UFC Fight Night: Dern vs Yan Best Bets, Odds, Sleepers and Predictions

It’s been a while since I covered the UFC–I’ve had so much football on my brain that I make the waterboy look like a golf fan. I’m not sure if that analogy made sense, but let me have this one.

Anyway, the UFC is set to kick off with a moderately exciting card this weekend, October 1st, headlined by a women’s strawweight bout between #5 ranked Mackenzie Dern and #6 ranked Xiaonan Yan. While the entire card has yet to be released (gulp) I still have some best bets that you’d be remiss not to take. The odds I’ll be using are provided by DraftKings Sportsbook. If DraftKings is not available in your state, be sure to check out these New Jersey Online Casinos. 

Best Bet 1:Krzystof Jotko (-115) over Brendan Allen 

This is one of the more evenly handicapped fights on the entire card, but I feel like the oddsmakers are overlooking Jotko’s recent form. While both men are currently on two-fight win streaks, Jotko’s is much more impressive. Jotko’s most recent win was over Gerald Meershaert, who was on a three-fight win streak of his own coming into the bout. Jotko has actually won five of his last six, and his only loss came from Sean Strickland (who took all three rounds to grab the win). Allen’s two-fight win-streak started with a win over Sam Alvey (who is 0-8-1 in his last 9) and continued after his win over Jacob Malkoun. 

Neither fighter are particularly gifted at finishing fights, so this will likely go to a decision. That said, I think things are leaning Jotko’s way.

Best Bet #2: Ilir Latifi (-180) over Aleksei Olieinik

Olieinik is at the point in his career where he needs a submission to win the fight. Unfortunately for the Russian veteran, Latifi has never been submitted in his career, and even has four submission victories of his own. Latifi not only is an adept wrestler, but he has frozen turkeys or hands, which is something that a 45-year-old Olieinik may struggle with. Olieinik has 16 total MMA losses, and nine have come from KO/TKO.

Best Bet #3: Mackenzie Dern (-230) over Xiaonan Yan (+195)

I’ll get my biases out of the way–I have a massive crush on Mackenzie Dern. However, that has nothing to do with how I’m seeing this fight. Yan is coming off of two losses–albeit to tough opponents (Carla Esparza and Marina Rodriguez). Dern narrowly squeaked out a win in her last fight against Tecia Torres, and other than that is 5-1 in her last six.

Dern is a BJJ expert, holding seven wins via submission. Yan only has 1 loss via submission, but that is one of three losses in her entire career.