UFC predictions: Fight Night picks for Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze pool

UFC Fight Night is back from the UFC APEX on Saturday, January 15th from Las Vegas, Nevada. The four-bout prelim card is set to start at 5:00 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN+. The main card consists of six fights and is scheduled to start at 7:00 p.m. ET and will air on both ESPN and ESPN+. The main event of the evening will be a featherweight battle between Calvin Kattar and Giga Chikadze.

While there are many ways to place bets for UFC Fight Night at DraftKings Sportsbook, you won’t want to miss the free $5,000 pool for the main event. If so, here are some of our favorite picks for the main event.

Who will land more significant strikes?

I went with Chikadze here because of his recent fights and how he has looked. In his last matchup against Edson Barboza, he had a submission lock that Barboza snuck out of and while he was getting to his feet, Chikadze popped him and it was lights out. He is an aggressive fighter and Kattar hasn’t fought for almost an entire year. Chikadze is going to bring the fight to Kattar and I think he has more significant strikes.

Will this fight go the distance?

My choice here was no, even with Kattar’s last two fights going the distance. Chikadze has looked like a brand new fighter over his last three matches. Of his 19 career professional fights, he has gone to a decision only five times. Over his nine-fight win streak, Chikadze has ended the fight early five times from knockouts and submissions. While Kattar is likely going to be on the defensive fighting for the first time in a year, I don’t think he has the stamina to last with Chikadze.

Who will win?

This should go as no surprise that I think that Chikadze has this one in the bag. It would be huge for Kattar to come back from nearly a year off of fighting to pull out a win here, but the cards aren’t in his favor. I think that Chikadze has multiple ways that he can get to Kattar between his ground and pound strikes and the versatile submissions holds that he has in his arsenal. That doesn’t even take into account the striking ability and while Kattar hasn’t ever been knocked out in his career, I think that streak ends on Saturday. Chikadze for the win.

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