Another exciting MMA event is on the way for fans to enjoy, with UFC 263 right around the corner and scheduled for June 12 at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. While there are storylines all over the place, there are none bigger than the return for superstar Nate Diaz. We have that and much more in our UFC 263 futures picks, which supporters surely want to read all about.
It goes without saying, but fans can’t wait to see Nate Diaz back in the octagon after a long time away. He’ll look to try and remind folks why he’s such an outstanding fighter. Unfortunately for Diaz, he’s got a huge battle coming with Leon Edwards ready to come away with a big-time win. These two will go all out to try and get a victory on the big UFC 263 stage.
For Diaz, he’ll enter his fight with Edwards as a big-time underdog. Diaz has been given +350 UFC odds, while the Las Vegas sportsbooks, like GTBets, think Edwards will cruise to a win, as he’s been set at -450. This really tells you that the oddsmakers have a strong belief that Edwards will be able to take advantage of Diaz being away from the octagon for so long.
| UFC 263 odds |  |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edwards to win | -450 | -450 | -450 | -450 |
| Diaz to win | +350 | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Moreno to win | +200 | +200 | +200 | +200 |
| Figueriredo to win | -250 | -250 | -250 | -250 |
Remember, as strong as Diaz has been in his career, the last time he showcased his talents was back in November of 2019 in a matchup with Jorge Masvidal. The latter dominated that bout and ended up winning by a TKO. Diaz’s eye was in such bad shape, the fight had to end. While it was controversial, there’s no denying Masvidal made easy work of Diaz.
With all of that said, betting on Diaz would be a mistake. Edwards has sensational power which could prove to be far too much for Diaz to handle. Because of this, there’s no question that we’re going to rock with Edwards as our pick to take down Diaz.
In another huge matchup for UFC 263, Deiveson Figueiredo is the favorite to beat Brandon Moreno in their highly-anticipated meeting. This flyweight bout is considered the co-main event of UFC 263 and folks across the globe can’t wait to see the two exchange blows. So, who will end up coming out on top?
Figueiredo is a strong favorite, as he’s been given -250 odds. Moreno on the other hand will love to prove all of his haters wrong and show them that his +200 odds are a massive mistake. That task will surely be difficult, as Figueiredo has really been on a tear of late. He let us know how strong he can be with the gloves on in his UFC 255 fight in November.
In that tilt, Figueiredo took down Alex Perez with a first-round submission. The way he was able to execute his game on the ground was surely a thing of beauty. He tried to do that against Moreno in their UFC 256 matchup, but didn’t have success. The two ended in a draw, but countless folks out there felt like Figueiredo was robbed of a win.
Come next month, Figueiredo will look to do everything possible to try and record a victory and not leave it up to the judges. The absolute last thing he would want is for things to go the distance, and then end in a controversial draw again. At UFC 263, we think he’ll be able to dominate Moreno and come away with a big victory. Because of this, Figueiredo is our pick when they dance once again.
In the other main event of the night, Israel Adesanya is hoping to beat Marvin Vettori for the second time. The two previously met in 2018, with Adesanya winning a split decision. Obviously a lot has changed in three years, but Adesanya will undoubtedly have plenty of confidence knowing that he’s already been able to come on top of Vettori before.
The Vegas oddsmakers agree, as Adesanya has been given -260 odds and Vettori is the underdog at +210. With the middleweight championship on the line, there’s of course going to be plenty of pressure on the two. The last thing Adesanya is going to want is to choke here and lose a matchup he’s supposed to win.
We don’t think that will be the case, though, as we’re going with Adesanya as our pick. Adesanya is 20-1-0 in his career and will be ready to try and record his 21st victory. Because of how impressive he can be in the octagon, he’s our pick to take home that championship belt once things are all said and done going up against Vettori.
