UFC Vegas 25 betting predictions & top odds – Saturday, May 1

Two of the top contenders in the light heavyweight division will collide in the UFC Vegas 25 main event on Saturday when Dominick Reyes takes on Jiri Prochazka. Here’s a look at the solid main card leading up to the headline act.

Featherweight: Giga Chikadze (-150) vs Cub Swanson (+130)

Giga Chikadze (12-2-0) has won seven straight fights, including a 5-0 start in the UFC with four wins in 2020. The Georgian fighter will get his sternest test to date this Saturday when he faces the veteran Cub Swanson (27-11-0), who has won each of his last two fights since losing his previous four straight.

This seems like a favorable matchup for Chikadze. Swanson will be a tough out considering his striking ability and outstanding cardio, but Chikadze is four inches taller and has a four-inch reach advantage as well. The kickboxer should be able to land more strikes at distance to grind out a win in what should be a competitive fight.

Light Heavyweight: Ion Cutelaba (-130) vs Dustin Jacoby (+110)

Ion Cutelaba (15-6-0) will attempt to get back in the win column after suffering back-to-back knockout losses to Magomed Ankalaev in 2020. Dustin Jacoby (14-5-0) replaces an injured Devin Clark in this event and has won each of his last four fights, including his first two fights in the UFC. Cutelaba was 3-1 with three knockouts in his previous four fights before running into Ankalaev; look for him to get back on track with a strong performance at a discounted price in this one.

Middleweight: Sean Strickland (-250) vs Krzysztof Jotko (+210)

Sean Strickland (22-3-0) has won each of his last three fights, including an impressive knockout win over Brendan Allen in November. Krzysztof Jotko (22-4-0) has shaken off a three-fight losing streak to win each of his last three bouts by decision. Unfortunately for Jotko, Strickland should be comfortable advancing without fear due to Jotko’s lack of legitimate power, which should lead to an eventual knockout win.

Bantamweight: Merab Dvalishvili (-255) vs Cody Stamann (+215)

Merab Dvalishvili (12-4-0) lost his first two fights in the UFC back in late 2017 and early 2018, but he has since established himself as a legitimate up-and-comer in the bantamweight division with five straight wins and a staggering 7.71 takedowns per 15 minutes. Dvalishvili faces another capable grappler in this fight in Cody Stamann (19-3-1), who started his professional career off with a 17-1 record but has since gone just 2-2-1 over his last five fights. It’s difficult to see Stamann beating Dvalishvili at his own game here; this should be a fun fight for grappling fans, but one that eventually has a clear result.

Women’s Flyweight: Poliana Botelho (-261) vs Luana Carolina (+221)

Poliana Botelho (8-3-0) lost her last fight to Gillian Robertson in October to fall to 1-2 over her last two fights since starting her UFC career off with two straight wins. Luana Carolina (6-2-0) had won six straight fights before losing her second fight in the UFC to Ariane Lipski in July. This shapes up to be a good matchup for Botelho; her main weakness is her takedown defense, and Carolina is a striker who hasn’t secured a takedown in her last three fights. Look for Botelho to jab and kick her way to a victory here.