UFC Vegas 48: Walker vs. Hill Odds, Schedule, Predictions

Johnny Walker and Jamahal Hill have both looked the part of light heavyweight contenders at times. Now, they'll meet one another in the Octagon in the main event of UFC Vegas 48 from the APEX Facility in Las Vegas. 

At one point, Walker was touted as the kind of fighter who could have the tools to unseat Jon Jones. At 6'6" with an 82-inch reach, he has similar physical dimensions and has fight-stopping power. Unfortunately for him, he's fallen well short of the hype. 

He's dropped three of his last five fights. 

He'll try to right the ship against a fighter in Jamahal Hill who has given less reason to doubt him. The 30-year-old is 9-1 with one no contest. He bounced back from his first loss with a win over Jimmy Crute last time we saw him. 

Here's a look at the whole offering for Saturday night as well as previews and predictions for the biggest bouts on the card. 

Fight Card, Schedule and Odds

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Main Card (ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET)

• Johnny Walker (+185, bet $100 to win $185) vs. Jamahal Hill (-225, bet $225 to win $100)
• Kyle Daukaus (-300) vs. Jamie Pickett (+235)
• Parker Porter (-260) vs. Alan Baudot (+210)
• Jim Miller (+150) vs. Nikolas Motta (-170)
• Joaquin Buckley (-165) vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan (+145)

Prelims (ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET)

• Gabriel Benitez (+150) vs. David Onama (-170)
• Jessica-Rose Clark (-165) vs. Stephanie Egger (+145)
• Chas Skelly (-200) vs. Mark Striegl (+175)
• Diana Belbita (-125) vs. Gloria de Paula (+105)
• Chad Anheliger (-240) vs. Jesse Strader (+195)
• Jonathan Pearce (-400) vs. Christian Rodriguez (+300)
• Mario Bautista (-380) vs. Jay Perrin (+290)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Walker vs. Hill

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Given the disappointing direction Walker's career has taken, this seems like a fight that will determine the status of both of these fighters. 

Walker was once considered a rising prospect, but his track record has shown a different trajectory. In reality, Walker is an exciting mid-card action fighter who happens to find himself in a main event here. He fights like someone who has just figured out how to do the fancy strikes in the UFC video game. 

He'll spam spinning kicks, flying knees and bring a lot of flair. But all of that covers for a fighter who doesn't necessarily have great fundamentals and is susceptible to getting hit. 

That's bad news against Hill. He possesses a similar frame at 6'4" with a 79-inch reach. Most importantly, he utilizes that length while pushing a good pace and has a more traditional arsenal of strikes. 

The result should be a fun fight to end the evening but one that Hill walks away from victorious. He could well still live up to his hype. 

Prediction: Hill via second-round TKO

Daukaus vs. Pickett

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This card has seen a ton of changes since its inception. The original main event was supposed to take place between Rafael Dos Anjos and Rafael Fiziev. It was moved to the co-main event slot of UFC 272 because of an issue with Fiziev's visa. 

The new co-main event of this event was changed as well. Kyle Daukaus was supposed to be meeting Julian Marquez, but Marquez was pulled from the fight and Jamie Pickett was brought in to replace him in a 195-pound catchweight bout. 

The change of opponent sets up an interesting style matchup. Daukaus is a strong grappler, with eight of his 10 wins coming by way of submission. Pickett has lost two fights by submission but has flashed dangerous power at times. 

The problem for Pickett is that he doesn't bring much volume to the table. He only lands 3.02 significant strikes per minute and relies too much on trying to land the one big punch instead of building a lead on the scorecards. 

That could spell trouble, as Daukaus is likely to neutralize a lot of his power with wrestling. If he slips up, Daukaus will be waiting to punish him for it. 

Prediction: Daukaus via third-round submission

Porter vs. Daubot

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On the scales, this one might look like your traditional plodding heavyweight slugfest. On the contrary, this should be a slugfest with a solid pace. 

Parker Porter doesn't have the one-punch power you'd expect from a man his size. He has yet to score a knockout under the UFC banner. He can, however, push a good pace for all 15 minutes if the situation calls for it. He averages 8.48 significant strikes per minute. 

Daubot should be down for that kind of fight. He isn't far behind at 7.81. That being said, his willingness to get into firefights has not worked out in the UFC. He has lost his first two UFC fights by knockout, although the second was overturned after Rodrigo Nascimento tested positive for a psychostimulant drug. 

If you're looking for an interesting underdog to back, Daubot could be it. Porter doesn't bring great power to the table, so if this turns into a brawl, Daubot could have the power advantage. 

The more likely outcome is Porter picking Daubot apart in a more technical kickboxing affair, though. 

Prediction: Porter via decision

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