UFC Vegas 76 is set to get going this weekend from the Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, July 1 at 7 p.m. ET. There is a six-bout main card highlighted by a middleweight fight between #7 Sean Strickland and Abus Magomedov. Also notable on the main card is a lightweight fight between Ismael Bonfim and Benoit Saint-Denis.
Bonfim (19-3) is a Dana White Contender Series product, who defeated Terrance McKinney by way of an impressive second-round knockout at UFC 283 in January. Bonfim finished McKinney with a flying knee and took home the win in his UFC debut. The 27-year-old has not lost a professional fight since 2014. Bonfim has a 71” reach along with a 57% striking accuracy while landing 5.3 strikes per minute.
Saint-Denis (10-1) had a successful 2022, winning back-to-back fights over Niklas Stole and Gabriel Miranda. In both bouts he finished his opponents in the second round, one a TKO stoppage and the other a submission. Saint-Denis has a 73” reach, landing 4.3 strikes per minute along with a 52% striking accuracy. Among his 10 career wins, 8 have come by submission.
How to watch Ismael Bonfim vs. Benoit Saint-Denis
Date: Saturday, July 1
Fight time: Main card starts at 7 p.m. ET
Live stream: ESPN+
DraftKings Sportsbook Odds/Predictions
Bonfim: -305
Saint-Denis: +255
Splits: 86% of handle, 87% of bets on Bonfim
A little surprising to see Saint-Denis as a big underdog as the public is siding with Bonfim to outclass him. This fight will be a lot closer than most think despite Bonfim’s ability to land and connect on big-time strikes. One note is that all three of his losses have come by submission. This bout will come down to how well Bonfim can elude the takedowns from Saint-Denis who is very good at setting up submissions. It’ll be tough to call, but Bonfim to win by knockout (+175) is most likely, but if you’re chasing an upset Saint-Denis by sub (+800) is a long shot also worth taking.