UFC 296 Punching Parlay
- Ian Garry Moneyline (-340)
- Alexandre Pantoja Moneyline (-180)
Two Team Parlay (+101) at BetAnySports (visit our BetAnySports Review)
There’s no better way to end the 2023 fight schedule than with the stacked line-up UFC 296 is delivering on Saturday and today, we’re singling our locks on the card.
Below, you’ll find two of our best bets from the UFC 296 fight card live from the T-Mobile Arena, and we’ve found the perfect UFC parlay pieces to wager on at our main offshore sportsbooks; continue reading to find the betting value.
UFC 296 Information
- Date & Time: Saturday, December 16, 2023 – 06:00 PM ET
- Location: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
- Scheduled Fights: 14
- Main Event: Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington (UFC Welterweight Championship Bout)
Ian Garry vs. Vincente Luque
UFC 296 Welterweight Bout
Ian Garry: The Story So Far
He’s succumbed to media scrutiny of late, and the MMA fan base has been relentless when trolling the next biggest export from Ireland since Conor McGregor. But we must face the facts while ignoring the noise. Whatever your opinion on Ian Machado Garry and his wife may be, there’s no denying that he’s a damn good fighter.
Since joining the UFC in 2021, Garry has walked through the competition. Behind a 6-0 promotional record, he’s reached the top 10 rankings of the welterweight division in less than two years, and aged 26, win or lose this weekend, he’s on the path to greatness.
Garry’s Stats
- Ian Garry Pro MMA Record: 13-0-0
- Ian Garry Knockout Wins: 7
- Ian Garry Submission Wins: 1
Vincente Luque: The Story So Far
In my humble opinion, Vincente Luque is the greatest Brazilian mixed martial artist to have never won a championship belt. Boasting a level of UFC experience of close to eight years, “The Silent Assassin” has consistently been a top-15-ranked stay, with endless highlight reel moments to be proud of.
Wars with Bryan Barberena, Niko Price, and Mike Perry are etched into the UFC history books, and although it seems like we’ve been following Luque for an extensive period of time, aged 32, he’s got a lot more fighting left in the tank.
Luque’s Stats
- Vincente Luque Pro MMA Record: 22-9-1
- Vincente Luque Knockout Wins: 11
- Vincente Luque Submission Wins: 8
UFC 296 Garry vs. Luque: Skillset Breakdown
Due to their continual superiority, analyzing their performances throughout the years has become a delight, which makes film studies incredibly enjoyable. Luque is a more versatile martial artist whose striking and grappling abilities can result in victory.
Garry is an exceptionally gifted striker but presents numerous deficiencies in his ground game. Almost anyone in the division is susceptible to his prowess in kickboxing, with the possible exception of reigning champion Leon Edwards. At this point, he must withstand these opponents’ grappling and maintain an advantage in the fight by remaining on his feet.
Ian Garry Moneyline Reasoning
From a straight wager standpoint, the price is unplayable. This sport can be unpredictable, and Luque possesses the finishing ability to catch the Irishman in a sneaky sub or at least dominate in grappling positions, thus making -340 on Garry an ugly price.
However, I believe that Luque holds a lot of confidence in his striking ability, and rightfully so, but up against Garry, it will be his downfall, and I don’t mind adding the -340 to boost our parlay pricing.
Garry isn’t going to wrestle; expect him to disengage from all clinch, wrestling, and grappling attempts by Luque. This will result in another striking masterclass where the Brazilian’s overconfidence will cost him dearly against the precise counter-striking ability of Ireland’s up-and-coming finisher.
UFC 296 Punching Parlay Leg 1: Garry ML (-340) at BetAnySports
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval
UFC 296 Flyweight Championship Bout
Pantoja: The Story So Far
The new face of the UFC flyweight division, Alexandre Pantoja, enters his first title defense with a surprising price of -180, which shows little faith from the sportsbooks despite having a submission victory over his opponent just 16 months ago.
His lack of explosiveness in the division aside, his fundamentals are impeccable, he possesses no significant vulnerabilities, and his ridiculous toughness and durability were on full display in his championship victory. From his five defeats, nobody could stop him inside the distance.
Pantoja’s Stats:
- Pantoja Pro MMA Record: 26-5-0
- Pantoja Knockout Wins: 8
- Pantoja Submission Wins: 10
Royval: The Story So Far
Brandon Royval will attempt to achieve greatness. Likewise, it is difficult to dispute that ‘Raw Dawg’ has not earned his opportunity. Since his 2021 loss to Pantoja, he has defeated three opponents and completed the last two, bringing his overall octagon record to 5-2.
Royval is a voracious, aggressive combatant who remains most effective on the offensive despite improving his technical prowess and composure over the years.
Royval’s Stats:
- Royval Pro MMA Record: 15-6-0
- Royval Knockout Wins: 4
- Royval Submission Wins: 9
UFC 296 Pantoja vs. Royval: Skillset Breakdown
Royval is not averse to pushing a furious tempo; however, it is intriguing to note that this approach landed him in difficulty in his first encounter with ‘The Cannibal.’
Royval and the Brazilian engaged in a close-quarters struggle for control in the first round. However, Royval appeared to decelerate marginally in the second, sufficient for Pantoja to establish a dominant position and ultimately secure a rear-naked choke. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a similar outcome this weekend, as Pantoja’s positional dominance in BJJ is of an elite standard.
Pantoja Moneyline Reasoning
Pantoja appeared visibly exhausted by the conclusion of his title bout with Moreno, in which he also acquired significant injuries. Despite his victory, that conflict can potentially have repercussions for him in the future.
Nevertheless, this moment does not feel like that time. Without Royval stumbling upon the Brazilian in an early surge, he will probably exhaust himself in the closing stages and permit the Brazilian to seize control.
This should essentially be a lot of fun, but it should also follow the pattern of their previous bout, which featured a back-and-forth beginning before ‘The Cannibal’ submitted for the win.
UFC 296 Punching Parlay Leg 2: Pantoja ML (-180) at BetAnySports
The UFC 296 Punching Parlay
- Ian Garry ML (-340)
- Alexandre Pantoja ML (-180)
UFC Pick: +101 [1u stake returns 1.01u profit] at BetAnySports
*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.