UFC Las Vegas: Dern vs. Hill will begin it's Main Card action as we bring you a prediction and pick for the opener in the Lightweight (155 lb) Division. China's newest prospect Maheshate will meet with Russia's Viacheslav Borshchev. Both fighters are capable of exciting finishes, check out our UFC odds series for our Maheshate-Borshchev prediction and pick.

Maheshate comes into this fight with a 9-2 overall record and is 1-1 in the UFC after earning a contract on Dana White's Contender Series. He won his debut with a knockout of Steve Garcia, but was dominated in his last fight against Rafa Garcia. The 23-year old prospect still has a ton to learn, but his skills are continually evolving and he'll look to notch a big win against a dangerous fighter in Borshchev. Maheshate stands 6'0″ with a 71.5-inch reach.

Viacheslav Borshchev is 6-3 overall as a professional and has gone 1-2 in the UFC since winning his DWCS fight. Borshchev won his debut UFC with a body-shot knockout of Dakota Bush, but later lost his next two fights against Marc Diakiese and Mike Davis. With five KO/TKO's to his name, Borshchev will once again look for a finish here. Borshchev stands 5'11” with a 69-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UFC Las Vegas Odds: Maheshate-Viacheslav Borshchev Odds

Maheshate: +132

Viacheslav Borshchev: -170

Over (2.5) Rounds: +130

Under (2.5) Rounds: -166

How to Watch Maheshate vs. Viacheslav Borshchev

TV: ESPN+

Stream: ESPN App, UFC Fight Pass

Time: 7:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)

Why Maheshate Will Win

Maheshate comes into the UFC as a very raw talent but at just 23 years of age, he'll have a ton of time to develop his skills and face better competition as he moves up the rankings. He has a tremendous striking base and uses his entire arsenal when it comes to the kickboxing. He fights a wild, blitzing style and can often put himself in bad positions because of it. Ahead of this fight, Maheshate will have to be mindful of his defense and ensure that his hands are held high when striking with Borshchev. Maheshate is still undeveloped on the ground, but he could have a chance to win if this turns into a pure kickboxing match.

Maheshate can win this fight as the underdog is he remains sound defensively. While Borshchev will be coming back with a ton of power behind his shots, Maheshate will enjoy knowing he has the striking advantage in this one. If he can manage the distance and time the blitzes of Borshchev while landing counter shots, Maheshate has shown that he has the abilities to shut the lights off in a hurry.

Why Viacheslav Borshchev Will Win

Borshchev will be the older and more experienced fighter heading into this one. He's also likely to enjoy a strength advantage over his much younger opponent and should use it in engaging the clinch and getting Maheshate up against the fence. Borshchev's last two losses were by unanimous decision, so he'll be looking for a more competitive result in this one. If he's able to control Maheshate in the grappling and limit his own damage, he should be able to win this fight as the favorite.

The odds makers are leaning this fight towards Borshchev due to the stylistic mismatch. Borshchev is a seasoned striker and has five of his wins by way of knockout. If Maheshate continues to be undisciplined with his defense, Borshchev could stun his with a heavy counter shot that puts him down. From there, Borshchev will have the advantage in the grappling department. It'll be interesting to see what game plan he resorts to if he finds himself getting out-struck on the feet by his opponent.

Final Maheshate-Viacheslav Borshchev Prediction & Pick

This fight will come down to which fighter can land the more precise shots. Both have a high significant strikes per minute rate, but Borshchev lands at a slightly higher clip while Maheshate absorbs more. There's no telling how good Maheshate will look since he's constantly improving, so it's surprising to see him as the underdog ahead of this one. This fight may be too close to call as both fighters will come out swinging for the fences. Instead of taking a side, let's take the fight to end in a knockout for either side.

Final Maheshate-Viacheslav Borshchev Prediction & Pick: Viacheslav Borshchev (-170); Fight Ends in a KO/TKO (-155)