The Featured Prelim of the Night in the Women’s Strawweight Division is set to be an exciting showdown. Molly McCann, a fan favorite from England, will be taking on Diana Belbita, also known as “The Warrior Princess.” In this UFC betting prediction and pick, we will analyze the matchup between McCann and Belbita.
McCann has had a mixed record in her time with the UFC, with 6 wins and 5 losses since 2018. After a string of three consecutive wins, she suffered two tough losses to Erin Blanchfield and Julija Stoliarenko. Now, McCann is dropping down in weight classes to compete in the strawweight division for the first time. Standing at 5’4″ with a 62-inch reach, McCann will be looking for her first win in this weight class.
Belbita, on the other hand, has had a similar track record in the UFC, with 2 wins and 4 losses since 2019. She has secured victories against tough opponents like Hannah Goldy and Maria Oliveira, but has also faced some setbacks in her career. In her most recent bout, she lost to Karolina Kowalkiewicz by unanimous decision. Standing at 5’7″ with a 68-inch reach, Belbita will be aiming to bounce back with a win in this matchup.
According to the UFC odds provided by DraftKings, McCann is the favorite with odds of -258, while Belbita is the underdog with odds of +210. The over/under for this fight is set at 2.5 rounds, with odds of -270 for over and +200 for under.
McCann had a strong run in the Flyweight Division, but faced difficulties when she came up against opponents with superior jiu-jitsu skills. In her last fight against Stoliarenko, she was quickly taken down and submitted on the ground. With her move to strawweight, McCann is hoping to match up better against opponents in terms of size and mass. She has focused on her weight cut and feels confident heading into this fight.
Belbita has had her own challenges in recent fights. While she had a dominant striking performance against Oliveira, she struggled against Kowalkiewicz and suffered a tough loss. After considering retirement, she decided to come back to training when offered the opportunity to fight McCann. Belbita sees this fight as a chance for a win and will give it her all.
In this matchup, McCann’s strength and frame could give her an advantage. She may look to take Belbita down and utilize her ground-and-pound skills. Belbita, on the other hand, should focus on maintaining distance and using her reach and faster hands to keep McCann at bay. If she can slowly chip away at McCann over three rounds, she has a good chance of securing the win.
Overall, this promises to be an interesting matchup. McCann is feeling confident after her weight cut, while Belbita is determined to prove herself. However, Belbita’s recent contemplation of retirement raises concerns about her mindset going into the fight. With McCann’s aggression and determination, she is favored to come out on top.
In conclusion, our prediction and pick for this fight is Molly McCann (-258) to win.
