UFC 332 Prelims Predictions & Picks: Best Bets Include Naurdiev vs Vettori

• UFC 332 prelims offer massive betting value before the main card
• I’m backing precise strikers to expose fading veterans
• Read my expert UFC 332 prelim predictions, picks, and best bets including Naurdiev vs Vettori, below

UFC 332 touches down at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The action kicks off this afternoon, with the early prelims starting at 4:00 PM ET on Paramount+.

While the masses are waiting for the Natalia Silva vs Cong Wang title fight to cap off the night, sharp bettors know the real value hides in the undercard. I have scoured the numbers to find the most exploitable lines.

My favorite target tonight is the middleweight clash between Ismail Naurdiev and Marvin Vettori. The betting public often overvalues name recognition, creating a perfect storm for us to cash in on rising contenders with superior striking metrics.

Let’s dive into my official UFC 332 prelim predictions, picks and best including Naurdiev vs Vettori, below.

UFC 332 Prelim Odds

Odds as of fight week at BetMGM. Check out the best UFC betting apps for UFC 332 on Saturday.

The UFC 332 prelim odds are weighed down by chalk at the bottom of the card. Jacobe Smith at -1000, with both Anthony Wint and Damian Pinas at -588 and Marcus McGhee at -500, are the four shortest prices on the board, which is exactly why I am pivoting into the method-of-victory markets instead of laying that kind of juice.

Michael Parkin vs Johnny Walker at +100/-120 is the only true pick’em on the prelims, with Vettori vs Naurdiev odds and Alden Coria vs Imanol Rodriguez both sitting a tick behind it. Line movement has been relatively stable, but keep an eye on the distance totals as we get closer to the opening bell.

UFC 332 Prelim Predictions

UFC 332 Prelims Pick: Vettori vs Naurdiev Prediction

• UFC 332 Prelim Pick #1: Ismail Naurdiev Moneyline (-145 at BetMGM)

My analysis points directly to Ismail Naurdiev getting his hand raised in this middleweight clash. While these two have never met in the octagon, their recent performance metrics reveal a distinct divergence in striking efficiency.

Naurdiev enters this bout flashing serious accuracy. Against Bruno Silva, he landed 66 significant strikes at a crisp 56.9% clip. He is incredibly dangerous early, evidenced by his recent first-round knockout over Ryan Loder where he needed just six attempts to secure a knockdown.

Marvin Vettori has completely fallen off a cliff regarding his suffocating pressure. In his recent unanimous decision loss to Brunno Ferreira, Vettori absorbed 77 significant strikes. He allowed Ferreira to connect on over 51% of his attempts.

Vettori consistently goes the distance in taxing, high-volume bouts, eating unnecessary damage along the way. Naurdiev has the precision and sudden power to capitalize on those defensive gaps. Lay the juice on the rising prospect. New users can claim the BetMGM promo code to score a bonus to use on tonight’s fights.

UFC 332 Prelims Best Bet: Dos Anjos vs Hernandez Prediction

• UFC 332 Prelim Pick #2: Alexander Hernandez by KO/TKO (+125 at BetMGM)

Alexander Hernandez is my definitive pick to defeat the veteran Rafael Dos Anjos. Since Hernandez sits at a steep -286 on the moneyline, we are pivoting to the method of victory prop to find actual betting value.

Hernandez has been showing off exceptional finishing capabilities lately. He collected massive highlight-reel finishes against Chase Hooper and Diego Ferreira. In both of those victories, he recorded multiple knockdowns and commanded the center of the cage with absolute authority.

Rafael Dos Anjos has absorbed considerable damage in his recent outings, raising major red flags against a heavy hitter. In his bout against Geoffrey Neal, Dos Anjos was overwhelmed and put away in the very first round.

The aging veteran managed to land only four significant strikes before succumbing to Neal’s sheer power. Given the fact that Hernandez drops his opponents early and often, I fully expect him to capitalize on RDA’s fading chin. Take the plus money on the knockout.

UFC 332 Prelims Long-Shot Pick: Pulyaev vs Pinas Prediction

• UFC 332 Prelim Pick #3: Damian Pinas by Submission (+900 at BetMGM)

Damian Pinas has been an absolute wrecking ball inside the cage. The underlying statistics strongly back him as the predicted winner over Andrey Pulyaev.

Pinas’s recent streak is defined by blistering first-round knockouts, landing a staggering 75.76% of his significant strikes against Cesar Almeida. However, laying -588 on the straight moneyline is bad business. Instead, we are hunting for a massive payout by targeting a glaring stylistic vulnerability in his opponent.

Pulyaev has proven highly susceptible to early grappling blitzes. He suffered a fast first-round submission loss to Nursulton Ruziboev in a fight where Pulyaev landed just two significant strikes before tapping out.

While Pinas loves to throw heavy leather, he is a smart fighter who will take the path of least resistance if Pulyaev leaves his neck exposed after getting hurt on the feet. At a whopping +900, sprinkling a small unit on the Pinas submission is my favorite longshot play of the night.