We're back with another betting prediction and pick for the UFC Vegas 113 Main Card with this next bout taking place in the Middleweight (185) Division. Poland's Michal Oleksiejczuk will take on Canada's Marc-Andre Barriault in a wild brawl you won't want to miss! Check our UFC odds series for the Oleksiejczuk-Barriault prediction and pick.
Michal Oleksiejczuk (21-9) has gone 9-7-0-1 since starting his UFC tenure in 2017. He's fought a who's-who at middleweight and recently suffered a three-fight skid. He bounced back with consecutive wins heading into this fight and comes in the heavy betting favorite, standing six feet tall with a 74-inch reach.
Marc-Andre Barriault (17-10) has gone 6-9-0-1 since joining the UFC roster in 2019. Immediately becoming a fan-favorite with his no-frills brawling style, Barriault has lost four of his last five fights and will have his back against the wall looking for an upset win here. He stands 6-foot-1 with a 74-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Vegas 113 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 113 Odds: Michal Oleksiejczuk-Marc-Andre Barriault Odds
Michal Oleksiejczuk: -485
Marc-Andre Barriault: +370
Over 1.5 rounds: +135
Under 1.5 rounds: -175
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Why Michal Oleksiejczuk Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Gerald Meerschaert – TKO (punches, R1)
- Last 5: 2-3
- Finishes: 16 KO/TKO, 1 SUB
Michal Oleksiejczuk did exactly what he needed to do in putting away Gerald Meerschaert via punches in the first round of his last fight. Meerschaert, a grizzly veteran with over 50 pro fights on his record, has been known to come back in fights and beat opponents with his resilient jiu jitsu. However, Oleksiejczuk recognized the danger and immediately turned his pressure up to damage his opponent's chin and finish the fight quickly. Expect a similar game plan against a similar veteran like Barriault with a brawling style.
While he typically remains patient through the opening exchanges, Oleksiejczuk is very quick to match the pace of his opponent and keep his foot on the gas for the rest of the fight. While he's not a cardio machine, he does a great job of conserving energy over three rounds and remaining active in the waning minutes of the final round. Expect Oleksiejczuk to be the much more balanced and steady fighter in terms of the conditioning.
He'll be dealing with another knockout risk in the first round as Barriault has been known to start fast, but Oleksiejczuk seems to thrive in situations where his opponent forces him to scrap. He's very diligent when throwing strikes from in-close and despite his seven losses under the UFC banner, no one's been able to knock Oleksiejczuk out clean.
Why Marc-Andre Barriault Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Shara Magomedov – U DEC
- Last 5: 1-4
- Finishes: 11 KO/TKO, 1 SUB
Marc-Andre Barriault suffered another tough unanimous decision loss in his last bout against rising prospect Shara Magomedov. The bout earned ‘Fight of the Night' honors as Barriault had several moments where he was in position to end the fight. This comes off the heels of a recent performance bonus knockout over Bruno Silva, so Barriault is showing that he can still finish fights and turn in a complete three rounds despite this recent losing skid he's been on.
Barriault's chin was the most impressive aspect of his last fight and despite three career knockouts on his record, Barriault is one of the tougher fighters to put away in this division. He's very imposing with his physical frame and wastes no time in controlling the center of the octagon. He's much more rigid in his stance and will be walking Oleksiejczuk down while slowing backing him into the fence.
Given the recent run he's been on, this could be a must-win situation for the 35-year old as he tries to claw to an even .500 record with the promotion. He's seemingly incapable of a boring fight and given Oleksiejczuk's propensity to brawl as well, we should be in for a frantic scrap through the first two rounds.
Final Michal Oleksiejczuk-Marc-Andre Barriault Prediction & Pick
I expect both fighters to immediately take the center of the octagon and start swinging. Marc-Andre Barriault has a no-frills kickboxing style and he'll likely be the aggressor after the opening bell. Michal Oleksiejczuk, while patient, won't waste any time in returning fire if his opponent chooses to start throwing hands.
It seems as though Michal Oleksiejczuk thrives in these kinds of fights and his hands have looked very sharp over his last few bouts. I expect him to be the more precise striker when these two start swinging, ultimately dropping Barriault and potentially ending this fight. We'll side with the betting favorite to finish this fight quickly.
Final Michal Oleksiejczuk-Marc-Andre Barriault Prediction & Pick: Michal Oleksiejczuk (-485); UNDER 1.5 Rounds (-175)
