Subscribe
Follow Us
The UFC 318 Main Card is kicking off in the Lightweight (155) Division as we're set to bring you another betting prediction and pick for all the action. UFC veteran Michael Johnson will take on Mexico's budding star Daniel Zellhuber in what should be an exciting striking affair. Check the UFC odds for our Johnson-Zellhuber prediction and pick.
Michael Johnson (23-19) has gone an even 15-15 inside the UFC since debuting in 2010. He's fought a who's-who of divisional talent spanning across almost two decades, seeing a minor resurgence with a 4-2 record over his last six fights. He'll look for his third consecutive win as the underdog here. Johnson stands 5-foot-10 with a 73.5-inch reach.
Daniel Zellhuber (15-2) is currently 3-2 inside the UFC since 2022. After winning three-straight fights with a performance bonus as well, he dropped his most recent bout to Esteban Ribovics in an instant classic. After two fight cancellations prior to this, he's finally ready to step into the ring and bounce back with a win. Zellhuber stands 6-foot-1 with a 77-inch reach.
Here are the UFC 318 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 318 Odds: Michael Johnson-Daniel Zellhuber Odds
Michael Johnson: +425
Daniel Zellhuber: -575
Over 1.5 rounds: -250
Under 1.5 rounds: +190
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Michael Johnson Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Ottman Azaitar – KO (right hook, R2)
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 10 KO/TKO, 2 SUB
Michael Johnson impressed with his first knockout win in three years, turning back the clock with a patented right hook to put away Azaitar in his last fight. Michael Johnson has look extremely sharp over his last four fights and at 39 years old, he's seeing a second wind in terms of his striking offense and aggression in the exchanges. Look for him to pull out all the veteran stops against a much younger and greener opponent in Zellhuber.
Michael Johnson has been in some of the more memorable wars in the division's history, but he shouldn't lend himself to another brawl at this age or point of his career. He'll need to be much more of a tactician in breaking down Zellhuber and getting him to drop his hands with punches to the body.
Johnson's 58% career striking defense is an impressive number given his 30 fights in the UFC. He's always been solid with his head movement and forcing opponents to miss, in turn gassing their cardio in a three-round environment. Johnson certainly stands to see some success if he's able to take advantage of a less experienced opponent and drag him into deep waters during this one.
Why Daniel Zellhuber Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Esteban Ribovics – S DEC
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 7 KO/TKO, 3 SUB
Daniel Zellhuber participated in yet another war against Esteban Ribovics for his second-straight “Fight of the Night” effort. While the latest decision didn't go his way, Zellhuber certainly put on a show and displayed his toughness in eating shots but remaining on his feet. Having that same attitude during this fight could benefit him as his chin is bound to hold up better than Johnson's at this point.
Daniel Zellhuber is a very rangy striker and fights much longer than his actual reach suggests. He's very active in throwing front kicks and kicks to his opponents' body, so it only benefits him in keeping a safe striking distance between him and the target. He's landing 6.26 significant strikes per minute at a 40% clip, so his output is certainly where it needs to be against another talented boxer in Johnson.
Zellhuber will have the most success in this fight if he's able to assertively close the distance and not allow Michael Johnson a chance to regroup in his stance. If he can manage to put Johnson on the back foot, he should be able to overwhelm him with aggression and eventually put him away with a finish.
Final Michael Johnson-Daniel Zellhuber Prediction & Pick
This should be a high-energy fight to kick off the Main Card action as both men are very talented strikers and willing to mix things up on the feet. Michael Johnson is seeing a recent stretch of success and has a ton of confidence heading into this matchup as the underdog. Daniel Zellhuber, on the other hand, is a raw talent who is hungry to get back in the win column after his last loss.
While Michael Johnson can be seen as the more technical boxer here, it's hard to imagine a world where his strikes are doing more damage than Zellhuber's at this point. Zellhuber is younger, fresher, and has a more nuanced variety of strikes he's willing to throw, all of which benefit him during this particular fight.
For our final prediction, it's hard to fade Daniel Zellhuber as he's just more physically imposing compared to Johnson at this point. I expect Zellhuber's strikes to be much more impactful on the bout as he cruises to a win.
Final Michael Johnson-Daniel Zellhuber Prediction & Pick: Daniel Zellhuber (-575); OVER 1.5 Rounds (-250)
