The headline fight in the UFC 313 picks is a battle for the light heavyweight world title. Champion Alex Pereira is seeking to retain his belt and hold off challenger Magomed Ankalaev as they enter the cage at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday, March 8.
In the co-main event, veteran campaigner Justin Gaethje is tangling with Rafael Fiziev in a showdown of two top lightweight contenders. It’s a rematch. Gaethje won the first meeting of the two fighters by majority decision.
Let’s look at the latest betting lines for these bouts. Remember, odds are always subject to change.
| UFC 313 Odds | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev | Pereira | -115 | -115 | -115 |
| Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev | Fiziev | -140 | -140 | -140 |
In this article, SBS will be going over each fighter, offering a predicted winner in both matchups, and also providing some additional notes and information regarding UFC 313 picks and UFC betting.
Fighter Spotlight: Alex Pereira
Brazilian Pereira (12-2) has won 12 of his last 13 fights. His only setback during that span was dropping the middleweight title belt to Israel Adesanya in a rematch against the man from whom he’d originally claimed the title.
As a middleweight, Pereira beat Adesanya and Sean Strickland. Since moving up in weight class, he’s proven to be a dominant light heavyweight. His four title defenses give him a share of the record in that weight class with Daniel Cormier. He’s beaten Jiri Prochazka twice and Jan Blachowciz.
Fighter Spotlight: Magomed Ankalaev
There’s been plenty of action on Ankalaev (19-1-1, 1 NC) in the UFC 313 picks since betting lines first opened on this bout. The opening line on Ankalaev was +105. It has since shortened to -105. At Betonline, both fighters are given a betting line of -115.
Ankalaev is from Dagestan, Russia. This is the same part of the world that’s given UFC such notable champions as Khabib Nurmagomedov and current UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. Ankalaev hasn’t lost a fight since 2018.
Prediction: Betting on this fight not to go the distance might not be a bad prop to play. Both fighters are punishing strikers. Pereira has won five in a row via knockout. Meanwhile, Ankalaev has posted two of his last three wins via knockout.
It’s a bout that presents a clash of styles. Pereira comes from a kickboxing background. Ankalaev’s forte is wrestling. One factor on Pereira’s side is his ability to absorb punishment and keep coming. Take Pereira to win a close contest in the UFC 313 picks.
Fighter Spotlight: Justin Gaethje
The Highllight, as Gaethje (25-5) is known, was to be meeting veteran Dan Hooker in this fight. However, Hooker broke his hand and had to pull out of the bout. That led to a rematch between the former UFC lightweight champion and current No. 3 contender Gaethje and Fiziev.
The two met at UFC 286 in March of 2023. Gaethje won a majority decision. One judge scored the fight a draw. Gaethje is 3-3 in his last six fights. His losses were to Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira and Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Fighter Spotlight: Rafael Fiziev
The Azerbaijani fighter is ranked No. 11 among UFC lightweight contenders. Fiziev has lost his last two fights following a six-bout win streak.
If his wants to get a title shot, Fiziev needs to win this fight. He was dominant in the early part of the first meeting with Gaethje, before the latter was able to make adjustments and rally for the win.
Prediction: Many industry insiders are seeing this as the fight of the night. It was the last time the two met. In fact, both ended up in hospital after their first fight.
When two fighters are as evenly-matched as this pairing, it’s difficult for one to win both meetings. Bet Fiziev to win the rematch in the UFC 313 picks.
Once you have settled on the wagers you will be making with each of your UFC 313 bets, you’ll want to be sure to have a look at the massive amounts of data available to you only at SBS. For more insightful analysis into all of the bouts on the card covered here, be certain to have a look at the UFC betting sites guide. These guides are providing the latest assessments for all of the betting lines the oddsmakers are setting on the sport. This information will aid you in assembling some solid UFC 313 picks.
Along those lines, if you’re seeking out the top UFC 313 bets, be sure to go ahead and take a look at the best bonus betting sites breakdown, which compiles and distributes quality information, including a complete analysis of the various bonus offers available to you. Finally, for those who are busy and frequently on the go during the day, the best betting apps rundown is a must-read page to guarantee assurances that you get all of your UFC 313 bets down in time.
About the Author
Theo is our NFL guy. He is the go-to man for all things football and has proven himself to be one of the most expansive writers here, with a broad knowledge of North American sports. He's a veteran journalist based in Ontario, and has covered the gambling and sports betting industry since 2016. He has written more than two dozen books and covered the NFL since the early 1990s.
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