Get stoked as the cold wind blows, MMA fans, as UFC 270 is just a couple of weeks away. With the event all set to take place on January 22nd, sports bettors cannot wait to see the heavyweight battle between Ciryl Gane and Francis Ngannou. Furthermore, there are a few more matches for fans to take a closer look at. In this article, we have futures picks for UFC 270, which will be quite the night to take in and absorb. The action takes place from the beautiful Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
In the main event, Gane faces Ngannou on Saturday night. The two heavyweight grapplers are ready to get this match on already. The problem is how does one even try to handicap this fight. It will not be an easy one. Both fighters are quite accomplished and Ciryl Gane is undefeated in his first ten matches. Some have believed it is too soon for him to get a title shot.
For Ngannou, the Cameroon UFC fighter enters the bout with Gare on a five-match winning streak. As for his record, he is 16-3-0 in his career. On paper, these two may not be as evenly matched up as they may look. The last time we saw Ngannou get into the octagon was March 27th, as he went head-on with Stipe Milocic in the sequel. This was a quick fight as the fighter from Cameroon ended this bout via a Round 2 knockout that stunned many fans.
UFC 270 Odds -- Main Matches | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ciryl Gane | -115 | -115 | -115 |
Francis Ngannou | -115 | -115 | -115 |
Deiveson Figueiredo | +145 | +140 | +145 |
Brandon Moreno | -175 | -170 | -175 |
Movsar Evloev | -110 | -110 | -110 |
Ilia Topuria | -120 | -120 | -120 |
Now, he enters this meeting with a young Gane filled with confidence and bravado. The chances this fight goes the distance seems to be low. Now, Ngannou has never had a fight go to a decision when he wins. The average time those fights go is less than six minutes per victory. The champion is proficient with submission moves and again is a superior defender. That often gets overlooked as he only gets hit with two significant strikes every 15 minutes of fighting.
Now, those Vegas betting sites have Ngannou even for the UFC Vegas Betting odds, while Gane is listed at the same -110. This tells you that the sports bettors and bookies alike are not quite so sure how this fight may go. Even Ngannou with almost a ten-month layout probably has a little concern but less than one would anticipate.
For those that forget this is the first time Gane is on the big stage, the French fighter is known as “Bon Gamin” is a heavyweight grappler that takes his time. In his ten fights, Ciryl Gane does have somewhat of an advantage in this sense. Gane did fight three times in 2021 compared to Ngannou’s one. He TKO’s Junior dos Santos in December of 2020 then followed that up with two unanimous decisions. Gane vaulted into the championship discussion with this three-round TKO demolition of Derrick Lewis.
Gane was landing more than 50% of his strikes in the middle rounds as well. It seemed like only a matter of time before that UFC 265 fight was going to end. Sure enough, the French fighter stopped Lewis in that third round and next up was a match for the big crown — the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Now, Gane is just 31 which seems kind of young for heavyweights especially given his unique background which includes Muay-Thai and several other disciplines. Gane did win the Sherdog Award for breakthrough fighter of the year in 2021. Alas, Ngannou is named “The Predator” for a reason. He has a little more power and can end fights quicker while not getting struck as often. That makes a difference in two weeks’ time.
Even with Gane seeing his odds go up to -110 for January 22nd, take the champion from Cameroon to defend his heavyweight championship once more over Gane. Take the pick and cash it!
In a matchup that expects to be an intriguing one, Brandon Moreno will subdue Deiveson Figuerido when they finally get it on again. As most fans know, these two faced off twice previously, but things ended dramatically last time out. That’s because Moreno used a beautiful rear-naked choke maneuver. Figueiredo had little chance to combat that move and had to tap out.
Even now, Figueiredo still could not believe how the fight ended. To lose in such a nasty way was rough, but there was a point in the fight where Brandon Moreno clearly began to dominate this battle.
The two have not said too much on social media. If you check Twitter, their highlights alone show the firepower that both combatants possess — particularly Moreno. This makes UFC 270 even more exciting for fans to watch. Figueiredo has to be much more aggressive in this fight which could leave him open as these two 125-pound fighters move lightning fast.
Per Vegas, the fight is tilted toward Moreno with -170 to -175 odds. Figueiredo is a very slight underdog with -140 odds. While Figueiredo should be game, the feeling is this is Moreno’s fight to lose. We’re siding with Moreno again as our pick. Do you agree? Kindly come check out our ways to wager with the best bitcoin betting sites.
Last but not least, Ilia Topuria is a very slight underdog to beat Movistar Evolve at UFC 270 in a featherweight bout. While this fight won’t have the same kind of electricity as the main events, Topuria will try his best to force your interest.
Now, Evloev is 5-0 in the UFC but has won every fight in a decision. Topuria took out prospect Ryan Hall like it was nothing. He is fearsome on his feet and on the ground. Hence, Topuria is our pick to win on Saturday night.
Chris Wassel is someone who has covered a little bit of everything: business, writing, sports, food, grilling, the Olympics, injuries, politics, and more. He has climbed mountains like Mount Washington and Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs, California, and for those who don’t know, he is also big into food challenges. With friends like Joey Chestnut and Casey Webb, Chris has tackled eating feats like finishing a 16-pound turkey or a 32-inch meat lover's pizza. Since 2013, he has focused on fitness, fishing, and sports while managing to fit in running, hiking, rock climbing, and even the occasional mini-triathlon. He can lift more than his body weight with ease and is the person you turn to when you want to know if a NASCAR rain delay means a Monday race. Over his career, Chris has worked at places like Amazon, USA Today, and various rumors and fantasy sports sites. He has been nominated for awards such as the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hockey Writer of the Year and has a collection of high-stakes fantasy trophies and rings on display at home. With all this, Chris sums it up best with his motto: "Shut up and play."