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The time has come and UFC Vegas 97 will reach a fever-pitch when the Co-Main Event takes center stage at the Apex in Las Vegas. We'll bring you our betting prediction and pick for this ranked matchup in the Women's Flyweight (125) Division as No. 6 Jessica Andrade takes on No. 8-ranked Natalia Silva. Check out our UFC odds series for our Andrade-Silva prediction and pick.
Jessica Andrade (26-12) steps in with a 17-10 record within the UFC since 2013. Despite going on a tough three-fight losing streak not too long ago, she's bounced back nicely winning her last two consecutive fights against top contenders in Mackenzie Dern and Marina Rodriguez. She'll come in as the heavy underdog here with more experience. Andrade stands 5'1″ with a 62-inch reach.
Natalia Silva (17-5-1) remains a perfect 5-0 in the UFC since 2022 and she's looking to position herself into title talks with yet another consecutive victory. Her last two wins have been particularly impressive as she took down Andrea Lee and Viviane Araujo in unanimous decision fashion. She looks for another similar result here. Silva stands 5'4″ with a 65-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Vegas 97 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 97 Odds: Jessica Andrade-Natalia Silva Odds
Jessica Andrade: +250
Natalia Silva: -310
Over 2.5 rounds: -175
Under 2.5 rounds: +135
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Why Jessica Andrade Will Win
Jessica Andrade is coming in following great success in her last two fights. She was a moderate underdog against Mackenzie Dern, but quickly turned the tables with his aggressive forward striking and willingness to grapple with her opponent. Her last win against Marina Rodriguez was also an impressive one as she fought through a significant height and reach disadvantage and put her striking skills to the test. She's shown time and time again that when she's focused and confident in the cage, she remains as one of the five best fighters in the division and beating Andrade usually means a fighter is ready for their title opportunity. Still, Silva will have to get through the veteran and if Andrade can come up with the win, she'll be the center of the title talks once again.
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Jessica Andrade should be willing to stand and strike against Natalia Silva in this one. Silva is very active on her feet and moving around the octagon compared to Andrade's walk-down style in which she stands fair straight up. Her defensive shell is a tough one to break, but her real chances will come from in-close when Silva closes the distance and Andrade has a chance to counter. We've seen her knockout prowess in the past, so fully expect her to be searching for a similar result here as she tries to avoid a decision situation.
Why Natalia Silva Will Win
Natalia Silva has looked like an absolute fireball through her first five UFC fights and her positive energy both inside and outside of the cage is what really helps her find her striking flow. She's extremely active on the feet and remains bouncing on her toes throughout the entirety of the fight. This allows her to dart in-and-out of range while staying at a safe distance from her opponent. She hasn't taken a ton of damage through her first few fights just yet, but she's shown a great chin and resiliency in the situations where she's been compromised. As the strong betting favorite here, she possesses all the tools to make this a tough fight for her opponent.
Natalia Silva has seven of her wins by way of submission and she's very adept at finding opportunities when they present themselves on the ground. While she faced a fair amount of adversity against her last opponent Viviane Araujo, she was able to quickly find her striking rhythm once again and jump out ahead in that fight. If she's able to hold similar tactics in this one and use her speed to her advantage, she should be able to dictate the striking pace and come away with the comfortable win.
Final Jessica Andrade-Natalia Silva Prediction & Pick
This is an extremely interesting Co-Main Event due to where both fighters are at in this point of their careers. Jessica Andrade continues to gate-keep the top of the rankings and she's just two big wins away from another possible title shot. Natalia Silva is the hottest undefeated prospect in the division and she's looking to exact her own run to the title.
Jessica Andrade will be much more dangerous throughout this fight due to her finishing capabilities. She's been in the with many fighters who offer similar looks to Silva, so she should know what to expect given her experience in this position. Natalia Silva, on the other hand, has all the energy in the world and she's intent on taking this first big leap into the top of the rankings.
For our final prediction, we have to roll with Natalia Silva to get the win on the back of her activity and youthful energy in the octagon. She stays in perpetual movement and her cardio has been tested as tried and true. If she can find a rhythm early and force Andrade on the retreat, she should be able to pick up this win.
Final Jessica Andrade-Natalia Silva Prediction & Pick: Natalia Silva (-310); OVER 2.5 Rounds (-175)
