UFC 311 is taking place on Saturday, January 11, at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. Arman Tsarukyan had to pull out from his title fight against Islam Makhachev due to a back injury on Friday. Makhachev is now defending his title against No. 10 Renato Moicano in the main event of UFC 311.
This event features 14 fights, but which fighters should you back? Check out my two best bets below for UFC 311: Makhachev vs. Moicano. Check out my full preview for the event right here.
Jiri Prochazka Moneyline (+105)
No. 2 Prochazka is fighting No. 3 Jamahal Hill in a three-round light heavyweight bout. Although Prochazka lost two of his previous three fights by knockout, he is still capable of greatness. Prochazka is 4-2 in the UFC, winning each fight by finish. He is 30-5-1 in his professional MMA career, with 26 knockouts and three submissions.
Hill also was knocked out by current light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira in his last bout. But Hill has been recovering from injuries and hasn’t fought in nine months. Prochazka has a one-inch reach advantage (80″ vs. 79″), while Hill is taller (6’4″ vs. 6’3″).
Getting Prochazka at plus-money (+105) on DraftKings Sportsbook is excellent value, considering how close this matchup is. Hill lands 1.8 more significant strikes per minute, but Prochazka is the more efficient striker, landing 55 percent of his punches. After being finished by Pereira the first time, Prochazka came back and knocked out Aleksandar Rakic. Hill hasn’t won a fight since January 2023, and he needs to prove he can still compete at the highest level.
Jailton Almeida to Win by KO/TKO/DQ or Submission (-200)
No. 6 Jailton Almeida is fighting No. 7 Serghei Spivac in a top-10 heavyweight matchup. Since both fighters are closely ranked, it was surprising to see Almeida as a big favorite at -470 while Spivac is +360.
Almeida suffered his first loss in the company at UFC 299 but bounced back in a big way by submitting Alexandr Romanov in June. He is 7-1 in the promotion and has 20 finishes in his 21 career wins. Although Spivac is talented on the ground, Almeida is on a different level. He averages over two more takedowns per 15 minutes than Spivac (6.85 vs. 4.63).
Spivac has a 70 percent takedown accuracy rate, but if Almeida succeeds in taking him down, he will likely finish this contest.
Payton Talbott to Win by KO/TKO/DQ (-185)
Talbott, 26, is one of the UFC’s most exciting and intriguing prospects. He is 9-0 overall and 3-0 in the UFC with three finishes. Although he cut his unique hairstyle, he still possesses an elite talent skill set. Saturday, he faces Raoni Barcelos, who is 7-4 in the company.
You can get Talbott at -185 on DraftKings Sportsbook to pick up his fourth straight victory and finish in the UFC. Talbott is the biggest favorite on this card at -1050. This is a mismatch against Barcelos, as Talbott has a three-inch edge in reach and height. It seems that Talbott is destined for greatness, and this is another big opportunity for him to shine on a big stage.
