Best bets and analysis for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card, headlined by heavy favorite Jamahal Hill fighting Thiago Santos.
The UFC returns to its home at the Apex in Las Vegas following an amazing card last weekend at UFC 277.
The main event features two light heavyweights getting the Octagon doors locked behind them in a scheduled five-round fight. UFC veteran Thiago Santos will attempt to keep his top-10 ranking when he battles rising star Jamahal Hill.
Santos has held his own against Jon Jones and some of the other division mainstays, but is just 1-2 in his last three fights. Hill is 4-1 since entering UFC and a win could results in him making a significant jump in the rankings.
Our staff provided their best bets for this card.
Bet on UFC Fight Night at SI Sportsbook
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Hill
Date: Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Location: UFC Apex | Las Vegas, Nev.
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Prelims 7 p.m. ET
Mayra Bueno Silva (+115) vs. Stephanie Egger (-138)
Cory McKenna (-200) vs. Miranda Granger (+165)
Jason Witt (+205) vs. Josh Quinlan (-250)
Bryan Battle (-275) vs. Takashi Sato (+225)
Terrance McKinney (-1000) vs. Erick Gonzalez (+650)
Sam Alvey (+450) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (-599)
Main card 10 p.m. ET
Ariane Lipski (-175) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (+145)
Augusto Sakai (+225) vs. Serghei Spivac (-275)
Brogan Walker (+100) vs. Juliana Miller (-118)
Mohammed Usman (+205) vs. Zac Pauga (-250)
Vicente Luque (-188) vs. Geoff Neal (+155)
Thiago Santos (+240) vs. Jamahal Hill (-300)
Jeff Bottari/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports
SI.com’s Robin Lundberg:
This is a strong matchup on paper since Thiago Santos has stood toe-to-toe with the likes of Jon Jones, while Jamahal Hill is on a stopping spree. I’ll go with Hill as he is on come up more than the downside. I also think this is the kind of fight that likely won’t go the distance.
BET: Jamahal Hill to win in Round 2 (+400)
SI Video’s Julian Pinto:
I have Jamahal Hill getting the win over Thiago Santos. Hill is going to press the pace and overwhelm Santos, who has not looked the same since his loss/injury in the Jon Jones fight.
BET: Jamahal Hill via KO (-160)
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SI MMA’s Justin Barrasso:
Jamahal Hill will take one step closer to the top five with a knockout victory against Thiago Santos. Who could have predicted Santos’s struggles after his phenomenal performance against Jon Jones? That appears to be his peak, and it’s been mostly downhill since then - and he’s heading in the wrong direction staring at a knockout artist like Hill.
BET: Jamahal Hill via KO (-160)
SI Video’s Doug Vazquez:
I am taking a look at the co-main event between Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal, two welterweights aiming to prove they still belong in the conversation for UFC gold. Two dangerous strikers who are not afraid to get in a phone booth and do some dirty boxing should provide some fireworks. Following a four-fight win streak, Luque suffered a setback in April when he lost a five-round decision to Belal Muhammad. Neal entered UFC like a tornado, winning his first four fights and then suffering a setback of his own against Muhammed, among some other losses to some of the best in the division. When its all said and done I think Luque has more paths to victory here as he is not only a dangerous striker but is not slouch on the ground either. He also has one of the best chins in the game. In a five-round fight I would look at Luque to eventually find an opening and get a finish, but in this three-round bout, I think Neal will escape a knockout and eventually lose a decision
BET: Vicente Luque via DEC (+250)
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