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The time has finally come for the UFC Vegas 81 Main Event as we bring you a prediction and pick for this ranked, marquee fight taking place in the Featherweight (145 lb) Division. Nigeria's No. 11 ranked Sodiq Yusuff will return to action against the Brazilian legend in No. 13 ranked Edson Barboza. You won't want to blink during this Main Event! Check out our UFC odds series for our Yusuff-Barboza prediction and pick.
Sodiq Yusuff (13-2) comes into this fight with an impressive 6-1 record after winning on Contender Series. He's fought very formidable competition and his only loss came against a tough Arnold Allen. As of late, Yusuff has had to take time away to fix some back issues and nurse his himself back to health. His last fight was over a year ago when he notched a first round submission as the massive betting favorite. Now, he'll make his return against a living legend of the sport. Yusuff stands 5'9″ with a 71-inch reach.
Edson Barboza (23-11) holds a 17-11 record in the UFC since 2010. Every fight he's in is a certified banger and we should expect no different from this headlining bout with Yusuff. Barboza has seen success over his last five and has gone 3-2 while notching his latest win against Billy Quarantillo with a knee-strike knockout. He'll hope to keep adding to his endless highlight reel as he welcomes the newest contender at 145. Barboza stands 5'11” with a 75-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Vegas 81 Odds: Sodiq Yusuff-Edson Barboza Odds
Sodiq Yusuff: -170
Edson Barboza: +138
Over 3.5 rounds: +108
Under 3.5 rounds: -138
How to Watch Sodiq Yusuff vs. Edson Barboza
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+, Watch ESPN
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Sodiq Yusuff Will Win
Sodiq Yusuff has been nothing short of spectacular in what feels like a short time spent in the UFC octagon. He's been able to blaze through the competition with relative ease and he's a dangerous finisher from just about everywhere. Over the last year, however, Yusuff has been dealing with a few nagging back injuries and has been waiting patiently to return to full health. The last glimpse we got of him was a year ago against Don Shainis in which he found a guillotine choke extremely quickly and finished the fight. He won't be as big of a betting favorite in this matchup, but expect him to still have the best chance to finish this fight.
Sodiq Yusuff will win this fight if he can stay sound defensively and not bite on any of Barboza's feints. Barboza is extremely active with his striking and will use his hands to set up patented head kicks. Sodiq Yusuff will have to stay disciplined and not buy into what Barboza will be feeding him. Assuming his back is fully healthy, Yusuff will have the advantage in the wrestling and if he can bring Barboza down, could steal a round of top pressure on the scorecards. Either way, with the amount of damage Barboza has taken up to this point of his career, expect Sodiq Yusuff to be the fresher guy in the cage.
Why Edson Barboza Will Win
Edson Barboza continues to defy his age and turn in a competitive performance each time he steps into the cage. At 37 years of age, his passion for fighting is greater now than ever and he still has hopes of reaching the top of the division and getting a shot at the title. After tough back-to-back losses against Giga Chikadze and Bryce Mitchell, Barboza was able to find a huge win over Billy Quarantillo with a signature knee up the middle. He showed everyone that he still has a flair to his game and we should always expect an exciting finish when he's fighting. He'll certainly have a willing dance partner in Sodiq Yusuff as Barboza will hope to keep this fight standing and in kickboxing range.
To win this fight as the underdog, Edson Barboza should look to work the leg kicks and body strikes to his opponent. Yusuff has been on a year-long layoff from fighting, so his body and shins may have lost some conditioning in the process. Edson Barboza should look to chop at his legs and compromise the movement of Yusuff. We've seen Barboza land devastating body blows and knock opponents out with kicks to the stomach. With Yusuff coming off a back injury, look for Barboza to pepper his body and test the will power of Yusuff in the later rounds. Barboza should prove to have the better gas tank over five rounds with how active he's been able to be.
Final Sodiq Yusuff-Edson Barboza Prediction & Pick
This is going to be a great fight for new fans to watch as we should see a technical striking affair. Both guys are amazing on their feet and have a lifetime of striking knowledge under them. Both fighters boast impressive takedown defense, so we should see a tradition kickboxing bout in this one. For our prediction, we'll lean towards the youth and energy of Sodiq Yusuff. While the injuries and layoff are a concern, he wouldn't be coming back against an opponent like this if he didn't feel healthy. Edson Barboza isn't reacting to punches as well as he used to, so expect Yusuff to have the more damaging shots in this one. His price isn't too high, so let's side with his moneyline as he gets the victory in his return.
Final Sodiq Yusuff-Edson Barboza Prediction & Pick: Sodiq Yusuff (-170)
