UFC Fight Night 70: Main Card Betting Odds and Predictions

Despite losing several competitors due to visa issues, UFC Fight Night 70 will soldier on Saturday night in Hollywood, Florida.

Middleweight contenders Lyoto Machida and Yoel Romero headline the event. Although Machida is heading in the wrong direction following a submission loss to Luke Rockhold, Romero will have a chance to emerge as one of the top 185-pound contenders should he improve his UFC record to 6-0 against a former champion.

Additionally, rising welterweights Lorenz Larkin and Santiago Ponzinibbio will also appear on the main card. There's no denying that losing Rick Story and Erick Silva hurt this event, but there are still some bouts worth watching this weekend.

With UFC Fight Night 70 quickly approaching, here are some predictions and the latest betting odds, via Odds Shark, for the entire main card.

Hacran Dias (-200) vs. Levan Makashvili (+160)

Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

Following back-to-back losses against Nik Lentz and Ricardo Lamas, Hacran Dias recently got back on track with a decision victory over Darren Elkins. With the win, Dias showed he is still a contender in the 145-pound division despite the lack of attention he receives.

Originally, the Brazilian was set to meet Chas Skelly at UFC Fight Night 70. However, Levan Makashvili later stepped in as a replacement opponent when Skelly became ill.

In his lone trip to the Octagon, Makashvili edged out Mark Eddiva in a split decision. A win is a win at this level, but barely beating Eddiva in a decision doesn't bode well for Makashvili's chances against a Top 15 featherweight on Saturday.

Dias should take Makashvili to the canvas and control the fight from there en route to another clear decision win.

Prediction: Dias

Play: 2 percent bankroll on Dias

Thiago Santos (-210) vs. Steve Bosse (+170)

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

At UFC 183, Thiago Santos rebounded from a loss to Uriah Hall by stopping Andy Enz in the opening round. In his short UFC career, it was Santos' second knockout win inside two minutes, which proves he's a dangerous middleweight to stand with.

That said, Steve Bosse isn't going to back down from a brawl. Nine of Bosse's 11 pro bouts have ended in knockouts, and the former hockey player won't change his style now.

When two heavy hitters like Santos and Bosse meet, anything can happen. However, being the more fluid and diverse striker, Santos should land the first meaningful blow, which might be all it takes in this matchup.

Prediction: Santos

Play: 1 percent bankroll on Santos

Antonio Carlos Jr. (-200) vs. Eddie Gordon (+170)

Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

After going undefeated in his first four official MMA contests, Antonio Carlos Jr. lost to Patrick Cummins in his most recent outing. It was a setback, but Carlos Jr. could take the defeat as a valuable learning experience, being only 25 years old.

Eddie Gordon, on the other hand, needs to turn things around now. The Ultimate Fighter 19 winner hasn't had his hand raised since winning the UFC reality show in July 2014. Should he suffer a third straight defeat on Saturday, he might have to return to smaller shows.

While Gordon has the power to hurt Carlos Jr., he's not the most technical fighter and lacks conditioning. Carlos Jr. should cruise to a win as long as he survives the first minute or two.

That said, his inexperience and Gordon's ability to end a fight with one punch make Carlos Jr. hard to trust from a betting perspective this weekend.

Prediction: Carlos Jr.

Play: Pass

Lorenz Larkin (-230) vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio (+180)

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Despite losing three in a row, Lorenz Larkin received one more chance from the UFC brass. That proved to be a good decision, as he looked excellent in his new home at 170 pounds, knocking out John Howard in the opening round in January.

Meanwhile, bouncing back from a loss to Ryan LaFlare in his UFC debut, Santiago Ponzinibbio has now won two in a row. The Brazilian could have won TUF Brazil 2, but an injury kept him out of the finals due, and his replacement went on to win the competition.

Ponzinibbio has dangerous knockout power, but Larkin is one of the smoothest strikers in the welterweight division. With a win over 170-pound champion Robbie Lawler also under his belt, Larkin should be considered a bigger favorite than he is in this matchup.

Prediction: Larkin

Play: 1 percent bankroll on Larkin

Lyoto Machida (-200) vs. Yoel Romero (+160)

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Machida was looking to earn a rematch with middleweight champion Chris Weidman before running into Rockhold in his most recent showing. Now, The Dragon needs a win to prove he's still one of the top contenders at 185 pounds.

Despite a 5-0 start inside the Octagon, Romero is still looking for a title shot. With a win over a former champion like Machida, Romero would make a strong argument that he is deserving of a crack at Weidman.

In most cases, Machida is a bad matchup for power-punching wrestlers like Romero. The Dragon is tough to take down and is even harder to hit with looping punches.

Coming off a loss against Rockhold and being 37 years old, Machida may not be worth the gamble. However, if he fights patient and lets Romero wear himself out, The Dragon should get back into the win column.

Prediction: Machida

Play: Pass