UFC 270 Odds & Picks: Ngannou-Gane & Moreno-Figueiredo 3

UFC 270 is the mixed martial arts promotion’s first pay-per-view event of the year. Whether it’s the preliminary bouts or the main card, the night is sure to bring a lot of entertainment for MMA fans.

The night will be headlined by a UFC Heavyweight Championship unification bout between the reigning champion Francis Ngannou and the interim titleholder Ciryl Gane.

There’s also a second championship fight on the card as Brandon Moreno will defend his flyweight title against Deiveson Figueiredo.

Here’s a look at everything you need to know heading into the UFC 270 festivities.

UFC 270 Event Details

• Event: UFC 270
• Date: Saturday, January 22, 2021
• Time: Early Prelims (6 pm ET), Prelims (8 pm ET), Main Card (10 pm ET)
• Venue: Honda Center
• Location: Anaheim, California

All odds listed are per BetMGM.

Francis Ngannou (+125) vs. Ciryl Gane (-150) Betting Preview

UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has been dominant in his most recent performances. He’s currently on a five-fight winning streak, winning each of those bouts by KO or TKO within the first two rounds.

Ngannou knocked out Stipe Miocic to win the title in his last fight, which took place at UFC 260 back in March 2021. Only time will tell how his first defense will go.

Meanwhile, Ciryl Gane will enter the UFC 270 main event with his undefeated record intact. The 31-year-old Frenchman is a perfect 10-0 in his professional MMA career, defeating Derrick Lewis via TKO to capture the interim heavyweight championship in his last fight at UFC 265.

Ngannou vs. Gane Pick: Gane to win (-150)

The UFC 270 main event has all the makings to be a memorable one, but it seems like the interim champion is the safe pick here. Ngannou has incredible knockout power, proven by his 12 career KO/TKOs, however, he doesn’t have the speed and endurance to keep up with Gane should the fight go the distance.

We saw at UFC 265 how Gane danced around Lewis and gave him more trouble the longer the fight went on. Considering how Ngannou is 0-3 when his fights go the distance, a longer bout favors Gane. Unless the former can land some significant blows early on, the latter has all the tools he needs to pull off a major victory.

Updated Ngannou vs. Gane Odds (as of Saturday, January 22)

• Francis Ngannou +115
• Ciryl Gane -140

Brandon Moreno (-175) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (+145) Betting Preview

Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo are no strangers to each other. Their fight at UFC 270 will be the third time that the two rivals have clashed for the UFC Flyweight Championship.

Their first bout took place just over a year ago at UFC 256, ending in a majority draw after Figueiredo was deducted one point for a groin shot during the third round.

They clashed again at UFC 263 in June 2021, but this time Moreno managed to force Figueiredo to submit in Round 3 to win the flyweight title for the first time in his career.

Over six months have passed since their last meeting and neither man has fought since then. It’s clear that the UFC Flyweight Championship means a lot to them, but only one man can leave Anaheim with the gold.

Moreno vs. Figueiredo Pick: Moreno to win (-175)

While the two fighters fought to a draw in their first meeting, Moreno absolutely shut Figueiredo down the second time around. The 28-year-old Mexican fighter was in control for 4:49 of the fight, whereas his opponent led for just 1:30.

Not only that but Moreno outstruck Figueiredo 71 to 33 and was more successful when it came down to takedowns and submission attempts. Maybe the third fight in their trilogy will go on longer than their last, however, it’s tough to see Figueiredo win unless he made some major changes over the last six months.

Updated Moreno vs. Figueiredo Odds (as of Saturday, January 22)

• Brandon Moreno -185
• Deiveson Figueiredo +150