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The heavyweight fight of the century is finally here. Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier will square off at UFC 252 for the third time to decide once and for all who will hold the title of greatest UFC heavyweight of all time.

Miocic and Cormier might headline the night, but there’s no shortage of entertaining matchups in Saturday’s lineup. So, what are the betting odds for UFC 252: Miocic vs Cormier and who should you target Saturday night?

UFC 252: Daniel Cormier is a slight favorite in the main event

After Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic split their first two UFC bouts, it’s only right that the trilogy is close to a pick’em. As it stands now, Cormier is a slight -125 favorite to knock off the current heavyweight champ. If you bet $125 on Cormier to win, a victory would earn you a $100 profit.

Miocic comes back as a slight underdog at -105. Props for the fight are as follows:

Miocic via KO/TKO/DQ+170
Miocic via submission+1800
Miocic via decision+450
Cormier via KO/TKO/DQ+190
Cormier via submission+1000
Cormier via decision+400
Draw+5000
Fight goes the distance: YES+175
Fight goes the distance: NO-250

Predictions for the main event

Daniel Cormier was in control for much of the second fight against Stipe Miocic. If the bout had gone to decision, Cormier probably would’ve gotten an easy win. But Miocic turned it up a notch at the end of the fourth round and finished Cormier by TKO for the surprising victory.

Cormier will be out for revenge at UFC 252. After letting Miocic get too close in their last fight, Cormier won’t let it happen again this time around. Cormier should use his wrestling advantage to work on the ground as much as possible. With both fighters now familiar with each other’s games, this one should go the distance.

Cormier gets the nod with his wrestling prowess and stamina.

Pick: Daniel Cormier (-125) by Decision

Full UFC 252 card and odds

The main card for UFC 252 features five fights and will conclude with the main event between Miocic and Cormier. The main card begins at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

  • Daniel Cormier (-125) vs. Stipe Miocic (-105)
  • Sean O’Malley (-285) vs. Marlon Vera (+225)
  • Jairzinho Rozenstruik (-140) vs. Junior Dos Santos (+110)
  • Herbert Burns (-285) vs. Daniel Pineda (+225)
  • Merab Dvalishvili (-235) vs. John Dodson (+185)

The prelims begin at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

  • Vinc Pichel (-135) vs. Jim Miller (+105)
  • Livinha Souza (-165) vs. Ashley Yoder (+135)
  • Parker Porter (-125) vs. Chris Daukaus (-105)
  • Virna Jandiroba (-285) vs. Felice Herrig (+225)
  • T.J. Brown (-155) vs. Danny Chavez (+125)

Best Bets for UFC 252: Miocic vs Cormier

Merab Dvalishvili by decision -160

Merab Dvalishvili won’t wow you with knockout power, but he’s a superb wrestler and knows how to grind out wins. Dvalishvili has won four straight bouts, and all four have been by unanimous decision. He knows how to win the judges over, and he should be able to against John Dodson Saturday.

Junior Dos Santos +110

Jairzinho Rozenstruik packs a ton of power, and he could finish this fight in a matter of seconds, but Junior Dos Santos can take a punch with the best of the heavyweight division. Dos Santos is in much better shape than Rozenstruik. If he can survive the first round onslaught, Dos Santos should be able to outlast Rozenstruik and wear him down for the win.

Marlon Vera +225

There won’t be a lot of bettors lining up to fade “Sugar” Sean O’Malley at UFC 252. O’Malley has a spotless 12-0 record and two electric knockouts this year, but he hasn’t faced the cream of the crop in the bantamweight division. Enter Marlon Vera. Vera has won five of his last six bouts, and he finished his opponent inside the distance each time. He’s also never been knocked out in his UFC career, which is where O’Malley excels. O’Malley is feeding into the hype a little too much, and his cockiness in the octagon can lead to careless mistakes. Expect Vera to be the first opponent to take advantage and knock off the undefeated challenger.

All betting odds courtesy of Bovada as of 8/15

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.