UFC 318 Predictions, Picks & Best Bets for the Main Card Tonight

Holloway vs Poirier

Rohit Ponnaiya

Best bet: Poirier moneyline
+115 at Bet99

Max Holloway faces Dustin Poirier for the symbolic BMF title at UFC 318 tonight, with Poirier aiming to shine in his home state while Holloway recovers from a recent knockout loss, raising concerns about his durability. Despite Holloway's striking record, Poirier's power gives him the edge in what could be a pivotal fight for both.

Costa vs Kopylov

Rohit Ponnaiya

Best bet: Costa moneyline
+180 at Bet99

Costa has poor fight I,Q and his motivation has been suspect ever since getting embarrassed by Israel Adesanya when he challenged for the belt in 2020. However, if you're looking purely at the skillset and physical attributes of these two fighters, Costa has the edge.

Keep in mind that at one point, Borrachina looked like a future champ, and he's still in peak shape at 34 years old — the same age as Kopylov, who has far less experience against elite foes. That makes Costa the value play at +180. 

Holland vs Rodriguez

Rohit Ponnaiya

Best bet: Holland by submission or decision
-135 at Bet99

Kevin Holland fights Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318 on Saturday, where he's favored for a KO/TKO at +200, but Rodriguez's durability poses a challenge, having only been knocked out once in 24 fights. With Holland's grappling prowess, a submission victory may be more likely.

Ige vs Pitbull

Danny Howard

Best bet: Ige to win by decision
+120 at Bet99

Bellator legend Patricio Pitbull aims for his first UFC victory against durable Dan Ige, who applies pressure with steady, consistent striking but is not a known finisher. Pitbull's toughness will keep him competitive, but if Ige controls the fight like Yair Rodriguez did, he may safely seek a finish without taking major risks.

Johnson vs Zellhuber

Chris Faria

Best bet: Zellhuber by decision
+160 at Bet99

UFC 318 kicks off with Michael Johnson vs. Daniel Zellhuber — a vet vs. prospect clash. Zellhuber’s a sharp striker but lacks KO power, with 5 of his last 6 going to the scorecards. Johnson is incredibly tough to finish. Zellhuber by decision is the pick, but a sub at +350 is worth a look.

+326 parlay

Tony Sartori

Carli Judice moneyline

Ateba Gautier by KO/TKO

Vinicius Oliveira by decision

+326 at Bet99

Carli Judice is a heavy favorite in this matchup, and for good reason. Judice moves well and manages distance effectively before attacking with sharp kickboxing. That approach should be enough to defeat the low-level Nicolle Caliari.

Ateba Gautier is another sizable favorite this Saturday as he meets Robert Valentin in a middleweight fight. While Valentin is the toughest opponent Gautier has faced, that may not matter if Gautier ends things early, an outcome oddsmakers expect.

Ranked bantamweights square off in the featured prelim as Kyler Phillips takes on Vinicius Oliveira.

Phillips’ cardio is a major concern and the key reason he’s the underdog in a fight expected to go the distance. 

As a result, Phillips will likely try to stay on the feet, but his striking can be wild and inaccurate. Meanwhile, Oliveira outlasted Said Nurmagomedov after he faded, and a similar outcome appears likely in this matchup.