Top UFC Pick: Namajunas By Decision (-105) [1.05u to win 1u] at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
In their long-awaited return to the Centennial State, Dana White and the UFC host a top-tier women’s flyweight bout this weekend, and we’re covering all your betting needs.
Former women’s champion Rose Namajunas welcomes an unbeaten contender from the UFC’s flyweight rankings in Tracy Cortez, with the current UFC odds favoring the former.
Read on for our complete betting guide with an early preview of the UFC Denver main event clash between “Thug” Rose and Cortez, including updated UFC odds from top sportsbooks and our free expert UFC first look betting picks, predictions, and analysis.
Don’t forget to visit our YouTube channel for more expert betting tips on this event!
UFC Denver Information
- When: Saturday, July 13, 2024 – 07:00 PM ET
- Where: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
- Scheduled Bouts: 11
- Main Event: Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez
- Moneyline Probability: Namajunas – 66.7% (-200) Cortez – 37% (+170)
Rose Namajunas vs. Tracy Cortez
UFC Denver Women’s Flyweight Main Event Bout
Rose “Thug” Namajunas
The former two-time UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas stumbled against Manon Fiorot in her flyweight debut last year, but her return in 2024 and stamping her mark at 125 pounds by defeating Amanda Ribas was an impressive bounce-back spot.
While Rose “Thug” has yet to truly make her name known among flyweight competitors, we cannot neglect where she came from. She’s still the only female in the UFC to overcome Weili Zhang’s talents, and for the last decade, we’ve watched her consistently compete at the highest level.
Rose was originally scheduled to face Maycee Barber this weekend. Still, with Cortez stepping up, the mission remains the same: defeat an up-and-coming talent and show these prospects what it takes to beat a championship-caliber fighter.
Namajunas Best Moneyline Odds: (-200) at BetOnline
Tracy Cortez
Beauty isn’t everything but combined with the ability to kick-ass, now that’s a pretty sweet pairing. Don’t be fooled by the pretty face, though; Tracy Cortez has run through the competition since joining the UFC in 2020, and with Saturday’s short-notice trip to Colorado booked, she’ll be gunning for her sixth straight victory in the octagon.
Cortez is indeed undefeated as a UFC flyweight, but we mustn’t sugarcoat the reality of this weekend’s main event; Rose will be her biggest challenge to date, and the 30-year-old prospect is yet to prove herself versus the elite of the division.
Cortez Best Moneyline Odds: (+170) at BetOnline
UFC Denver: Tale of the Tape
UFC Denver Skillset Analysis: Styles Make Fights
Wrestle, wrestle again, and add some top-heavy ground control for good measure. Such game planning has been a constant throughout Cortez’s career, a woman who’s thrived behind her grappling chops and will unquestionably enter the Centennial State with a similar blueprint.
At times, Namajunas has seemed like she doesn’t want to be in the cage, but when she’s on, it’s difficult to argue against her being one of the cleanest offensive strikers in the game. Should Cortez want to engage with Rose on the feet, envisioning anything besides a “Thug” beatdown is difficult, so we can expect a cliché wrestler vs. striker matchup come Saturday.
Namajunas By Decision: The UFC Denver Best Bet Formula
The available UFC odds have placed Namajunas as a -200 betting favorite, and there are several likely reasons why oddsmakers don’t trust Cortez’s unblemished 5-0 record.
First, and the most obvious, is Cortez’s experience. While Rose has ten years of experience at the highest level, competing against top-five-ranked opponents consecutively, the underdog hasn’t fought anybody inside the top-10 rankings.
Then, the five-round factor is a huge concern. Behind a wrestling gameplan, achieving a tempo for 15 minutes is difficult enough, but to do so for five five-minute rounds is treacherous, and Cortez has never fought a 25-minute contest.
The facts above do not declare Rose a clear winner, but she is versed enough to return to her feet from takedowns. Across five rounds, securing at least 15 minutes of striking exchanges should be more than enough to receive a nod on the judge’s scorecards.
UFC Pick: Namajunas By Decision (-105) [1.05u to win 1u] at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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