1 best and worst bet at UFC Louisville

The world MMA leader is back on the road and headed to Louisville, Kentucky after yet another successful pay-per-view event at UFC 302. UFC Louisville is headlined by a pair of top-10 ranked middleweight contenders who may only be a couple of wins away from a possible title shot.

The main event features No. 4 ranked middleweight Jared Cannonier who is taking on No. 7 ranked Nassourdine Imavov. Cannonier has won back-to-back fights since his decision loss to former champion Israel Adesanya and is preparing for another run at the middleweight championship. Facing Cannonier is Imavov, who defeated Roman Dolidze in February 2024 to improve his record to 13-4 with one no contest.

Here's a look at the best and worst bet to make at UFC Louisville.

UFC Louisville best bet: Jared Cannonier +108

The headlining fight between Cannonier and Imavov has serious implications on the rankings and who could potentially challenge for the middleweight championship in the near future. Surprising to some in the fight community, Cannonier enters this matchup as a slight underdog.

The former heavyweight & light heavyweight Cannonier, has some of the best boxing and most devastating knockout power in the middleweight division. This is combined with his abundance of experience in main event and high profile fights.

UFC Louisville will be Cannonier's sixth career five-round fight inside the UFC, comparing that to what will only be the third for Imavov. Additionally, since moving down to 185 pounds, Cannonier is 7-2 with his only two losses being Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.

Though Imavov is looked at as the probable winner according to the fight odds, Cannonier has been a tough test for everyone in the middleweight division, and has proven his ability to matchup with any style so far in his middleweight career.

Cannonier will rely on his aforementioned knockout power and impressive durability in this five-round contest and earn another victory in the middleweight division, making this the best bet at UFC Louisville.

UFC Louisville worst bet: Dustin Jacoby -230

Dustin Jacoby enters UFC Louisville as a sizeable favourite in his matchup with No. 15 ranked light heavyweight contender Dominick Reyes. While Reyes has been unable to claim victory inside the Octagon since October 2019, there is reason to believe he could see himself back in the win column with his matchup against Jacoby, or at least deliver a commendable performance.

Since Reyes' close decision loss against Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight championship at UFC 247, he has gone on to lose his next three contests in the UFC by knockout. A fifth consecutive loss at UFC Louisville would undoubtedly see his removal from the official UFC rankings and could be one of the last times he steps inside the Octagon.

While his recent fight outcomes have been anything but encouraging, the same can almost be said for Jacoby who has lost three of his last four fights, though all three losses were by decision.

Reyes is entering the contest in a must-win situation, and while his results have been declining, he has had some moments in recent performances that reaffirm his potential to still be competitive in the UFC. Also, he has shared the Octagon with multiple former champions and legends of the sport, giving him the high-level experience advantage over Jacoby.

Although Jacoby may emerge from UFC Louisville victorious over Reyes, expect a much closer fight than the odds are suggesting.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. All odds are according to FanDuel.