The Ultimate Fighting Championship resumes with UFC Vegas 98 at the Apex in Nevada this weekend. We have a stacked line-up and a main event banger involving Royval and Taira, and today I’m back to dissect the MMA festivities and share my best betting picks.
Chidi Njokuani, Jared Gooden, Abdul Razak Alhassan, and Josh Fremd will participate in two main card slug fests, and I’m seeing some serious betting value up for grabs.
Let’s waste no more time and dive right into my favorite UFC Vegas 98 main card analysis and predictions.
And don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel for more betting advice on UFC Vegas 98, featuring the Daniel Rodriguez vs. Alex Morono and Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira bouts!
Picks Summary
- Njokuani ML (-175) at Bet365
- Alhassan ML (-160) at Ceasars Sportsbook
UFC Vegas 98 Event Information
- Date & Time: Saturday, October 12, 2024 – 04:00 PM ET
- Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas
- Scheduled Fights: 13
- Main Event: Brandon Royval vs. Tatsuro Taira (UFC Bantamweight Bout)
Chidi Njokuani vs. Jared Gooden
UFC Vegas 98 Welterweight Main Card Bout
Chidi Njokuani
Three consecutive losses forced Chidi Njokuani to make a change. With a six-month layoff and a switch from 185 to 170lbs, the ‘Texan’ native made his middleweight debut and reminded us why his nickname is ‘Bang Bang.’ He emphatically out-struck Rhys McKee, which marked one of his best performances to date, and we’re hoping he keeps this energy come Saturday.
- Njokuani Pro MMA Record: 23-10-0
- Njokuani KOs: 14
- Njokuani Submissions: 1
Jared Gooden
Ultimately, Gooden is 2-4 in the UFC, but since he was cut from the promotion and brought back early last year, he’s gone 1-1. Finally, he will enter a fight night riding some momentum with a win over Wellington Turman last time out.
Gooden receives a lot of hate, but overall, he isn’t the worst 170-pounder. However, with a wealth of regional experience and a second chance in the big leagues, we’re still unsure whether he can compete at this level.
- Gooden Pro MMA Record: 23-9-0
- Gooden KOs: 11
- Gooden Submissions: 8
Njokuani vs. Gooden: Fight Tape Analysis
Gooden has displayed some great fundamental boxing skills and respectable grappling skills during his pro-MMA tenure, but as an all-rounder, he doesn’t really do anything that makes us say, “Wow.” His best path to victory this weekend should involve pressure wrestling and grounded or cage offense, but that’ll be easier said than done versus the athletic striking ace that is Njokuani.
Njokuani is all about that muay thai! After suffering three straight defeats, he was on the brink of losing his position on the roster. Still, through adversity, he returned against Rhys McKee and displayed the cardio and ability to dominate the opposition in a kickboxing contest for three consecutive rounds.
UFC Vegas 98 Main Card Odds & Prediction
The UFC pricing with OddsTraders’ top sportsbooks places Njokuani as a moderate betting favorite. Although I can respect Gooden’s skill set, I agree with this position and will wager on this side.
Gooden’s stance and defensive striking deficiencies perfectly complement the precise, powerful, and always dangerous Njokuani offensive. As I don’t trust Gooden to effectively maintain a grappling-based game plan, the more proficient and dangerous striker can take this one via knockout or on the scorecards.
UFC Pick: Njokuani ML (-175) [1u returns 1u profit] at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
Josh Fremd vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan
UFC Vegas 98 Middleweight Main Card Bout
Josh Fremd
Is Josh Fremd the worst middleweight fighter on the UFC roster? There’s an argument to be made, and it’s not because he’s 2-4 in the promotion but more because of the fight intelligence and decision-making he’s displayed in the octagon thus far.
- Fremd Pro MMA Record: 11-6-0
- Fremd KOs: 4
- Fremd Submissions: 4
Abdul Razak Alhassan
How much does Abdul Razak Alhassan have left to give? He’s 39, that’s a concern, but two wins, two losses, and one no-contest from his last six bouts isn’t a terrible run. Obviously, the Joe Pyfer submission wasn’t pretty, but watching him drag Joaquin Buckley to the ground has aged incredibly well, and Fremd will be a huge step down in competition for the Fortis MMA product.
- Alhassan Pro MMA Record: 12-6-0
- Alhassan KOs: 12
- Alhassan Submissions: 0
Fremd vs. Alhassan: Fight Tape Analysis
Fremd has a wrestling background, but he never wrestles. In striking battles, he has minimal volume and no serious knockout threat. Honestly, I’m surprised he has a win on his UFC record at all, but then you realize the level of opposition he’s defeated is lackluster. It’s nothing but a headache while attempting to understand his path to victory moving forward.
Even when you review Frend’s statistics, they match the uneventful style seen on his tape. Low wrestling, grappling, control numbers, and even uglier striking stats make him a hard pass, and although his weekend opponent is 39 years old, at least we have some viable attributes to get behind.
Alhassan is no world-beater by any means, and cardio concerns have been an issue in the past. However, as a judo black belt with knockout power, it can be argued that he’s elite in certain areas, and his finishing potential is live to be the difference-maker in this contest.
UFC Vegas 98 Main Card Odds & Prediction
The UFC odds place Alhassan as the betting favorite, but a moneyline price of -160 isn’t the worst number on the board.
Here’s how I expect this fight to play out: Fremd will hang around, take damage, do little, and his best path to victory is if Alhassan completely gasses. The favorite can opt for a grappling route or throw some heavy leather and easily top the striking numbers, making him the no-brainer betting side to be on.
UFC Pick: Alhassan ML (-160) [1.6 returns 1u profit] at Ceasars Sportsbook (check our Caesars Sportsbook Review)
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