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UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 Full Card Betting Guide

Leon Edwards will finally get another chance at Kamaru Usman, seven years after a decision defeat. The champion (20-1) will go for his sixth title defense on Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City.

The 13-fight card will start at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN before transitioning to the ESPN+ pay-per-view.

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

Flyweight

Daniel da Silva (+140)

Record: 11-3 (0-2 UFC)

Wins: 5 KO, 6 SUB | Losses: 2 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Over 2.5 (+139); Wins ITD (+245), by decision (+450), by TKO (+730), by submission (+430)

Victor Altamirano (-171)

Record: 10-2 (0-1 UFC)

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

Props: Under 2.5 (-180); Wins ITD (+120), by decision (+404), by TKO (+420), by submission (+214)

Best Value: Daniel da Silva (+140)
There’s plenty to like about da Silva’s explosiveness, even if he’s a bit reckless at times. I think he has a good shot at finding a finish early.

Bantamweight

Aoriqileng (-145)

Record: 26-9 (1-2 UFC)

Wins: 9 KO | Losses: 2 SUB

Props: Over 2.5 (-210); Wins ITD (+288), by decision (+140), by TKO (+331), by submission (+1700)

Jay Perrin (+120)

Record: 10-5 (0-1 UFC)

Wins: 2 KO, 4 SUB | Losses: 1 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (+162); Wins ITD (+517), by decision (+265), by TKO (+825), by submission (+738)

Best Value: Over 2.5 rounds (-210)
Even at somewhat inflated odds, this seems like a great bet with neither fighter being a great finisher.

Flyweight

Amir Albazi (-478)

Record: 14-1 (2-0 UFC)

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

Props: Over 2.5 (-156); Wins ITD (+151), by decision (+115), by TKO (+275), by submission (+394)

Francisco Figueiredo (+360)

Record: 13-4-1 (2-1 UFC)

Wins: 3 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (+119); Wins ITD (+683), by decision (+658), by TKO (+1360), by submission (+1300)

Best Value: Albazi ITD (+151)
The 19-month layoff is concerning for “The Prince”, but I think he picks up right where he left off.

Welterweight

AJ Fletcher (-163)

Record: 9-1 (0-1 UFC)

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

Props: Over 2.5 (-182); Wins ITD (+238), by decision (+178), by TKO (+381), by submission (+650)

Ange Loosa (+133)

Record: 8-3 (0-1 UFC)

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

Props: Under 2.5 (+141); Wins ITD (+375), by decision (+274), by TKO (+567), by submission (+1133)

Best Value: Ange Loosa (+133)
There’s definitely value in the underdog here, but I’m still not sold on Loosa.

Women’s Flyweight

Miranda Maverick (-611)

Record: 10-4 (3-2 UFC)

Wins: 1 KO, 6 SUB | Losses: 4 DEC

Props: Over 2.5 (-133); Wins ITD (+105), by decision (+127), by TKO (+620), by submission (+166)

Shanna Young (+437)

Record: 8-4 (1-2 UFC)

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

Props: Under 2.5 (+102); Wins ITD (+758), by decision (+758), by TKO (+1200), by submission (+2260)

Best Value: Maverick submission (+166)
Hard to see this fight going any different than their first meeting.

Featherweight

Sean Woodson (-355)

Record: 9-1 (3-1 UFC)

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

Props: Over 2.5 (-146); Wins ITD (+153), by decision (+125), by TKO (+173), by submission (+1500)

Luis Saldana (+272)

Record: 16-7 (2-1 UFC)

Wins: 6 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 2 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (+113); Wins ITD (+556), by decision (+582), by TKO (+713), by submission (+1583)

Best Value: Saldana ITD (+556)
This is really only a bet for those that need that action. Otherwise, pull up a chair with some soda pop and buttered popcorn.

Lightweight

Leonardo Santos (+223)

Record: 18-5-1 (7-2-1 UFC)

Wins: 3 KO, 9 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Over 2.5 (-152); Wins ITD (+394), by decision (+589), by TKO (+750), by submission (+758)

Jared Gordon (-280)

Record: 18-5 (6-4 UFC)

Wins: 6 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 4 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Under 2.5 (+117); Wins ITD (+195), by decision (+117), by TKO (+290), by submission (+942)

Best Value: Jared Gordon (-280)
The odds keep shifting toward Santos, making this one of my favorite bets on the card.

Heavyweight

Marcin Tybura (+292)

Record: 22-7 (9-6 UFC)

Wins: 8 KO, 7 SUB | Losses: 4 KO

Props: Over 1.5 (-180); Wins ITD (+588), by decision (+544), by TKO (+850), by submission (+2157)

Alexandr Romanov (-380)

Record: 16-0 (5-0 UFC)

Wins: 5 KO, 10 SUB | Losses: n/a

Props: Under 1.5 (+138); Wins ITD (-127), by decision (+260), by TKO (+160), by submission (+375)

Best Value: Over 2.5 rounds (+109)
Not all books have this, but Tybura is going to get scrappy here.

Light Heavyweight

Tyson Pedro (-806)

Record: 8-3 (4-3 UFC)

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

Props: Over 1.5 (+270); Wins ITD (-496), by decision (+983), by TKO (-215), by submission (+330)

Harry Hunsucker (+533)

Record: 7-5 (0-2 UFC)

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

Props: Under 1.5 (-382); Wins ITD (+725), by decision (+1411), by TKO (+1013), by submission (+2513)

Best Value: Pedro submission (+330)
Everything is juiced to the gills here, so if you’re feeling lucky, throw this gamble out there. It’s staying off my card, though.

Women’s Bantamweight

Wu Yanan (+100)

Record: 13-5 (1-4 UFC)

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

Props: Over 2.5 (-374); Wins ITD (+565), by decision (+168), by TKO (+1000), by submission (+1100)

Lucie Pudilova (-123)

Record: 13-7 (2-5 UFC)

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

Props: Under 2.5 (+268); Wins ITD (+450), by decision (+126), by TKO (+900), by submission (+975)

Best Value: Wu Yanan (+100)
These women are a combined 3-9 in the UFC. You’re crazy if you bet on this fight.

Bantamweight

Jose Aldo (+115)

Record: 31-7 (13-6 UFC)

Wins: 16 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 4 KO, 1 SUB

Props: Over 2.5 (-229); Wins ITD (+338), by decision (+235), by TKO (+441), by submission (+1488)

Merab Dvalishvili (-140)

Record: 14-4 (7-2 UFC)

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

Props: Under 2.5 (+174); Wins ITD (+371), by decision (+140), by TKO (+563), by submission (+1175)

Best Value: Aldo TKO (+441)
Ok, this is probably not actually going to happen. But wouldn’t it be sweet if it did? The entire set of odds seem about on par with where they should be, so it’s hard to find value here.

Middleweight

Paulo Costa (-365)

Record: 13-2 (5-2 UFC)

Wins: 11 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO

Props: Over 1.5 (-130); Wins ITD (-187), by decision (+412), by TKO (-163), by submission (+1917)

Luke Rockhold (+283)

Record: 16-5 (6-4 UFC)

Wins: 4 KO, 10 SUB | Losses: 5 KO

Props: Under 1.5 (+100); Wins ITD (+513), by decision (+622), by TKO (+1063), by submission (+863)

Best Value: Costa TKO (-163)
Rockhold’s mounting injuries, the fact he hasn’t fought in more than three years, and the fading chin the last time he did fight makes this the best bet on the card. The only concern here is Costa’s weight cut, and that keeps it off parlay status for me.

Welterweight Championship

Kamaru Usman (-388)

Record: 20-1 (15-0 UFC)

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

Props: Over 4.5 (-173); Wins ITD (+223), by decision (-118), by TKO (+253), by submission (+1713)

Leon Edwards (+314)

Record: 19-3 (11-2 UFC)

Wins: 6 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 2 DEC

Props: Under 4.5 (+136); Wins ITD (+457), by decision (+790), by TKO (+516), by submission (+2388)

Best Value: Usman ITD (+223)
I don’t think there’s a better fighter on the planet right now than Usman. Age will eventually catch up to him, but it’s not going to happen overnight.

Results

UFC 278

Josh: 5-2 (0-1 parlay), +7.33u

Matt: 6-6, -9.39u

Craig: 5-7, -12.97u

2022 Results

Josh: 84-94 (8-19 parlay), +9.72u

Matt: 227-113, +17.36u

Craig: 223-117, +15.05u

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)

Costa TKO (-163)

Straight bets (1u each)

Jared Gordon (-280)

Underdogs (1u each)

Daniel da Silva (+140)

Props (1u each)

Albazi ITD (+151)

Maverick submission (+166)

Tybura-Romanov O2.5 (+109)

Usman ITD (+223)

Parlay (+205)

Aoriqileng/Perrin O2.5 (-210), Amir Albazi (-478), Jared Gordon (-280), Kamaru Usman (-388)

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