n/a

Props: Over 1.5 (-111); Wins ITD (-200), by decision (+316), by TKO (-134), by submission (+510)

Adam Fugitt (+442)

Record: 8-2 (UFC debut)

Wins: 4 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 1 KO

Props: Under 1.5 (-118); Wins ITD (+650), by decision (+1129), by TKO (+1171), by submission (+1686)

Best Value: Morales TKO (-134)
This is probably still too rich for me, but if you like Morales’ skillset, he’s a heavy favorite for a reason.

Lightweight

Drakkar Klose (-224)

Record: 12-2-1 (6-2 UFC)

Wins: 5 KO | Losses: 1 KO

Props: Over 2.5 (-225); Wins ITD (+302), by decision (+103), by TKO (+311), by submission (+1763)

Rafa Garcia (+181)

Record: 14-2 (2-2 UFC)

Wins: 1 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 2 DEC

Props: Under 2.5 (+170); Wins ITD (+431), by decision (+376), by TKO (+1163), by submission (+775)

Best Value: Rafa Garcia (+181)
I personally favor Klose in this one, but Craig is on a heater, and if he sticks with Garcia through Question Mark Kicks, I’ll say some dough on the dog.

Heavyweight

Don’Tale Mayes (-173)

Record: 9-4 (2-2 UFC)

Wins: 3 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 2 SUB

Props: Over 1.5 (-162); Wins ITD (+137), by decision (+262), by TKO (+159), by submission (+1663)

Hamdy Abdelwahab (+145)

Record: 3-0 (UFC debut)

Wins: 3 KO | Losses: n/a

Props: Under 1.5 (+126); Wins ITD (+246), by decision (+533), by TKO (+361), by submission (+1044)

Best Value: Don’Tale Mayes (-173)
I think Abdelwahab is a bit too green for this level, but I’m not touching this with a 10-foot pole.

Lightweight

Drew Dober (-186)

Record: 24-11 (10-7 UFC)

Wins: 8 KO, 9 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 4 SUB

Props: Over 2.5 (+135); Wins ITD (+128), by decision (+282), by TKO (+148), by submission (+1300)

Rafael Alves (+156)

Record: 20-10 (1-1 UFC)

Wins: 7 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 3 KO, 6 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (-177); Wins ITD (+265), by decision (+617), by TKO (+744), by submission (+451)

Best Value: Rafael Alves (+156)
This is pop and popcorn all the way for me, but there are definitely bettors out there with bigger cajones.

Welterweight

Alex Morono (+136)

Record: 21-7 (10-4 UFC)

Wins: 6 KO, 6 SUB | Losses: 2 KO

Props: Over 2.5 (-190); Wins ITD (+500), by decision (+224), by TKO (+803), by submission (+1388)

Matthew Semelsberger (-162)

Record: 10-3 (4-1 UFC)

Wins: 6 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (+147); Wins ITD (+219), by decision (+191), by TKO (+249), by submission (+1463)

Best Value: Semelsberger TKO (+249)
Semelsberger is going to be the much bigger fighter entering the bout, and that’s always an advantage in this type of matchup.

Light Heavyweight

Magomed Ankalaev (-542)

Record: 17-1 (8-1 UFC)

Wins: 8 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 SUB

Props: Over 2.5 (-160); Wins ITD (+146), by decision (+100), by TKO (+174), by submission (+1263)

Anthony Smith (+393)

Record: 36-16 (11-6 UFC)

Wins: 18 KO, 15 SUB | Losses: 8 KO, 5 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (+124); Wins ITD (+738), by decision (+961), by TKO (+1125), by submission (+1288)

Best Value: Ankalaev ITD (+146)
Ankalaev by body shot TKO. Maybe, and this is why you slightly hedge, he lands the body shot and finishes with a rear-naked. Either way, Ankalaev inside the distance. You heard it here.

Flyweight

Alexandre Pantoja (-188)

Record: 24-5 (8-3 UFC)

Wins: 8 KO, 9 SUB | Losses: 5 DEC

Props: Over 2.5 (-152); Wins ITD (+195), by decision (+169), by TKO (+600), by submission (+354)

Alex Perez (+156)

Record: 24-6 (6-2 UFC)

Wins: 5 KO, 7 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 4 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (+118); Wins ITD (+384), by decision (+341), by TKO (+725), by submission (+844)

Best Value: Pantoja ITD (+195)
The Cannibal is lethal, and as talented as Perez is, it’s hard to see where he might have an advantage in this matchup.

Heavyweight

Derrick Lewis (+109)

Record: 26-9 (17-7 UFC)

Wins: 21 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 6 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Over 1.5 (+128); Wins ITD (+138), by decision (+817), by TKO (+150), by submission (+2788)

Sergei Pavlovich (-131)

Record: 15-1 (3-1 UFC)

Wins: 12 KO | Losses: 1 KO

Props: Under 1.5 (-166); Wins ITD (+104), by decision (+922), by TKO (+106), by submission (+1613)

Best Value: Lewis TKO (+150)
Listen, I’m always going to bet on Lewis by TKO until the gloves are hanged and dry. I love him as an underdog in this spot.

Interim Flyweight Championship

Brandon Moreno (-218)

Record: 19-6-2 (7-3-2 UFC)

Wins: 3 KO, 11 SUB | Losses: 6 DEC

Props: Over 4.5 (-168); Wins ITD (+220), by decision (+140), by TKO (+544), by submission (+386)

Kai Kara-France (+178)

Record: 24-9 (7-2 UFC)

Wins: 11 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 2 KO, 3 SUB

Props: Under 4.5 (+132); Wins ITD (+475), by decision (+324), by TKO (+597), by submission (+2000)

Best Value: Moreno ITD (+220)
Like his nickname suggests, Moreno is an assassin and I see him running through Kara-France to get the interim strap.

Women’s Bantamweight Championship

Julianna Pena (+219)

Record: 11-4 (7-2 UFC)

Wins: 3 KO, 5 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 2 SUB

Props: Over 2.5 (-106); Wins ITD (+439), by decision (+558), by TKO (+1100), by submission (+588)

Amanda Nunes (-273)

Record: 21-5 (14-2 UFC)

Wins: 13 KO, 4 SUB | Losses: 2 KO, 2 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (-122); Wins ITD (-124), by decision (+358), by TKO (+118), by submission (+553)

Best Value: Nunes ITD (-124)
I don’t see any particular reason we should think vastly different about the rematch as we did the first time around. Pena is very talented, but Nunes is the greatest women’s fighter ever and her taking this fight so relatively quickly after the defeat makes me feel good about her mental state. She wants the belt back. She wants to be the G.O.A.T. This is not a case of fame getting to an athlete. She got caught by a good fighter, but these odds are too good to pass up in the rematch.

Results

UFC London

Josh: 1-6 (0-1 parlay), -8.42u

Matt: 10-4, +2.95u

Craig: 12-2, +7.06u

2022 Results

Josh: 73-90 (8-17 parlay), -3.2u

Matt: 204-101, +19.97u

Craig: 201-104, +18.03u

Editor’s Note: Matt and Craig make picks for every fight, regardless of betting lines. This exercise assumes a 1u bet on each fight.

My Card

Best Bets (2u each)

Ankalaev ITD (+146)

Lewis TKO (+150)

Nunes ITD (-124)

Straight bets (1u each)

Orion Cosce (-181)

Joselyne Edwards (-128)

Underdogs (1u each)

Nicolae Negumereanu (-108)

Props (1u each)

Pantoja ITD (+195)

Moreno ITD (+220)

Parlay (+538)

Alexandre Pantoja (-188), Derrick Lewis (+109), Brandon Moreno (-218), Amanda Nunes (-273)

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