UFC 271 Prelims Odds & Best Bets: Knight vs. Grishin

Some of MMA’s top fighters will be in attendance when UFC 271 airs live from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on Saturday, Feb. 12.

Most fans will have their eyes on the main card, which includes a championship main event bout as Israel Adesanya defends his UFC Middleweight Championship against the former interim champion, Robert Whittaker.

With that being said, the preliminary portion of the pay-per-view also offers some intriguing matchups, as well as good opportunities for bettors to cash-in on.

Here’s a look at one of the standout betting options on the UFC 271 preliminary card, which provides great value with the underdog in the bout.

UFC 271 Event Details

• Event: UFC 271
• Date: Saturday, February 12, 2021
• Time: Early Prelims (6 pm ET), Prelims (8 pm ET), Main Card (10 pm ET)
• Venue: Toyota Center
• Location: Houston, Texas

All odds listed are per BetMGM.

William Knight (+135) vs. Maxim Grishin (-165)

One of the more intriguing bouts on the UFC 271 preliminary card is a tilt between William Knight (11-2-0) and Maxim Grishin (31-9-2). The fight was originally set to be a light heavyweight bout, but with Knight missing the 206-pound limit by 12 pounds, it has now been bumped up to a heavyweight bout.

Originally, Ed Herman was supposed to take on Grishin, but he had to be removed from the card on short notice. Knight certainly appears to be up for the challenge, proven by his 4-1 record since taking part in Dana White's Contender Series 31. He most recently scored a unanimous decision victory over Alonzo Menifield in December, so he’ll be looking to ride that momentum into Houston.

Meanwhile, Grishin is entering his 15th year in the Octagon, although, he hasn’t seen that much success as of late. He’s won just one of his last four fights and lost to Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision in his last fight nearly a year ago at UFC Vegas 20.

Taking the above into account, bettors can get some great value by picking Knight at +135 odds. The 33-year-old is the hotter fighter at the moment and has more to prove than his counterpart.

Knight also has the superior mat skills of the two fighters and could put Grishin in real danger if he can get him on the mat. A victory over Grishin at UFC 271 could get Knight some much-needed bonus and make some money for the fans in the process.