UFC Vegas 98: Royval vs. Taira is heating up from the UFC Apex as we're back with another betting prediction and pick for this next bout in the Welterweight (170) Division. Zimbabwe's own Themba Gorimbo will take on UFC veteran Niko Price in an exciting scrap on the Prelims. Check out our UFC odds series for our Gorimbo-Price prediction and pick.

Themba Gorimbo (13-4) has gone 3-1 since joining the UFC in 2023. He's been extremely active and after losing his debut fight, he's gone on to win three-straight bouts with two unanimous decisions and a finish to show for it. He now comes in as the heavy betting favorite looking to extend his winning streak. Gorimbo stands 6'1″ with a 77-inch reach.

Niko Price (16-7) has gone 8-7-0-2 inside of the UFC since 2016. He's gone just 2-3 over his last five fights, but he comes in on a high note following his most recent unanimous victory over Alex Morono. With six of his eight UFC wins coming by way of finish, Price looks to bring the heat once again as he looks for the upset here. Price stands 6'0″ with a 76-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Vegas 98 Odds, courtesy of ESPN Bet. 

UFC Vegas 98 Odds: Themba Gorimbo-Niko Price Odds

Themba Gorimbo: -345

Niko Price: +275

Over 2.5 rounds: +114

Under 2.5 rounds: -145

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Why Themba Gorimbo Will Win

Themba Gorimbo made the most of his debut loss in the UFC and hasn't looked back since, winning all three of his following fights in convincing fashion. Given his path to the UFC, Gorimbo is a tireless worker and always strives to add new skills to his game with each passing fight. He's become very well-balanced in his offensive approach and can hang with tough competitors both on the feet and on the ground. He's a much more active grappler than his opponent and averages over four takedowns a fight – look for Gorimbo to shoot the takedowns as he looks to gain control time on the ground.

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While his hands have been very impressive through his last three fights, Themba Gorimbo finds most of his success in clinching against opponents and wearing them down throughout the fight. His power is what sets up his takedowns and he's usually good about remaining active with his ground-and-pound. Gorimbo loves to find inside trips from the clinch and he's also keen to throw elbows from there, so don't sleep on his ability to mount offense while tied up with his opponent.

Why Niko Price Will Win

Niko Price has been up and down over the last three years, but he owns a win over Alex Oliveira and took down a dangerous Alex Morono in his most recent fight. This latest version of Price could be one of the best we've seen as he's been able to dial his aggression back and focus on finding the smart strikes in the pocket. His takedown defense was also very impressive against Morono and his cardio will be a massive advantage for him throughout this fight.

Ultimately, it was Price's activity and ability to march forward during the second and third rounds that eventually got him the win over Alex Morono. If he's able to coax Gorimbo into a similar game plan while wearing him out in the grappling exchanges, we could see his pace and output shift this fight in his direction. Either way, Niko Price is very creative with his striking and he'll throw a number of unique looks at his opponent throughout the bout.

Final Themba Gorimbo-Niko Price Prediction & Pick

Both fighters are coming into this fight following impressive wins and their stocks could rise even more with a resounding finish here. Themba Gorimbo is the stern favorite on the betting lines due to his current three-fight streak and his ability to improve each time in the octagon. Niko Price, on the other hand, looked like his best version against Alex Morono and is in a solid spot to earn the upset here.

Themba Gorimbo mounts a ton of his offense by clinching with opponents, but we may see Niko Price benefit from that as he loves to use knees and elbows up the middle while forced into the clinch. We've seen Price get stifled on the ground before, so grappling and working ground-and-pound could be Gorimbo's clearest path to victory in this one.

For our final betting prediction, we have to side with Themba Gorimbo for how well-balanced his fighting has looked over his last three appearances. Still, this is a very steep betting line and the fight could be closer than indicated, so it's best we stay away from this one.

Final Themba Gorimbo-Niko Price Prediction & Pick: Themba Gorimbo (-345)