At his best, Tyron Woodley still believes he is the top UFC welterweight in the world. The former champion has vowed to return to his elite-level form when he takes on surging contender Gilbert Burns on Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Burns. The 11-bout card takes place from the Apex facility in Las Vegas, with the main UFC fight card set for 9 p.m. ET. The show closes with a matchup of hungry welterweights.
The last time he stepped in the Octagon, Woodley gave a lifeless performance in a lopsided loss to Kamaru Usman, losing his title in the process. He returns as the top-ranked contender looking for a strong showing, but the sixth-ranked Burns, who has five straight wins, stands in the way of Woodley's comeback. Woodley is a -180 favorite (risk $180 to win $100), while Burns is a +155 underdog in the latest UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Burns odds at William Hill. In the co-main event, Augusto Sakai (-110) takes on Blagoy Ivanov (-110) in a matchup of heavyweight prospects. Before you finalize any UFC Fight night selections of your own, make sure you see what SportsLine MMA analyst Brandon Wise has to say.
A CBS Sports editor specializing in MMA, Wise has been dissecting the sport for five years. He specializes in picking main-card fights for UFC, which has enabled him to be profitable every year. Wise's memorable selections include Khabib Nurmagomedov's destruction of Conor McGregor in 2018, Stipe Miocic's upset of Daniel Cormier and Max Holloway's downfall in 2019.
Across UFC 247, UFC 248 and UFC 249, Wise went 11-4 on his main-card picks, returning healthy profits for anyone following them. He posted a 4-1 mark for a profit of 3.55 units at UFC 249, including calling the main-event upset from Justin Gaethje (+155) against Tony Ferguson (-175). Wise reasoned that Gaethje's power and relentless pressure would result in a stoppage victory, and he was proven correct when the one-sided bout was called off in the fifth round. Anyone who has consistently followed Wise is way up.
Now, with UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Burns fast approaching, Wise carefully has studied every matchup on the main UFC fight card, identified the best value in the UFC odds and released his MMA picks for each main-card fight. Those selections are available here.
Tyron Woodley vs. Gilbert Burns preview
Wise knows both combatants in the main event will be looking to make a statement. Woodley (19-4-1), 38, has long had his share of detractors, with UFC president Dana White even once criticizing his performance in a title bout. He gave his naysayers plenty of ammunition, as he was listless and dominated by Kamaru Usman, squandering his title with little resistance.
But at the top of his game, Woodley is one of the most fearsome strikers the welterweight division has ever seen. He set a record for the fastest knockout in the division's history in a title bout when he stopped Robbie Lawler to win the crown in July 2016. He also stopped then-undefeated challenger Darren Till, who closed as a slight favorite, in their September 2018 title bout.
Burns (18-3), 33, has proven more than capable on the feet but is even more comfortable when the fight hits the mat. He won a silver medal at the 2009 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
The Brazilian started his UFC career with a 3-3 mark, but has since ripped off fight straight wins with increasingly impressive outings. In what was expected to be a grappling match with fellow Jiu-Jitsu specialist Maia, Burns ended the fight with a crushing left hand in the first round. You can see all of Wise's Woodley vs. Burns picks here.
Top UFC Fight Night predictions
We'll share one of Wise's UFC Fight Night predictions here: He is backing Roosevelt Roberts (-310) to earn a decision victory over Brok Weaver (+250) in a battle of lightweight newcomers.
Roberts (9-1) is widely viewed as a promising up-and-comer because of his athleticism and array of submission skills. The 26-year-old Miami native is 2-1 in three UFC appearances, with all bouts determined on the scorecards. He defeated Alexander Yakovlev in November.
Weaver (15-4) heads to the Octagon with eight consecutive victories, six of which came in the Square Ring Promotions outfit. The Alabama resident won his UFC debut in February when his opponent, Rodrigo Vargas, was disqualified for an illegal knee.
"Both fighters are looking to make a name for themselves after trouble in their last couple of bouts," Wise told SportsLine. "I lean toward Roberts' experience, and being the better overall fighter, to carry him."
How to make Woodley vs. Burns picks
Wise also has strong picks for Burns vs. Woodley, Sakai vs. Ivanov and every other bout on the main UFC Fight Night card. He's also backing one fighter who could "pummel his opponent." You can get every pick at SportsLine.
Who wins Burns vs. Woodley? And how exactly does each fight end? See the latest UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Woodley odds below and then visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every bout on the main UFC Fight Night card, all from the accomplished expert who has gone 11-4 on the last three UFC events.
UFC Fight Night odds
Tyron Woodley (-180) vs. Gilbert Burns (+155)
Augusto Sakai (-110) vs. Blagoy Ivanov (-110)
Roosevelt Roberts (-310) vs. Brok Weaver (+250)
Mackenzie Dern (-410) vs. Hannah Cifers (+320)
Billy Quarantillo (-135) vs. Spike Carlyle (+115)