In a 3-round men’s middleweight bout on the main card, Robert Valentin and Ryan Loder meet Saturday at UFC on ESPN 62 — also known as UFC Vegas 96 — at the UFC APEX. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC on ESPN 62: Valentin vs. Loder odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
The prelims begin 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+, while the main card starts at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+.
Records: Valentin (11-3-0) | Loder (7-1-0)
The Swiss-born Valentin makes his UFC debut. He posted a 1st-round submission win over Paddy McCorry in The Ultimate Fighter 32 semifinal Aug. 13, and now he gets a shot at the main card in this event. He has posted 4 straight victories since a no contest against Pietro Penini at ARES FC 9 in Nov. 2022.
Loder, a.k.a. the “Man of Steel”, also won in a TUF 32 semifinal in late July, winning via unanimous decision against Omran Chaaban. He has won 3 straight bouts since a split-decision loss in a title fight with Troy Green in Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat 7 back in mid-Jan. 2023.
Both fighters are making their official UFC debuts.
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UFC on ESPN 62: Valentin vs. Loder odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:40 a.m. ET.
- Fight result (2-way line): Valentin -156 (bet $156 to win $100) | Loder +132 (bet $100 to win $132)
- Over/Under: 2.5 rounds (Over +108 | Under -138)
- Will the fight go the distance? (Yes +138 | No -176)
UFC on ESPN 62: Valentin vs. Loder picks and predictions
Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)
The play is on VALENTIN (-156) straight up, although he’ll cost you a nice chunk of change.
He has not wasted any time getting to this point, posting 3 victories in Round 1 across his previous 4 outings. On the flip side, Loder (+132) has been impressive, but he has ended up going the distance in each of his past 2 bouts and 3 of the previous 4 fights.
Go with Valentin, who has been routinely getting finishes.
Over/Under (O/U)
UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (-138) is a good option. While, again, Loder has ended up going the distance in 2 straight fights and 3 of the previous 4 outings, Valentin doesn’t fool around. He hasn’t even made it to Round 2 in 3 of the previous 4 bouts.
In addition, it’s a good idea to roll the dice on VALENTIN BY SUBMISSION (+440) for the chance to more than multiply your wager by 4 times. He has won 3 of his past 4 fights by way of the method.
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