UFC 291 Hot Prospect Betting Pick
Kevin Holland -142 at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
We’re back again with another hot prospect betting pick. This week, the UFC returns to Salt Lake City for a PPV event filled with prosperous talent, and we’ve located the ideal wager.
Continue reading for our UFC 291 betting guide and best bets, taking a first look at Kevin Holland and his opponent, Michael Chiesa.
UFC 291 Information
- Date & Time: Saturday, July. 29, 2023 – 06:40 PM EDT
- Location: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Scheduled Fights: 12
- Main Event: Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje (UFC Lightweight Bout)
UFC 291 Hot Prospect Profile: Kevin “Trailblazer” Holland
- Pro MMA Record: 24-9-0 (13 KO/TKOs, 7 submissions, 4 decisions)
- UFC Record: 11-6 (6 KO/TKOs, 2 submissions, 3 decisions)
Kevin Holland has competed in 17 bouts in five years as a UFC competitor. He isn’t afraid of activity, and he’s arguably yet to reach his prime fighting years, aged 30 years old.
Five of Holland’s six UFC losses were in the middleweight division, but at 175 lbs, he’s 3-1 and has notably utilized a huge length and size advantage he often enters his scheduled bouts with. He’s versatile in all facets of the game, and despite owning a questionable defensive wrestling skill set, there’s no denying that his jiu-jitsu offense is an excellent backup plan in this regard.
He competed five times in 2022, reaching the welterweight division top 15 rankings. And now, he’ll face an opponent in Michael Chiesa, that’s suffered continuous injuries and hasn’t actively competed since November of 2021.
Kevin Holland vs. Michael Chiesa: The Fight Tape
Holland struggles with takedown defense, and although he’s a BJJ blackbelt, he struggles to return to his feet off his back. That said, despite owning the ideal grappling skillset to overcome Holland, Chiesa’s current career presents too many red flags to trust him to overcome a hungrier and younger opponent that’ll own a significant striking advantage.
Chiesa needs to implement a grappling gameplan and maintain top position for 15 minutes straight, all while protecting his neck from the dangerous submissions of Holland – something he hasn’t done well in the past, with 4 of his 6 UFC losses coming by way of submission. But it’s difficult to envision the fight playing out this way, particularly when every round starts standing.
Win or lose, Holland never displays a willingness to quit. He’ll dominate the striking exchanges at range and is fighting an opponent that’s consistently struggled to stay healthy. And at this excellent price of -142, Holland’s youth, size, and trajectory feel like an amazing set of factors to support bettors on this side.
UFC 291 Hot Prospect Best Bet
The available UFC odds, which you can find at most of the top US sportsbooks, show Holland as the betting favorite, but -142 is still a respectable price tag. With regular injuries, significant time away from the octagon, and a job as a part-time analyst for the UFC, Chiesa is untrustworthy versus a dangerous finisher with multiple paths to victory.
UFC Pick: Kevin Holland -142 at BetOnline [1.42u to win 1u]
UFC 291 Main Card & Odds
- Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje [UFC lightweight main event bout]
- Jan Blachowicz vs. Alex Pereira [UFC co-main light heavyweight bout]
- Tony Ferguson vs. Bobby Green [UFC lightweight bout]
- Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Holland [UFC welterweight bout]
UFC 291 Preliminary Card & Odds
- Trevin Giles vs. Gabriel Bonfim [UFC welterweight bout]
- Derrick Lewis vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima [UFC heavyweight bout]
- Roman Kopylov vs. Claudio Ribeiro [UFC middleweight bout]
- Jake Matthews vs. Darrius Flowers [UFC welterweight bout]
- CJ Vergara vs. Vinicius Salvador [UFC flyweight bout]
- Matthew Semelsberger vs. Uros Medic [UFC welterweight bout]
- Miranda Maverick vs. Priscila Cachoeira [UFC women’s flyweight bout]
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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