UFC 263 is ready to kick off and it's brimming with hot fights. The card features a pair of title bouts and one non-title tilt that's sure to have the fans buzzing at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is set to defend his strap in the main event against top contender Marvin Vettori in a rematch three years in the making -- coincidentally at this exact venue. Plus, Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno are ready to run back their flyweight title classic from December 2020 in the co-main event.
When there's a card this stacked on deck, fight fans get eager to head to the betting windows to put a few bucks on their favorite fighter. And that's what we're here to help with today. Whether it's finding that sneaky underdog play deep down the prelim card, or stacking up a sizable parlay that pays out well, there's plenty of options to consider when it comes to this event.
William Hill Sportsbook has you covered with every angle of UFC 263 to get in on the action, from straight bets, props, parlays and much more. We're going to give you a few options to consider with this card from our favorite moneyline play, prop play and parlay play. Let's take a closer look at those picks now.
Best moneyline pick
Chase Hooper +100 vs. Steven Peterson
The hype on Hooper has been checked a bit over his past two fights, losing to Alex Caceres and needing a comeback to beat Peter Barrett. Hooper made the right decision in going to train with Stephen Thompson and Upstate Karate earlier in 2021, which should help him pick up some skills in utilizing his striking and really taking advantage of his range. Peterson is the kind of aggressive fighter that could put Hooper behind early again, or who could leave himself open to counters.
What really sticks out here is Hooper's cardio, which has proven very solid. Peterson has not fought since his incredible spinning backfist KO of Martin Bravo in September 2019, as he dealt with surgeries, a bout with COVID-19 and more injuries. Peterson also hasn't been overly impressive in his UFC career, setting aside the one highlight reel knockout. It feels like this line is an overreaction to Hooper's hype getting checked a bit and Peterson having scored a knockout that got some buzz. But with nearly two years out of the cage and the various health issues for Peterson, Hooper seems like a value bet here.
Can't get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news, including the top storylines to watch at UFC 263 below.
Best prop pick
Leon Edwards via KO, TKO or DQ +100
Edwards has been on a roll, with his biggest opponent being UFC scheduling and matchmaking. Finally given the opportunity to get back in the Octagon, Edwards was heating up when he poked Belal Muhammad in the eye in their March clash, resulting in a no contest. He now gets a big name in Nate Diaz, but maybe not the stiffest test. The two will meet in a five-round fight on the main card, the first non-title UFC fight outside of a main event to be scheduled for five rounds.
Those extra two rounds are what gives Edwards via KO its value. Diaz cuts easily and that -- along with Jorge Masvidal simply being better -- is why Diaz lost his last outing. Giving Edwards 10 more minutes to beat up -- and cut up -- Diaz gives him a very high chance of getting the stoppage, well higher than the +100 odds imply.
Best parlay pick
Chase Hooper, Belal Muhammad, Drew Dober +373
We include Hooper here because we've already accepted that he's a good value pick, but he could be swapped out for Israel Adesanya or Matt Frevola, lowering the parlay line to around +225 with slightly lower risk.
Muhammad looked good at times against Edwards before the eye poke and is a solid fighter. Muhammad sort of straddles the line between fighters Maia beats and loses to in this late part of his career, but is good enough to avoid the kind of bad positional mistakes that allow Maia to thrive. Keeping the fight standing should let Muhammad manage to score the win by simply outworking Maia.
Dober has been very solid over the past few years, only losing to Beneil Dariush and Islam Makhachev since 2017. Those are two men who are among the elite of the current lightweight crop. Riddell has a shiny record, but Dober is a different kind of opponent for him and the kind of guy who gives a strong reality check to a guy like Riddell.
Who wins Adesanya vs. Vettori 2? And which fighter is a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed top picks on UFC 263, all from the ultimate insider who's up nearly $9,500 on MMA picks in the past year, and find out.
