UFC Vegas 106 Anticipated Forecasts, Choices, Forecasts, Specialist Preferred Bets for the 31st of May, Saturday
Preview of UFC Vegas 107 Expert Picks and Analysis
The upcoming UFC event on Saturday, May 31, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, offers an 11-fight lineup, with the entire card airing on ESPN+ starting at 6:30 p.m. Eastern. The main card officially commences at 9:00 p.m.
Our MMA experts from The Action Network have scrutinized this card and selected their top picks for the night. Here are their two favorite bets for the event:
Jafel Filho vs. Allan Nascimento
Billy Ward, a staff writer at The Action Network, is backing Jafel Filho in this fight. Filho made an impressive UFC debut, withstanding a fierce comeback from an undefeated Mohamed Mokaev before eventually succumbing to the fight. Filho's performance was noteworthy, considering the short notice and the caliber of the opponent.
Since then, Filho has won two straight fights by first-round submission and defeated Amir Albazi, the third-ranked flyweight, in a grappling match. Nascimento, while capable, has been off for more than two years due to various injuries and illnesses. His takedown defense stands at 16% in the UFC, which, according to Ward, makes this a challenging matchup against Filho, who can potentially dominate grappling exchanges.
Macy Chiasson vs. Ketlen Vieira
Sean Zerillo, a senior writer at The Action Network, has Chiasson as his preferred bet in this women's featherweight bout. The odds have shifted in Chiasson's favor after initially opening as an underdog.
Chiasson boasts an advantage in both height (3") and reach (4"), making her more effective at striking from a distance. Vieira may have a chance through her grappling, but Chiasson has controlled a higher percentage of grappling positions in the UFC and has shown improved confidence in her own offensive grappling.
Chiasson was ahead on the scorecards against Irene Aldana before succumbing to a third-round TKO via liver kick. Otherwise, she would be on a four-fight winning streak with six victories in seven bouts since 2020. Her only loss in that period was against former champion Raquel Pennington, who recently lost a split decision against Julianna Pena.
Vieira has faced tougher competition and has won decisions against former champions Holly Holm and Miesha Tate. However, she is often involved in close decisions, and Zerillo favors Chiasson's activity and efficiency for winning minutes in this contest.
In the MMA event at UFC Apex, mixed-martial-arts expert Billy Ward is backing Jafel Filho in the fight against Allan Nascimento, citing Filho's impressive submission wins and potential advantage in grappling exchanges.
In the women's featherweight bout at the same event, Macy Chiasson, who has an advantage in height and reach, is favored by mixed-martial-arts analyst Sean Zerillo, based on Chiasson's improved grappling and efficiency in winning minutes during fights.
