The First UFC card of 2023 is here and amazingly it is headlined by the guy who headlined the LAST card. Sean Strickland, coming off a decision loss, is stepping in as a short notice opponent to take on Nassourdine Imanov. As far as name recognition, this card doesnt really have it. But it is a deep card and the matchups are interesting.

While the Main event isnt a good one, the card is. Here are some specifics. The  prelims start at 4pm and the main card at 7pm . All of it is on ESPN+ and it free

I will give you my predictions in the order the fights are to take place. All odds are courtesy of Bet MGM. The King of Sports Books! For new users head on over there and use the promocode PatEgan and get your first bet RISK FREE up to $1K

In 2022 I hit on 58% of picks. In 2022 I hit on 65% of “locks”

(8-5 last fight card. 4-2 on locks)

PRELIMS

Priscilia Cachoeira

Jimmy Flick

Daniel Argueta

Allan Nascimento

Mateusz Rębecki

Javid Basharat

Abdul Razak Alhassan (lock)

MAIN CARD

• Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Roani Barcelos

  Here is a REALLY safe bet for you if you’re a novice to betting MMA; You see the name “Nurmagomedov” then bet it. Do so by either decision or submission. Barecelos is very talented. Hes fought some good talent. He will get Mauled.

  Umar Nurmagomedov (lock)

• Ketlen Vieira vs. Raquel Pennington

  Many look at Ketlen Vieira as a future title challenger. Include me in that group. She has a dynamic striker in Rocky Pennington who is a veteran of the game and has fought the best of the best. Rocky is riding a 4 fight winning streak but she hasnt fought someone like Vieira in that stretch. She breaks her opponents with incredible grappling. I think after this performance she punches her ticket to a title shot.

  Ketlen Vieira (lock) 

• Punahele Soriano vs. Roman Kopylov

  Both of these fighters struggle with the ground game. Which is a good thing because it means theyll stand and trade. That means take this fight to end in a KO. I like Soriano in this one. This is a REALLY close fight to pick because its a matter of who lands the bomb. Both are capable. Ill pick Soriano based on the level of competition he has faced.

  Punahele Soriano

• Dan Ige vs. Damon Jackson

  What a performance Damon Jackson put on the last time he was in the octagon. He beat Philly’s own Pat Sabatini and it was an emotional fight for Jackson who had just lost his brother. But with Dan Ige he has a different kind of fighter. Sabatini is primarily a grappler who can smother you on the ground. Ige is looking to knock you out and collect a bonus for doing so. Hence his nickname “50K”. Ige though is on a rough stretch. Hes lost 4 of his last 5 fights, and I think he lost the Edson Barboza fight which would make it 5 of his last 6. Damon Jackson’s ground game is elite, and I think he takes Ige down and dominates him on the ground.

  Damon Jackson (lock)

• Sean Strickland vs. Nassourdine Imavov

  Credit to Sean Strickland for taking this fight on short notice, but it was a BAD idea. Strickland doesnt really have knockout power. He peppers you with shots and wins by decision. Now he has to avoid being taken down by Imavov for 5 rounds. I dont see that happening. I think Strickland gets thrown around in this one.

  Nassourdine Imavov (lock)

• Parlays

  Since BET MGM is the king of parlay’s here is how the parlay odds look!

  if you take every one of my picks and parlay them on BetMGM, wagering $100 you’d win $53,884 (+53784)
  If you just parlay the prelims, using all my picks and wagering $100 you would walk away with $4,765 (+4665)
  Parlay the main card, taking all my picks and wagering $100 you would cash in $1130 (+1030)
  And if you just want to take my locks and parlay them on BetMGM, wagering $100 you would win $1358 (+1258)

  Odds subject to change. Good luck!

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