UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Cruz Full Card Betting Guide
The UFC heads to beautiful San Diego on Saturday, Aug. 13, for a 13-fight card featuring bantamweights Marlon “Chito” Vera and Dominick Cruz.
The ESPN card is slated to start at 4 p.m. ET at the Pechanga Arena.
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.
Fight Previews
Bantamweight
Youssef Zalal (-132)
Record: 10-5 (3-3 UFC)
Wins: 2 KO, 5 SUB | Losses: 5 DEC
Props: Over 2.5 (-241); Wins ITD (+425), by decision (+140), by TKO (+700), by submission (+1013)
Da’Mon Blackshear (+109)
Record: 12-4 (UFC debut)
Wins: 1 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 4 DEC
Props: Under 2.5 (+181); Wins ITD (+331), by decision (+229), by TKO (+994), by submission (+453)
Best Value: Da’Mon Blackshear (+109)
Zalal is a tough dude to take on in a short-notice debut but there are worse underdog bets out there.
Catchweight: 180 pounds
Jason Witt (+228)
Record: 19-8 (2-3 UFC)
Wins: 3 KO, 8 SUB | Losses: 6 KO, 2 SUB
Props: Over 1.5 (-156); Wins ITD (+663), by decision (+369), by TKO (+1213), by submission (+1250)
Josh Quinlan (-283)
Record: 5-0 (UFC debut)
Wins: 3 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: n/a
Props: Under 1.5 (+121); Wins ITD (-152), by decision (+443), by TKO (-104), by submission (+600)
Best Value: Under 2.5 (-188)
There’s no way I’m taking a debuting fighter who hasn’t fought in nearly a year at nearly 3-1 oddds. The under feels relatively safe, though.
Flyweight
Ode Osbourne (-313)
Record: 11-4 (3-2 UFC)
Wins: 4 KO, 5 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 2 SUB
Props: Over 2.5 (+100); Wins ITD (+111), by decision (+216), by TKO (+184), by submission (+544)
Tyson Nam (+249)
Record: 20-12-1 (2-3 UFC)
Wins: 12 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 3 KO
Props: Under 2.5 (-130); Wins ITD (+406), by decision (+533), by TKO (+479), by submission (+2375)
Best Value: Nam TKO (+479)
This is pop-and-popcorn for me, but Nam by knockout is certainly appealing at those odds.
Lightweight
Gabriel Benitez (-357)
Record: 22-10 (6-6 UFC)
Wins: 8 KO, 10 SUB | Losses: 4 KO, 2 SUB
Props: Over 1.5 (+189); Wins ITD (-215), by decision (+500), by TKO (-161), by submission (+750)
Charlie Ontiveros (+274)
Record: 11-8 (0-2 UFC)
Wins: 4 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 8 KO
Props: Under 1.5 (-248); Wins ITD (+400), by decision (+800), by TKO (+450), by submission (+2350)
Best Value: Benitez TKO (-161)
Benitez is going to deliver body shot after body shot on his way to victory. This is going to be one-way traffic I think.
Women’s Flyweight
Cynthia Calvillo (-192)
Record: 9-4-1 (6-4-1 UFC)
Wins: 2 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 2 KO
Props: Over 2.5 (-250); Wins ITD (+245), by decision (+150), by TKO (+819), by submission (+383)
Nina Nunes (+159)
Record: 10-7 (4-4 UFC)
Wins: 4 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 2 SUB
Props: Under 2.5 (+186); Wins ITD (+596), by decision (+221), by TKO (+763), by submission (+2100)
Best Value: Nina Nunes (+159)
I wouldn’t touch a bout in which neither fighter has won in more than two years.
Heavyweight
Martin Buday (-293)
Record: 10-1 (1-0 UFC)
Wins: 6 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 1 DEC
Props: Over 1.5 (-188); Wins ITD (-105), by decision (+270), by TKO (+133), by submission (+706)
Lukasz Brzeski (+233)
Record: 8-1-1 (UFC debut)
Wins: 5 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Props: Under 1.5 (+146); Wins ITD (+419), by decision (+544), by TKO (+700), by submission (+1363)
Best Value: Buday ITD (-105)
This is pop-and-popcorn all the way but the size vs. speed stylistic matchup should be very interesting for cappers to decipher.
Catchweight: 120 pounds
Angela Hill (+277)
Record: 13-12 (8-12 UFC)
Wins: 5 KO | Losses: 3 SUB
Props: Over 2.5 (-428); Wins ITD (+925), by decision (+379), by TKO (+1100), by submission (+3238)
Loopy Godinez (-360)
Record: 8-2 (3-2 UFC)
Wins: 2 SUB | Losses: 2 DEC
Props: Under 2.5 (+301); Wins ITD (+338), by decision (-157), by TKO (+1050), by submission (+506)
Best Value: Angela Hill (+277)
This is great odds for a fighter of Hill’s caliber. I’m a big fan of Godinez skillset, but Hill is going to test her in ways she hasn’t been challenged before.
Middleweight
Bruno Silva (-294)
Record: 22-7 (3-1 UFC)
Wins: 19 KO | Losses: 5 SUB
Props: Over 1.5 (-102); Wins ITD (-166), by decision (+441), by TKO (-143), by submission (+1538)
Gerald Meerschaert (+236)
Record: 34-15 (9-7 UFC)
Wins: 6 KO, 26 SUB | Losses: 3 KO, 8 SUB
Props: Under 1.5 (-128); Wins ITD (+400), by decision (+744), by TKO (+1438), by submission (+494)
Best Value: Meerschaert submission (+494)
I have a few flawed bets I always make (e.g. Lewis TKO, whoops!): GM3 submission is one of them.
Women’s Bantamweight
Ariane Lipski (-196)
Record: 14-7 (3-4 UFC)
Wins: 6 KO, 3 SUB | Losses: 1 KO
Props: Over 2.5 (-173); Wins ITD (+223), by decision (+146), by TKO (+434), by submission (+509)
Priscila Cachoeira (+162)
Record: 11-4 (3-4 UFC)
Wins: 6 KO | Losses: 2 SUB
Props: Under 2.5 (+133); Wins ITD (+425), by decision (+325), by TKO (+544), by submission (+2375)
Best Value: Cachoeira TKO (+544)
I like Cachoeira straight up or by TKO, but the odds are certainly sweeter with one of those.
Light Heavyweight
Devin Clark (+129)
Record: 13-6 (7-6 UFC)
Wins: 4 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 2 KO, 3 SUB
Props: Over 2.5 (+105); Wins ITD (+376), by decision (+273), by TKO (+544), by submission (+1169)
Azamat Murzakanov (-156)
Record: 11-0 (1-0 UFC)
Wins: 8 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: n/a
Props: Under 2.5 (-137); Wins ITD (+114), by decision (+406), by TKO (+146), by submission (+988)
Best Value: Devin Clark (+129)
These odds are too good to pass up on Clark. My favorite bet on the card.
Women’s Strawweight
Yazmin Jauregui (-208)
Record: 8-0 (UFC debut)
Wins: 6 KO | Losses: n/a
Props: Over 2.5 (-196); Wins ITD (+213), by decision (+145), by TKO (+274), by submission (+1169)
Iasmin Lucindo (+171)
Record: 13-4 (UFC debut)
Wins: 8 KO, 2 SUB | Losses: 3 SUB
Props: Under 2.5 (+151); Wins ITD (+494), by decision (+318), by TKO (+775), by submission (+1288)
Best Value: Over 2.5 rounds (-196)
A more intriguing fight than you’d expect from a pair of debuting strawweights on the main card. I’ll tune in with some pop and popcorn.
Featherweight
Nate Landwehr (+264)
Record: 15-4 (2-2 UFC)
Wins: 8 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 2 KO, 1 SUB
Props: Over 1.5 (-146); Wins ITD (+444), by decision (+592), by TKO (+600), by submission (+1525)
David Onama (-342)
Record: 10-1 (2-1 UFC)
Wins: 6 KO, 4 SUB | Losses: 1 DEC
Props: Under 1.5 (+113); Wins ITD (-125), by decision (+295), by TKO (+130), by submission (+519)
Best Value: Onama TKO (+130)
When you brawl with David Onama, you’re going to get caught; and Landwehr is a brawler.
Bantamweight
Marlon Vera (-227)
Record: 21-7-1 (13-6 UFC)
Wins: 7 KO, 10 SUB | Losses: 7 DEC
Props: Over 4.5 (-202); Wins ITD (+183), by decision (+144), by TKO (+305), by submission (+725)
Dominick Cruz (+187)
Record: 24-3 (7-2 UFC)
Wins: 7 KO, 1 SUB | Losses: 1 KO, 1 SUB
Props: Under 4.5 (+154); Wins ITD (+763), by decision (+256), by TKO (+944), by submission (+2750)
Best Value: Vera ITD (+183)
Cruz’s age and injury history are major red flags against a dude as dangerous as Chito Vera.
Results
UFC 277
Josh: 6-2 (0-1 parlay), +5.59u
Matt: 10-3, +5.65u
Craig: 10-3, +5.65u
UFC Vegas 59
Josh: n/a
Matt: 7-3, +1.13
Craig: 7-3, +4.34
2022 Results
Josh: 79-92 (8-18 parlay), +2.39u
Matt: 221-107, +26.75u
Craig: 218-110, +28.02u
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)
Devin Clark (+129)
Straight bets (1u each)
Marlon Vera (-227)
Underdogs (1u each)
Angela Hill (+277)
Priscila Cachoeira (+162)
Props (1u each)
Benitez TKO (-161)
Meerschaert submission (+494)
Onama TKO (+130)
Parlay (+524)
Gabriel Benitez (-357), Priscila Cachoeira (+162), David Onama (-342), Marlon Vera (-227)