UFC 251 Betting Guide: Latest Odds, Preview & Picks

Three title fights headline the UFC 251 card in the now-famous “Fight Island” just off Abu Dhabi. It’s a star-studded affair with the likes of Kamara Usman, Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Jose Aldo in action. We have a betting preview right here with free picks to make!

"The show must go on" — that's been the UFC's mantra during the entire pandemic. And for UFC 251, they're putting on perhaps the biggest fight card of the year. Let's have a look at the UFC 251 betting odds.

Fighter #1				Fighter #2
Kamara Usman	-300	+20000 (Draw)	+230	Jorge Masvidal
Alexander Volkanovski	-250	+20000 (Draw)	+190	Max Holloway
Petr Yan	-250	+20000 (Draw)	+190	Jose Aldo
Jessica Andrade	+160	+20000 (Draw)	-200	Rose Namajunas

UFC betting odds are out and here's how online odds-makers are currently pegging it:

Kamara Usman is a convincing favorite to retain his welterweight title in the main event
Six months removed from taking Max Holloway's featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski is unsurprisingly favored in the rematch
Fighting for the vacant bantamweight champion, oddsmakers are giving Petr Yan the upper hand over Jose Aldo

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Usman to retain the title

The tale of the tape immediately favors Usman. His jab is especially quick, plus it helps that he can square off in either fighting stance.

Then again, you have to expect Masvidal who is fearless and will take a fight in whatever direction it goes. He's not elite in any department, but strong and confident in any position. Plus the longer the fight goes the stronger he'll become.

If there's a prop bet for the exact finish, take a decision. Both these fighters are scorching-hot. Masvidal is the winner of three in a row and has been knocked out just once in his career. Meanwhile, eight of Uzman's 16 wins have come by decision.

Believe it or not, we wanted to pick Masvidal. As we feel, while much of UFC's roster is bickering over money and threatening retirement, Masvidal has been busy fighting. He has two dominating wins this year and one more victory will vault him into unprecedented territory.

However, Usman is a monster and we believe he'll have enough to win on the night.

Betting pick to make: Kamaru Usman

Grudge Match For The Featherweight Title

At UFC 245, Volkanovski scored a unanimous decision over Holloway, whose an all-timer in this weight class. Oddsmakers believe the rematch will be much of the same:

Honestly, we have to agree with the bookies. As good as Holloway is — the featherweight GOAT in our book — this is just a flat-out bad matchup for him. In the first go, Holloway had zero answers for Volkanovski's devastating leg kicks. It forced Holloway to switch up his fighting stance, in turn wrecking his own offensive attack.

The first fight was just so one-sided that we have to ask ourselves: what adjustments can Holloway really make here? We'd say check a few leg kicks, but he was really helpless at that the first time around. We're betting on the champion to retain during the semi-main event.

Betting pick: Alexander Volkanovski

Starting The Post-Cejudo Era

With Henry Cejudo out of the picture, the vacant bantamweight title is up for grabs between Yan and Aldo.

Look, we respect Aldo and everything he's accomplished in his career, but he has no business being in this championship fight outside of name value. He's a soon-to-be 34-year-old that's lost two in a row (and five of his last eight). This will also be only his second fight in the weight class.

UFC is using Aldo to launch the next era of bantamweight fighting, a division that's propped by young and budding talent. Of course, leading that new pack of fighters is Yan, who we expect to win handily at UFC 251. Yan's striking ability will be on full display and an early-round knockout victory is our prediction.

Betting pick: Petr Yan

Another Rematch Rounds Out The Main Card

Andrade was a big underdog during the two's first bout back in UFC 237, but that didn't stop her from a shocking knockout victory. Despite that, she remains an underdog in the grudge match:

Rose hasn't stepped into the octagon since that defeat, one where she made a crucial mistake that led to the knockout. But like her to avenge that defeat. Namajunas is the far superior striker, who'll outpoint Andrade in the scorecards.

Betting pick to make: Rose Namajunas

With that said, those are our UFC 251 picks to make before the July 12 event. If you're looking for more odds, head over to one of our partners below.

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