UFC 275 Betting Picks, Predictions, Odds
Although there is already a lot of hype for UFC 276 next month, UFC 275 is not a promotion to gloss over. Two UFC titles will be on the line, and we will see a rematch of one of the greatest fights in UFC history. Fan favorite Glover Teixeira will defend his newly won UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Jiri Prochazka, and Valentina Shevchenko is out to extend her title reign against Taila Santos. The second fight between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk will be something to behold too, making this one of the best UFC cards of the year.
UFC 275 will be held at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang, Singapore on Sunday, June 12, 2022. This promotion is timed for fans in North America though, as UFC 275 will have its usual start time. It will be broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+ on Saturday, June 11, with the prelims starting at 8 p.m. ET and the main event starting at 10 p.m. ET.
Glover Teixeira vs. Jiri Prochazka Betting Picks
To Win Fight: Jiri Prochazka (-200)
Total Rounds: Under 1.5 (+100)
UFC fans largely rejoiced when promotion veteran Glover Teixeira upset Jan Blachowicz at UFC 267. Teixeira has been in the UFC for over a decade, but that was the first time that he was ever able to raise a title. He has been one of the most successful fighters in the UFC during his career, so it was heartwarming to see Teixeira’s hard work pay off.
However, there is a reason that he is a sizeable underdog ahead of this fight. Teixeira is 42 years old, and he does not have the same explosive power he did when he was younger. In the past, he was able to rely on both his power and his grappling as he has 18 knockouts and 10 submission wins in his career, but four of his last six wins have come by submission as he has had to trust his mat skills more and more.
The 29-year-old Jiri Prochazka is a tough matchup for Teixeira because of his energy and power. Prochazka is in the prime of his career, and 25 of his 28 career wins have come by knockout. The former Rizin Light Heavyweight Championship title holder has knocked out 10 straight opponents, and he earned Performance of the Night bonuses for his knockouts of Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes in his two UFC bouts.
It's usually wise to be a bit skeptical of relative newcomers to the UFC, but Prochazka is the real deal. Additionally, Prochazka has a four-inch reach advantage, so he can punish Teixeira if the champion tries to get inside on him. This fight should be over relatively quickly, so Prochazka and the under is the way to go.
Valentina Shevchenko vs. Taila Santos Betting Picks
To Win Fight: Valentina Shevchenko (-650)
Total Rounds: Over 3.5 (-165)
The second-best female fighter in the UFC is Valentina Shevchenko. The only competitor that Shevchenko has lost to in the last decade is Amanda Nunes, but she has taken down everyone else in her path. Shevchenko has defeated the other 11 foes she has faced since joining the promotion, and the only close fight was a split decision win over Sarah Kaufman in her UFC debut.
Shevchenko has successfully defended the UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship six times since beating Joanna Jedrzejczyk by unanimous decision at UFC 231. Four of those six wins have come by knockout, as she is one of the most well-rounded fighters in the history of women’s MMA. She is a former champion in kickboxing, boxing, judo, taekwondo, and muay thai, and she still has a lot left in the tank at the age of 34.
Taila Santos probably isn’t as big of an underdog as she should be due to Amanda Nunes’ stunning loss to Julianna Pena at UFC 269 in December. Santos is relatively unseasoned compared to Shevchenko, and this is a massive step up in competition for her. Although Santos has won her last four fights since she lost her UFC debut to Mara Romero Borella, her only victory against a fighter that is currently ranked came when she submitted No. 10 flyweight Joanne Wood last December.
It's hard to see a path to victory for Santos. She is a skilled fighter with a background in muay thai that might have a bright future in the UFC, but there is nothing to suggest she can pull off the upset. Santos herself stated that Shevchenko is as close as one can be to a perfect fighter, so this will be more of a learning experience than anything for the challenger.
Zhang Weili vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk Betting Picks
To Win Fight: Joanna Jedrzejczyk (+145)
Total Rounds: Under 2.5 (+200)
The first fight between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk was an instant classic. Several outlets named it the Fight of the Year as Zhang and Joanna traded powerful blows over the course of five rounds. It also gave us one of the most memorable images in UFC history as Jedrzejczyk finished the fight despite having a massive hematoma that caused her to be immediately taken to the hospital.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk has not entered the Octagon since her split decision loss to Zhang Weili. It’s been 27 months since her last fight, so stamina is a valid concern for her ahead of this rematch. Fortunately, since there isn’t a title on the line, this fight will only be three rounds.
We have seen Zhang Weili twice since her won over Jedrzejczyk. She lost the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship to Rose Namajunas, and she lost her rematch with Thug Rose in November. Those setbacks might have rattled her, so there’s a decent chance that she fails to live up to the oddsmakers’ expectations.
Jedrzejczyk has never been one to shy away from a fight, and she is probably going to be on the attack from the outset. She isn’t afraid to take chances either, so one of the best bets on the board this weekend is for Jedrzejczyk to win by knockout or submission at +650.
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Rogerio Bontorin vs. Manel Kape Betting Picks
To Win Fight: Manel Kape (-225)
Total Rounds: Under 2.5 (-150)
Manel Kape did not have a strong debut in the UFC after winning the Rizin Bantamweight Championship on New Year’s Eve in 2019. Kape lost his first two fights in the UFC by decision, and it looked like he may have made a mistake in coming over. However, Kape has bounced back with first-round knockouts of Ode’ Osbourne and Zhalgas Zhumagulov in the last year, and he is a moderate favorite against Rogerio Bontorin in this fight.
If Kape wins over Rogerio Bontorin, then he will likely crack the top ten of the UFC Flyweight rankings. That’s likely to happen as Bontorin has not been good over the last few years. He is currently ranked the No. 8 flyweight in the promotion, but he has failed to win each of his last four fights. Bontorin lost decision victories to Ray Borg and Brandon Royval, and he was knocked out in the first round by Kai Kara-France at UFC 259. It appeared that he had a win over Matt Schnell last May, but he missed weight and then had his win overturned after testing positive for a banned substance.
Bontorin came to the UFC as a submission specialist, but he hasn’t won a fight by submission since joining the promotion. His strength has effectively been neutralized, so it’s tough to see him beating other strong fighters. Kape is on the rise and has knockout power, and he should be able to finish Bontorin inside the distance.
Jack Della Maddalena vs. Ramazan Emeev Betting Picks
To Win Fight: Ramazan Emeev (+140)
Total Rounds: Over 2.5 (-225)
This will be Jack Della Maddalena’s second fight in the UFC. Maddalena knocked out Pete Rodriguez in the first round at UFC 270, and he has won 11 straight bouts. Nine of his 11 wins have come by knockout and that has him favored against promotion veteran Ramazan Emeev.
Emeev joined the UFC in October 2017, and he has a 5-2 record in the promotion. All of his fights have gone the distance, as he is a solid grappler, but he has struggled to submit or knock out opponents. His last two bouts have been decided by split decision as he beat David Zawada and then lost to Danny Roberts.
Although Emeev is the underdog in this fight because of his style, he has a decent chance of winning a decision against Maddalena. He has a three-inch reach advantage, so Maddalena may struggle to land blows against the more experienced fighter.
