The next major MMA pay-per-view is here as UFC 293 airs live from Sydney, Australia on Saturday, Sept. 9. After discussing the plethora of betting options on the main card this week, it’s time to show the preliminary and early prelims fights some love, too.
There’s a lot to keep track of when it comes to the early betting action, but Betting News has you covered. Continue reading for the latest odds and my betting picks heading into each of the seven early fights at UFC 293.
UFC 293 Preliminary Card Predictions & Odds
The UFC 293 odds listed below are courtesy of BetOnline as of Friday, Sept. 8 at 11:10 a.m.
Light Heavyweight: Carlos Ulberg (-260) vs. Da Un Jung (+220)
Carlos Ulberg (8-1) heads into UFC 293 as one of the hottest light heavyweights after winning each of his last four fights. Meanwhile, Da Un Jung (15-4-1) looks to avoid his third consecutive loss this weekend.
I just can’t see Jung winning on Saturday. Ulberg is a lethal striker who averages 8.13 significant strikes per minute with 62% accuracy. Not only has he won four of his last six fights via KO/TKO, but he’s also knocked out each of his last three opponents.
After Jung was out-hit by Devin Clark and knocked out by Dustin Jacoby two fights ago, I won’t be surprised if Ulberg finds a way to finish the underdog.
Best Bet: Carlos Ulberg by KO/TKO (-160)
Featherweight: Jack Jenkins (-201) vs. Chepe Mariscal (+171)
Jack Jenkins (12-2) is gunning for 10th win in a row when he steps into the octagon with Chepe Mariscal (14-6, 1NC), who is on a four-fight winning streak of his own.
I could see this fight going either way. Both fighters’ striking numbers are similar and while Jenkins has the slightly better takedown accuracy and defense numbers, Mariscal can hold his own when it comes to wrestling.
Rather than siding with a winner, I’m taking a neutral approach by taking the fight to go the distance (-170). I see there being a lot of grappling with neither fighter taking much of a risk, leaving the judges to decide the victory.
Best Bet: Fight to Go the Distance (-170)
Lightweight: Jamie Mullarkey (-260) vs. John Makdessi (+220)
Jamie Mullarkey (16-6) looks to turn things around at UFC 293 following a second-round knockout loss to Muhammad Naimov in June. Standing in his way is John Makdessi (18-8), who’s dropped two of his last three fights by unanimous decision.
I see Mullarkey’s size paying off this weekend. He’s four inches taller with a six-inch reach advantage over Makdessi. The underdog also showed that he was vulnerable to grappling in his latest loss, which could be an issue again considering that Mullarkey averages 2.91 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Mullarkey will overpower and out-wrestle Makdessi throughout three rounds, ultimately leading to a UD victory.
Best Bet: Jamie Mullarkey by Unanimous Decision (+140)
Lightweight: Nasrat Haqparast (-470) vs. Landon Quinones (+370)
Nasrat Haqparast (14-5) attempts to begin a new winning streak after overcoming John Makdessi by points last September. Meanwhile, Landon Quinones (7-1-1) makes his UFC debut after finishing six of his first nine MMA opponents.
Haqparast hasn’t fought in over a year, so I see him using this fight to put the lightweight division back on notice. He’s a dangerous striker who isn’t afraid to take things to the mat too, which could be an issue for an underdog who hasn’t faced competition this high before.
I don’t see Quinones surviving three rounds with the favorite, so take Haqparasat to win inside of the distance.
Best Bet: Nasrat Haqparast Wins Inside Distance (+130)
UFC 293 Early Prelims Predictions & Odds
Welterweight: Mike Mathetha (+260) vs. Charlie Radtke (-310)
UFC 293 sees Charlie Radtke (7-3) making his debut after notching wins in each of his previous four outings. He’s taking on Mike Mathetha (3-2), who’s picked up back-to-back losses to begin his UFC tenure.
There’s just no reason to have much faith in Mathetha after his last fight. He was only in control for 1:08 of the 15 minutes he spent in the cage with Orion Cosce and was also taken down three times.
Radtke is a solid wrestler who will give Mathetha if he can take him down to the mat. Keeping that in mind, I’m going with Radtke winning via submission in the opening frame.
Best Bet: Charlie Radtke by Submission in Round 1 (+300)
Catchweight (149.75 lbs): Shane Young (-161) vs. Gabriel Miranda (+141)
Shane Young (13-7) has seen better days, having tasted defeat in each of his last three fights. He hopes to turn things around against submission expert Gabriel Miranda (16-6), who’s coming off a second-round TKO loss to Benoit Saint-Denis last year.
This is another fight where I’m taking a neutral stance. I can’t trust Young due to how underwhelming he’s been during his losing streak while Miranda didn’t exactly impress in his unfortunate debut.
With both men looking unimpressive, don’t overthink things: Back the fight to go the distance.
Best Bet: Fight to Go the Distance (+135)
Welterweight: Kevin Jousset (-155) vs. Kiefer Crosbie (+135)
Two fighters are making their debuts this weekend when Kevin Jousset (8-2) and Kiefer Crosbie (10-3) go head-to-head.
In what should be an evenly-matched fight, I see Crosbie emerging with the victory. He’s the more well-rounded fighter and is coming off back-to-back first-round TKO wins.
Joussett will have the crowd’s support, but it won’t be enough in the end.
Best Bet: Kiefer Crosbie Outright (+135)
UFC 293 Event FAQ
When is UFC 293?
- UFC 293 will take place on Saturday, September 9, 2023.
Where is UFC 293?
- UFC 293 will take place at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
What time does UFC 293 start?
- Early Prelims Start Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Preliminary Card Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Main Card Start Time: 10 p.m. ET
How can I watch UFC 293?
- The UFC 293 early prelims will be available on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+ before coverage shifts over to ESPNEws for the preliminary card. The main card can then be viewed on ESPN+, as well as the majority of local pay-per-view providers.
How can I bet on UFC 293?
- All of the top online sports betting sites will have UFC 293 odds, but here are some of the sites we recommend most for MMA betting enthusiasts.
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