Saturday night brings one of the biggest UFC Betting events of the New Year. UFC 313 is a loaded card with numerous ranked combatants. Of course, the Main Event is the light heavyweight championship bout between defending champion Alex Pereira and #1-ranked Magomed Ankalaev. Two lightweight matchups feature ranked opponents hoping for an eventual championship bout opportunity. #3 Justin Gaethje faces #11 Rafael Fiziev and #13 Jalin Turner takes on Ignacio Bahamondes. Naturally, betting action has opened much heavier than normal for this powerhouse card. The close odds indicate that we have an elite card of parity.
UFC 313 Pereira vs. Ankalaev Main Card
| Date and Time: | Saturday, March 8, 2025, 10 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN+ |
Light Heavyweight Title Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Alex Pereira | -115 |
| Magomed Ankalaev | -105 |
Alex Pereira has a career online betting record of 12-2. By contrast, Magomed Ankalaev stands at 20-1-1 in his career.
First, Alex Pereira is only the ninth fighter in UFC history to win championships in two different divisions. Also, he is the first champion to win the middleweight and light-heavyweight divisions. Pereira is riding a 5-bout winning streak. He has successfully defended his light heavyweight title five times.
Last time out, Alex Pereira won a fourth-round TKO against Khalil Rountree on October 5, 2024. As a result, he successfully defended his UFC light heavyweight championship. The fight took place in Salt Lake City, UT. Previously, Pereira won a second-round TKO against Jiri Prochazka on June 29, 2024. Pereira successfully defended his title in Las Vegas, NV. On April 13, 2024, Pereira won a first-round knockout against Jamahal Hill to defend his title belt for the first time. That fight took place in Las Vegas, NV.
Magomed Ankalaev is unbeaten in his last 11 decisions. Previously he fought for the light heavyweight championship on Jan Blachowicz on December 10, 2022. The fight held in Las Vegas, NV, was a draw. Last time out, Ankalaev won a unanimous decision against Aleksandar Rakic on October 26, 2024. That fight took place in Abu Dhabi. Previously, on January 13, 2024, Ankalaev won a second-round knockout against Johnny Walker. Ankalaev earned performance of the night honors for that fight in Las Vegas, NV.
Lightweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Justin Gaethje | -155 |
| Rafael Fiziev | +130 |
Overall, Justin Gaethje has a career record of 26-5. Rafael Fiziev is 12-3 in his career.
Previously, Justin Gaethje was an interim UFC lightweight champion. Of great concern is that he has dropped three of his most recent six bouts. Last time out, Gaethje lost a fifth-round knockout against Max Holloway on April 13, 2024. That fight took place in Las Vegas. As a result of that loss, Gaethje had a 2-bout winning streak snapped.
Late on, Rafael Fiziev dropped his two most recent bouts. He is coming off a second-round TKO loss to Mateusz Gamrot on September 23, 2023. That fight took place in Las Vegas, NV.
Lightweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jalin Turner | -110 |
| Ignacio Bahamondes | -110 |
Jalin Turner has a career UFC Betting odds record of 14-8. In comparison, Ignacio Bahamondes is 16-5 in his career.
Women’s Strawweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Amanda Lemos | +102 |
| Iasmin Lucindo | -122 |
To summarize, Amanda Lemos has a career record of 14-4-1. Iasmin Lucindo is 17-5 in her career.
Lightweight Bout
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| King Green | +380 |
| Mauricio Ruffy | -500 |
King Green has a career record of 32-16-1. In comparison, Mauricio Ruffy is 11-1 in his career.
UFC Fight Night SBG Free Picks
In this situation, defending champion Alex Pereira is getting a bargain price with an unimpeachable resume.
UFC Fight Night SBG Best Bets: Alex Pereira.