UFC 205: Weigh-ins (Photo : Getty Images)
UFC 283 just wrapped up this past weekend, and it certainly delivered in terms of entertainment and excitement. It may be tough to make your UFC predictions for UFC 284. The first UFC event of the year gave fans some surprising finishes and last looks at a great fighter. The event took place in Rio de Janeiro, where Jamahal Hill won his bout versus Glover Teixeira to claim the UFC Light Heavyweight title.
The final result was a unanimous decision. At the end of the match, Teixeira took off his gloves and placed them in the center of the cage, as he announced his retirement immediately following the match. He discussed how he is "too tough for his own good" and is going to stay involved in the action by coaching younger fighters.
As a great UFC 283 is now in the books, it is time for fans to start looking ahead to UFC 284 which is scheduled to take place next month on February 11th. The card is absolutely stacked with amazing fighters and is led by the title bout of Makhachev versus Volkanovski. This matchup will be the first time in UFC history that the top two pound-for-pound fighters will be squaring off against each other in the Octagon. Makhachev is currently the lightweight title holder, and his opponent Makhachev will be fighting up a weight class. He is the current featherweight champion.
It will be interesting to see if Volkanovski can prove his doubters wrong, or if he will end up being no match for the scrappy Makhachev. Makhachev, who is 23-1 in his career, will have a significant height advantage in this matchup, which has helped him succeed in previous bouts. Read below to learn a few of the tips and strategies I use when betting on UFC fights.
Betting on UFC fights
One thing to remember when betting on UFC fights is to make sure you are not just picking your favorite or the most exciting fighters. It is important to not let your emotion and brain influence your picks when the only things you should be paying attention to are the stats and data. If you get into a routine of just picking your favorite fighters or the ones you watch, then you could be hurting your chances at building your bankroll.
Another betting strategy you can use when placing your bets for the upcoming UFC 284 is to remember to consider the age of the fighters before you place your wager. In the last three years, the younger fighter out of the two has one fight 62% of the time.
The win percentages of UFC fighters continuously get less and less the older a person gets. Although older fighters may have the upper hand in experience, they face the disadvantages placed on them by father time, and the body often can't perform and recover just as well as it used to. This can play a huge factor in the outcomes of fights, and you need to consider age before you place your next UFC wager next month.
Final tips
A final tip I suggest UFC bettors look out for is any fighters who entered the fight as a late entry or replacement. Late replacements have not done well in their bouts in the history of the UFC, having lost 64% of their fights. Be sure to strongly consider taking the other fighter in late replacement bouts, especially if the originally scheduled fighter is the better striker of the two. It is important, though to consider that some of these late replacements will win some fights, and it is important to seek out and take advantage of underdog opportunities when betting on UFC fights.
There are often fights where you can find great moneyline value in underdogs and a huge profit can be made. As in all cases, make sure to do your research and find out which way each of the fighters are trending. By finding out how a fighter has been doing in his fights leading up to the current contest, you can more easily predict the outcome of the fight and how it will be decided.
