The UFC returns after a week off for a solid UFC Houston card on Saturday, February 21. The main event sees middleweight contenders throw down, as Anthony Hernandez takes on former title contender Sean Strickland.
UFC Houston: MMA Betting Picks and Odds Insight
Below, I'll share my UFC Houston predictions, including my favorite pick, an underdog, a prop and a two-fighter parlay. All UFC odds are via the DraftKings Sportsbook and are accurate as of the post date of this article.
Weight Class: Heavyweight
Ante Delija (26-7) vs. Serghei Spivac (17-6)
On the main card of UFC Houston, I'm taking Ante Delija to defeat Serghei Spivac in a heavyweight bout.
Delija is coming off a weird KO loss to Waldo Cortes-Acosta in a fight he thought he won by TKO, but it was ruled he poked Cortes-Acosta in the eye, and he admitted it was hard for him to get back on track.
In this fight, I like Delija to keep it standing and get a KO win over Spivac. Spivac's chin appears to be done, and his striking defense leaves a lot to be desired.
Delija has a ton of power, lands at a higher volume and has superior defensive marks. I predict he'll swarm Spivac early and get him out of there in Round 1. That prop can be had at (+235), but the safest route is to just bet on the victory.
UFC Houston Bet: Ante Delija (-148)
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Weight Class: Middleweight
Zachary Reese (10-2) vs. Michel Pereira (31-14)
For my underdog pick at UFC Houston, I'm taking Zachary Reese to beat Michel Pereira.
Reese and Pereira are both inconsistent. Sometimes they look great, while other times they struggle. In this one, I'll take a shot at Reese at plus-money.
Reese has looked better as of late, while Pereira is coming off a quick KO loss to Kyle Daukaus. I worry about Pereira's chin, but I expect Reese to be able to take the Brazilian down and have success on the ground, leading to a stoppage win.
UFC Houston Bet: Zachary Reese (+130)
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Weight Class: Middleweight
Anthony Hernandez (15-2) vs. Sean Strickland (29-7)
For my prop at UFC Houston, I'm taking Anthony Hernandez to defeat Sean Strickland by decision.
Hernandez is someone I've been super high on for a long time, and I believe this is a great matchup for him. Strickland doesn't have KO power and instead relies on his volume and pace to break his opponents.
Hernandez, meanwhile, might have the best cardio in the division and is also a relentless wrestler and grappler. I expect Hernandez to push the pace and win minutes by taking Strickland down and pushing him up against the cage.
Although Hernandez does have plenty of finishes, Strickland is as durable as they come, and is savvy enough on the ground to avoid getting choked out. Effectively, this should be a lopsided decision win for Hernandez.
UFC Houston Bet: Anthony Hernandez by decision (+125)
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Weight Class: Women's bantamweight & flyweight
Joselyne Edwards (16-6) vs. Nora Cornolle (9-3)
Alden Coria (11-3) vs. Luis Gurule (10-2)
For my parlay at UFC Houston, I'm taking Joselyne Edwards and Alden Coria to get their hands raised Saturday.
Edwards and Cornolle fought back in September of 2023, and it was Cornolle who won. Since then, their careers have gone in two different directions, and this is a great spot for Edwards to avenge her loss. Edwards has won three straight fights, and she should be able to land the more damaging shots on the feet to edge out a decision win here.
To close out the parlay, I like Coria to beat Gurule. Coria is coming off a solid debut in which he scored a third-round knockout win. He now takes on Gurule, who's 0-2 in the UFC. Coria has the wrestling advantage, as he should be able to take Gurule down to control him and slow him down. From there, he'll land the better shots and likely get a TKO win.
UFC Houston Bet: Joselyne Edwards & Alden Coria parlay (-130)
UFC Houston Best Bets
Here is a recap of my best UFC picks for this weekend's UFC Houston card.
- Ante Delija (-148)
- Zachary Reese (+130)
- Anthony Hernandez by decision (+125)
- Joselyne Edwards & Alden Coria parlay (-130)
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