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UFC 289: Amanda Nunes vs. Irene Aldana keeps it moving onto the televised prelims with a fight in the featherweight division with a fight between Blake Bilder and Kyle Nelson. Bilder is an undefeated prospect that picked up his first win inside the octagon in his last time out meanwhile, Kyle Nelson is winless in his last three fights and needs a big win here. With that said, check out our UFC odds series for our Nelson-Bilder prediction and pick.
Kyle Nelson (13-5-1) is very fortunate he didn't come away with his third consecutive loss when he took on Doo Ho Choi as a very controversial point deduction paved the way to a majority draw. He has been fluctuating between featherweight and lightweight throughout his UFC career but has yet to find his footing. Nelson will be drastically looking for that early knockout when he takes on Blake Bilder in his home country this Saturday night.
Blake Bilder (8-0-1) is the former CFFC featherweight champion and got his contract from finishing another Canadian in Alex Morgan on the Contender Series. He then did one better and dominated UFC vet Shane Young in his debut fight at UFC 284. Bilder looks to keep his winning ways going at UFC 289 this Saturday as he takes on Kyle Nelson.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 289 Odds: Kyle Nelson-Blake Bilder Odds
Kyle Nelson: +198
Blake Bilder: -250
Over 2.5 Rounds: +108
Under 2.5 Round: -138
UFC 289: How to Watch Kyle Nelson vs. Blake Bilder
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT (Prelims)
Why Kyle Nelson Will Win
Kyle Nelson is a big featherweight and will certainly have the size advantage in this matchup against Blake Bilder. He will also have a sizable edge in high-level experience. Nelson possesses power and strong wrestling to make this a tough night at the office for his counterpart.
It is up to Nelson to finally fight up to his potential and perhaps fighting in front of his home crowd will give him the motivation he needs to put on the best performance of his life. If Nelson can somehow conserve his energy and pour on the pressure late he can get back into the win column on Saturday.
Why Blake Bilder Will Win
Blake Bilder really showed out as a top prospect in each of his last two fights. He showed his dangerous grappling attack on the Contender Series and then showed he can stand and bang with the best of them in his debut. Bilder gets to take on the dangerous Kyle Nelson in his backyard come Saturday night.
Nelson brings some power and strength that he hasn't seen in his time in the UFC just yet which will really test him in this matchup. With that said, Bilder brings a style that will be hard for Nelson to match as he is able to push a pace that Nelson will not be able to keep up with. If he can weather the early storm and drag Nelson into deep waters he can keep his winning ways going.
Final Kyle Nelson-Blake Bilder Prediction & Pick
This should be a great matchup in the featherweight division between two fighters that are really gunning to move up in the rankings. Nelson is going to be dangerous early on in this matchup throwing some heavy hands Bilder's way but as the fight progresses we will see Nelson fade per usual. That is when Bilder should be able to take over and get the second or third-round finish and notch another win under his belt.
Final Kyle Nelson-Blake Bilder Prediction & Pick: Blake Bilder (-250), Under 2.5 Rounds (-138)