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UFC Vegas 84 Predictions: Ankalaev vs Walker 2 Prelims Picks & Odds
Written by: Devon Platana
Last Updated:
Read Time: 8 minutes
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These UFC Vegas 84 prelims predictions are brought to you by BetOnline. BetOnline is a market leader in sportsbooks, offering a variety of options from the UFC to the NFL and everything in between.
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UFC Vegas 84 is just over 24 hours away from airing live at the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, Jan. 13. Most MMA bettors have their sights set on the main card — especially the Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker 2 main event — but there’s also plenty of action when it comes to the preliminary bouts.
UFC Vegas 84 weigh-in video https://t.co/HmfeMECgpY
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) January 12, 2024
With seven early fights to pick and choose from, figuring out where to begin can be tough for expert and novice UFC bettors alike. Fortunately, Betting News is here to help make the most of your betting experience this weekend.
Let’s dive into my UFC Vegas 84 predictions when it comes to the preliminary card fights.
UFC Vegas 84 Predictions: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 Prelims Odds & Picks
The UFC Vegas 84 preliminary card odds are courtesy of BetOnline as of Friday, Jan. 12 at 11:20 a.m.
Andrei Arlovski vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta Prediction — Heavyweight
- Andrei Arlovski (+550)
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta (-759)
A former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Andrei Arlovski (34-22, 2 NC) is desperate for a positive result after being finished by Marcos Rogerio de Lima and Don’Tale Mayes in back-to-back outings. As for Waldo Cortes-Acosta (10-1), the 32-year-old now holds a 3-1 UFC record after his first-round KO victory over Lukasz Brzeski back in August.
Arlovski has more experience, but it’s clear that he’s no longer the fighter he once was. His chin isn’t holding up that much anymore, which could spell disaster against Cortes-Acosta, who averages 6.97 significant strikes per minute with 50% accuracy on top of knocking out four of his last seven opponents.
It’s going to be a hard-hitting contest right out of the gate, which is why I’m taking Cortes-Acosta to win via KO/TKO — especially after Arlovski failed to make it out of the second round in each of his last two fights.
Arlovski vs. Cortes-Acosta Prediction: Cortes-Acosta via KO/TKO (-180)
Matthew Semelsberger vs. Preston Parsons Prediction — Welterweight
"I wanna put some respect on my team, and I wanna put some respect on my family's name."
Matthew Semelsberger (@SemiTheJedi) strives to get things moving in the right direction as he's set to face Preston Parsons at #UFCVegas84 ??
Card preview ➡️: https://t.co/tQr4UREP2Y
— UFC News (@UFCNews) January 11, 2024
- Matthew Semelsberger (-110)
- Preston Parsons (-110)
The UFC Vegas 84 preliminary card also features a welterweight bout that’s projected to go either way. Matthew Semelsberger (11-6) is starving for a win after losing three of his last four outings while Preston Parsons (10-4) could also use a boost following a 1-2 record to begin his UFC run.
Even though he’s seen better days, let’s ride with Semelsberger on Saturday. Yes, he’s been losing a lot lately, but those defeats came against Jeremiah Wells, Alex Morono, and Uros Medic, who are all solid fighters in their own right. Meanwhile, Parsons’ only victory at the UFC level came against Evan Elder, who’s hardly the most intimidating foe.
As for the best bet here, I have my eye on the fight going the distance. Since joining the UFC in 2020, Semelsberger went the distance six times in nine outings — including in four of the last five. Additionally, four of Parsons’ last seven fights reached their time limit on top of his going the distance twice in three UFC bouts.
Semelsberger vs. Parsons Prediction: Fight to Go the Distance — Yes (+145)
Get 50% up to $1,000 on this pick over on BetOnline
Marcus McGhee vs. Gaston Bolanos Prediction — Bantamweight
- Marcus McGhee (-214)
- Gaston Bolanos (+184)
Marcus McGhee (8-1) looks to continue his red-hot run following back-to-back finishes over Journey Newson and J.P. Buys in 2023. Standing in his way of more success is Gaston Bolanos (7-3), who made his debut with a unanimous decision win over Aaron Phillips at UFC on ESPN 44.
This matchup just isn’t a good one for Bolanos. McGhee is a versatile fighter who isn’t afraid to take things to the mat, averaging 1.6 submissions per 15 minutes. That’s bad news for Bolanos as two of his three career losses came via submission. That’s without even mentioning McGhee’s 100% finish rate.
I’m not sure when or how it’ll happen, but I fully expect the odds-on favorite to win this fight inside of the distance.
McGhee vs. Bolanos Prediction: McGhee Inside of the Distance (-120)
Farid Basharat vs. Taylor Lapilus Prediction — Bantamweight
Can Farid Basharat continue his undefeated run on the UFC Vegas 84 preliminary card?
- Farid Basharat (-280)
- Taylor Lapilus (+240)
Farid Basharat (11-0) is the clear-cut favorite in this prelim bout, which isn’t surprising given that he’s undefeated and coming off a huge first-round submission win over Kleydson Rodrigues. Taylor Lapilus (19-3) began his second UFC stint with a win, defeating Caolan Loughran via unanimous decision at UFC Paris in September.
Basharat is a great striker (5.20 significant strikes per with 63% accuracy) but it isn’t like Lapilus is a slouch (4.18, 47%). Having said that, my money’s on the undefeated fighter if this bout goes to the mat. Basharat averages 3.5 takedowns per 15 minutes with 53% accuracy and 83% defense while Lapilus’ grappling output doesn’t even come close to those numbers.
This could wind up being a closer right than oddsmakers anticipate, so let’s go with Basharat winning via points — especially when you consider that Lapilus has never been finished before.
Basharat vs. Lapilus Prediction: Basharat via Points (-150)
More UFC Vegas 84 Betting
- Complete Main and Preliminary Card Primer, Odds, and Betting Trends
- Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 Main Event Predictions and Best Bets
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UFC Vegas 84 Prelims Predictions Cont.
Westin Wilson vs. Jean Silva Prediction — Flyweight
- Westin Wilson (+600)
- Jean Silva (-900)
There’s an uphill battle in store for Westin Wilson (16-8) at UFC Vegas 84 as he faces the debuting Jean Silva (11-2), who’s won eight fights in a row ahead of Saturday’s action.
Upsets happen all the time in MMA, but I don’t see that happening here. Wilson was unimpressive in his debut against Joanderson Brito six months ago, losing to a KO punch in just 2:54. Silva, on the other hand, has finished seven of his last eight opponents before the first round even ended, winning five times by KO/TKO and another two via submission.
Considering how Wilson barely lasted a breath against Brito, I expect another short bout here. Take Silva winning via KO/TKO in Round 1 and move on.
Wilson vs. Silva Prediction: Jean Silva via KO/TKO in Round 1 (+100)
Get 50% up to $1,000 on this pick over on BetOnline
Tom Nolan vs. Nikolas Motta Prediction — Lightweight
FIRST KNOCKOUT OF THE NIGHT?
Tom Nolan with the first round k.o! #DWCS pic.twitter.com/zKmlccNHZg
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) August 9, 2023
- Tom Nolan (-350)
- Nikolas Motta (+285)
Australia’s Tom Nolan (6-0) is also making his debut in Las Vegas getting off to a flawless start to his career. His first-ever UFC opponent is none other than Nikolas Motta (13-5, 1 NC) who’s been stuck in a rut over the last few years with one victory since the beginning of 2021.
I just can’t see Motta pulling off the upset this weekend. Although his last fight against Trey Ogden was ruled a no-contest due to a premature stoppage, it’s worth noting that Motta was getting absolutely dominated and well on his way to another loss before the controversial call. Things don’t look much better for him now that he’s facing Nolan, who’s knocked out each of his last four foes.
With the way Motta has performed lately, I don’t expect a long fight here. Nolan is quite the hard-hitter and can end a fight early, proven by three first-round KO/TKOs in his last four outings.
Nolan vs. Motta Prediction: Nolan via KO/TKO in Round 1 (+105)
Joshua Van vs. Felipe Bunes Prediction — Flyweight
- Joshua Van (-255)
- Felipe Bunes (+215)
Joshua Van (9-1) is on the run of his career ahead of the UFC Vegas 84 prelims, winning seven fights in a row — including a 2-0 record in the UFC. Felipe Bunes (13-6), on the other hand, is set to make his debut this weekend after a brief stint with the Legacy Fighting Alliance
I have no issue backing Van to continue his strong run, especially after finishing five of his last seven opponents with each of those wins happening in Round 2 or earlier. Bunes just hasn’t faced any opponents as tough as Van and the fact that he’s 3-4 in his last seven bouts leaves much to be desired.
I won’t be surprised if Van has to go the distance to get the job done, though. Both of his first two UFC fights ended with some form of decision and now he faces Bunes, who’s gone the distance five times in his eight most recent outings and has only been finished once since 2012.
Van vs. Bunes Prediction: Van via Points (+220)
UFC Vegas 84 Preview FAQ
When is UFC Vegas 84?
- UFC Vegas 84 will take place on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024.
Where is UFC Vegas 84?
- UFC Vegas 84 will take place at the Apex in Las Vegas, NV.
What time does UFC Vegas 84 start?
- Preliminary Card Start Time: 4 p.m. ET
- Main Card Start Time: 7 p.m. ET
How can I watch UFC Vegas 84?
- Preliminary Card Channel: ESPN+
- Main Card Channel: ESPN+
How can I bet on UFC Vegas 84?
- All of the top online sports betting sites will have UFC Vegas 84 odds, but here are some of the sites we recommend most for MMA betting enthusiasts.
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Devon is a Master of Journalism graduate who joined the sports betting world in 2020. His favorite leagues to cover are the NHL, NBA and NFL, and has a soft spot for fantasy football specifically. Outside of sports, he enjoys the finer things in life like pasta, live music and getting even more tattoos.
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