UFC Fight Night Betting Preview: Benoit Saint Denis Strong Choice for Headliner in Return to Paris

September 24, 2024

3 weeks

The hype train in mixed martial arts is a delicate ride to be on for any fan. The desire to see your fighter win can lead to delusions of grandeur. Sometimes, the moment isn’t right for them to take the next step.

French lightweight Benoit Saint Denis just learned this lesson. During his last fight in March, he was a considerable favorite against former interim champion Dustin Poirier. Poirier was coming off a loss, and many people thought Saint Denis might be able to finish him and send him off into retirement.

But life is always challenging for people who follow MMAfighting latest news. Saint Denis got caught on his feet in the second round and was put out by Poirier. There were some signs Saint Denis may be in for such a performance.

While Saint Denis had won five straight before taking on Poirier, he wasn’t exactly fighting top talent. Saint Denis will feel the pressure to get back on top when he fights Brazilian Renato Moicano at Accord Arena in Paris. Moicano is a grappling specialist with ten submissions to his record, entering this bout on a three-fight winning streak.

Saint Denis is no slouch in the grappling department either. Saint Denis has managed his cardio better in recent fights but will need to maintain that after returning from being KO’d.

Bets to consider: Under 3.5 rounds, Fight to end by submission

Allen Ready for a Proper Fight

There was a time when no one could trust Brendan Allen. Considering Allen recently traded hands with Marvin Vettori on a casino floor in Florida, some of those concerns may still be valid. But MMA news sites show that in the cage, Allen has gotten his act together.

Allen has collected seven straight victories and has proven himself dangerous on the mat and with his striking. While Allen’s last win over Chris Curtis came with a controversial decision in his favor, he won’t be too focused on that heading into a fight with Nassourdine Imavov.

Imavov is fighting in his home country and recently picked up a controversial knockout win over Jared Cannonier. While anyone watching would have thought he would win anyway, some people believed the fight was stopped too early. Allen is a live dog in this fight, but Imavov’s striking is stronger right now.

Bets to consider: Imavov by KO/TKO/DQ, Under 2.5 rounds

Joanderson Brito is a Force to Be Reckoned With

Joanderson Brito was disappointed when he lost his UFC debut via decision. But MMA news websites have shown that Brito hasn’t had anything to be ashamed of since then. Brito has won five consecutive fights, all coming by finish.

Brito is a threat from everywhere, during his career he has produced seven knockout and eight submission wins. Brito’s opponent this weekend, French standout William Gomis, has had difficulty finding work. Gomis hasn’t fought in September 2023, including suffering through three flight cancellations.

Gomis is a much more impactful striker and doesn’t like to hit the mats much. That should make for a fun matchup with Brito, who can go anywhere.

Bets to consider: Brito by submission, Under 1.5 rounds

Battle Will Need Another Strong Performance

Bryan Battle wasn’t seen as a knockout threat when he made the UFC. However, Battle has surprised other fighters and fans alike by putting away two of his opponents by Ko. He also has two wins by submission in the UFC.

Battle will take on Kevin Jousset this weekend. Jousset doesn’t carry a ton of power for a UFC fighter. Six of his 12 career fights have gone the distance. I expect both men to focus on throwing strikes at distance and that this fight will end up going the distance.

Bets to consider: Over 2.5 rounds, Battle by decision

Steamrolled One Way or the Other

Matt Frevola’s fights are often ones that will keep everyone on the edge of their seats. It’s hard to know which way they will go. About the only thing that anyone can predict is that they won’t go the distance. Frevola is comfortable trading power shots with powerful fighters.

During Frevola’s last bout, he was on the wrong side of a head kick from Saint Denis. Frevola’s last five fights have all ended by KO and Frevola is 3-2 in those fights. His opponent this weekend, Fares Ziam, doesn’t have such a binary result in most of his fights.

Ziam has five knockouts and four submissions in his career. This fight will provide Ziam with a chance to collect another finish. Frevola is tough, but his defense leaves a lot to be desired.

Bets to consider: Ziam inside the distance, under 1.5 rounds

Cutelaba Won’t Provide a Chance to Blink

Ion Cutelaba has had a rough go of things during his time in the UFC. He has taken a loss during four of his last five fights in the promotion. In three of those four losses, he has been finished.

Cutelaba will need to be sharp as he faces promotional newcomer Ivan Erslan. Erslan is a rare talent today as he came to the UFC through the European scene instead of competing in Dana White’s Contender Series. Erslan is entering the UFC after a first-round TKO win over Bogdan Gnidko.

This fight should feature a lot of power strikes thrown in each direction. This one should avoid hitting the scorecards.

Bets to consider: Fight to end in knockout, Under 1.5 rounds, Cutelaba by KO/TKO/DQ

Here are some quick picks on the rest of the card not mentioned above: