UFC Vegas 73 Mackenzie Dern vs. Angela Hill: keeps it moving on the prelims with a fight between Ilir Latifi and Rodrigo Nascimento in the heavyweight division. Latifi is coming off back-to-back wins for the first time since 2018 but has only fought twice over the last two years and is now 40 years old. Nascimento is 10 years younger than his opponent coming off a split-decision win over former heavyweight Tanner Boser. With that said, check out our UFC odds series for our Latifi-Nascimento prediction and pick.
Ilir Latifi (17-6) was a long-time light heavyweight contender until he made a recent move to the heavyweight division back in 2020 where he is now 2-1 with back-to-back wins. He is not the same powerhouse as he was at light heavyweight during his younger years but still has a lot left in the tank and is looking to prove that on Saturday against Rodrigo Nascimento.
Rodrigo Nascimento (9-1) is coming off a big win against Tanner Boser where he utilized his size to impose his grappling to get the win. He has yet another big size advantage here against the much smaller Latifi and hopes that will help mightily to get the win and his first winning streak inside the octagon.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Las Vegas Odds: Ilir Latifi-Rodrigo Nascimento Odds
Ilir Latifi: +154
Rodrigo Nascimento: -192
Over 2.5 Rounds: -102
Under 2.5 Round: -124
UFC Las Vegas: How to Watch Ilir Latifi vs. Rodrigo Nascimento
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 4:00 p.m. ET/ 1:00 p.m. PT (Prelims)
Why Ilir Latifi Will Win
Ilir Latifi even at age 40 years old is a hard out for anyone in the heavyweight division, especially someone as inexperienced as Rodrigo Nascimento. Latifi has that high-level wrestling background that can keep this fight on the feet and to help his control his opponents in the clinch like he has done in the past.
He is used facing high-level black belts like Aleksei Oleinik so if the fight does hit the mat he is well-versed in his submission defense. We also can't forget that Latifi still possesses power in his hands and between that and his cage control could definitely score the upset here this Saturday night.
Why Rodrigo Nascimento Will Win
Rodrigo Nascimento is a natural heavyweight at 6'2″ and 246 lbs. He will have 4″ of height and 7″ of reach on Latifi in this fight. Nascimento is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and does his best work when he is working from top control as we saw in his fight against Tanner Boser.
Even though he does his best work on the mat he can definitely win this fight on the feet. Latifi is short and stocky which will make it hard for him to land if this is fought at kicking range. Seeing how well Nascimento has improved on the feet after his loss to Chris Daukaus he can certainly win this fight on the feet.
Final Ilir Latifi-Rodrigo Nascimento Prediction & Pick
Ilir Latifi is someone who I hold close to my heart after wins against Tanner Boser and Aleksei Oleinik but he just may have met his match here. At this stage of his career, it is hard to believe that he can beat a much larger and even faster opponent. Nascimento should be able to stay on the outside utilizing his jab and kicks to keep Latifi from pressing forward and just pick him apart at range to get the biggest win of his career.
Final Ilir Latifi-Rodrigo Nascimento Prediction & Pick: Rodrigo Nascimento -192
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