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UFC Best Bets Today: UFC 289 Schedule, Picks for Nunes vs. Aldana

Themi Alexis

Updated as of June 10, 2023 at 4:04 PM EDT • Read time: 4 minutes and 5 seconds. Find more information on Twitter and Google News.

UFC predictions
UFC predictions

Get ready for the highly anticipated UFC 289 in Vancouver, where Amanda Nunes will be defending her women’s bantamweight title against Irene Aldana in the main event. Check out our top picks for UFC 289 betting, using the odds provided by the leading sports betting apps.

After successfully regaining her bantamweight title from Julianna Pena in July with a convincing victory, Nunes, a two-time champion, is now defending her strap. This win came after a surprising upset in 2021 by Pena, which ended Nunes’ impressive 12-fight undefeated streak that had lasted for six years.

The scheduled fight between the pair in Saturday’s main event was canceled after Pena’s injury last month. Aldana steps in to replace her, coming off of two consecutive wins and now vying for her first UFC championship. Aldana’s most recent victory was a third-round KO against Macy Chiasson in September, improving her UFC record to 7-4. Ramirez Madeline provides a detailed analysis of the upcoming Nunes vs. Aldana fight along with his prediction.

In the co-main event, Charles Oliveira, a former lightweight champion, will face Beneil Dariush, who is on a winning streak. Oliveira hopes to bounce back from a submission loss to current champion Islam Makhachev in October, which ended his 11-fight win streak. Meanwhile, Dariush is looking to extend his winning streak to nine after defeating Mateusz Gamrot at UFC 280 in October.

Here are Saturday’s top UFC bets for UFC 289: Nunes vs. Aldana, based on odds from our recommended sports betting sites. Confidence in each pick is rated on a scale from 1 to 5 stars.

UFC best bets

  • Fight line: Imavov ML vs. Curtis (-165 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Upset: Landwehr ML vs. Ige (+220 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Winning method: Nunes by submission or decision vs. Aldana (+140 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Prop bet: Dvorak vs. Erceg Under 1.5 rounds (+240 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Parlay: Malott vs. Fugitt Under 1.5 rounds (-120) + Imavov (-155) + Dvorak vs. Erceg doesn’t go the distance (+110) = +533 (via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

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UFC 289 schedule and odds

(odds via DraftKings)

Main event starting at 10 p.m. Eastern Time:

  • Amanda Nunes (-330) vs. Irene Aldana (+275)
  • Charles Oliveira (+130) vs. Beneil Dariush (-150)
  • Mike Malott (-200) vs. Adam Fugitt (+170)
  • Dan Ige (-255) vs. Nate Landwehr (+215)
  • Marc-Andre Barriault (-140) vs. Eryk Anders (+120)

Prelims (8 p.m. ET):

  • Nassourdine Imavov (-175) vs. Chris Curtis (+150)
  • Miranda Maverick (-245) vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius (+205)
  • Aiemann Zahabi (+100) vs. Aori Qileng (-120)
  • Kyle Nelson (+225) vs. Blake Bilder (-265)

Preliminary fights begin at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

  • David Dvorak (-275) vs. Stephen Erceg (+230)
  • Diana Belbita (-135) vs. Maria Oliveira (+115)

Top picks for UFC 289: Nunes vs. Aldana

Fight line: Imavov ML vs. Curtis (-165 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

While Chris Curtis is known for his clever striking abilities, he tends to wait for his opponent to engage with him, unlike Nassourdine Imavov who is quick to take shots and move in and out of range.

Imavov, with his 75-inch reach and landing an average of 4.32 significant strikes per minute, has the ability to outperform many opponents from a distance. His upcoming opponent Curtis, on the other hand, tends to take more hits than he delivers, with stats showing 5.59 to 6.22 significant strikes per minute. It is expected that Imavov will use his reach advantage to frustrate Curtis, keeping busy and landing shots from afar to secure a victory in the middleweight division. Start your UFC picks off right by betting on Imavov to come out on top.

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Upset: Landwehr ML vs. Ige (+220 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

While it is true that Dan Ige has faced tougher opponents during his time in the UFC compared to Nate Landwehr, it’s worth noting that Ige has been defeated in the past and Landwehr is known for his aggressive fighting style.

“‘The Train’ has a remarkable average of 6.47 significant strikes per minute and can maintain a high pace for three rounds. I doubt he will focus on grappling during the fight, as Ige tends to favor striking over takedowns. If either fighter attempts takedowns, they may resort to panic-wrestling. Nonetheless, I predict Landwehr will keep Ige on the defensive, unleashing a flurry of combinations and taking a few hits in the process to secure his fourth consecutive victory.”

Winning method: Nunes by submission or decision vs. Aldana (+140 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

While Aldana may not be a dominant force, her left hook commands respect. I believe Nunes will capitalize on her strengths on the ground. The champion has shown her willingness to go for takedowns in previous victories and has proven her skill in gaining control and seizing opportunities for submissions.

After Nunes’ surprising defeat to Pena, she should focus on countering Aldana’s strong boxing skills, strategize wisely, and take the fight to the ground where she can showcase her dominance and secure a clear victory or potentially secure her fifth submission win.

Prop bet: Dvorak vs. Erceg Under 1.5 rounds (+240 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

David Dvorak has completed 16 out of 20 career victories, with 13 of them finishing in under 1.5 rounds. He easily defeated his last short-notice opponent. Stephen Erceg, his most recent opponent, has achieved seven out of nine professional wins by stoppage, with five of them occurring in the first round.

In simpler terms, Dvorak is facing the quick-starting Erceg in his debut, and I anticipate Erceg will set a fast pace with lots of scrambles. Whether Dvorak dominates Erceg or Erceg surprises with a submission, this fight between flyweights is sure to be action-packed and resolved quickly.

Parlay: Malott vs. Fugitt Under 1.5 rounds (-120) + Imavov (-155) + Dvorak vs. Erceg doesn’t go the distance (+110) = +533 (via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

UFC top picks selected on 9/6/2023 at 12:06 a.m. Eastern Time.

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Written By:
Themi Alexis
Watson Zakary has specialized in MMA- and boxing-specific sports betting for the past several years, having joined Underscoreg Review in early 2022. An avid bettor himself, he routinely places his bets with the especially user-friendly bet365, DraftKings for its array of prop lines, and/or FanDuel for its ever-compelling odds. Before coming to SBR, Themistoklis spent another few years covering the MMA beat at theScore, contributing everything from news stories to features to comprehensive fight week coverage, and was a diehard follower of the sport long before he ever covered it professionally. His introduction to MMA came in 2007 with UFC 74, where Randy Couture defended his heavyweight crown with a thrashing of Gabriel Gonzaga. Themistoklis holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Toronto’s Centennial College. In addition to all things MMA, he is equally interested in both boxing and cinematic lore. If there’s any advice he can impart to new and experienced sports bettors, it’s to avoid betting against the greats and keep their options open, as committing to a single sportsbook can prove shortsighted and deprive them of access to the best available odds.