UFC 303 takes place tonight at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the main event being a light heavyweight title rematch between Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka, plus excellent undercard bouts featuring Ian Garry vs. Michael Page and Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes.
New blood and capable veterans are on the loaded preliminary card, and there are three fights you’ll want to keep an eye on in the latest UFC odds.
Here are my top UFC 303 preliminary picks and free predictions for June 29.
UFC 303 Preliminary Picks and Predictions
Andrei Arlovski vs. Martin Buday
• Prediction: Moneyline Buday (-245 on Bet99)
• Best bet: Buday by decision (+180 at Bet99)
Michelle Waterson-Gomez vs. Jillian Robertson
• Prediction: Moneyline Robertson (-190 on Bet99)
• Best Bet: Robertson by points or submission (-130 on Bet99)
Joe Pyfer vs Marc André Barriault
• Prediction: Pyfer’s Moneyline (-300 at Bet99)
• Best bet: Pyfer by KO (+205 at Bet99)
Click on each fight to access the full analysis.
Bet on the UFC at BET99!
One of Canada’s best sports betting sites for UFC betting, join BET99 and get a 100% match on your first deposit of up to $1,000 using the promo code BET99 COVERSBONUS!
*Not available in Ontario
UFC 303 Preliminary Odds and Picks
Andrei Arlovski vs. Martin Buda Fight the Odds
| Method of victory | Arlovsky | Buddha |
|---|---|---|
| To win outright | +210 | -275 |
| Win by KO/TKO | +1 050 | +320 |
| Win by points | +335 | +170 |
| Win by submission | +2,700 | +335 |
| Draw | +2,500 | +2,500 |
Odds courtesy of BET99 as of June 29, 2024.
Arlovski can still put on some solid performances at 45, but all the late-career magic of the living legend has worn off. He’s lost his last three fights in a row and is content to keep chugging along, relying on his veteran guile and durability to feast on heavyweights who aren’t suited to long-term commitments within the promotion.
Buday is coming off a tough loss to Shamil Gaziev in his last fight, and he won’t have to worry too much against Arlovski’s slower, more conservative offense. The 32-year-old Slovak has good hand speed for a heavyweight, is accurate, and his defense should hold up against Arlovski’s limited offense.
One thing Arlovski has been consistent at is going the distance, so I’m going to pick Buday based on the judges’ scorecards.
Prediction: Buday’s moneyline (-245 at Bet99)
Best Bet: Buday by decision (+180 at Bet99)
Michelle Waterson-Gomez vs Gillian Robertson fight the odds
| Method of victory | Waterson-Gomez | Robertson |
|---|---|---|
| To win outright | +145 | -190 |
| Win by KO/TKO | +1 200 | +750 |
| To win on points | +235 | +235 |
| Win by submission | +1 250 | +240 |
| Draw | +2,500 | +2,500 |
Ratings courtesy of BET99 on June 29, 2024.
Things haven’t been going well for Waterson-Gomez for a long time. “The Karate Hottie” gets battered and battered, winless since 2020 with six losses in her last 10 fights. Somehow, the bookmakers think she has some chance against the rapidly improving Robertson, who enters Saturday as the younger and physically stronger fighter of the two.
Six of Waterson-Gomez’s losses have been by finish, and Robertson has the tools to take this fight to the ground and look for submissions. We haven’t seen anything from Waterson-Gomez in recent years that suggests she’ll have much to offer here.
I’m going with Robertson to win by points or submission.
Prediction: Robertson moneyline (-190 at Bet99)
Best bet: Robertson by points or submission (-130 on Bet99)
Joe Pyfer vs Marc André Barriault fight the odds
| Method of victory | Pyfer | Barriault |
|---|---|---|
| To win outright | -320 | +240 |
| Win by KO/TKO | +200 | +500 |
| Win by points | +190 | +725 |
| Win by submission | +425 | +2,700 |
| Draw | +2,500 | +2,500 |
Odds courtesy of BET99 on June 29, 2024.
Pyfer’s hopes were dashed when Jack Hermansson touched him, leading many to label him a “hype job”. Meanwhile, Barriault almost missed Chris Curtis in his last fight, so he’s just as desperate to win as Pyfer. However, Pyfer appears to have the advantage in both striking and grappling, with Barriault perhaps slightly more prepared if he can survive Pyfer’s early onslaught.
Barriault won’t be able to replicate Hermansson’s game plan, and Pyfer won’t have a hard time finding his mark when the two trade shots. I expect Pyfer to bounce back and show a more coordinated attack, eventually taking Barriault to the ground where he’ll stop him with strikes.
Prediction: Moneyline from Pyfer (-300 at Bet99)
Best bet: Pyfer by KO (+205 on Bet99)
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure:Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site.
