The Ultimate Fighting Championship ventures into British land this weekend, with UFC London coming live from the 02 Arena. International travel often delivers exciting matchups for Dana White’s MMA promotion, and Saturday’s schedule is no exception.
However, let’s cut to the chase: You already know what time it is. As your resident BMR UFC expert, I’m looking to keep our five-week win streak alive by supplementing your UFC parlay betting needs.
Below are two of my favorite moneyline selections from the UFC London fight card. After thoroughly analyzing these UFC odds and betting markets, I think they present the perfect pairing for this week’s edition of the ‘Punching Parlay,’ and hopefully, our sixth consecutive parlay win since February.
UFC London Punching Parlay
- Jordan Vucenic ML (-400)
- Alexia Thainara ML (-180)
UFC Pick: Two-Legged Parlay (-105) at Everygame (visit our Everygame Review)
UFC London Information
- Date & Time: Saturday, March 22, 2025 – 08:00 PM ET
- Location: 02 Arena
- Scheduled Fights: 13
- Main Event: Leon Edwards vs. Sean Brady (UFC Welterweight Bout)
Jordan Vucenic vs. Chris Duncan
UFC London Lightweight Bout
Vucenic: The Story So Far
Jordan Vucenic is a well-respected British talent best known for his impressive featherweight title run in the Cage Warriors promotion. Unfortunately, the hype he previously held was shot down upon his arrival to the UFC last summer, as a vetted Guram Kutateladze rudely welcomed him to the octagon.
- Vucenic Pro MMA Record: 13-3-0
- Vucenic Knockout Wins: 2
- Vucenic Submission Wins: 6
Duncan: The Story So Far
Although the Scottish flag is what Chris Duncan represents, many casual MMA fans will be surprised to know that he’s an American Top Team athlete. That said, don’t be overly fooled because his rise to the UFC was spent competing on the European, and his 3-1 UFC record to date has pitted him against a lower level of competition at 155 lbs.
- Duncan Pro MMA Record: 12-2-0
- Duncan Knockout Wins: 7
- Duncan Submission Wins: 2
UFC London Vucenic vs. Duncan: Skillset Breakdown
This bout screams aggression against technique, with Vucenic holding the edge in the latter. Even in defeat during his UFC debut, we saw a fighter who can hold a pace and present excellent durability. Offensively, he’s a crisp striker whose muay thai background blends nicely with an overlooked ground game and jiu-jitsu skill set that’s seen him submit more opponents throughout his pro tenure than by knockout.
In contrast, Duncan is all about being the aggressor. The Scotsman has a violent nature, and although his technical abilities are lacking, he makes up for it in power while also showing his BJJ prowess when strangling Bolaji Oki last time out. From 14 pro-MMA bouts to date, 9 of his 12 wins have come by knockout or submission, although his finishing ability at a UFC level has dropped to just one submission from four fights.
Vucenic Moneyline Reasoning
As the more technical fighter, who I also believe owns greater skills across all disciplines while also factoring in a noteworthy level of durability, it’s difficult to overlook Vucenic in this classic battle between England and Scotland.
While I have no doubt that ATT is the perfect training ground for Duncan, when his power fails him, we often see a stiff, sluggish striker whose takedown offense isn’t good enough to dominate a fight on the ground.
The available UFC odds favor Vucenic at -400. I don’t necessarily agree with this price, but I do believe he’s a rightful favorite, and as a parlay piece, I’m all in.
Durability truly is the factor here, and as Vucenic’s BJJ is elite enough to prevent the submission while his chin likely won’t be cracked, he should be the faster fighter, who, across three rounds, will be more efficient in picking up a nod from the judge’s.
UFC London Punching Parlay Leg 1: Vucenic ML (-400) at Everygame
Molly McCann vs. Alexia Thainara
UFC Women’s Strawweight Bout
McCann: The Story So Far
With just one win in four fights since 2022, it’s not looking good for Britain’s favorite ‘Meatball.’ Molly McCann had quite the run starting in 2021, and she famously went on to deliver back-to-back spinning elbow KO/TKO wins. However, at 34, with a 7-6 record, it’s arguable that her best days are behind her.
- McCann Pro MMA Record: 14-7-0
- McCann Knockout Wins: 6
- McCann Submission Wins: 1
Thainara: The Story So Far
Stepping up on short notice to replace Istela Nunes is an intriguing prospect in Alexia Thainara. This 27-year-old Rio De Janeiro native has been waiting for her octagon debut since her Dana White’s Contender Series win last year, where she displayed a clinical performance over Rose Conceicao.
- Thainara Pro MMA Record: 11-1-0
- Thainara Knockout Wins: 1
- Thainara Submission Wins: 6
UFC London McCann vs. Thainara: Skillset Breakdown
To give credit where credit is due, McCann has displayed some great boxing fundamentals during her time in the UFC. Her footwork isn’t bad, and her ability to string together heavy combinations has been a problem for many lower-level fighters. The problem is her grappling, and despite years of training, the evolution just hasn’t been good enough.
That brings us to Thainara, who just finished defeating a national wrestler at her own game. This doesn’t sound good for McCann, who’ll likely be fending off takedowns she cannot handle. While the power edge does lean to ‘Meatball,’ outside of that, she’s dropping a lot of attributes, including a 5” reach and speed, and when her physicality cannot be imposed on the opposition, she often falters.
Thainara Moneyline Reasoning
Short-notice UFC debutants entering as betting favorites is usually a red flag. However, styles make fights, and given the physicality and ground game pressure of Thainara, it’s arguable that she’s a worse matchup than McCann’s original opponent.
Top-rated sportsbooks favor Thainara, but as the UFC newcomer has yet to prove her worth, we’re getting an excellent price of -180.
Said worth, however, I expect to be proven this weekend. The London crowd will be in support of McCann, but that won’t be good enough against a Brazilian savage in Thainara that won’t just have a huge wrestling/grappling upside but also a vicious striking game and relentless cardio for good measure!
UFC London Punching Parlay Leg 2: Thainara ML (-180) at Everygame
The Parlay
- Jordan Vucenic ML (-400)
- Alexia Thainara ML (-180)
UFC Pick: Two-Legged Parlay (-105) at Everygame (visit our Everygame Review)
*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.
