UFC Fight Night: Vettori v Cannonier main card picks – June 17, 2023

The main card for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night from the Apex in Las Vagas features a wave of emerging MMA talent including the much-hyped Arman Tsarukyan, the unbeaten Christian Leroy Duncan, and Mexican banger Manuel Torres. Read on for our free UFC betting tips and analysis.

Marvin Vettori v Jared Cannonier

Marvin Vettori vs Jared Cannonier

Which of these two top-four middleweights will salute in the main event? See our in-depth UFC betting preview for Marvin Vettori v Jared Cannonier here.

Arman Tsarukyan v Joaquim Silva

Arman Tsarukyan vs Joaquim Silva

Arman Tsarukyan (19-3-0) brings an outstanding record into this fight and looks like one of the strongest plays of this card. The Russian is 6-2 in the UFC since making his debut in 2019. He got off to a rough start with a loss to the current lightweight champion, Islam Makhachev, but has since demonstrated a high fight IQ combined with technically sound striking skills. His record boasts wins via decision, knockout, and submission demonstrating Tsarukyan’s well-rounded skill set.

Joaquim Silva (12-4-0) has endured a bumpy patch of late with a recent record of 2-3. The Brazilian is a knockout artist who can get a little loose and sloppy in the heat of battle. His last four fights were all ended via KO – two in his favour and two against, and Silva would be well served to tighten his defence and slide out of range rather than stand in the pocket and trade heavy shots at every opportunity.

Armen Petrosyan v Christian Leroy Duncan

Armen Petrosyan vs Christian Leroy Duncan

Armen Petrosyan (8-2-0) has looked solid across his three UFC bouts with two wins and one loss to show for his early efforts. The Armenian earned his contract with a head kick knockout win on Dana White’s Contender Series and appears at home in the middleweight ranks. Petrosyan can lack urgency at times and will need to focus on maintaining sufficient pressure across the five-minute rounds if he is to succeed as his matchups get tougher.

Christian Leroy Duncan (8-0-0) is an unbeaten fighter who has fought once at UFC level. The Brit fortuitously earned a KO win when his opponent, Dusko Todorovic, was forced to retire due to a knee injury in the opening round. Duncan’s earlier wins showed flair and athletic prowess and included a KO via spinning heel-kick and stoppage via flying knee. It is still hard to determine how he will measure up against higher-quality opposition, but Duncan is an exciting young prospect with a perfect record at this stage.

Pat Sabatini v Lucas Almeida

Pat Sabatini vs Lucas Almeida

Pat Sabatini (17-4-0) is a dynamic submission specialist with a 4-1 record at UFC level. His most recent bout ended in a KO loss, but prior to that the American reeled off six straight wins. He has 10 submissions wins on his resume and will be comfortable grappling with his opponent here. Sabatini will be at a height and reach disadvantage, so he can be expected to shoot for early takedowns and control the bout from top ground position.

Lucas Almeida (14-1-0) is a powerful striker who has only faced the judges once during his professional career, resulting in a loss. The Brazilian pushes hard for stoppage victories with nine knockouts and five submissions to his credit. If he can keep this fight standing and take advantage of his physical superiority, Almedia might be able to score the upset victory.

Nikolas Motta v Manuel Torres

Nikolas Motta vs Manuel Torres

Nikolas Motta (13-4-0) has fought twice at UFC level with one win and one loss to his name, both fights being settled via TKO. His earlier career is dotted with knockout wins and the Brazilian is expected to be a force in the lightweight division. His most recent bout ended with a tidy first-round knockout over Cameron VanCamp, and Motta will be looking to build on that momentum here.

Manuel Torres (13-2-0) earned his UFC contract with a devastating first round KO win over Kolton Englund on Dana White’s Contender Series. The Mexican displayed the same intent with his UFC debut and wrapped up proceedings with another round one finish. His two career losses have come via submission, so Torres will be keen to keep the action standing and unleash his KO power.

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