UFC Fight Night tips, odds & predictions | Sunday, March 16

The main card for UFC Fight Night: Vettori vs Dolidze in Las Vegas this Sunday (AEDT) presents an opportunity for some unranked names to make their mark. Highlights include a likely war between welterweights Chidi Njokuani and Elizeu Zaleski in the co-main event, and the debut of unbeaten light heavyweight prospect Diyar Nurgozhay against the hard-hitting Brendson Ribeiro.

Read on for BettingSite’s fight previews and top UFC betting tips.

Marvin Vettori vs Roman Dolidze

Marvin Vettori vs Roman Dolidze

Top 10 middleweights Marvin Vettori and Roman Dolidze will continue their rivalry when colliding for the second time in two years for UFC Fight Night. Their 2023 clash was adjudicated in Vettori’s favour, but Dolidze has recaptured winning form since that close loss and looms as an upset chance at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Read our Vettori vs Dolidze fight preview here.

Chidi Njokuani vs Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

Chidi Njokuani vs Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

Chidi Njokuani (24-10-0) is a wild brawler who always delivers the action when he steps inside the UFC octagon. The 36-year-old is susceptible to ground-and-pound beatings when he hits the mat but always presents a knockout threat on the feet. Njokuani uses his long frame to throw knees and elbows with scary power and boasts 14 knockout wins on his professional record. His fights can be difficult to handicap, and the veteran is a betting outsider with online bookies heading into this bout.

Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (25-8-1) is a more reliable MMA performer than his opponent in Las Vegas but will need to overcome significant height and reach disadvantages to emerge victorious. The 38-year-old relies on a spinning heel kick to drop bigger athletes, a strike backed by a solid ground game. The Brazilian has used these weapons to stop 15 fights via knockout including a first-round stoppage in his most recent appearance.

Alexander Hernandez vs Kurt Holobaugh

Alexander Hernandez vs Kurt Holobaugh

Alexander Hernandez (14-8-0) has run hot and cold in recent times, producing two wins and four losses since 2022. The 32-year-old is a talented striker, but lax defence and insufficient volume can prove his undoing. He is coming off a confidence-inspiring win over Austin Hubbard via split decision and might be ready to build some consistency in his first outing in 2025. Superior experience has Hernandez installed as a warm favourite heading into this lightweight clash.

Kurt Holobaugh (16-5-0) is on his third stint in the UFC having been cut from the roster in 2013 and 2019 only to earn a recall in 2023. The 38-year-old has won two from three outings since then and is coming off a last-start win over Kaynan Kruschewsky. Holobaugh likes to launch forward with wild combinations that prove effective when they land but can leave him open to counter shots. The veteran is a hard worker but might struggle against a fresher fighter in this matchup.

Da’Mon Blackshear vs Cody Gibson

Da’Mon Blackshear vs Cody Gibson

Da’Mon Blackshear (15-7-1) is an excellent grappler and wrestler with 10 submission victories. The 30-year-old fares poorly with the judges with three wins and six, and two of his professional wins came via knockout. Blackshear can struggle for momentum on the feet where he can get pushed into unfavourable positions against the cage but looks like a different fighter going forward with strikes and takedown attempts. He might be able to dictate terms in this contest and is one of the shortest betting prices on the main card.

Cody Gibson (22-10-0) is coming off a pair of handy UC victories in 2024, including a triangle choke win over Brian Kelleher. The 37-year-old has never been seriously rocked on the feet but has been submitted four times throughout his career, a stat that may prove crucial in deciding this outcome. While Gibson is a solid grappler with four wins via submission, his rear naked choke defence might be exposed in this bout.

Diyar Nurgozhay vs Brendson Ribeiro

Diyar Nurgozhay vs Brendson Ribeiro

Diyar Nurgozhay (32-16-1) makes his UFC debut after impressing the boss with a second-round head kick KO win on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024. The 27-year-old is a big strong athlete who appears ready to make the grade and snare a rare performance bonus at his first UFC appearance. The Kazakh fighter is well-drilled and should be able to grind out a decision victory if the spectacular early finish eludes him.

Brendson Ribeiro (11-1-0) is another graduate from the Contender Series, early his call-up in 2023. The 28-year-old has since lost two fights before posting his maiden victory in November with a decision win over Caio Machado. Ribeiro can drop heavy shots but is also prone to being caught coming forward into the fray, which may prove costly here.

Seung Woo Choi vs Kevin Vallejos

Seung Woo Choi vs Kevin Vallejos

Seung Woo Choi (11-7-0) has won just one of his last five UFC fights and might be in for another rough night in Las Vegas. The South Korean tends to drop his hands during crucial exchanges, which has led to two recent knockout losses. He can keep firing in the clinch when the heat is on but will need to be much more technically sound if he hopes to turn his fortunes around with an upset victory.

Kevin Vallejos (14-1-0) has just a single loss on his professional record, incurred against the ultra-impressive Jean Silva who has since proven to be a future title contender in the featherweight division. Vallejos mixes vicious body shots with straight punches to the head and might make a big statement at the bottom of this main card.

Sports betting tips