Another excellent event, UFC Vegas 81 (aka UFC Fight Night: Yusuff vs. Barbzoa) is slated for this weekend at the UFC Apex arena in Enterprise, Nevada. As noted in the fight’s main description, a featherweight clash between Sodiq Yusuff and Edson Barboza is expected to headline this event. Both men are rising stars in the featherweight division and the winner of this fight could make some serious waves to move up the rankings if they have an emphatic victory. In the penultimate fight of the night, two female UFC veterans square off as Jennifer Maia takes on Viviane Araújo some big points in the women’s flyweight division. Both fights should definitely be highlighted when you are looking at your UFC Vegas 81 betting rundown.
For this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from each of these fighters, along with a predicted winner in each, and also more notes about UFC Vegas 81 betting.
| UFC Vegas 81 Main Event Bouts | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sodiq Yusuff vs. Edson Barboza | Yusuff | -150 | -150 | -150 |
| Jennifer Maia vs. Viviane Araújo | Maia | -138 | -138 | -138 |
Fighter Spotlight: Sodiq Yusuff
Currently rated as the No. 11 fighter in the UFC featherweight rankings, Yusuff has put together a solid resume since entering the UFC in 2018. A fighter that has some surprising power given his weight class, the American competitor has six knockout victories in his career, giving him an overall record of 13-2. In his last bout, a little over one year ago at UFC Fight Fight Night: Dern vs. Yan, he was able to knock off Don Shainis via a first-round guillotine choke. Indeed with only two professional losses, Yusuff is a tough opponent for any fighter to square off against.
Fighter Spotlight: Edson Barboza
A Brazilian-American competitor, Barboza is one of the most tenured fighters in the UFC at 37 years of age and has been competing in MMA since 2009. A fighter who has accrued the Fight of the Night accolade a record eight times (he is tied with three other athletes for this honor), Barboza has won his fair share of spectacular brawls. In his career, he has scored wins over the likes of Shane Burgos, Dan Hooker, Beneil Dariush, and Paul Felder, the bulk of those bouts being Fight of the Nights. While he has perhaps lost a step as of late, he still has the third most knockdowns in UFC history at 15 and should not be taken lightly.
Prediction: A fight that certainly has the makings of a classic bout, Yusuff gets the slight edge here thanks to the age difference and more dominant record as of late.
Fighter Spotlight: Jennifer Maia
A former Invicta FC Flyweight World Championship holder, Maia is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Casey O’Neil at UFC 286. Moreover, she is also a former challenger for the UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship, coming up short in a bout against Valentina Shevchenko. With a career record of 21-9, she has won three of her last five bouts and is currently riding a two-fight winning streak. With 12 decision wins in her career, she is usually strong on the judge’s scorecards and has only lost via KO and submission once each in her career.
Fighter Spotlight: Viviane Araújo
Opposing Maia is Araújo who is another Brazilian fighter that can mix it up with the best of them. While she is coming off back-to-back losses and has dropped three of her last five fights, the 36-year-old is still a formidable foe. The former Strawweight Queen of Pancrase, Araújo has an overall record of 11-5, with four wins via submission and also three by way of knockout in her career. In her last win, over Andrea Lee in May of 2022, the veteran was able to score a unanimous decision win thanks to a balanced performance on the mat.
Prediction: Another great battle, take Maia to win here given her more consistent results as of late.
Once you are all squared away regarding your UFC Vegas 81 bets, make sure to also check out the wide variety of resources available to you at SBS. Of course, to make sure you always have the best UFC Vegas 81 bets or really any kind of UFC or MMA wagers, our UFC betting sites guide has you covered. Here you can find all of the latest MMA betting markets that can help make your UFC Vegas 81 picks even better. On a separate note, for those uncertain about which payment options are the best fit for them, do not fret as the payment methods rundown has you dialed in with all kinds of great options for deposits and withdrawals. Finally, if you are looking for some higher-stakes wagering, then our VIP sports betting sites breakdown is a great page to learn more.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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