UFC on ESPN 67 Early Odds & Predictions (Saturday, May 3)

• UFC on ESPN 67 gets underway on Saturday, May 3rd
• Cory Sandhagen takes on Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event
• Dive into the UFC on ESPN 67 early odds and predictions, below

Bantamweights take center stage as Cory Sandhagen meets Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC on ESPN 67 this Saturday, May 3rd. Further down the card, exciting middleweight prospect Bo Nickal meets former One champion Reinier De Ridder in what promises to be an explosive co-main event.

Get your bets in and catch all of the action over on ESPN+ with the undercard starting at 7 pm ET. Don’t miss out on the UFC on ESPN 67 early odds and my predictions.

UFC on ESPN 67 Odds

The early UFC on ESPN 67 odds pit promising middleweight Bo Nickal as a -340 favorite over Reinier de Ridder who comes back as a +270 favorite in the co-main event.

Odds as of April 30th, at DraftKings Sportsbook. Pick out a Draftkings Sportsbook promo code for all your UFC betting action. 

Sandhagen vs Figueiredo Early Prediction

UFC veteran Cory Sandhagen returns to the Octagon for the first time since his loss to Umar Nurmagomedov on Saturday night. Sandhagen is a rangy striker with elite footwork, punching volume and cardio. His unique style and unorthodox movements make a nightmare for slower fighters to track down.

On the other side of the cage, Deiveson Figueiredo looked sharp with three straight wins before a November loss to Petr Yan. Standing at just 5’5″, Figueiredo gives up about six inches in height and three inches in reach in this bout, before accounting for Sandhagen’s pace. The Brazilian will need to be the aggressor in the UFC on ESPN 67 main event, and aim to land power shots to turn this fight into a brawl. That task is easier said than done against one of the most elusive fighters in the UFC bantamweight division.

Stylistically, I don’t like the matchup for Figueiredo. He’s another smaller, powerful fighter who’s likely to get outmaneuvered and outworked by Sandhagen. The other x-factor is Sandhagen’s wrestling ability, which he has used to great effect of late, averaging nearly 2.5 takedowns per fight over his last four bouts. Ultimately, I like Sandhagen’s size, pace and work rate to be the difference in the main event. However, at -535 odds, the moneyline has little value. Back Sandhagen to win by decision at the much more favorable odds of -150.

Sandhagen vs Figueiredo Early Pick: Cory Sandhagen to win by decision -150

De Ridder vs Nickal Early Prediction

Saturday’s co-main event represents a massive step up in competiton for Bo Nickal, who’s been fed a steady diet of one-dimensional strikers thus far in his UFC career. Reinier de Ridder is a former ONE Championship double champ, with legit grappling skills and 14 submission wins on his resume. But, de Ridder’s striking is rudimentary at best, and he’s been brutally knocked out before.

Meanwhile, Nickal is the best wrestler in the UFC. His top control and explosive athleticism give even the most experienced middleweights fits. De Ridder is unlikely to be able to dictate grappling exchanges with the former three-time NCAA champion, and if he can’t land a submission, the MMA veteran will be in big trouble. I’m backing Nickal to get this bout to the mat in the early rounds, and inflict damage until the ref calls off the fight.

De Ridder vs Nickal Early Pick: Bo Nickal to win by KO/TKO +140