The UFC caps off its 2021 schedule with a showcase of heavyweight contenders. Two-time title challenger and third-ranked Derrick Lewis will face seventh-ranked prospect Chris Daukaus in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus. Their battle closes the curtain on the MMA showcase from the Apex facility in Las Vegas, with the main UFC fight card set for 7 p.m. ET. Lewis holds many heavyweight division records but still seeks an elusive title after losing a bid for the interim belt to Cyril Gane earlier this year. He can remain in contention with a win over the surging Daukaus, who seeks his fifth consecutive UFC victory.

Daukaus is a -140 favorite (risk $140 to win $100), while Lewis is priced at +120 (risk $100 to win $120) in the latest UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus odds from Caesars Sportsbook. In the co-main event, Stephen Thompson (-220) faces Belal Muhammad (+190) in a matchup of veteran welterweight contenders. Before making any UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus picks, make sure you check out the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Andrew Gombas.

Gombas is a former NCAA wrestler who taps into his experience on the mat to dissect the X's and O's of MMA matchups in a manner that sets him apart from other MMA analysts. He started the MMA handicapping service MMA Knockout Bets in 2018 and has shown a profit every year since.

With more than 1,200 selections tracked by the third-party monitoring service Bet MMA, he has shown a 10 percent return on investment for his followers. In 2020, $100 bettors who tailed his picks were up $9,200. Just last week at UFC 269, his winners included predicting a victory for Geoff Neal (-110) over Santiago Ponzinibbio (-110) in a welterweight showdown on the main card. Anyone who has followed Gombas already has seen massive returns.

Now, with UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus in sight, Gombas has studied the card from top to bottom and released his coveted picks and predictions. A successful parlay of those picks would pay better than 10-1. You can only see Gombas' UFC Fight Night picks and predictions at SportsLine.

UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus

The main event is a showcase of potential title-contenders amid what is now a logjam at the top of the heavyweight division. The rugged Lewis represents the old guard, while the versatile Daukaus is among a fresh crop of talented prospects.

Long a fan favorite because of his one-punch knockouts and irreverent sense of humor, Lewis (25-8-1) has come up short in two title bids over the past three years.

The third-ranked heavyweight took a short-notice title fight against former champion Daniel Cormier in November 2018 and lost via second-round submission. The 36-year-old New Orleans native rebounded with a four-fight winning streak that put him back in title contention, but he was stopped by rising newcomer Cyril Gane for the interim belt in August. A victory on Saturday would keep him in the title conversation, while a loss might relegate him to the role of top-10 gatekeeper.

Daukaus (12-3) caught the attention of MMA observers with his own punching power to go along with a solid ground base and above-average athleticism for the division. He made his UFC debut in August of last year and has stopped all four of his UFC opponents inside of two rounds. 

The 32-year-old Philadelphia native has received three consecutive Performance of the Night bonuses and is coming off perhaps his most impressive outing. At UFC 266 in September, he overcame some adversity in the first round and landed a highlight-reel knockout in the second round against Shamil Abdurakhimov. You can only see who to back here.

UFC Fight Night predictions 

We'll reveal one of Gombas' UFC Fight Night selections here: He is siding with Ricky Simon (-270) to get his hand raised against Raphael Assuncao (+230) in a matchup of bantamweight contenders.

The No. 12-ranked Assuncao (27-8) is a 10-year UFC veteran and longtime contender who is widely considered one of the most dangerous fighters in the division. He has never won a UFC belt, but has squared off against numerous current or former champions. The 39-year-old Brazilian has lost three fights, but all of them came against world-class competition. He was stopped by former champion Cody Garbrandt in their June 2020 fight in his last outing.

The unranked Simon (18-3) was once considered the division's hottest prospect, but saw his momentum cooled with back-to-back losses. The 29-year-old Oregon native appears to be back on track, as he is 2-0 in 2021 and looking to end the year on a three-fight winning streak.

"Simon is big for the weight class and a strong offensive grappler. I think he takes this fight," Gombas told SportsLine. 

How to make UFC Fight Night selections 

Gombas also has strong picks for Lewis vs. Daukaus and other fights on the UFC Fight Night card. He's also backing a fighter who will "pick his opponent apart." Those UFC Fight Night picks are only available at SportsLine.

Who wins Lewis vs. Daukaus? And what other picks do you need to combine for a parlay with a payout of better than 10-1? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed top picks on UFC Fight Night, all from the insider who's up nearly $9,200 on MMA picks in the past year, and find out. 

UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus odds, fight card

Derrick Lewis (+120) vs. Chris Daukaus (-140)
Stephen Thompson (-220) vs. Belal Muhammad (+190)
Amanda Lemos (-400) vs. Angela Hill (+320)
Raphael Assuncao (+230) vs. Ricky Simon (-270)
Carlos Ferreira (+160) vs. Mateusz Gamrot (-180)
Cub Swanson (-200) vs. Darren Elkins (+175)
Dustin Stoltzfus (+200) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (-240)
Sijara Eubanks (-185) vs. Melissa Gatto (+160)
Raquel Pennington (-200) vs. Macy Chiasson (+175)
Justin Tafa (-330) vs. Harry Hunsucker (+270)
Charles Jourdain (-200) vs. Andre Ewell (+175)
Raoni Barcelos (-320) vs. Victor Henry (+260)
Matt Sayles (-110) vs. Jordan Leavitt (-110)
Dontale Mayes (-190) vs. Josh Parisian (+170)