The wait for more MMA betting action is nearly over as UFC Vegas 81 is set to take place on Saturday, Oct. 14. While the main card is loaded with betting opportunities, the preliminary card also offers a plethora of options to help bettors win big this weekend.
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 UFC Vegas 81 preliminary odds and my betting picks ahead of this weekend’s six early fights.
UFC Vegas 81 Preliminary Card Predictions & Odds
The UFC Vegas 81 odds listed below are courtesy of Bovada as of Thursday, Oct. 12 at 10:45 p.m.
Darren Elkins vs. T.J. Brown Prediction — Featherweight
- Darren Elkins (+155)
- T.J. Brown (-185)
Darren Elkins (27-11) has struggled to find consistency recently, going 3-6 in his last nine fights. Standing opposite him is T.J. Brown (17-10), who’s coming off a submission loss to Bill Algeo — the second loss in his last three fights.
Even though both fighters could use the win, I’m slightly leaning in Brown’s favor. He’s at least tasted victory within the last 12 months, whereas Elkins hasn’t won since April 2022. Brown is also more accurate when it comes to both striking (45% vs. 38%) and grappling (55% vs. 34%).
Having said that, I’m taking a neutral approach to the fight by predicting that it’ll go the distance as the best bet. Brown and Elkins both don’t shy away from wrestling and rarely finish their opponents as of late, opening the door for a lengthier bout.
Elkins vs. Brown Best Bet: Fight to Go the Distance (-115)
Tainara Lisboa vs. Ravena Oliveira Prediction — Women’s Bantamweight
- Tainara Lisboa (-325)
- Ravena Oliveira (+250)
Tainara Lisboa (6-2) is white-hot as of late, winning four straight fights ahead of UFC Vegas 81. Her momentum could be in jeopardy, though, as Ravena Oliveira (7-1-1) is no slouch, currently finding herself on a seven-fight winning streak.
Yes, Oliveira has been finding success left and right, but this is her UFC debut and she isn’t used to tougher competition. Lisboa, on the other hand, just debuted with a submission victory over Jessica-Rose Clark, who has nine UFC fights under her belt.
With a 100% finish rate on her side, I fully expect Lisboa to finish this fight inside the distance.
Lisboa vs. Oliveira Best Bet: Lisboa Inside the Distance (-110)
Terrance McKinney vs. Brendan Marotte Prediction — Lightweight
- Terrance McKinney (-550)
- Brendan Marotte (+400)
Terrance McKinney (14-6) is the heavy favorite in this lightweight matchup, carrying an implied win probability of 84.6%. It’s going to be a tough test for Brendan Marotte (8-1), who’s also making his UFC debut after winning three straight fights.
Upsets happen, but I’m not predicting one here. McKinney is an exciting fighter who goes balls to the wall and his experience will help him catch Marotte when the latter makes mistakes.
Marotte is a solid striker, so I won’t be surprised if McKinney attempts to take things to the matt. The 29-year-old averages 3.56 takedowns and 1.0 submissions per 15 minutes, leading to my taking a submission victory as the best bet.
McKinney vs. Marotte Best Bet: McKinney via Submission (TBD)
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Now, back to the octagon…
Irina Alekseeva vs. Melissa Dixon Prediction — Women’s Bantamweight
- Irina Alekseeva (+125)
- Melissa Dixon (-150)
Irina Alekseeva (5-1) enters the UFC Vegas 81 preliminary card following a submission win over Stephanie Egger in her UFC debut. Meanwhile, Melissa Dixon (5-0) aims to keep her undefeated ways going after knocking out three of her first five MMA opponents.
Let’s have some fun here by going with an Alekseeva upset. “Russian Ronda” looked solid in her debut, out-hitting Egger 18-9 while landing 8.24 significant strikes per minute on 40% accuracy. I’m just not sure that Dixon is ready for that onslaught in her first-ever UFC fight.
Still, I’m not 100% sold on either fighter from a betting perspective, which is why we’ll go with the fight failing to go the distance. Dixon wants to make an impact in her debut while Alekseeva wants to prove that her last win wasn’t a fluke.
The result will be both women looking to end this one early.
Alekseeva vs. Dixon Best Bet: Fight Won’t Go the Distance (-108)
Chris Gutierrez vs. Alateng Heili Prediction — Bantamweight
- Chris Gutierrez (-285)
- Alateng Heili (+225)
Oddsmakers are on Chris Gutierrez’s (19-5-2) side at UFC Vegas 81, heavily favoring him to win on the moneyline. Alateng Heili (16-8-2) won’t go down without a fight, highlighted by a 6-1-1 record in his last eight outings.
Even though he’s coming off a loss, I see Gutierrez bouncing back. He was on a four-fight winning streak before losing his last outing, which included back-to-back knockout wins over Danaa Batgerel and Frankie Edgar.
Heili has fought well lately, but the competition that he’s faced hasn’t been all that impressive. I’ll take a lengthy back-and-forth bout that ends with the judges siding in Gutierrez’s favor.
Gutierrez vs. Heili Best Bet: Gutierrez via Decision (-140)
Ashley Yoder vs. Emily Ducote Prediction — Women’s Strawweight
- Ashley Yoder (+295)
- Emily Ducote (-400)
It’s going to take a lot for Ashley Yoder (8-8) to stop the bleeding after tasting defeat in four of her last five fights. Emily Ducote (12-8), however, has also left much to be desired as of late as she looks to avoid a third straight loss this weekend.
Going with Ducote is an easy choice. Yoder just can’t get the job done in Sin City, going 1-5 in her last six trips to Las Vegas. She also hasn’t won a fight since November 2020, further justifying oddsmakers’ faith in Ducote.
“Gordinha” is due for a bounce-back performance, but don’t expect a finish. She’s only finished two of her last seven opponents and with Yoder having gone the distance in each of her last 10 fights, a victory by decision is the most likely scenario.
Yoder vs. Ducote Best Bet: Ducote via Decision (-150)
UFC Vegas 81 Information FAQ
When is UFC Vegas 81?
- UFC Vegas 81 will take place on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023.
Where is UFC Vegas 81?
- UFC Vegas 81 will take place at the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
What time does UFC Vegas 81 start?
- Preliminary Card Start Time: 4 p.m. ET
- Main Card Start Time: 7 p.m. ET
How can I watch UFC Vegas 81?
- Both UFC Vegas 81 main and preliminary cards can be viewed exclusively on ESPN+.
How can I bet on UFC Vegas 81?
- All of the top online sports betting sites will have UFC Vegas 81 odds, but here are some of the sites we recommend most for MMA betting enthusiasts.
