UFC 297: Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis continues on the main card with a fight in the welterweight division between Neil Magny and Mike Malott. Magny is coming off a unanimous decision to loss to Ian Garry in his last time out meanwhile, Malott is riding a six-fight winning streak as he steps into the octagon in front of his home crowd at UFC 297. With that said, check out our UFC odds series for our Magny-Malott prediction and pick.

Neil Magny (28-11) has alternated wins and losses for each of the last three years. He has been a longtime veteran with the UFC as this will be his 32nd fight with the promotion but it seems like father time is starting to catch up with him. Magny will be looking to get back into the swing of things when he takes on surging prospect Mike Malott at UFC 297.

Mike Malott (10-1-1) is the top Canadian prospect right now with wins in each of his last six fights and with wins in all three of his UFC fights. The UFC thinks so highly of him that they are giving him a sizable bump up in competition and a chance to crack the top 15 when he takes on the longtime welterweight contender and No. 13 ranked Neil Magny this weekend at UFC 297.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of DraftKings. 

UFC 297 Odds: Neil Magny-Mike Malott Odds

Neil Magny: +280

Mike Malott: -355

Over 2.5 rounds: +160

Under 2.5 rounds: -210

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Why Neil Magny Will Win

Neil Magny is a longtime veteran of the UFC as he comes into his 32nd fight with the promotion. He may be getting towards the end of his MMA career at 36 years old but he is still one of the elite fighters in the welterweight division. Magny gets to prove just that when he takes on surging Canadian prospect Mike Malott in his hometown this weekend.

Magny has alternated wins and losses in his last eight fights dating back to 2020 as he looks to finally get back into the win column and preserve his ranking in this matchup. Malott is a young up-and-coming Canadian who's now 3-0 in the promotion and is already getting a crack in the top 15 after three stellar performances with the promotion. It's up to Magny to give him the veteran less and show him there are levels to this when he steps inside the octagon this Saturday night at UFC 297.

Why Mike Malott Will Win

Mike Malott has looked every bit the top prospect the UFC billed him as when they brought him on the Contender Series in 2021. He is now riding a six-fight winning streak with four of those six wins coming inside the distance. Malott is now stepping up against one of the all-time veterans in the UFC's welterweight division Neil Magny who Malott believes will be his stepping stone into the top rankings of the division.

Malott was the former wrestling coach for Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California and it has shown in his dominant submission victories in each of his last two fights. He also has some serious power in his hands as that was on full display when he dismantled Mickey Gall with a left hook in the first round of their contest. Malott will need to navigate through the height and reach advantages that Magny possesses and stay away from the clinching game that has stifled numerous fighters over the years. If he can just let his hands go at range he has a chance at getting another finish and getting the biggest win of his career.

Final Neil Magny-Mike Malott Prediction & Pick

This is a fantastic fight between old school vs. new school when these two welterweights clash in the featured bout on the main card. Neil Magny certainly isn't at his peak anymore but is not an easy out for anyone, especially for a young up-and-coming prospect like Mike Malott. Meanwhile, Malott in his short time with the promotion has looked like the best Canadian prospect we've seen since Georges St. Pierre. This betting line is way too wide and for that it has me leaning towards the veteran Neil Magny teaching the young Mike Malott the vet lesson showing that this is too much too soon for the young buck. Neil Magny goes out there and does what he does best and that is constant pressure, volume, and clinch work that will have even someone as skilled as Mike Malott having trouble finding the answer as he notches his 29th victory and 18th victory on the judge's scorecards.

Final Neil Magny-Mike Malott Prediction & Pick: Neil Magny (+280), Over 2.5 Rounds (+160)