When his originally scheduled opponent had to withdraw because of an injury, Rafael dos Anjos took to social media with the aim of finding a replacement on his own. His online callouts didn't produce the desired result, but the former lightweight champion still achieved his goal of fighting on Saturday when the UFC brass persuaded Paul Felder to step out of semi-retirement and back into the Octagon. The esteemed veteran fighters meet in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos Anjos in Las Vegas, with the main UFC fight card set for 7 p.m. ET.
Dos Anjos makes his return to lightweight following a 1-4 stretch at welterweight, while Felder hopes a victory against a high-caliber opponent will vault him into consideration for a title shot. Dos Anjos is a -180 favorite (risk $180 to win $100), while Felder is a +155 underdog in the latest Felder vs. dos Anjos odds from William Hill Sportsbook. In the co-main event, Abdul Razak Alhassan (-230) takes on Khaos Williams (+195) in a matchup of welterweight prospects. Before making any UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos Anjos picks, make sure you check out the latest UFC Fight Night predictions from SportsLine analyst Kyle Marley.
Over the past 21 months, $100 bettors who have followed Marley's picks are up more than $21,000. The accomplished MMA analyst has been on a massive run in 2020 as he has hit on 24 of his last UFC 31 main-event selections, a stretch that includes a streak of five straight underdogs.
At UFC Fight Night last week, Marley went 7-3, as his winners included advising his followers to back Yan Xiaonan (-130) against Claudia Gadelha (+110) in a women's strawweight feature. Xiaonan controlled the action most of the way and earned a unanimous decision to give Marley's followers another easy winner. Anyone who has consistently followed him is way up.
Now, with UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos Anjos fast approaching, Marley has carefully studied every matchup on the card, identified the best value in the UFC odds and released his MMA picks for every fight. Those selections are only available here.
Felder vs. dos Anjos preview
The MMA analyst knows the main event represents a turning point in the careers of both fighters for different reasons. Dos Anjos (29-13) is widely considered one of the most well-rounded mixed martial artists to ever set foot in the Octagon.
The 36-year-old Brazilian briefly held the lightweight title and his resume includes battles against countless other UFC stars in the lightweight and welterweight divisions. His record includes losses against current welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and former interim champions Colby Covington and Tony Ferguson.
He also has earned victories against the likes of former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler, former lightweight champion Benson Henderson and eccentric UFC icon Nate Diaz. However, losses in four of his last five fights have led dos Anjos to fend off the dreaded "gatekeeper" label amid his insistence that he can still compete at a world-class level.
He will face another litmus test in the tough-luck Felder (17-5), who has been a consistent contender since joining the UFC but has been denied a title shot in large part because of a handful of razor-thin losses. His last two defeats have come by split decision, and four of his five career MMA losses have come on the scorecards.
The Philadelphia native is known for a straight-forward, brawling style that has led to five Performance of the Night bonuses and a loyal following among UFC fans. But after dropping a split decision against fifth-ranked Dan Hooker in February, Felder openly pondered retirement, citing a need to spend more time with his family. He also has emerged as a popular color analyst for UFC cards when he's not training for a fight. You can only see Marley's coveted Felder vs. dos Anjos picks here.
UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos Anjos predictions
We'll share one of Marley's UFC Fight Night selections here: He is picking Julian Marquez (-280) to get a stoppage victory against Saparbek Safarov in a showcase of middleweight prospects.
Safarov (9-3) has emerged as a fan favorite because of his nonstop style that often leads to action-packed fights. However, the 34-year-old Russian fighter has had trouble finding his footing in the UFC, with just one victory in four appearances. His last outing resulted in a first-round submission defeat against Rodolfo Vieira in March.
Marquez (7-2) gained notice for his lethal power while piling up knockout wins in promotions like the Legacy Fighting Alliance and Combate Americas. The 30-year-old Kansas City native has split a pair of fights under the UFC banner and is coming off a split-decision defeat against fellow prospect Alessio Di Chirico.
"The first round should be the closest and likely Safarov's best chance," Marley told SportsLine. "But after that, Marquez should take over and get a finish."
How to make UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos Anjos picks
Marley also has strong picks for Felder vs. dos Anjos and every other bout on the UFC Fight Night card. He's also backing a "powerful striker" to win via TKO. Those selections are only available at SportsLine.
Who wins Felder vs. dos Anjos? And how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC Fight Night, all from the incomparable expert who's up more than $21,000 on MMA in the past 21 months, and find out.
UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos Anjos odds
Rafael dos Anjos (-180) vs. Paul Felder (+155)
Abdul Razak Alhassan (-230) vs. Khaos Williams (+195)
Julian Marquez (-280) vs. Saparbek Safarov (+240)
Eryk Anders (-140) vs. Antonio Arroyo (+120)
Sean Strickland (-115) vs. Brendan Allen (-105)
Kay Hansen (-220) vs. Cory McKenna (+190)
Miranda Granger (-130) vs. Ashley Yoder (+110)
Alex Morono (-185) vs. Rhys McKee (+165)
Louis Smolka (-135) vs. Jose Quinonez (+115)
Kanako Murata (-175) vs Randa Markos (+155)
Tony Gravely (-165) vs Geraldo de Freitas (+145)
Don'tale Mayes (-215) vs Roque Martinez (+185)
