Our Top Betting Pick for UFC Vegas 74
UFC Pick: Fight Goes the Distance/No -160 at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
We’re back in Vegas with a slobber knocker of a main event, and we’ve covered all of your betting needs for this weekend’s elite-level flyweight matchup.
Former 125lb title challenger Kai Kara-France will defend his #4-ranking position versus a fierce undefeated up-and-comer in Amir Albazi.
Read on for our complete betting guide with an early preview of the UFC Vegas 74 main event clash between Kara-France and Albazi, including updated UFC odds and our free expert UFC first look betting pick, predictions, and analysis.
Kara-France vs. Albazi Key Facts
- Albazi has won 75% of his UFC bouts via KO/TKO or submission.
- 66% of Kara-France’s UFC losses were by KO/TKO or submission.
- Albazi has lost just 1 fight in 17 pro bouts.
- 4 of Kara-France’s previous 5 bouts have ended inside the distance.
UFC Vegas 74 Information
- When: Saturday, June 3, 2023 – 10:00 PM EDT
- Where: UFC Apex, Las Vegas
- Scheduled Bouts: 13
- Main Event: Kai Kara-France vs. Amir Albazi
- Moneyline Probability: Kara-France – 52.4% (-110) Albazi – 52.4% (-110)
UFC Vegas 74 Kara-France vs. Albazi: Tale of the Tape
Kai “Don’t Blink” Kara-France
Kai Kara-France faltered in living up to the nickname “Don’t Blink” during his early UFC stint when going the distance in his first five bouts and losing the sixth via guillotine choke. However, since reaching the top-15 rankings of the flyweight division, our blink rate has undoubtedly risen, and it was back-to-back round-one knockouts that steered the New Zealand native closer to title contention.
A championship opportunity was inevitable when Kara-France took a unanimous decision over the then-undefeated Askar Askarov. Unfortunately, he could not overcome the current champion Brandon Moreno's skillset and has been forced back to the drawing board, where he’ll need to defy the odds once more when facing a top prospect in Albazi.
Kara-France Combat Sports Accomplishments
- UFC Fight of the Night (Four times)
- UFC Performance of the Night (Two times)
Kara-France Best Moneyline Odds: -110 at BetOnline
Amir “The Prince” Albazi
With less than three years spent on the UFC roster, Iraq’s Amir Albazi has rapidly risen through the rankings and kept an unblemished record intact. Four fights deep, and he’s finished 75% of those bouts via KO/TKO or submission, thus proving he’s a dangerous competitor and not a journeyman.
That said, as he recently broke the top-10 flyweight rankings, the true test for Albazi arises in Las Vegas this weekend. Kai Kara-France will unquestionably be his toughest test to date, but a significant victory over this level of competition will position “The Prince” one step close to title contention.
Albazi Combat Sports Accomplishments
- UCMAA Bantamweight Champion (one time; former)
- FSC Bantamweight Champion (one time; former)
Albazi Best Moneyline Odds: -110 at BetOnline
UFC Vegas 74 Main Event Fight Statistics:
- Kara-France lands 4.7 significant strikes per minute
- Albazi lands 3.54 significant strikes per minute
- Albazi owns a 2.47 takedown average per 15 minutes
- Kara-France has an 87% takedown defense
UFC Vegas 74 Skillset Analysis: Styles Make Fights
Put the rocket science aside because Saturday’s main event isn’t complicated to understand from a stylistic standpoint. We have a striker in Kara-France and Albazi who’ll be looking to implement an offensive wrestling game plan.
Of course, this is mixed martial arts; both men can hold their own in all areas of the fight game. But the aforementioned styles are the strong suits for each fighter, and the most viable path to victories are at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Should Albazi fail to initiate and succeed in keeping Kara-France grounded, the likelihood of the New Zealander winning this bout rises dramatically. If he can overcome the solid takedown defense of “Don’t Blink”, a positive result will shift in his favor.
The UFC Vegas 74 Best Bet Formula
The available UFC odds at the best US sportsbooks have evenly set lines at the time of writing, and I don’t expect these prices to shift. It’s an incredibly difficult fight to predict because both competitors excel in opposite areas.
However, whichever man comes out on top, I don’t believe the other will have enough to stop the finish across 25 minutes. Whether it’s Albazi via ground and pound or submission or Kara-France via KO/TKO, the chance of a stoppage in a 5-round fight is highly probable due to the vicious intent they each own in their respective skill sets.
UFC Pick: Fight Goes the Distance/No -160 at BetOnline [1.60u to win 1u]
UFC Vegas 74 Main Card & Odds
- Kai Kara-France vs. Amir Albazi [UFC flyweight main event bout]
- Alex Caceres vs. Daniel Pineda [UFC featherweight co-main event bout]
- Jim Miller vs. Jared Gordon [UFC lightweight bout]
- Tim Elliot vs. Victor Altamirano [UFC flyweight bout]
- Karine Silva vs. Ketlen Souza [UFC women’s flyweight bout]
- Jamie Mullarkey vs. Muhammadjon Naimov [UFC lightweight bout]
UFC Vegas 74 Preliminary Card & Odds
- Elizeu Zaleski vs. Abubakar Nurmagomedov [UFC welterweight bout]
- John Castaneda vs. Muin Gafurov [UFC bantamweight bout]
- Andrei Arlovski vs. Don’Tale Mayes [UFC heavyweight bout]
- Daniel Santos vs. Johnny Munoz Jr. [UFC bantamweight bout]
- Jinh Yu Frey vs. Elise Reed [UFC women’s strawweight bout]
- Luan Lacerda vs. Da’Mon Blackshear [UFC bantamweight bout]
- Maxim Grishin vs. Philipe Lins [UFC light heavyweight 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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