UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje 2 is finally here as we open up the Main Card action from Salt Lake City. This next prediction and pick will be for the opening bout in the Welterweight (170 lb) Division. No. 12 ranked Michael Chiesa will take on the always exciting Kevin Holland. Don't miss a second of this stacked Main Card! Check out our UFC odds series for our Chiesa-Holland prediction and pick.

Michael Chiesa is 18-6 as a professional fighter and has gone 11-6 in the UFC since 2012. He's been a mainstay in the UFC and has fought the who's who of his division. Typically streaky throughout his career, Chiesa's most recent winning streak included four-straight. Now, he's coming in off back-to-back losses against Vicente Luque and Sean Brady. His last bout against Li Jingliang was also cancelled, so Chiesa faces the always-ready Holland. He stands 6'1″ with a 75.5-inch reach.

Kevin Holland is 24-9 as a fighter and is 11-6-1 in the UFC since his debut in 2018. Holland is the most active fighter on the UFC roster and has been exciting fans from the moment he first stepped in the octagon. He's 3-2 in his last five coming in. He suffered two bad losses at the hands of Khamzat Chimaev and Stephen Thompson, but bounced back with a great TKO win over Santiago Ponzinibbio. He'll look to steal Chiesa's ranking with a win. Holland stands 6'3″ with an 81-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UFC 291 Odds: Michael Chiesa-Kevin Holland Odds

Michael Chiesa: +124

Kevin Holland: -158

Over (2.5) rounds: +144

Under (2.5) rounds: -182

How to Watch Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland

TV: ESPN+ Pay-Per-View

Stream: ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass

Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)

Why Michael Chiesa Will Win

Michael Chiesa is a very well-rounded fighter and fights behind his wrestling background. While he's typically a solid striker and can hang in on the feet, he still has no KO/TKO victories to his name. Chiesa primarily uses his striking to set up chain-wrestling and takedowns against the cage. He's very strong in the clinch and is a pest to deal with when relentlessly searching the takedown. On the ground, Chiesa is levels above the competition and has 10 submission wins to his name. He's got a great chin and is very resilient when seeing adversity in the cage.

To win this fight, Michael Chiesa should look to wrestle with Kevin Holland and keep him down. Holland is at his best when he's flowing freely through his striking and fighting at distance. With Chiesa's grappling advantage, he should look to smother Holland and not allow his to get any big actions off. We've seen Holland get held down on the ground before, so finding a consistent takedown could be key for Chiesa to win this fight.

Why Kevin Holland Will Win

Kevin Holland should be revered for how many fights he's saved by stepping in on short notice and just five years into his UFC career, he's totaled the same number of bouts as his veteran opponent on Saturday. He's a company man through-and-through and will always give fans something to talk about the next day. Holland fights with a Karate background and can throw varied strikes with each one of his limbs. He switches stances constantly and will lull opponents into his trash talk before unleashing on them. It's given him trouble in the past, but Holland is a real problem when he's focused in the cage.

Holland will have the significant striking advantage in this one and should look to keep it on the feet. Chiesa's hands are a step behind Holland's and it'll become apparent if the two start exchanging. He's constantly working on his wrestling and jiu-jitsu, so expect Holland to be ready for the takedown when it comes. On the ground, he'll have to stay active and get out from under Chiesa's pressure. Holland's survived on the ground against talented grapplers, but he'll really have to mind his p's and q's when grappling with Chiesa.

Final Michael Chiesa-Kevin Holland Prediction & Pick

Michael Chiesa will be extremely focused ahead of this fight and has spent a ton of time training at the UFC Performance Institute with other fighters. If he's really on his game, he could take Holland down and control this fight with top pressure. Holland, however, isn't an easy guy to bring down and will be tough to hold there for long periods of time.

He's definitely learning more each time he struggles against grapplers and perhaps this could be the instance in which his hard work pays off. Additionally, UFC referees have been quick to stand fighters up from the ground if they don't see any significant action. This could work in Holland's favor if Chiesa decides to hold him down on the ground. For the prediction, let's go with Kevin Holland to get the win in a very competitive fight.

Final Michael Chiesa-Kevin Holland Prediction & Pick: Kevin Holland (-158)