The final fight of the UFC 327 Early Prelims is Chris Padilla vs. MarQuel Mederos in a Lightweight bout. Padilla is 4-0 in the UFC with three finishes, while Mederos is 3-0 in the promotion. This is an intriguing bout between two rising prospects at 155 pounds. The Early Prelims start at 5:30 p.m. ET on Paramount+.
Check out my best bet for Chris Padilla vs. MarQuel Mederos at UFC 327 in Miami, Florida.
Chris Padilla Moneyline (-162)
In this fight, Mederos is one inch taller (5’10” vs. 5’9″), but Padilla has the longer reach (74″ vs. 69″). On the feet, Mederos lands 0.6 more significant strikes per minute (4.84 vs. 4.78) while being more accurate (56% vs. 54%). But Padilla is the better fighter on the ground, landing 1.18 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Padilla is a -162 favorite with Mederos being a +136 underdog on DraftKings Sportsbook. This fight is -225 to go the distance and +165 to end before the allotted 15 minutes.
I favor Padilla in this contest due to his reach advantage and his more versatile skill set. Padilla is on a seven-fight winning streak and has been more aggressive during this stretch. If he can keep Mederos at range while picking him apart on the feet, he should be able to win this contest.