The time has come and UFC Las Vegas: Pavlovich vs. Blaydes is finally here. The action gets underway from ESPN+ as two prospects will meet in the first bout of the night in the Bantamweight (135 lb) Division. Ultimate Fighter finalistd Brady Hiestand will take on Mongolia's Batgerel Danaa. This is a great fight to open up the action! Check out our UFC odds series for our Hiestand-Danaa prediction and pick.

Brady Hiestand has a pro record of 6-2 and has gone 1-1 in his UFC bouts since making it to Season 30's Ultimate Fighter Finale. He lost that fight against Ricky Turcios but was still awarded a contract, to which he cashed in by beating Fernie Garcia in his debut. Hiestand is very skilled as has won three of his last four fights coming in. He'll have his stiffest test to date in Batgerel Danaa. Hiestand stands 5'8″with a 71-inch reach.

Batgerel Danaa has a fighting record of 12-4 and has gone 3-3 in his fights under the UFC. He had an impressive three-fight streak that saw him notch three consecutive knockouts. Since, he's taken a step back and will be coming into this fight off back-to-back losses for the first time in his career. He'll look to cash in on a win as the slight favorite here. Danaa stands 5'7″ with a 70-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UFC Las Vegas Odds: Brady Hiestand-Batgerel Danaa Odds

Brady Hiestand: +120

Batgerel Danaa: -148

Over (2.5) rounds: +128

Under (2.5) rounds: -164

How to Watch Brady Hiestand vs. Batgerel Danaa

TV: ESPN+

Stream: ESPN App, UFC Fight Pass

Time: 4:00 p.m. ET/ 1:00 p.m. PT (Prelims)

Why Brady Hiestand Will Win

Hiestand was one of the standout fighters featured on Season 30 of The Ultimate Fighter and looks skilled enough to have a budding career in the UFC. He's a longtime training partner of Michael Chiesa up in Spokane, Washington and has experience far beyond his age. The 23-year old burst onto the scene with his strong wrestling and jiu jitsu background. While his hands are still coming along, Hiestand is extremely strong for his weight and can wrestle opponents into bad situations. He has very slick jiu jitsu and can lock submissions up in a hurry from awkward positions.

For Hiestand to win this fight, he'll have to be patient in closing the distance and defend himself from the wild flurries of Danaa. He'll be slightly overmatched on the feet, so Hiestand should look to tie Danaa up on the fence and use his strength advantage over him. If Hiestand can get his hands locked for a takedown, Danaa will be going for a ride. Hiestand has great cardio and is willing to wrestle into the third, so look for him to stick to a specific game plan in this one.

Why Batgerel Danaa Will Win

Batgerel Danaa will fight behind the confidence he has in his striking. He lands 6.22 significant strikes per minute compared to Hiestand's 2.83. Danaa should look to control the distance against Hiestand and use his leg kicks to compromise his opponent's mobility. If Danaa can keep separation, he should have an easy time finding the proper punching range. He'll see the best results if he is able to keep Hiestand backing up. Hiestand is more comfortable being the one pushing the action, so if Danaa can be aggressive and bring the fight to him, he could have a chance for the upset.

The key for Danaa will be to stuff the takedowns and get up off the ground quickly. Danaa has a solid takedown defense of 66% but he'll have to combat the 47% takedown accuracy of Hiestand. If he finds himself on his back, Danaa should look to land strikes from the bottom. Hiestand can get lazy sitting in his opponent's guard, so Danaa should press the action and created offense whenever Hiestand wavers.

Final Brady Hiestand-Batgerel Danaa Prediction & Pick

This will be a fun matchup due to Hiestand's toughness and Danaa's willingness to stand and trade in the pocket. Both of these guys can crack, so it'll be interesting to see who can land the more damaging shots. If Danaa is landing early, Hiestand can always lean on his wrestling advantage and try to get this one to the ground. For the prediction, let's go with Brady Hiestand to get the win and continue to evolve his game.

Final Brady Hiestand-Batgerel Danaa Prediction & Pick: Brady Hiestand (+120)