We're back with another betting prediction and pick for UFC 325 as the Road to UFC tournament continues on the Prelims. This next fight takes place at Bantamweight (135) between New Zealand's Lawrence Lui and China's Sulangrangbo. Check our UFC odds series for the Lui-Sulangrangbo prediction and pick.
Lawrence Lui (7-1) won his previous two Road to UFC bouts with a unanimous decision and R2 TKO to reach the finals. He hasn't lost since 2022 and is ranked the No. 3 prospect in Australia and New Zealand coming into this bout as the moderate betting underdog. Lui stands 5-foot-7 with a 72-inch reach.
Sulangrangbo (10-3) reaches the Road to UFC finals following a unanimous decision and knockout win in the first round. Six of his last nine consecutive wins have come by way of knockout as he looks to exact his UFC contract with a similar finish in this one. He stands 5-foot-9 with a 66.5-inch reach.
Here are the UFC 325 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 325 Odds: Lawrence Lui-Sulangrangbo Odds
Lawrence Lui: +210
Sulangrangbo: -258
Over 2.5 rounds: +105
Under 2.5 rounds: -135
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Why Lawrence Lui Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Van Y Nghiem – TKO (ground strikes, R2)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 4 KO/TKO
Lawrence Lui comes into this bout following an exciting finish during the Road to UFC semifinals. He's looked in peak physical condition over his last few fights and could have the slight advantage in conditioning opposite his opponent. Fighting on home soil should also give him an added boost as the home country fans will be loud and engaged from the opening bouts.
Lui does a tremendous job of closing the distance and immediately pressuring his opponent with his boxing. He's quick to throw leg kicks and follow them up with a straight left hand down the middle. He's uses the straight left to set up his right hook, which he's knocked opponents down with in the past. Expect Lui to quickly close the distance in this one and immediately look for his right hand.
While his offense is dangerous, Lui's defense can certainly use some work as he's grown accustomed to taking damage in return. He's displayed a very solid chin up to this point and hasn't been significantly rocked since his last loss, so expect him to be a tough finish during this fight. If he's able to use Sulangrangbo's aggression against him, he should be able to capitalize on a mistake and end this fight.
Why Sulangrangbo Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Sim Kai Xiong – U DEC
- Last 5: 5-0
- Finishes: 6 KO/TKO, 1 SUB
Sulangrangbo has been impressive in his own right during the Road to UFC tournament, most recently putting together three complete rounds and dominating his opponent in the striking. The fight prior, he displayed perfect timing in landing an uppercut for the knockout, showing matchmakers that his sneaky power continues to be slept on.
Sulangrangbo is still fresh onto the MMA scene and has a ton to learn at just 20 years old. Still, he has a great deal of kickboxing experience from a young age and looks more than comfortable when striking inside the octagon. He should be able to offer stern resistance throughout this fight if he can manage to keep it on the feet and in striking range.
Thanks to his thin and wiry frame, opponents often underestimate the power coming back from Sulangrangbo when he's able to land clean. He generates great force behind his looping hooks and uppercuts, a strong reason as to why he's billed the betting favorite in this particular matchup.
Final Lawrence Lui-Sulangrangbo Prediction & Pick
This should be a fun bantamweight bout to close the action on this portion of the Road to UFC tournament as both fighters have more than earned their right to be in this fight. Both men are capable of knocking their opponents out, but both have also shown great ability to control the fight through three rounds.
Sulangrangbo is certainly the faster, more fluid striker of the two. However, he's at a slight strength and reach disadvantage against Lui, so he'll have to get crafty with his striking and closing the distance against the one-punch knockout threat.
I expect Lawrence Lui's physicality to be imposing during this fight as he should be able to slow Sulangrangbo down by pinning him against the cage. From there, Lui is much more dangerous off the break and can land nasty shots from in close. In a fight where visible damage will likely determine a winner, we'll roll with the underdog to land the bigger shots and win a close one on the scorecards.
Final Lawrence Lui-Sulangrangbo Prediction & Pick: Lawrence Lui (+210); OVER 2.5 Rounds (+105)
