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UFC Vegas 81: Yusuff vs. Barboza will be live from the UFC Apex as the fighters are weighed-in and ready to go ahead of their respective bouts. With one cancellation, we'll see 22 fighters take the stage as a number of ranked contenders highlight the Main Card action. Check out our UFC odds series for our Best Underdog and Prop picks for UFC Vegas 81.
The Main Event is set to feature two ranked Featherweight contenders in No. 11 Sodiq Yusuff and No. 13 Edson Barboza. Sodiq Yusuff is 6-1 in the UFC and will be returning after over a year off from fighting to rehab some back injuries. Edson Barboza continues to defy his age with every passing fight will be set to highlight yet another Main Event spot. With both of these fighters being such high-level strikers, fans should be in for an exciting bout through all five rounds.
The Co-Main Event will feature ranked fighters in the Women's Flyweight Division as No. 9 ranked Jennifer Maia will continue her career resurgence against the always-dangerous No. 11 ranked Viviane Araujo of Brazil. At her peak, Jennifer Maia challenged for the UFC Championship. Viviane Araujo climbed the ranks and found herself at the top of the rankings just last year. Slated to fight back in 2020, these two fellow Brazilians will finally meet in the octagon.
With the matchmaking of these fights, we see some reasonable and close lines on the betting odds. If you're looking to cash in on some plus money bets, check out our best underdog and prop plays for UFC Vegas 81.
UFC Odds courtesy of FanDuel.
Terrance McKinney Wins by Submission (+165) vs. Brendon Marotte
Terrance McKinney was set to face a tough 11-1 challenger in Scotland's Chris Duncan. Duncan is a typical striker and has seven wins by way of knockout, so it's safe to say Terrance McKinney was preparing himself for a brawl in his upcoming fight. A week ago, he got that call that Duncan couldn't make the fight due to VISA issues and New England Cartel's Brendon Marotte would make his debut on short notice. McKinney comes in as a -560 betting favorite and should be able to take care of business against the debuting Marotte. Marotte has a solid boxing base and with the competition he sees in his home gym, should have a solid defensive base on the feet. Terrance McKinney is a very skilled wrestler and has shown wrinkles of greatness with his jiu jitsu. If he's smart, he'll get Marotte down to the ground and chase a submission win for the finish.
Jonathan Martinez (-116) vs. Adrian Yanez
Ok, so Jonathan Martinez isn't exactly an underdog on the betting lines of this fight, but the line is basically a coin flip and we're getting a great number with either fighter in this spot. This fight has all the makings to be the Fight of the Night as both guys are willing to sell out to get the win. Adrian Yanez is a terrific boxer and does his best damage with his hands. He's been on a solid streak, but came down to Earth in a big way in his loss to Rob Font. Jonathan Martinez, on the other hand, is on an impressive five-fight winning streak and just beat the breaks off of Said Nurmagomedov. His confidence is at an all-time high and he proved that his grappling is on another level in his last fight. While he may have some challenges in the striking, this is a great spot to lay a big bet on Jonathan Martinez as he just possesses more ways to win the fight. Expect him to put on a show in the grappling exchanges on Saturday.
Viviane Araujo (+134) vs. Jennifer Maia
It's not surprising to see Jennifer Maia come into this fight as the slight betting favorite given her recent success over young talent. She's found a home in her style and looks to win fights with her top pressure and control on the ground. Viviane Araujo was ranked as high as No. 2 in the division just a year ago, but her losses to Alexa Grasso and Amanda Ribas looked to take a serious toll on her confidence. She wasn't able to open up her striking like she has in the past and her output left a lot to be desired. Still, if Araujo can return to her old attitude and fighting style, she should have all the tools to finish this fight and come out with a win. Maia hasn't notched a finish since 2020, so Araujo should look to sell out and make an impact with some big moments throughout this fight. Let's take her with the slight plus money.
Sodiq Yusuff Wins by KO/TKO (+230) vs. Edson Barboza
This is going to be an extremely interesting fight with the kickboxing pedigree displayed from both of these guys. Sodiq Yusuff continues to impress each time out in the octagon, but it'll be crucial to see if he feels healthy after the long layoff. Edson Barboza seems to have no plans of retiring soon and his violence hasn't wavered one bit. What's even more interesting is that Yusuff and Barboza both have the same odds (+230) to win by knockout. Clearly, oddsmakers are predicting this to be a standup affair, but we're going to give the slight edge to Sodiq Yusuff given the betting lines. Barboza isn't reacting to punches as well anymore and unless he can rip a big combination to Yusuff along the cage, he may be getting hit with the harder shots. If Sodiq Yusuff comes in fully healthy and confident, he should come out with a finish win over the legend.
