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<p>Looking to win big? The Blue Raiders and Volunteers face off at 7:00 ET on SECN. The Volunteers are hosting the game at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, TN. This non-conference matchup has an over/under of 142.5 points, and Tennessee is favored by -26.5 vs. Middle Tennessee.</p><h3>MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS VS TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders +26.5</p><p>This game will be played at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center at 7:00 ET on Monday, December 23rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 75-72 in favor of the Volunteers.</li><li>Even though we have Tennessee winning straight-up, we like Middle Tennessee at +26.5.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 142.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 147 points.</li></ul><h3>Will Middle Tennessee Win on the Road?</h3><h3>Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Recent Game/Games</h3> 

<p>Middle Tennessee improved to 7-3 on the season with a narrow 67-65 win over Lipscomb on Thursday. The Blue Raiders were favored by 2.5 points going into the game but didn’t cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 132, falling short of the O/U line of 148.5.</p> 

<p>Middle Tennessee led 37-30 at halftime but allowed Lipscomb to score 35 points in the second half while managing just 30 points themselves. Despite the close call, the Blue Raiders held on for the win.</p><p>Middle Tennessee struggled offensively in their last game, shooting just 38.1% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the arc. Their effective field goal percentage was 42.9%, and they hit only 59.1% of their free throws. The Blue Raiders managed 19 offensive rebounds and finished with just 8 assists.</p> <p>Jacob Ognacevic was a bright spot, scoring 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting, including 1-of-3 from three-point range. Jestin Porter added 14 points, despite shooting 4-of-14 overall and 1-of-6 from deep. Essam Mostafa contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Gyasi Powell chipped in 11 points, hitting 2-of-5 from three.</p><p>Middle Tennessee's defense held their opponents to 65 points, with a field goal percentage of 38% (24/63). They limited two-point shooting to 18/42 (42%).</p> <p>From beyond the arc, the Blue Raiders allowed 6 threes on 21 attempts (28%). Their opponents shot 59% from the free-throw line, making 13 of 22.</p><h3>Can the Volunteers Secure a Win at Home?</h3><p>Tennessee improved to 11-0 this season with an 84-36 win over Western Carolina on Tuesday. The Volunteers, who were heavy favorites at -36.5, covered the spread with the win.</p> <p>Tennessee led 38-15 at halftime and continued their dominance in the 2nd half, outscoring the Catamounts 46-21. The game’s total points ended at 120, falling short of the 142.5 over/under line.</p><p>Tennessee put up 84 points in their last game, shooting 46.4% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 52.2%. They hit 57.1% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from deep, connecting on just 29.6% of their threes (8/27). At the free-throw line, the Volunteers were efficient, making 12 of 14 attempts (85.7%).</p> <p>The Volunteers dished out 22 assists and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds. Chaz Lanier led the way with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, shooting 42.1% overall and 42.9% from three (3/7). Jordan Gainey added 17 points, hitting 75% of his shots and 50% from beyond the arc (2/4), while Darlinstone Dubar contributed 13 points, shooting 62.5% from the field.</p><p>Despite Tennessee's defensive efforts, they gave up 36 points in their last game. The Volunteers allowed their opponent to shoot 46% from the field, with 32 made baskets on 69 attempts.</p> <p>From two-point range, Tennessee's defense allowed 24 makes on 42 attempts, a 57% shooting rate. They also gave up 8 threes on 27 attempts, with their opponent shooting 29% from beyond the arc. At the free-throw line, Tennessee's opponent shot 85%, making 12 of 14 attempts. The Volunteers also allowed 14 offensive rebounds.</p>

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders vs Tennessee Volunteers NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/23/24

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<p>At 7:00 ET, the Charlotte Hornets will host the Houston Rockets in a non-conference matchup. The Rockets are favored by 6 points and have a record of 19-9, good for 3rd in the Western Conference. They have won 2 straight games and are 2nd in the Southwest Division. On the other side, the Hornets are 7-21 and have lost 4 in a row. They are 13th in the Eastern Conference and 4th in the Southeast Division.</p>

<p>This game will be played at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte and can be seen on SCHN. The over/under line for this game is 218.5 points.</p><h3>HOUSTON ROCKETS VS CHARLOTTE HORNETS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Houston Rockets -6</p><p>This game will be played at Spectrum Center at 7:00 ET on Monday, December 23rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE HOUSTON ROCKETS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 134-116 in favor of the Rockets.</li><li>Our projections have Jalen Green finishing with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists.</li><li>From the field, we have the Rockets finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.9% and knocking down 14 threes.</li></ul><h3>Will the Rockets Win on the Road?</h3><p>With a 114-110 win over the Raptors on Sunday, the Rockets improved to 19-9 this season. Houston, favored by nine points, didn’t cover the spread, but the game’s total of 224 points narrowly exceeded the 222.5-point O/U line.</p> <p>Toronto jumped out to a 25-13 lead with a 10-0 run, but Houston chipped away, winning each of the final three quarters. They took an 84-83 lead into the 4th and outscored the Raptors 30-27 in the final period to seal the win.</p><p>Dillon Brooks led the Rockets to a win over the Raptors, scoring 27 points with 13 of those coming in the 3rd quarter. Jalen Green added 22 points, contributing 9 in the opening period.</p> <p>Alperen Sengun finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, scoring 8 in the 3rd quarter. Houston struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 25% of their threes, making 7 in total.</p><p>Despite a rough start, giving up 35 points in the 1st quarter, the Rockets tightened up defensively, allowing just 22 points in the 2nd quarter. They continued their solid effort in the 3rd and 4th, giving up 26 and 27 points, respectively, to hold the Raptors to 110 points on 45% shooting.</p> <p>Houston struggled to defend the three-point line, with Toronto hitting 17 threes at a 39% clip. However, the Rockets limited the Raptors to just 13 free-throw attempts, of which they made 9. Defensively, the Rockets recorded 12 steals and 6 blocks.</p><h3>Are the Hornets Ready for a Home Win?</h3><p>Charlotte’s season record dropped to 7-21 after a 108-98 road loss to the 76ers on Friday. The Hornets entered the game as +13 point underdogs and managed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 206, falling short of the 213.5 O/U line.</p> <p>Philadelphia jumped out to a 41-23 lead after the 1st quarter, but Charlotte responded by winning the 2nd quarter 23-17. The 76ers went on a 10-0 run, extending their lead from 55-46 to 65-46. Charlotte fought back, winning the 4th quarter 27-23, but it wasn’t enough to complete the comeback.</p><p>Vasilije Micic led the Hornets with 20 points and 4 assists in their 98-78 loss to the 76ers, shooting 50% from the field and hitting 3 threes at 37.5%. Miles Bridges added 15 points, despite shooting just 30.8%, and DaQuan Jeffries contributed 12 points on 55.6% shooting, making 2 threes at 50%.</p> <p>As a team, the Hornets made 10 threes, shooting 32.3% from beyond the arc, and finished with a field goal percentage of 46.2%. Micic scored 10 points in the 3rd quarter and added 7 more in the 4th, while Bridges scored 12 of his 15 points in the final period.</p><p>Despite giving up 41 points in the 1st quarter, the Hornets tightened up defensively in the 2nd, allowing just 17 points. They gave up 27 points in the 3rd and 23 in the 4th, finishing with 108 points allowed in their loss to the 76ers.</p> <p>Charlotte allowed Philadelphia to shoot 49% from the field, including 36% from three-point range, where the 76ers made 12 threes. The Hornets sent the 76ers to the line 18 times, where they hit 14 free throws. Defensively, the Hornets recorded 7 steals and 4 blocks.</p>

Houston Rockets vs Charlotte Hornets Betting Pick & Prediction 12/23/24

<p>Betting on today's Capitals and Bruins game? Catch the action at TD Garden in Boston, MA, as the Bruins hosts this showdown at 7:00 ET on ESPN+. The over/under for this Eastern conference contest is set at 5.5 goals, with the Bruins being favored by -1.5 goals at home against the Capitals.</p><h3>WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS BOSTON BRUINS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: Boston Bruins -1.5</p><p>This game will be played at TD Garden at 7:00 ET on Monday, December 23rd.</p><h3>WHY BET THE BOSTON BRUINS:</h3><ul><li>With a 1.5-goal advantage on the spread, our projections favor the Bruins to secure a 4-3 victory.</li><li>Take the Bruins on the moneyline</li><li>On the spread, we like Capitals (+1.5)</li></ul><h3>Can Washington Secure a Road Victory?</h3><p>With a 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes, the Capitals now sit at 23-8-2 for the season. Washington’s defense struggled, allowing 44 shots, while the total of 6 goals matched the pre-game line.</p> 

<p>Washington trailed early but took the lead with two goals in the first period. However, the Hurricanes responded with three unanswered goals, including an empty-netter, to seal the win.</p><p>Alex Ovechkin netted his 7th goal of the season, with Brandon Duhaime adding his second in the Capitals' 4-2 loss to the Hurricanes. Ovechkin’s goal came on a power play, while Duhaime scored with just 11 seconds left in the first period.</p> <p>Washington recorded 21 shots on goal but struggled with 15 giveaways. Dylan Strome picked up his 13th assist of the season on Ovechkin’s goal, and John Carlson added his 7th assist.</p><p>Defensively, the Capitals gave up the first goal of the game and then three more after taking a 2-1 lead late in the first period. The final goal was an empty-netter with 9 seconds left in the 3rd period. Charlie Lindgren made 41 saves with a 93.2% save percentage. The Capitals' defense also recorded 2 takeaways and 20 hits.</p><h3>Are Boston Ready for a Home Win?</h3><p>Boston improved to 18-13-4 with a 2-0 win over the Kraken. The Bruins covered the puck line as -1.5 goal favorites, and the total of 2 goals fell well short of the pre-game line of 6.</p> <p>Both of Boston’s goals came in the first period, with Justin Brazeau scoring at 16:37 and Charlie Coyle adding another at 10:03. The Bruins’ defense held Seattle scoreless, with Jeremy Swayman stopping all 23 shots he faced.</p><p>Boston's offense got on the board early, with Justin Brazeau netting his 5th goal of the season just 3:23 into the game. Charlie Coyle followed with his 2nd goal, which came on a power play at the 10:03 mark in the first period.</p> <p>The Bruins fired 33 shots on goal but were held scoreless after the first period. They recorded 16 giveaways in the game.</p><p>Boston's defense was rock solid in their last game, shutting out the Kraken 2-0. Jeremy Swayman made 23 saves with a 100% save percentage, while the Bruins' defense added 5 takeaways and 15 hits.</p>

Washington Capitals vs Boston Bruins Betting Pick & Prediction 12/23/24

<p>Making on a bet on this NCAA game featuring the Jaguars versus the Mastodons? Tip off is at at 7:00 ET, and you can watch it all unfold on ESPN+. The game will be played at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, IN. The over/under for this game is set at 151 points, and Purdue Fort Wayne is favored by -15 vs. IU Indy in a Horizon League conference matchup.</p><h3>IU INDY JAGUARS VS PURDUE FORT WAYNE MASTODONS BETTING PICK</h3><p>The Pick: IU Indy Jaguars +15</p><p>This game will be played at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum at 7:00 ET on Wednesday, December 11th.</p><h3>WHY BET THE IU INDY JAGUARS:</h3><ul><li>We have this one finishing with a projected score of 77-71 in favor of the Mastodons.</li><li>Even though we have Purdue Fort Wayne winning straight-up, we like IU Indy at +15.</li><li>The over/under is currently sitting at 151 points, and we like the under with a projected 148 points.</li></ul><h3>Will the Jaguars Pull Through as the Away Underdog?</h3><p>The Jaguars fell to 2-6 on the season after a narrow 66-64 loss to Northern Kentucky on Saturday. Despite being +7.5 point underdogs, they kept the game close and covered the spread. The total points for the game ended at 130, which was under the O/U line of 140.5.</p> <p>IU Indy led 33-29 at halftime but allowed 37 points in the second half while scoring 31. The Jaguars will need to tighten up defensively in the second half of games to turn their season around.</p><p>In their last game, the Jaguars put up 64 points, shooting 51.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 61.7%. They hit 50% from beyond the arc, connecting on 10 of 20 attempts, while also shooting 51.9% on two-point shots.</p> <p>Paul Zilinskas led the way with 24 points, knocking down 6 of 9 threes. Jarvis Walker added 23 points, shooting 66.7% overall and from three. Trey Robinson contributed 19 points, hitting 70% of his shots, and Josh Dilling chipped in 17 points, making 5 of 9 from deep.</p><p>Despite giving up 66 points, the Jaguars' defense struggled to contain their opponent, who shot 51% from the field, hitting 24 of 47 attempts. This included a 51% performance on two-point shots, where they connected on 14 of 27 tries.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, the Jaguars allowed 10 threes on 20 attempts, a 50% shooting rate. They also sent their opponent to the free-throw line 9 times, where they made 6 shots, a 66% success rate. IU Indy gave up 7 offensive rebounds in the game.</p><h3>Will the Purdue Fort Wayne Defense Show Up at Home?</h3><p>The Mastodons improved to 5-4 on the season with an 82-77 win over Robert Morris on Sunday. Playing at home, they were -9.5 point favorites but didn’t cover the spread. The game’s total points of 159 exceeded the over/under line of 147.</p> <p>Purdue Fort Wayne led 39-35 at halftime and scored 43 points in the 2nd half while allowing 42. The Mastodons will look to tighten up defensively in future games.</p><p>Purdue Fort Wayne put up 82 points in their last game, shooting 46.4% from the field. They were efficient inside, hitting 55% of their two-point attempts, but struggled from deep, connecting on just 25% of their threes (4/16). At the line, the Mastodons were impressive, making 26 of 30 free throws for an 86.7% rate.</p> <p>Alvaro Folgueiras led the way with 25 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 8/11 overall and 4/5 from three. Jalen Jackson added 23 points on 6/7 shooting, while Kam Woods contributed 19 points, despite shooting 41.2% from the field and 1/4 from three.</p><p>Purdue Fort Wayne's defense gave up 77 points in their last game, with opponents shooting 46% from the field. They struggled to contain inside scoring, allowing 22 two-point baskets on 40 attempts, a 55% conversion rate.</p> <p>From beyond the arc, Purdue Fort Wayne held their opponents to 4 made threes on 16 attempts, a 25% shooting performance. However, they sent their opponents to the free-throw line 30 times, where they converted 26 free throws, an 86% success rate.</p>

IU Indy Jaguars vs Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons NCAA Basketball Betting Pick & Prediction 12/11/24

<p>A busy fight card for both the men and the women comes your way from the UFC Apex on Saturday July 24 for UFC on ESPN 27. There are 12 fights in total on the card, including four women’s fights, so it will be a good night for the females and the men on Saturday.</p>



<p>It will also be a good card for those without an ESPN+ subscription because the entirety of the card will be broadcast on regular ESPN. The main event features a couple of familiar names in Cory Sandhagen and TJ Dillashaw, as Dillashaw returns from a two-year suspension for a banned substance.</p>



<p>We’ll use the odds from <strong><a href="https://www.bangthebook.com/sportsbooks/betonline">BetOnline Sportsbook</a></strong> to break down all 12 fights on the card.</p>



<p>You can use our <strong><a href="https://www.bangthebook.com/s/betonline">sign-up bonus for BetOnline Sportsbook to get up to $1000</a></strong>.</p>



<h3 id="h-diana-belbita-114-vs-hannah-goldy-134-total-2-5-285-225"><strong><u>Diana Belbita (+114) vs. Hannah Goldy (-134); Total: 2.5 (-285/225)</u></strong></h3>



<p>We begin in the women’s strawweight division with Diana Belbita and Hannah Goldy. Goldy is the modest favorite here against Belbita, who is 0-2 in her UFC fights, with losses to Liana Jojua and Molly McCann. Goldy was a winner in her Dana White Contender Series match, but then lost her fight contract fight to Miranda Granger.</p>



<p>Goldy hasn’t fought since 8/3/19 and Belbita is fighting as a strawweight for the first time after two flyweight fights. There are just too many unknowns and variables here.</p>



<h3 id="h-elise-reed-285-vs-sijara-eubanks-345-total-2-5-175-145"><strong><u>Elise Reed (+285) vs. Sijara Eubanks (-345); Total: 2.5 (-175/145)</u></strong></h3>



<p>Elise Reed is 4-0 as she makes her UFC debut against Sijara Eubanks. Reed has three wins in CFFC since August 13 and also won her Bellator debut back on October 25, 2019. The 28-year-old Reed just fought on May 29 and scored her second career knockout victory. She does draw a UFC veteran here in Sijara Eubanks, but one not really worthy of this big of a favorite role.</p>



<p>Eubanks went 2-2 in 2020, but lost her two most recent fights. Each of her last 10 fights has gone to a decision. She’s lost four of the last six. This is the right kind of spot to take an underdog, an aggressive underdog that will look to finish this fight and that should make Eubanks very uncomfortable. Reed is a good bet for an upset.</p>



<h3 id="h-andre-ewell-165-vs-julio-arce-190-total-2-5-225-185"><strong><u>Andre Ewell (+165) vs. Julio Arce (-190); Total: 2.5 (-225/185)</u></strong></h3>



<p>Andre Ewell has had four lackluster performances in a row as he gets set to take on Julio Arce. Ewell is 2-2 in those fights, but has two split-decision wins, a unanimous decision loss, and a knockout loss. He’s out there for the long haul in every fight, as each of the last eight fights has gone into the third round. He is just 4-3 in seven UFC fights and has three split-decision wins.</p>



<p>Julio Arce is back off of a long layoff. We haven’t seen him since UFC 244 against Hakeem Dawodu. Arce is certainly getting the benefit of the doubt here with this line. This looks like a pretty tricky fight to bet. Ewell has a big size advantage, which has helped with the decision wins, so maybe you look at him at +165 in a fight likely to go the distance.</p>



<h3 id="h-randy-costa-185-vs-adrian-yanez-220-total-1-5-145-115"><strong><u>Randy Costa (+185) vs. Adrian Yanez (-220); Total: 1.5 (-145/115)</u></strong></h3>



<p>After losing his debut to Brandon Davis on 4/13/19, Randy Costa has had a couple of really impressive first-round knockouts. We’ll see if he can make it three in a row here, but he is an underdog to Adrian Yanez and a sizable one at that. Yanez is riding a six-fight win streak that includes two wins under contract in the UFC and his Dana White Contender Series appearance.</p>



<p>Yanez lost twice in LFA, with losses to Miles Johns and Domingo Pilarte, both of whom are now in UFC. Both were by split decision. Yanez is a pretty hot prospect for the UFC and the 27-year-old seems to have the chance at a highlight knockout here. This one has potential for fireworks and should be over quick, so the under 1.5 is the look at plus money.</p>



<h3 id="h-nassourdine-imavov-132-vs-ian-heinisch-152-total-2-5-210-170"><strong><u>Nassourdine Imavov (+132) vs. Ian Heinisch (-152); Total: 2.5 (-210/170)</u></strong></h3>



<p>Remember when Ian Heinisch was getting big billings and main card fights? Now Heinisch is fighting guys making their third UFC appearances on the undercard of a regular Fight Night event. Heinisch has lost three of four as he looks for a bounce back bout against Nassourdine Imavov.</p>



<p>Imavov is 1-1 in UFC and both fights have gone the distance. Heinisch is really stepping down in class here and this line looks oddly low given the caliber of competition, but you have to think this is a fine that Heinisch can win, despite a pretty big size disadvantage. Confidence does seem low in the 32-year-old, so maybe this is a good buy point.</p>



<h3 id="h-brendan-allen-110-vs-punahele-soriano-110-total-1-5-135-105"><strong><u>Brendan Allen (-110) vs. Punahele Soriano (-110); Total: 1.5 (-135/105)</u></strong></h3>



<p>This looks to be a good fight between undefeated Punahele Soriano and a 25-year-old in Brendan Allen that already has 20 career fights. Soriano is 8-0 and off to a solid 2-0 start in UFC, 3-0 if we include his Contender Series win over Jamie Pickett, and we probably should. That was Soriano’s only career fight without a finish, as he has five knockouts and two submission wins.</p>



<p>This has Fight of the Night potential written all over it. Allen is 5-1 in UFC if we include his DWCS matchup. He lost to Sean Strickland by knockout, but bounced back very nicely with a first-round win over Karl Roberson. We don’t normally see UFC put fights like this together, as you don’t really want either one of these guys to suffer a setback, but this is an awesome fight.</p>



<p>Frankly, this one seems too close to call, as a knockout is likely, but it will all depend on which fighter lands the shot.</p>



<h3 id="h-mickey-gall-142-vs-jordan-williams-162-total-2-5-105-135"><strong><u>Mickey Gall (+142) vs. Jordan Williams (-162); Total: 2.5 (105/-135)</u></strong></h3>



<p>The main card begins at 170 pounds with Mickey Gall and Jordan Williams. The highly-touted Gall is 2-3 in his last five fights and his wins are over George Sullivan and Salim Touahri. The losses are the better fighters in Mike Perry, Diego Sanchez, and Randy Brown. It sure seems like Jordan Williams is being grouped with those guys based on the odds.</p>



<p>Williams is getting a lot of respect here for a guy that has had multiple UFC chances and hasn’t really looked the part. He was on the Dana White Contender Series three separate times, with a win, a loss, and a No Contest. He lost to Nassourdine Imavov, who is fighting on the undercard here, last time out. This line seems out of whack, as Gall has been a disappointment, but against more proven fights.</p>



<h4 id="h-pick-mickey-gall"><strong>Pick: Mickey Gall</strong></h4>



<h3 id="h-maycee-barber-115-vs-miranda-maverick-135-total-2-5-200-160"><strong><u>Maycee Barber (+115) vs. Miranda Maverick (-135); Total: 2.5 (-200/160)</u></strong></h3>



<p>We have some really good fights on this card and this is one of them. Maycee Barber’s return from the torn ACL she suffered against Roxanne Modafferi was a 15-minute loss to Alexa Grasso back in February. It was a good, close fight that Grasso won 29-28 across the board, as she was the more active and more accurate striker. There was definitely a bit of cage rust from Barber and maybe some tentativeness coming off of the ACL injury.</p>



<p>Now she fights a really strong up-and-comer in Miranda Maverick, who has won both of her UFC fights. She just won on March 27 over Gillian Robertson by unanimous decision, but Robertson is just 9-6 and not really good enough for the promotion. This is a step up for Maverick and this may be a good chance for Barber to get back on track. She can trust the knee now and shook off the rust. An upset could very well be in the cards here.</p>



<h4 id="h-pick-maycee-barber"><strong>Pick: Maycee Barber</strong></h4>



<h3 id="h-darren-elkins-142-vs-darrick-minner-162-total-2-5-175-145"><strong><u>Darren Elkins (+142) vs. Darrick Minner (-162); Total: 2.5 (-175/145)</u></strong></h3>



<p>Darren Elkins is 26-9 in his career. Darrick Minner is 26-11. This will be the 24th UFC fight for Elkins. It is the fifth for Minner, if we include his Contender Series loss to Herbert Burns. Talk about a guy that has paid his dues. Minner now steps in against Elkins in what could very well be his biggest fight to date. He is favored to win and move up in the division on the back of a win over Charles Rosa.</p>



<p>Elkins lost four in a row before beating Eduardo Garagorri back in November. He was definitely on the verge of maybe not having a spot in the UFC anymore, as the promotion has purged a lot of veterans over the last 18 months. This is a tough fight because Minner probably shouldn’t be this big of a favorite, but Elkins hasn’t shown much lately. The smaller Minner will test Elkins’s takedown defense and that is where the fight looks to be won.</p>



<h4 id="h-pick-darrick-minner"><strong>Pick: Darrick Minner</strong></h4>



<h3 id="h-raulian-paiva-235-vs-kyler-phillips-275-total-2-5-200-160"><strong><u>Raulian Paiva (+235) vs. Kyler Phillips (-275); Total: 2.5 (-200/160)</u></strong></h3>



<p>Raulian Paiva had a really strong 2020, as he beat Mark De La Rosa and Zhalgas Zhumagulov to have a 2-0 year. That win over Zhumagulov was on July 11, though, so he has gone more than a year between fights as he steps in against Kyler Phillips. Phillips has won four in a row, including all three UFC fights.</p>



<p>The big price tag makes sense here. Phillips just fought on March 6 and has fought twice since the last fight for Paiva. The reason this fight draws a big billing on the main card is to drum up interest in Phillips. Otherwise, there are much better fights for this spot on the card. That seems to be a good indicator of how this one ends up.</p>



<h4 id="h-pick-kyler-phillips"><strong>Pick: Kyler Phillips</strong></h4>



<h3 id="h-macy-chiasson-162-vs-aspen-ladd-182-total-2-5-195-165"><strong><u>Macy Chiasson (+162) vs. Aspen Ladd (-182); Total: 2.5 (-195/165)</u></strong></h3>



<p>This doesn’t seem to be as good of a fight as Barber vs. Maverick, but these are still two solid fighters in the women’s bantamweight division. The two have a combined record of 17-2, as Chiasson suffered her only loss against Lina Lansberg a couple of years ago and Ladd had a loss with an asterisk against Germaine de Randamie after a really fast stoppage.</p>



<p>Ladd has not been seen since 12/7/19 against Yana Kunitskaya as she recovered from a torn MCL and ACL. We saw Maycee Barber have some cage rust against a very capable opponent in that spot. Who’s to say we don’t see the same from Ladd here? Chiasson is also the bigger fighter with a size advantage.</p>



<h4 id="h-pick-macy-chiasson"><strong>Pick: Macy Chiasson</strong></h4>



<h3 id="h-tj-dillashaw-155-vs-cory-sandhagen-180-total-3-5-130-160"><strong><u>TJ Dillashaw (+155) vs. Cory Sandhagen (-180); Total: 3.5 (130/-160)</u></strong></h3>



<p>Cage rust seems to be kind of a theme for the UFC on ESPN 27 card. This will be TJ Dillashaw’s first fight since January 19, 2019 when he lost to Henry Cejudo for the bantamweight title in just 32 seconds. The banned substance that Dillashaw took resulted in a two-year suspension, so the former champ returns at the age of 35 to take on Cory Sandhagen.</p>



<p>The much taller Sandhagen beat Frankie Edgar back in February on the heels of an impressive win over Marlon Moraes in October. His only two losses are to Jamall Emmers back in LFA and Aljamain Sterling at UFC 250. Dillashaw has had an excellent career, but this is a huge ask against Sandhagen, a great fighter in his own right looking to move up the rankings for another crack at Sterling. He should get it with a win here and he should get that win.</p>



<h4 id="h-pick-cory-sandhagen"><strong>Pick: Cory Sandhagen</strong></h4>



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UFC on ESPN 27: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw Betting Odds, Picks, & Predictions

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