The UFC Fight Night Card from Oklahoma City features two of the middleweight division’s top contenders. Former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman face off in a battle for the right to face current middleweight champion Sean Strickland next.
Du Plessis opens as the betting favorite in this fight with Usman a considerable underdog for the second consecutive time. Usman won his last time out defeating Joaquin Buckley in an upset victory. However, he will be looking to prove to everyone after a storybook UFC career he has one more title shot left in him.
The card also features the return of Jared Cannonier, Chase Hooper and Tabatha Ricci to the octagon. Each fighter has an opportunity to prove they can move up in the UFC rankings in a fight night that should be filled with action.
The Sporting News breaks down everything you need to know to bet on the UFC Fight Night Oklahoma City card, including odds for each fight on the card, the most popular betting markets and best bets.
MORE: Breaking down the best UFC betting sites
UFC Fight Night odds for July 18
Kamaru Usman vs. Dricus Du Plessis (Middleweight)
| Fighter | Point spread | Total rounds | Moneyline |
| Dricus Du Plessis | -5.5 | O 3.5 (-200) | -230 |
| Kamaru Usman | +5.5 | U 3.5 (+154) | +190 |
Kamaru Usman vs. Dricus Du Plessis prediction
The former middleweight champ, Du Plessis steps into the octagon for the first time since facing Khamzat Chimaev for the middleweight belt last year. Meanwhile, Kamaru Usman comes into this matchup fresh off a victory over Joaquin Buckley his last time out. While Du Plessis is the heavy favorite and the bigger guy in this fight, I wouldn’t count Usman out yet.
MORE: Everything to know about betting on MMA
Best bet
- Kamaru Usman vs. Dricus Du Plessis over 3.5 rounds
This fight will likely go to decision. I don’t see either Usman or Du Plessis getting knocked out in this one, so taking the over 3.5 rounds is the best bet in this fight. Both are experienced fighters that have been in five-round wars. So it’s very possible we see another one on Saturday night in Oklahoma City.
Jared Cannonier vs. Christian Leroy Duncan (Middleweight)
| Fighter | Point spread | Total rounds | Moneyline |
| Jared Cannonier | +3.5(+115) | O 2.5 (-160) | +285 |
| Christian Leroy Duncan | -3.5 (-155) | U 2.5 (+124) | -340 |
Jared Cannonier vs. Christian Leroy Duncan prediction
It’s been almost a year since the last time we saw Jared Cannonier in a fight, when he lost a confusing unanimous decision to Michael Venom Page. He has only won one of his last three fights and might be aging out of the game at 42 years old. On the other hand, Duncan has won four straight fights and locked completely dynamic in his last win. With KO victories over Marco Tulio and Eryk Anders and a shutout victory over Roman Dolidze, Duncan appears ready to add another name to the list on Saturday night.
MORE: What to know about the DraftKings new user welcome bonus
Best bet
- Christian Leroy Duncan to win via KO/TKO
While Cannonier has been historically hard to stop, as he gets older, his chin will undoubtably get weaker. After being in so many wars, it’s hard to not go with the younger, more athletic Duncan in this fight. Duncan’s best weapons are his spinning attacks, the same kicks that knocked out Tulio and Anders. Expect another one from Duncan to stop Cannonier who honestly might need to think about retirement at this point in his career.
Chase Hooper vs. Mitch Ramirez (Lightweight)
| Fighter | Point spread | Total rounds | Moneyline |
| Chase Hooper | -3.5 (-225) | O 1.5 (-160) | -380 |
| Mitch Ramirez | +3.5 (+165) | U 1.5 (+110) | +300 |
Chase Hooper vs. Mitch Ramirez prediction
Chase Hooper has been around the UFC for a while. He looked like he was finally coming into his own after defeating two UFC legends in Clay Guida and Jim Miller, but his last two fights against Alexander Hernandez and Lance Gibson Jr. didn’t end well.
He faces an opponent in Ramirez who has yet to win a fight in the UFC and was out for a year after getting beat up by Mike Davis. He also got finished by Tiago Moses and was knocked out by Carlos Prates in the Contender Series.
All of this points towards a gimmie fight for Hooper, but be aware that Hooper has had massive let downs before in his career, so Ramirez can’t be counted out in this one.
MORE: Best DFS promos and app bonuses
Best bet
- Chase Hooper-Mitch Ramirez over 1.5 rounds
Hooper and Ramirez aren’t known for the their knockout power. Yes, Hooper is a dynamo on the ground, but he would have to start out very strong to get a submission finish done in under two rounds. The best bet here is a finish by Hooper in Round 3, but taking the over on 1.5 rounds is just as good to satisfy this fight too.
Tabatha Ricci vs. Fatima Kline (Strawweight)
| Fighter | Point spread | Total rounds | Moneyline |
| Tabatha Ricci | +3.5 (+100) | O 2.5 (-360) | +370 |
| Fatima Kline | -3.5 (-135) | U 2.5 (+260) | -485 |
Tabatha Ricci vs. Fatima Kline prediction
In Ricci’s last fight back in April, she was dominated by Virna Jandiroba. Ricci has been through the ringer of the straweight division’s top talent. She has had success, beating Amanda Ribas, but she lost a decision to former challenger Yan Xianonan recently. Meanwhile, Kline notched a decision victory over Angela Hill last November and got a head kick KO over Melissa Martinez just a year ago. She has been a hot prospect since she came into the UFC and should be able to dominate the much smaller Ricci in this fight.
MORE: Complete guide to MMA bet types
Best bet
Ricci is an amazing striker, but she has some holes in her game on the ground. She suffered six takedowns and was controlled for eight minutes by Janiroba. While Kline is not as powerful as Jandiroba, she still has quite a bit of skill. Ricci is going to be outmatched in this fight, so the best bet is to go with Kline to win on the judges’ scorecards.
Tommy McMillen vs. Alberto Montes (Featherweight)
| Fighter | Point spread | Total rounds | Moneyline |
| Tommy McMillen | -3.5 (-135) | O 1.5 (-135) | -166 |
| Alberto Montes | +3.5 (+100) | U 1.5 (+105) | +140 |
Tommy McMillen vs. Alberto Montes prediction
This is the closest fight by odds on the main card and should be the most competitive. McMillen is a good friend of former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley. He is 10-0 and faces a submission specialist in Alberto Montes. Montes submitted Rickey Turcios, Valter Walker and Paul Sass by some type of choke. While McMillen is the taller and longer fighter, that’s never been a problem for Montes who has beaten bigger and taller fighters in his career before. Take Montes by submission for the first plus bet as an underdog.
MORE: Key terms and sports betting glossary
Best bet
- Alberto Montes by submission
Montes should be able to find a way to win this fight. After showing how great he is and setting people up on the ground in his last fights, it’s safe to expect this one to be no different.
UFC Fight Night prelims
Here’s a rundown of the preliminary fights:
- Austin Bashi vs. Jose Miguel Delgado (Featherweight)
- Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani vs. Seokhyeon Ko (Welterweight)
- Levi Rodrigues Jr. vs. Felipe Franco (Light heavyweight)
- Ezra Elliot vs. Damien Anderson (Featherweight)
- Alden Coria vs. Stewart Nicoll (Flyweight)
- RJ Harris vs. Alvin Hines (Heavyweight)
- Anna Melisano vs. Dione Barbosa (Flyweight)
MORE: Everything to know about moneyline betting
How to bet on UFC Freedom 250
Betting on the UFC Freedom 250 fight card is quite simple. First you need to choose a sportsbook to bet with. DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, bet365, theScore Bet and Fanatics all offer odds on the entire UFC Freedom 250 fight card.
1. Choose your sportsbook and claim your welcome bonus
Once you choose your sportsbook, you can claim a welcome bonus. First, you must sign up and enter all of your verification information such as your name, address, social security number and other details. Once your account is confirmed you can claim a welcome bonus from one of these sportsbooks belo
2. Learn the main MMA bet types
There are a variety of ways to bet on MMA, including several popular bet types. Moneylines allow users to pick an outright winner and profit if their fighter comes out victorious. Total round betting provides betters with the opportunity to call their own shot on how many round a fight will last. Prop betting has all the niche markets that an MMA bettor could ask for. To learn more about the variety of bet types, check out our full guide below.
3. Research
Successful MMA betting requires analyzing fighter statistics like strikes and takedowns, recent form, style matchups and training camps to identify value in odds. Key factors include researching a fighter’s opponent quality, whether or not ring rust (long layoffs) plays a factor and overinflated lines.
4. Place your bet
Pick the fighter that you like to win or the method of victory you like that fighter to win by, and enjoy the fights.
MORE: Beginner’s guide to parlay betting
Best UFC sign-up bonuses
MORE: Best sportsbook promos and betting app bonuses
Read the full article here