The UFC 299 Prelims are here and we'll be bringing you a betting prediction and pick for this upcoming bout in the Bantamweight (135) Division to start us off. No. 13-ranked Pedro Munhoz of Brazil will take on MMA Lab's own Kyler Phillips in a high-stakes bout to determine a new player atop the division. Check out our UFC odds series for our Munhoz-Phillips prediction and pick.

Pedro Munhoz (20-8) has gone 10-8 during his UFC tenure since 2014, including fighting a ‘who's who' of the Bantamweight Division over the last 10 years. He's 2-3-1 in his last six fights, including facing both fighters in the Main Event on this card. He'll be looking to bounce back after his last loss to Chito Vera and place himself in contention talks once again. Munhoz stands 5'6″ with a 64.5-inch reach.

Kyler Phillips (11-2) has gone an impressive 5-1 since 2020 to start his UFC career. He hasn't been nearly as active due to flight cancellations and withdrawals, but he's made the most of each time he's stepped into the cage. His last fight was a unanimous victory over Raoni Barcellos and he'll be looking to steal Munhoz's ranking with a win here. He stands 5'8″ with a 72-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of BetOnline. 

UFC 299 Odds: Pedro Munhoz-Kyler Phillips Odds

Pedro Munhoz: +174

Kyler Phillips: -204

Over 2.5 rounds: -300

Under 2.5 rounds: +240

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Why Pedro Munhoz Will Win

Pedro Munhoz is coming into this fight following a UD-loss to Chito Vera, but it's nothing to hang his head about given the level of competition he's constantly having to face. It's unclear how his bout with Sean O'Malley would have gone without the accidental eye-poke, but there's something to say about his resume having fought both of the current leaders in the division. Kyler Phillips hasn't seen nearly as much action and Munhoz should certainly use his veteran prowess to his advantage.

Pedro Munhoz also has sneaky power and with the way he explodes into his punches, he could knock out most Bantamweights if he catches them clean and coming in. It's surprising to see him as such a heavy underdog, but it's nothing he hasn't grown accustomed to over his last few fights. To win here, Munhoz will have to lean on his fundamentals and hope Phillips can make a mistake which he capitalizes on.

Why Kyler Phillips Will Win

Kyler Phillips comes into this fight riding a two-fight win streak and it's become clear why his nickname is “The Matrix.” He looked great in his last fight against Raoni Barcelos and had to face a similar hard-hitting veteran in the Brazilian. Phillips should be fully aware of the power coming back his way from Munhoz, but he doesn't typically fight like he's worried or threatened of being knocked out. He'll have a much more varied attack with his strikes, but make no mistake, he chooses them with precision and only throws when he finds openings.

Kyler Phillips is also a wizard on the ground and it will serve him well being the longer fighter here. He's much better at throwing up submissions with his legs and if he finds himself on the bottom at any point, he'll constantly be threatening with attempts from his guard. As long as Phillips can stick to a game plan and execute it, he should win this fight.

Final Pedro Munhoz-Kyler Phillips Prediction & Pick

This is an awesome fight to open the Prelim card and both of these guys have a championship run set on their minds. Pedro Munhoz is the much more experienced fighter and he's seen the best in the world at 135 pounds. His experience could carry him far in this fight and he typically over-performs whenever listed as the underdog.

Still, age is a factor that can't be overlooked here and it'll be interesting to see how much athleticism plays a role in this fight. Look for Kyler Phillips to stay patient through the striking. However, he'll quickly have to change his plans as Munhoz is anything but a patient fighter himself.

For our prediction, we'll side with Kyler Phillips to get this win. It'll be a huge litmus test in seeing if he can hang with ranked competition and if he's dialed in like he was during his last fight, we should see him take the next step in this division and contend for some higher stakes. Let's roll with Kyler Phillips to get the win in this one.

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Final Pedro Munhoz-Kyler Phillips Prediction & Pick: Kyler Phillips (-204)