Nassourdine Imavov vs Sean Strickland UFC Vegas 67 Betting: Can Strickland Win on Short Notice?

UFC Vegas 67 takes place this Saturday and was supposed to see Nassourdine Imavov face off against Kelvin Gastelum in middleweight action. However, Gastelum pulled out of the fight earlier this week and has since been replaced by former KOTC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland.

We're back with a bang! 💥

Sean Strickland vs Nassourdine Imavov at #UFCVegas67 tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/YsIK1mt3Ic

— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) January 13, 2023

Now, Imavov and Strickland will face off against each other in what’ll likely be a light heavyweight bout. It’ll be interesting to see how each fighter adapts to the changes and exactly how this weekend’s main event unfolds.

There’s a lot to take in ahead of this Saturday night’s main event, especially when it concerns betting opportunities. Fortunately, Betting News has all of your Imavov vs Strickland needs, ranging from the latest odds to our picks for the fight.

UFC Vegas 67: Imavov vs Strickland Fight Odds (as of Friday, January 13)

Odds are via our top reviewed and recommended sportsbooks.

BetOnline Sportsbook

• Nassourdine Imavov -128
• Sean Strickland +100

Bovada Sportsbook

• Nassourdine Imavov -125
• Sean Strickland +105

BetUS

• Nassourdine Imavov -125
• Sean Strickland +105

BetMGM

• Nassourdine Imavov -120
• Sean Strickland +100

Imavov Enters UFC Vegas 67 as Slim Favorite

Imavov enters this weekend’s action as the slim favorite across all four highlighted sportsbooks. The “Russian Sniper’s” shortest odds sit at -128 on BetOnline Sportsbook, translating to an implied probability of 56.1%.

Imavov has enjoyed a fair amount of success since joining UFC in 2020. He’s currently 5-1 under the company’s banner, also having won each of his last three fights. Two of those victories came by scoring second-round TKO wins while his last victory came by unanimous decision against Joaquin Buckley at UFC on ESPN+ 67 back in September.

Imavov has never fought at the light heavyweight weight class though, leaving time to tell if it affects his game. He currently sits as UFC’s No. 12 middleweight, whereas Strickland sits at No. 7 in the division.

Speaking of Strickland, all eyes will be on him to see how he performs after accepting this fight at the last minute. The New Bern, California native has suffered back-to-back losses for the first time in his MMA career. He was knocked out by Alex Pereira at UFC 276 only to go on and lose to Jared Cannonier by split decision at UFC Vegas 66.

It’s been less than a month since Strickland lost to Cannonier, marking one of the quicker turnarounds of his career. He did fight Brendan Allen with only two weeks of rest back in 2020 and actually on the matchup by TKO, so “Tarzan” certainly knows how to handle these situations.

UFC Vegas 67 Betting Markets & Trends for Imavov vs Strickland

While the moneyline odds indicate that Imavov is the slim favorite this weekend, other markets on BetOnline Sportsbook highlight exactly how the fight could unfold.

For instance, the most likely method of victory is for Strickland to win by decision at +270. After all, he isn’t a stranger to longer fights, having gone the distance in five of his last seven belts. Furthermore, Strickland is 11-3 in his 14 career fights that were decided by decision.

Meanwhile, Imavov’s likeliest method of victory is also to win by decision, albeit at +310. He’s only 3-2 in fights that go the distance and has never had a matchup go beyond Round 3, leaving questions about his cardio.

Speaking of the fight ending by decision, BetOnline favors that this main event matchup won’t go the distance at -142 odds.

If you’re looking for more value with your pick, check out method and round combo betting. As far as that market goes, Imavov is favored to defeat Strickland by first-round KO/TKO at +950 odds. On the other hand, Strickland’s top option in this market is also to win by a knockout in Round 1 at +1000.

Imavov vs Strickland UFC Vegas 67 Fight Prediction

Even though Strickland has experience taking fights on short notice, I still like Imavov winning this one. The Russian striker has looked solid lately and he’s been preparing for this fight for quite some time, even if it isn’t his desired opponent. It’s also hard to trust Strickland following back-to-back losses.

As far as the best bet goes, I’m taking Imavov winning this one outright at -120 odds on BetOnline A change in weight class would make things harder to predict and there’s still value in an outright win for either fighter, which is why I’m sticking with the moneyline.

UFC Vegas 67 Event Details

When is UFC Vegas 67?

UFC Vegas 67 will take place on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023.

Where is UFC Vegas 67?

UFC Vegas 67 will take place at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada.

What time does UFC Vegas 67 start?

• UFC Vegas 67 Prelims Start Time: 4 p.m. ET
• UFC Vegas 67 Main Card Start Time: 7 p.m. ET

How can I watch UFC Vegas 67?

Both the preliminary and main cards are available to watch on ESPN+.