The UFC 320 Main Card is finally here as we're set to bring you another betting prediction and pick for this opening bout taking place in the Featherweight (145) Division. Brazil's Daniel Santos will welcome Joo Sang Yoo of South Korea in what should be a competitive scrap. Check our UFC odds series for the Santos-Yoo prediction and pick.
Daniel Santos (12-2) comes into this bout with a 3-1 record inside the UFC since 2022. He's currently riding a three-fight winning streak with a most recent unanimous decision over Jeong Yeong Lee, so he'll try to make it four-straight with another win here as the slight betting favorite. Santos stands 5-foot-7 with a 67-inch reach.
Joo Sang Yoo (9-0) will make his second UFC appearance following a debut win over Jeka Saragih that earned him ‘Performance of the Night' honors. He's a perfect 9-0 and will be putting his winning streak on the line once again as the slight underdog. Yoo stands 5-foot-7 with a 71-inch reach.
Here are the UFC 320 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 320 Odds: Daniel Santos-Joo Sang Yoo Odds
Daniel Santos: -148
Joo Sang Yoo: +124
Over 2.5 rounds: -175
Under 2.5 rounds: +135
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Why Daniel Santos Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Jeong Yeong Lee – U DEC
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 5 KO/TKO, 2 SUB
Daniel Santos notched yet another dominant victory in his latest showing against Jeong Yeong Lee, barely out-boxing his opponent 116-107 in strikes, but managing six takedowns and significant control time on the ground. He's been finding his groove over the last three fights, posting back-to-back unanimous decisions and a performance bonus knockout against John Castaneda. Still, Santos has had five fights fall through in the last three years, so we're hoping everything is good to go ahead of Saturday.
Daniel Santos opens the bout very aggressively and will pepper opponents with straight shots to keep them honest in the striking distance. His six-takedown effort last fight was a better performance than we've seen in recent memory, so he could finally be putting things together and reaching his prime as a fighter.
Still, against the type of power his opponent possesses, Santos will have to be defensively-minded in avoiding any clean shots. He's currently absorbing (4.96) more significant strikes than he's landing (4.74), so he'll certainly need to tighten things up from a technical standpoint.
Why Joo Sang Yoo Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Jeka Saragih – KO (left hook, R1)
- Last 5: 5-0
- Finishes: 4 KO/TKO, 1 SUB
Joo Sang Yoo was tasked with another dangerous striker during his debut in Jeka Saragih, to which he passed with flying colors with a first-round knockout of his opponent. Yoo looked extremely comfortable during his debut and didn't show many pre-fight jitters in engaging with Saragih. His power instantly became apparent as a counter left hook folded Saragih without much resistance. If he's able to find a similar precision shot against Santos, he's more than likely to shut the lights off inside the distance.
Nevertheless, Joo Sang Yoo is still fresh into his pro MMA career and has yet to feel the ramifications of a loss on his record. While this may bode well for his confidence and fearless approach to each fight, he'll need to learn on the job in overcoming the eventual adversity he'll see from UFC level competition. If his debut is any indication, however, he should be on a meteoric rise to the top soon enough.
His short debut win was a small sample size, but Yoo matches up well against Santos in terms of speed and physical strength. While Santos may be slightly more technical, Yoo will make up for any gaps with his athleticism and precision in the pocket. He's also a fearless striker in the center of the octagon, so don't be surprised if he tries coaxing Santos into some heated exchanges.
Final Daniel Santos-Joo Sang Yoo Prediction & Pick
Both fighters come into this bout riding winning streaks as Daniel Santos looks for his fourth-straight and Joo Sango Yoo hopes to remain undefeated. This is certainly Yoo's biggest step-up in competition, but he handled his UFC debut with poise and seems ready for this moment. Santos, on the other hand, looks to have dialed-in his skill set and has been rolling as of late, so we should be in for a competitive back-and-forth tilt.
Given the close betting odds, we have to favor the aggressive striking and solid chin of Joo Sang Yoo. At the kind of pace he's used to pushing, I don't see a scenario where Daniel Santos is able to survive long enough without eating a few clean shots. Let's roll with the underdog for our final pick in this Main Card opener.
Final Daniel Santos-Joo Sang Yoo Prediction & Pick: Joo Sang Yoo (+124)
