UFC 306 is approaching, and we are breaking down four potential upset picks for the highly anticipated event.
For the very first time, the UFC will be hosting an event at the newly minted Sphere in Las Vegas. The card features a pair of world title fights, with bantamweight king Sean O’Malley attempting to defend his belt against Merab Dvalishvili.
You can bet on all the action at the various online sportsbooks, which are welcoming new customers with a bonus. UFC 306 is scheduled for Saturday with the main card commencing at 10 p.m. EST.
Four potential upsets to look for at UFC 306
Here are the latest UFC 306 betting odds, along with four potential upset picks:
A former long-time women’s flyweight title holder, Valentina Shevchenko has gone over two years without winning a fight. Her last victory came against Taila Santos in June 2022.
Since then, the fighter known as The Bullet has shared the octagon on back-to-back occasions with current divisional champ Alexa Grasso. After being submitted in the first meeting, Shevchenko went the distance in the rematch, which ultimately ended in a split draw.
Shevchenko at plus money on the betting line is a very rare occurrence. It might be wise to jump in and back the former flyweight queen. The 36-year-old is aiming to prove that Grasso isn’t her kryptonite.
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Brian Ortega def. Diego Lopes (+160, BetMGM)
Brian Ortega will face Diego Lopes on the UFC 306 main card in what is a rescheduled bout, originally set to take place in June.
Nicknamed T-City, Ortega is just 2-3 in his last five bouts, but two of those defeats came in Fight of the Night bonus-earning performances. Ortega picked up a third-round submission over Yair Rodriguez in his most-recent outing.
Lopes, on the other hand, is a more unproven entity who is riding a four-fight win streak into UFC 306. The Mexican native is looking for his third win of 2024 after already defeating Sodiq Yusuff and Dan Ige this year.
Taking Ortega at plus money sounds like a steal. The 33-year-old looked incredible in his last fight and can pull off the slight upset.
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Norma Dumont def. Irene Aldana (-108, DraftKings)
Neither Norma Dumont nor Irene Aldana has plus money odds, but the former is an ever-so-slight betting underdog at UFC 306.
Dumont is in the midst of a four-fight unanimous decision winning streak, while Aldana is 1-1 dating to the start of 2022. Yes, Aldana went five rounds with women’s mixed martial arts legend Amanda Nunes, but Dumont has been more impressive in the UFC overall.
Betting on this bout to go the distance, which is a prop bet that will be available at DraftKings as the event nears, is a wager to make. Still, the prediction here is that Dumont gets her hand raised.
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Ignacio Bahamondes def. Manuel Torres (+100, FanDuel)
Igancio Bahamondes is getting plus money at FanDuel, but not everywhere else. The +100 odds for Bahamondes are very favorable for his UC 306 fight against Manuel Torres.
The Chilean native is 4-2 under the UFC banner, with three of his victories coming by way of highlight stoppage. Notably, both defeats were via decision. Torres, however, has looked unstoppable in the octagon, with three first-round finishes to begin his tenure.
How does Torres fare if he can’t put Bahamondes away in the first five minutes? That remains to be seen, and importantly, Bahamondes hasn’t been finished since 2017.
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