Pretty much all UFC fans have been waiting on pins and needles for a rematch between Francis Ngannou and Stipe Miocic. And they're going to get one. This highly anticipated bout will be the headlining focus of our UFC 260 picks, but we've also got predictions for the other three main-card fights that have seen their odds posted to sportsbooks this far in advance.
As always, before we get started, let's take a look at the latest UFC betting lines. These come courtesy of BetOnline:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Ngannou | -136 | +116 | Stipe Miocic |
| Alexander Volkanovski | -185 | +160 | Brian Ortega |
| Vicente Luque | -275 | +235 | Tyron Woodley |
| Sean O'Malley | -315 | +265 | Thomas Almeida |
Continue to make sure you're rechecking these UFC 260 odds prior to deciding on any wagers. They are bound to move between now and the March 27 opening bell. You should also be perusing any well-known UFC betting apps to see whether you spot any specials for this upcoming fight night.
UFC 260 Bettin Breakdown
Now, on to our UFC picks! We'll begin with the main event, and the other marquee matchups will then follow.
Francis Ngannou (-136) vs. Stipe Miocic (+116)
Francis Ngannou has been waiting since 2018 for another crack at Stipe Miocic, though many might wonder why. The last time around didn't go so well for him. Miocic took home a victory after five rounds by unanimous decision.
Still, Ngannou is a different fighter than he was three years ago. He is both stronger and quicker. He's getting in a higher percentage of his strikes and is way better at preventing opponents from taking him down. This matchup should be much less of an obvious pick.
But, like, Miocic is Miocic. He's one of the best to ever set foot in the octagon. Oddsmakers appear to be lower than expected on his chances. That opens an opportunity for you. We believe they're reading too much into Ngannou's four-fight winning streak—all of which, for what it's worth, have come by first-round knockout.
OSB Prediction: Stipe Miocic (+116)
Alexander Volkanovski (-185) vs. Brian Ortega (+160)
They don't call Alexander Volkanovski "The Great" for nothing. The UFC featherweight champion enters this bout with a 23-1 record and one of the most exhaustive fighting styles in existence.
Not only does Volkanovski land more than six significant strikes per minute on average, but his takedown accuracy is among the highest out there at 34 percent.
Brian Ortega is going to have his work cut out for him. His combinations are on the faster side as well, but he's not nearly as speedy as Volkanovski. He can also struggle to escape takedown attempts, which figures to be a real problem here.
OSB Prediction: Alexander Volkanovski (-185)
Vincente Luque (-275) vs. Tyron Woodley (+235)
Tyron Woodley might be able to drag this fight out longer than people expect. He is an expert at turning matchups into slogs. He will grind the pace down with his grappling attempts, and he's not an easy person to takedown himself.
Overall, though, he just doesn't have the raw agility or force to contend with Vincente Luque. The 170-pound 29-year-old is connecting on 5.72 significant landing strikes per minute for his career, and it's like chasing a pinball when he goes on defense.
Perhaps this won't be a knockout situation. It could actually go the distance. We still expect Luque to win in an easy decision.
OSB Prediction: Vincente Luque (-275)
Sean O'Malley (-315) vs. Thomas Almeida (+265)
Sean "Sugar" O'Malley is an up-and-comer in the UFC bantamweight division. He enters his fight against Thomas Almeida with a 12-1 record while landing an astronomically high 6.72 strikes per minute.
Some will claim he's a little raw on defense. They'll also point out he's yet to take on a marquee opponent. But Almeida can be erratic when piecing together combinations. He has a 22-4 record, so he needs to be taken seriously, but O'Malley is a talent on the rise who will soon be participating in much bigger matchups than this one.
OSB Prediction: Sean O'Malley (-315)
UFC 260 Parlay Recommendation
Since we're picking three favorites, we might as well build a four-moneyline parlay with all of our choices. To recap, here's what the bet slip will look like:
- Stipe Miocic (+116)
- Alexander Volkanovski (-185)
- Vincent Luque (-275)
- Sean O'Malley (-315)
The payout on our parlay is roughly 6-to-1 at this writing. For every $100 you wager, you stand to win a little over $597—nearly $500 of which will be pure profit.
However, we strongly endorse putting your UFC 260 parlays in as soon as possible. In particular, we see the lines on Stipe Miocic (+116) and Sean O'Malley (-315) moving in less favorable directions over the coming weeks. The earlier you strike, the more likely you are to stay right around a potential 6-to-1 payout.
Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your UFC betting:
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