The UFC Vegas 95 Main Card is heating up from The Apex as we’re ready for another betting prediction and pick for this upcoming bout in the Welterweight (170) Division. Fresh prospects will square-off as Tennessee’s Danny Barlow takes on Nikolay Veretennikov of Kazakhstan. Check out our UFC odds series for our Barlow-Veretennikov prediction and pick.
Danny Barlow (8-0) comes into this fight following a massive win in his UFC debut over Josh Quinlan. He impressed with a Round 1 knockout victory to secure a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. He then followed-up the performance with a highlight-reel KO of Josh Quinlan in the third round of his debut. Look for another exciting performance from Barlow here. He stands 6’2″ with a 79-inch reach.
Nikolay Veretennikov (12-3) will be making his UFC debut on Saturday. He actually lost in his DWCS fight, but got the call to step in for Uros Medic following an injury and subsequent pull-out of the fight. He’s a previous LFA prospect and can solidify his position here with a win as the huge betting underdog.
Here are the UFC Vegas 95 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 95 Odds: Danny Barlow-Nikolay Veretennikov Odds
Danny Barlow: -375
Nikolay Veretennikov: +295
Over 1.5 rounds: -215
Under 1.5 rounds: +175
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Why Danny Barlow Will Win
Danny Barlow makes just his second UFC appearance, but his performances thus far indicate a fighter who’s been waiting for this moment his whole life. He’s extremely poised with his striking and while he has all the one-punch knockout power in the world, he’s very measured in using it and will focus on accuracy before betting his power fly. He was very active in his fight against Josh Quinlan and it’s clear he wasn’t fazed by the striking skills of his opponent. Barlow manages to fight at his comfortable range and will lull opponents into thinking he’s not as dangerous as he is.
Danny Barlow has also been working on his ground game and actually competed in Combat Jiu Jitsu once before. Just eight fights into his pro career, he still has a lot to learn in terms of mixing his martial arts effectively. Still, he has all the physical tools necessary to be successful and his speed is something that can’t be taught. Expect him to have the same measure approach throughout this fight as he looks for the one opening he needs to land a finishing blow to his opponent.
Why Nikolay Veretennikov Will Win
Nikolay Veretennikov got a tough draw in his Contender Series fight back in 2021 having to face an impressive fighter in Michael Morales. Since then, he’s won three consecutive fights by finish in the United Fight League and has done enough to earn this shot back in the UFC. He’s had less than a month to prepare for this fight and will be stepping in against a highly-touted prospect. Veretennikov doesn’t have anything to lose and everything to gain in this fight as he should look to fight his style and not back down from the striking of Barlow.
Nikolay Veretennikov is very aggressive in taking the center of the cage and using his front kick to create distance from his opponent. He’s very measured on when he throws his strikes but when he commits, he throws them with the worst of intentions. Veretennikov has actually seen more competition in his pro career and the different looks in different organizations could prepare him for a vicious puncher like Barlow. Don’t be surprised if we see Veretennikov land his own shots during this one.
Final Danny Barlow-Nikolay Veretennikov Prediction & Pick
This is a very fun fight atop the UFC Vegas 95 Main Card and we should be in for a treat given both fighters’ willingness to stand in the pocket and trade. Danny Barlow was preparing for a similar-styled opponent in Uros Medic ahead of this fight, but he’ll have to pivot and face a dangerous prospect with nothing to lose in his short-notice debut.
This betting should be a bit closer considering Nikolay Veretennikov actually has the longer resume in terms of experience. Danny Barlow is still extremely fresh into the sport and it’ll be interesting to see how he handles increasingly difficult competition from here on out. Still, his dominance over Josh Quinlan showed he’s ready for this moment and if he play it cool, he should come away with the win.
We’ll have to side with Danny Barlow on a count of his striking accuracy in this one, but Nikolay Veretennikov could be a live dog if he can hurt Barlow early and force him on the defensive. Still, we’ll take Danny Barlow to win this fight and for some added value, we’ll look to take the over as both fighters engage in a close scrap.
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Final Danny Barlow-Nikolay Veretennikov Prediction & Pick: Danny Barlow (-360); OVER 1.5 Rounds (-215)
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