Thereās some star power on the UFC 302 fight card, but the undercard has some hidden-gem bets. Weāve hand-picked three UFC 302 undercard bouts worth putting money on. Keep reading to get our free picks!
- What: UFC 302
- When: Saturday, May 18
- Where: Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey
Kevin Holland vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk Betting Pick
This middleweight clash opens up the UFC 302 main card, and features a fan favorite in Holland. Across the best UFC betting sites, Holland is favored on the moneyline over Oleksiejczuk. Hereās the current odds:
This fight was thrown together last minute, announced only two weeks ago. This isnāt a short-notice injury replacement so neither were in a proper fight camp before this, thus canceling out any disadvantages.
Both guys are coming off losses on the same night, back in UFC 299. Oleksiejczuk was stopped out by Michel Pereira, whereas Holland lost a decision to the debuting Michael āVenomā Page. Holland also lost the fight before that so the 31-year-old is at a crossroads in his career. Neither fighter is ranked at middleweight (though Holland is No. 15 at welterweight).
This fight is going to be fought on the feet, no questions asked, as both fighters are strikers. Holland does his damage thanks to his range (heās 6-foot-3) and precision striking. Takedown defense is a problem for Holland, but the good thing is, thatās not Oleksiejczukās forte. On the feet, Oleksiejczuk isnāt as dangerous as Holland. If anything, heās on the slow side.
We like Holland to win this fight. The odds arenāt the best, but over/under lines have yet to be released for most of the card. If they do, and the line is pegged at 1.5 rounds, you might want to look into the over. Holland is a finisher, but typically starts slow so we wouldnāt bank on a quick stoppage.
Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki Betting Pick
Weāll be honest, this lightweight fight probably wonāt excite most fans. The wrestler Dawson has a reputation for being boring, and Solecki is a grappler himself. Still, we see an opportunity in betting the Dawson-Solecki moneyline. Hereās how the odds shake out:
Dawson is the more than 3-to-1 favorite to win, as he should be because heās mostly dominated during his UFC career. He had won nine fights in a row inside the octagon, but last time out, Dawson was first-round KOād by Bobby Green. It was an embarrassing loss because of how it happened ā 33 seconds in and with a simple jab punch. More on that soon.
When it comes to this matchup, Dawson is the better wrestler. He averages 3.68 takedowns per fight to Soleckiās 2.65. Dawson also has the size advantage, which matters when on the ground. Solecki is also fresh off his own embarrassing KO when he was stopped by a WWE-style slam.
Look, Dawson should win this fight, and probably does by decision. His wrestling is that much superior. However, we donāt think itās a bad idea to throw a prayer bet on Solecki. His odds are just too lopsided, especially given how weak of a chin Dawson has. Solecki, to his credit, is a so-so striker. We wouldnāt put it past Solecki to channel Green and finish Dawson out of nowhere.
Phil Rowe vs. Jake Matthews Betting Pick
Most of the UFC 302 card, including the main event, lacks competitive odds. This prelim bout is one exception. Rowe vs. Matthews is one of the closest betting lines of the night, as seen below:
Both welterweights are opposites in the octagon. Matthews has a wrestling background and he averages 1.59 per fight. The 29-year-old is the definition of hot and cold, as heās exchanged wins and losses his past six times in the octagon. If the pattern holds, heās due for a win since he lost in his last UFC appearance.
Rowe is more of a striker, and honestly, he has some talents there. Heās 6-foot-3, which offers him a lot of range. Roweās footwork is also sneaky good, which can help him piece up Matthews. The thing is Roweās fight IQ isnāt very high, and that negates some of his natural talents.
When itās this close of a fight, we often like going with the wrestler. They can score points for takedowns and wear out opponents on the ground, however, Matthews is a lot smaller than Rowe. We sense he might have problems controlling him on the ground and if this fight mostly stays standing up, then Rowe should win. Thatās how weāre betting it ā Rowe is our underdog play of the night.
How To Bet On UFC 302?
Every type of bet you need for UFC 302 is being offered at one of the below bookies. Moneylines, props, over/unders ā it will all be there for the taking! With this card alone, the UFC 302 bet opportunities reach in the hundreds so thereās even more value besides the three bets we covered here.
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