UFC Fight Night 62: Main Card Betting Odds and Predictions
At UFC Fight Night 62 on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Demian Maia will test up-and-coming welterweight contender Ryan LaFlare, who has gone unbeaten in 11 pro bouts.
Having pulled out of a bout with Mike Pyle due to a staph infection, Maia will be returning to the Octagon for the first time in 10 months. In his last appearance, the Brazilian rebounded from two straight losses by beating Alexander Yakovlev.
With a 4-0 record inside the Octagon, LaFlare has earned a spot among the top 15 welterweights. If he can beat Maia, LaFlare could slide into the Top 10 and would be considered a legitimate threat to the 170-pound champion.
As UFC Fight Night 62 approaches, here are Odds Shark's betting odds as of 10 a.m. ET on Friday and predictions for each main card matchup.
Godofredo Pepey (+235) vs. Andre Fili (-275)
1 of 6
Following a loss to Max Holloway, Andre Fili picked up an important rebound win over Felipe Arantes at UFC 179. At 24 years old, Fili has huge potential and could take a big step forward by improving to 3-1 inside the Octagon with a win over Godofredo Pepey on Saturday.
Competing in his home country at UFC Fight Night 62, Pepey has won two in a row. The Brazilian stopped Noad Lahat and Dashon Johnson in the opening round, and he'll look to keep the momentum going against Fili this weekend.
Pepey is dangerous on the ground, but Fili showed some improved wrestling against Arantes, which will be useful in this matchup. As long as Fili can keep this standing, he should be in good shape and could finish Pepey with strikes.
That said, because Pepey has the ability to submit Fili should this contest go to the ground even briefly, this is a matchup that should be avoided. At these odds, Fili isn't worth risking money on.
Prediction: Fili
Play: Pass
Gilbert Burns (-500) vs. Alex Oliveira (+385)
2 of 6
Originally expected to meet lightweight contender Josh Thomson, Gilbert Burns will now meet UFC newcomer Alex Oliveira. It's a huge difference in level of competition for Burns, but Oliveira is a solid prospect and could be dangerous if taken lightly.
With six straight wins, Oliveira has earned his spot on the UFC roster, but he's looking at a tough debut. Having already won twice inside the Octagon, Burns is a rough adversary for a competitor making his first appearance with the world's top MMA promotion.
It's not surprising to see Burns being set as a significant favorite in this matchup. He should win and remain undefeated. That said, the low return on investment makes him a bad bet against an unknown who could surprise everybody.
Prediction: Burns
Play: Pass
Amanda Nunes (-400) vs. Shayna Baszler (+330)
3 of 6
In September, Amanda Nunes had a huge opportunity against Cat Zingano. She came up short of victory, but Nunes fought admirably and showed she has the ability to compete with some of the best in the women's bantamweight division.
Once among the best at 135 pounds, Shayna Baszler has been heading in the wrong direction quickly. The Queen of Spades disappointed on The Ultimate Fighter and lost in her UFC debut. Should Baszler lose again Saturday, her UFC career could come to an end.
Given the trajectory of both fighters, it's not surprising to see Nunes favored so much. That said, Baszler is always dangerous on the ground, so risking on money at these odds doesn't seem safe when Nunes will likely look to utilize her ground-and-pound at some point.
Prediction: Nunes
Play: Pass
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Leonardo Santos (-105) vs. Tony Martin (-115)
4 of 6
Since winning TUF: Brazil with a submission against William Macario, Leonardo Santos has fought to a draw with Norman Parke and defeated Efrain Escudero. It hasn't been a bad start for a fighter who didn't join the UFC roster until he was 33 years old.
Unlike Santos, Tony Martin has tasted defeat inside the Octagon. Despite losing his first two UFC bouts, Martin was given another chance in October and made it count with a submission win over Fabricio Camoes to keep his UFC career going.
At some point, and likely often, this bout is going to go to the ground. When it does, an edge has to go to Santos, who has never been submitted. Competing in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Santos should be able to come away with a win over Martin.
Prediction: Santos
Play: One percent bankroll on Santos
Erick Silva (-510) vs. Josh Koscheck (+395)
5 of 6
Erick Silva seems to lose every time he gets a chance to break through against a welterweight contender. Josh Koscheck is no longer considered a contender, but beating the former title challenger could be what Silva needs to get another crack at a Top 10 opponent.
With four straight losses, Koscheck appears to be quickly approaching the end of his career. A short-notice win over Silva would give him a chance to go out with a bang.
That said, it's hard to see this matchup going much differently than Koscheck's recent loss to Jake Ellenberger did. Because he was outwrestled by former Koscheck teammate Jon Fitch, Silva is hard to bet on at these odds, but the Brazilian should be able to beat Koscheck with his speed.
Prediction: Silva
Play: Pass
Demian Maia (+125) vs. Ryan LaFlare (-145)
6 of 6
Before his losses to Jake Shields and Rory MacDonald, Maia looked to be on his way toward the top. It's surprising to see him pegged as an underdog against the relatively unproven LaFlare.
LaFlare is undefeated in 11 pro bouts, so he's earned this opportunity, but it'll be the toughest test he's had. None of his past opponents had a ground game comparable to Maia's.
If he can keep it standing, LaFlare would have a definite advantage, but Maia has taken down elite middleweights. The Brazilian should be able to ground LaFlare and dominate on the canvas.
Prediction: Maia
Play: Two percent bankroll on Maia
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
