Get a detailed breakdown of the betting lines for UFC 256, which is set to hit UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, this weekend (Sat., Dec. 12, 2020), including best bets, underdogs, favorites and much more!
The world’s fiercest Flyweight makes his second appearance in less than one month this Saturday (Dec. 12, 2020) when UFC Flyweight champion, Deiveson Figueiredo, faces all-action contender, Brandon Moreno, in the new UFC 256 pay-per-view (PPV) main event from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Meanwhile, up at Lightweight, Charles Oliveira puts his seven-fight finishing streak on the line against Tony Ferguson, while Renato Moicano looks to derail rising striker Rafael Fiziev.
Does Christmas shopping got your wallet a little flat? Let’s fix that …
What Went Wrong at UFC Vegas 16?
Between Taila Santos’ fight falling through, John Allan’s takedown defense failing him, and Jose Quinonez stupidly stepping into Louis Smolka’s wheelhouse despite a strong striking performance, it’s a wonder we managed to scrape out a tiny profit. Big thanks to Jamahal Hill, Gabriel Benitez and Ilia Topuria.
UFC 256 Odds For The Undecard:
Daniel Pineda (-155) vs. Cub Swanson (+135)
Mackenzie Dern (-190) vs. Virna Jandiroba (+165)
Billy Quarantillo (-155) vs. Gavin Tucker (+135)
Serghei Spivac (-235) vs. Jared Vanderaa (+195)
Chase Hooper (-380) vs. Peter Barrett (+315)
Tecia Torres (N/A) vs. Sam Hughes (N/A)
Thoughts: By sheer, stupid coincidence, the four fights this card recently lost included three of the ones I was most keen on recommending: Gillian Robertson vs. Andrea Lee, Angela Hill vs. Tecia Torres, and Li Jingliang vs. Dwight Grant. We’ll have to wait until next week’s bloated monstrosity of a card for the bonanza I’d planned, as we’re now stuck with just Virna Jandiroba and Jared Vanderaa as appealing options.
As good as Mackenzie Dern looked against Hannah Cifers and Randa Markos, it’s hard to forget how little she was able to accomplish against Amanda Ribas. Jandiroba is on another planet than Dern when it comes to wrestling skill, and Ribas’ success from top position suggests that “Carcara” can nullify Dern’s submissions in similar fashion. Even if Jandiroba’s ground game is an eight or a nine as opposed to Dern’s 10/10, her takedowns more than make up the difference.
In short, expect the upset.
I’m recommending Vanderaa on a whim more than anything else. He looked poor on “Contender Series” and looks like the weaker striker by a fair margin, but the style match up might work out in his favor here. Indeed, despite his standup skills, Serghei Spivac relies largely on his wrestling, an area where the gigantic “Mountain” appears to hold an edge. Vanderaa really only needs to end up on top once to pound Spivac into submission, and that’s a possibility worth betting on.
UFC 256 Odds For The Main Card:
Deiveson Figueiredo (-300) vs. Brandon Moreno (+250)
Tony Ferguson (-170) vs. Charles Oliveira (+150)
Rafael Fiziev (-155) vs. Renato Moicano (+135)
Kevin Holland (-110) vs. Ronaldo Souza (-110)
Ciryl Gane (-420) vs. Junior Dos Santos (+335)
Thoughts: There’s not a lot here worth betting on. That’s because the middle three are too close to call and the sandwiching mismatches feature some highly dangerous underdogs. Take it easy this week.
UFC 256 Best Bets:
- Single bet — Virna Jandiroba: Bet $60 to make $99
- Single bet— Jared Vanderaa: Bet $40 to make $78
For all the damage it’s taken, UFC 256 remains a card worth watching. See you Saturday, Maniacs.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 256 fight card right here, starting with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET, then the remaining undercard balance on ESPN 2/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 256: “Figueiredo vs. Moreno” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.