The stage is set for our odds and picks series as UFC 286: Edwards vs. Usman 3 will be live from the O2 Arena in London, England. The card will kick of early Saturday in the United States with this Women's Flyweight (125 lb) bout. TUF Season 30 Winner Juliana Miller will take on Veronica Hardy in her return to the octagon. Don't miss the action as a legendary card gets underway! Check out our UFC odds series for our Miller-Hardy prediction and pick.
Juliana Miller is 3-1 in her professional career and will be making her first appearance since winning the Season 30 Finale of “The Ultimate Fighter” when she beat Brogan Walker by TKO. She had a tremendous season on TUF and showed she has a personality to match her octagon skills. She'll be looking for her first official win as a UFC fighter on a PPV card. Juliana Miller stands 5'7″ with a 66-inch reach.
Veronica Hardy is 6-4-1 as a mixed martial artist and has gone 1-4 in the UFC. Hardy, formerly Macedo, last fought in 2020 and will be making her return after almost a three-year layoff. She lost her last time out against Bea Malecki and with her last win coming in 2019, she'll be looking for a much-needed win in her return to the cage. Hardy stands 5'4″ with a 64-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 286 Odds: Juliana Miller-Veronica Hardy Odds
Juliana Miller: -460
Veronica Hardy: +320
Over (2.5) rounds: -108
Under (2.5) rounds: -118
How to Watch Juliana Miller vs. Veronica Hardy
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 1:00 p.m. ET/ 11:00 a.m. PT (Early Prelims)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Juliana Miller Will Win
Juliana Miller comes into this fight boasting a ton of confidence after winning “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 30. She's a BJJ specialist hailing from 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. Her creative grappling served her well during her time on the show and is evidence that she is ready for UFC-level competition. Her experience is certainly a glaring factor here. She had a short stint in Invicta FC and has competed in a number of grappling tournaments, but just recently began fighting as a pro in MMA. It'll be interesting to see how her game develops as she'll be evolving right before our eyes.
Miller is very slick and flexible with her BJJ. She's dangerous off the bottom and can threaten with a number of attacks with her legs. Her striking game is continuing to come along, but she showed huge improvements in the TUF Finale fight as she held her own against a Muay Thai specialist. Miller is only 26 years old and still has a ton of growing to do, but she's in a favorable spot against a fighter returning from a long layoff. If Miller can come out and attack with her grappling advantage, she'll be able to win as the large favorite here.
Why Veronica Hardy Will Win
Veronica Hardy has had a lackluster career in the UFC and will surprisingly be coming back after three years of inactivity to avenge her first 1-4 stint in the promotion. A striker with active kicks, Hardy has lacked the output in her previous contests to grab a win. She throws with a decent amount of power, but often has trouble closing the distance and getting within range. Hardy's faced a decent run of competition, including fights against Ashlee Evans-Smith and Andrea Lee, but hasn't been able to translate her contests into wins.
The ring rust will be the biggest factor when looking at Hardy during this fight. She's facing a young, bright-eyed prospect who is hungry and eager to make a name for herself – Hardy will have to play the role of the veteran here and be patient in executing her game plan. She has good top pressure if she can get it, but will have to be very cautious any time she's sharing the ground with Miller. If Hardy can stick her jab and land a few chain-takedowns, she could have a chance to win the fight.
Final Juliana Miller-Veronica Hardy Prediction & Pick
Juliana Miller still has a long way to go before she can make a true run up the rankings. However, she fights with a lot of confidence and is very comfortable putting her grappling abilities up against any opponent. This matchup seems to favor the younger, more active fighter, instead of the fight returning after a long time of inactivity. Look for Miller to be more aggressive and challenge Hardy in the stand up. It'll mostly be formalities as Miller will eventually shoot for a takedown and chase the submission – let's go with her to lock one up here.
Final Juliana Miller-Veronica Hardy Prediction & Pick: Juliana Miller (-460); by Submission:
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