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UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes continues to roll from Miami as we're set for the next betting prediction and pick for the Main Card bout in the Featherweight (145) Division. No. 13-ranked Bryce Mitchell of Arkansas will take on Brazil's Jean Silva of the Fighting Nerds. Check the UFC odds series for our Mitchell-Silva prediction and pick.
Bryce Mitchell (17-2) makes the walk behind an 8-2 record in the UFC since 2018. He's gone 3-2 over his last fight with a recent loss to Josh Emmett that shelved him for some time. However, he bounced right back with a dominant win over Kron Gracie and he's ready to defend his ranking against an up-and-coming opponent. Mitchell stands 5-foot-10 with a 70-inch reach.
Jean Silva (15-2) comes in with a perfect 4-0 record in the UFC since debuting last year. The Contender Series alum has notched a knockout in each of his first four fights, including wins over Charles Jourdain, Drew Dober, and Melsik Baghdasaryan most recently. He'll look to keep climbing the ladder towards a title shot as the favorite here.
Here are the UFC 314 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 314 Odds: Bryce Mitchell-Jean Silva Odds
Bryce Mitchell: +210
Jean Silva: -258
Over 2.5 rounds: +124
Under 2.5 rounds: -160
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Why Bryce Mitchell Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Kron Gracie – TKO (ground-and-pound, R3)
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 1 KO/TKO, 9 SUB
Bryce Mitchell notched the first knockout of his career last time out against Kron Gracie as he perfectly read the moment and landed vicious elbows from a mounted position. He fought a perfect game plan against a world-class grappler as Mitchell is elite on the ground in his own right. He's been known to make some questionable decisions inside the octagon, but his toughness and ability to fight out of bad spots has been his calling card since he joined the roster. Look for Mitchell to be unpredictable in shooting for the takedown during this one.
While Bryce Mitchell's striking seems to constantly improve, he could be wary moving forward given what happened to him against Josh Emmett. His chin is no longer un-hittable and Jean Silva will be head hunting throughout the entire bout. The smartest path to victory for Mitchell will be to duck under the looping punches of Silva and shoot for the takedown. He's one of the UFC's best in taking opponents' backs, so expect Mitchell to attempt the same in this fight.
Why Jean Silva Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Melsik Baghdasaryan – TKO (ground strikes, R1)
- Last 5: 5-0
- Finishes: 12 KO/TKO, 2 SUB
Jean Silva has been on a rampage since entering the UFC as he's the newest product of the Fighting Nerds training camp in Brazil. Joined by other elite fighters like Caio Borralho and Carlos Prates, the Fighting Nerds do a great deal to elevate each other during training camp and help themselves grow stronger before each bout. Silva has been fearless in his approach to increasingly difficult competition as his power drives his confidence. In the pocket, he's a nightmare to deal with and he's looking to land first during the chaotic exchanges.
Silva also has the utmost confidence in his takedown defense and has yet to lose a fight in his career via submission. Landing almost twice the strikes per minute as his opponent, Silva will be looking to push the pace from the opening bell and force Mitchell on his back foot. If he can get Mitchel backing up and making quick decisions, he should be able to force a mistake and land the knockout blow he's searching for.
Final Bryce Mitchell-Jean Silva Prediction & Pick
This is a long-awaited meeting between two of the best featherweights in the division and the first opportunity of Jean Silva to break into the rankings. However, Bryce Mitchell is easily his toughest opponent to-date and highly unpredictable, so we should be in for a wild scrap.
Bryce Mitchell showed a lot of improvements during his last fight and fought a much smarter bout during three rounds. He'll be facing a style of brawler that he's struggled against in the past, so it'll be interesting to see if he can implement those adjustments in the heat of combat.
Still, I think the forward pressure and willingness to brawl from Jean Silva will be too much for Mitchell to handle during this fight. The preparation for Silva behind his camp will also prove to be a huge difference as he comes in on another level in terms of his quickness and physical shape.
Final Bryce Mitchell-Jean Silva Prediction & Pick: Jean Silva (-258)
