Table of Contents
UFC Vegas 96 Punching Parlay: Knockouts and Knockdowns
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David Manyun
- August 22, 2024
Table of Contents
UFC Vegas 96 Punching Parlay
- Shahbazyan/Meerschaert Under 2.5 Rounds (-300)
- Jacqueline Cavalcanti ML (-200)
UFC Pick: Two-Legged Parlay (+100) at Bovada (visit our Bovada Review)
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is back in Vegas for a fun-filled night of octagon wars, with Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho topping the event. As always, I’m here to supplement your UFC parlay betting needs, and UFC Vegas 96 this weekend is no exception.
Below are two of my favorite picks from Saturday’s UFC fight night. I’ve concluded that these betting lines and current UFC odds are worth coupling to create the perfect punching parlay; continue reading to find the best MMA parlay value from top sportsbooks on Saturday night.
UFC Vegas 96 Information
Date & Time: Saturday, August 24, 2024 – 07:00 PM ET
Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas
Scheduled Fights: 12
Main Event: Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho (UFC Middleweight Bout)
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Gerald Meerschaert
UFC Vegas 96 Middleweight Bout
Shahbazyan: The Story So Far
Nicknamed the “Golden Boy,” a young 20-year-old Edmen Shahbazyan was once the UFC’s golden boy, undoubtedly. However, a huge fall from grace saw a prosperous yet incredibly green competitor hit a horrid losing streak. Now, aged 26, he’s looking to build himself back to becoming the future title contender he was once tipped to be.
- Shahbazyan Pro MMA Record: 13-4-0
- Shahbazyan Knockout Wins: 11
- Shahbazyan Submission Wins: 1
Meerschaert: The Story So Far
Gerald Meerschaert is like a mid-tier gatekeeper for the middleweight division. He lacks athleticism and brute force, but with 28 submission victories throughout a 53-fight professional career, he’s a veteran with a serious finishing potential. Those opponents displaying any weaknesses will be exposed, and historically, he’s been a very profitable betting underdog.
- Meerschaert Pro MMA Record: 36-17-0
- Meerschaert Knockout Wins: 6
- Meerschaert Submission Wins: 28
UFC Vegas 96 Shahbazyan vs. Meerschaert: Skillset Breakdown
Meerschaert lacks speed and technical ability in striking situations. He does have power, and on occasions, opponents have felt it. For the most part, however, he’ll leave his chin in the air, and anyone with a smidgen of technicality to their striking game will take advantage of this.
That said, GM3 wants it on the ground. It’s no secret because he’s submitted 28 people during his career. Brazilian jiu-jitsu is undeniably his greatest asset; the question is, can he get a young, athletic Shahbazyan to tangle on the ground?
A polar opposite style, Shahbazyan is lightning fast on the feet. While defensive frailties have plagued him, punching power and knockout potential have not. If we look at history, he will either blitz his opponent within the first seven minutes or blow his gas tank and lose.
Under 2.5 Rounds Reasoning
The available UFC odds favor Shahbazyan, and I’m not surprised. GM3 has a questionable chin, lackluster footwork, and, more often than not, an inability to defend himself wisely. However, my prayers were answered when I saw the under 2.5 rounds for a similar price to the Shahbazyan moneyline.
There are two outcomes here: Shahbazyan does what Shahbazyan does and runs through Meerschaert because he’s the athletic, heavy-handed, youthful kickboxer. Or, the gritty veteran survives, eventually forcing a tired “Golden Boy” into grounded situations where some choke hold catches him off guard.
Either way, this fight isn’t going the distance. Not just from a stylistic standpoint, but these men do hate the judges. In a combined 30 UFC bouts, just six of their contests have gone the distance… Need I say more?
UFC Parlay Leg 1: Under 2.5 Rounds (-300) at Bovada
Josiane Nunes vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti
UFC Vegas 96 Women’s Bantamweight Bout
Nunes: The Story So Far
Brazil’s Josiane Nunes, at a glance, hasn’t performed horribly with a 3-1 UFC record thus far. However, there isn’t much opposition to run home about, and a recent loss to Chelsea Chandler hasn’t aged well.
Fun fact: All three of Nunes’ UFC wins were against opponents who no longer signed up for the promotion. She’s stepped down from featherweight to bantamweight, but standing at 5’2” will forever be a huge obstacle, especially when her best weapon is the power she needs to unleash by fighting on the inside.
- Nunes Pro MMA Record: 10-2-0
- Nunes Knockout Wins: 7
- Nunes Submission Wins: 0
Cavalcanti: The Story So Far
Jacqueline Cavalcanti is unproven at a UFC level, but her debut outing against Zarah Fairn last year was a dominant unanimous decision, as expected. She’s predominantly a striker, and worryingly for her opponent, she likes to stay at range to piece the opposition from the outside, which has worked very well for her.
- Cavalcanti Pro MMA Record: 6-1-0
- Cavalcanti Knockout Wins: 3
- Cavalcanti Submission Wins: 0
UFC Vegas 96 Nunes vs. Cavalcanti: Skillset Breakdown
We have a striker versus striker matchup but two completely different styles. Due to her small stature, Nunes usually throws wild hooks to remove the range between herself and the opposition, heightening her potential to land the KO/TKO blow she’s known for.
In contrast, Cavalcanti is a long-distance kickboxer with a more technical and refined striking game. Can she keep the striking exchanges at a distance? Probably not; Nunes always finds a way. However, she’s no Francis Ngannou, and more often than not, this forced style doesn’t look pretty, and a more skilled striker like Cavalcanti has the potential to run away on the scorecards once she figures Nunes’ approach out.
Interestingly, both women have a common opponent in Zarah Fairn. While they both won, Nunes was easily hit in her bout, and again, it’s her 5-foot-2-inch frame that lets her down. Now, with a credible striker in front of her, her chances outside of a flash KO don’t look great.
Cavalcanti Moneyline Reasoning
Cavalcanti is faster and significantly taller, and she owns great cardio with a durability that’s never seen her lose by KO/TKO. Nunes heavily relies on power punches in the pocket, and a technical kickboxer with length is possibly the worst stylistic matchup for her.
Nunes is a pressure fighter who relies on a brawling style. This one-dimensional approach won’t be good enough this weekend, as the taller kickboxer with a more refined skill set won’t struggle to piece her up across all three rounds.
UFC Parlay Leg 2: Jacqueline Cavalcanti ML (-200) at Bovada
The Parlay
- Shahbazyan/Meerschaert Under 2.5 Rounds (-300)
- Jacqueline Cavalcanti ML (-200)
UFC Pick: Two-Legged Parlay (+100) at Bovada
*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.
