UFC Vegas 45 Odds, Picks & Betting Preview – Lewis vs Daukaus

• The final UFC event of 2021 goes down on Saturday, December 18, 2021
• Derrick Lewis returns in the main event against streaking contender, Chris Daukaus
• See the UFC Vegas 45 odds below, along with our best bet predictions for the main card

The UFC remains in Las Vegas, Nevada but goes to the UFC Apex on Saturday, December 18 for UFC Vegas 45, which serves as the final event of 2021. In the main event, Derrick Lewis looks to get back into the win column as he battles Chris Daukaus as a short underdog in the UFC Vegas 45 odds.

UFC Vegas 45 airs live on ESPN+ at 7 PM EST. The table below shows UFC Vegas 45 odds for the main card at Barstool Sportsbook followed by best bets.

UFC Vegas 45 Odds

All odds as of December 13 at Barstool Sportsbook

Lewis vs Daukaus Odds & Betting Analysis

Chris Daukaus gets a massive step up in competition in his first UFC main event as he faces fan-favorite and the all-time leader in knockouts at heavyweight in Derrick Lewis. It’s a fascinating fight and could serve as a crossroads fight for Lewis if he loses.

Lewis vs Daukaus Recent Fights

Daukaus is just 4-0 in the UFC but has three first-round knockouts and in his last fight, got it in the second round. If he can get past Lewis he would be in title contention at heavyweight and could just be a win away from fighting for the belt. Lewis, meanwhile, needs this win as if he loses, his time as a top contender could be over, but should he win, he’s right back in the title picture.

Lewis vs Daukaus Stats

This is a very intriguing matchup as it could very well come down to can Daukaus avoid Lewis’ right hand for 25 minutes? We have seen Lewis fight in main events before and go into the fourth round, while Daukaus has been booked for 25 minutes on the regional scene but never got the championship rounds.

On the feet, there is no question Daukaus is the better striker but Lewis has the one-punch KO power. If Daukaus can use his speed advantage and piece up Lewis and frustrate him, as we saw Ciryl Gane do, he could find the finish. However, he can’t get too aggressive as Lewis just needs to land one, and we have also seen him throw unique kicks that catch a lot of heavyweights off guard.

I do expect Lewis to hurt Daukaus at some point in this fight, but I like Daukaus’ boxing and footwork to avoid the power shots for the most part. In the end, I think Daukaus gets it done by third or fourth-round TKO to pick up the biggest win of his career. The moneyline bet on Daukaus is solid, and you could very well play him by KO in the UFC Vegas 45 odds.

Pick: Chris Daukaus (-134) at Barstool Sportsbook

Thompson vs Muhammad Odds, Pick and Prediction

Stephen Thompson looks to get back into the win column and prove he’s still a title contender as he faces Belal Muhammad, who gets a chance to become a top-five welterweight.

Thompson & Muhammad Recent Fights

This fight really comes down to whether or not Thompson can stuff the takedowns of Muhammad. If Muhammad can get and hold Thompson down he wins this fight by decision, however, I think Wonderboy will be able to keep it standing.

On the feet, Thompson is a much better striker than Muhammad as we saw Leon Edwards piece up Muhammad before the fight was called off. I expect Wonderboy to pick apart Muhammad and win a decision, which is a better way to attack this fight from a betting perspective. Even though it’s pricey, take Thompson to win in the UFC Vegas 45 odds.

Pick: Stephen Thompson (-250) at Barstool Sportsbook

Other UFC Vegas 45 Picks:

1. Amanda Lemos (-420): Lemos is the real deal and has massive power at strawweight, and I expect her to TKO Hill in this one.
2. Ricky Simon (-265): Simon’s wrestling and pressure will be too much for Assuncao and he wins a clear-cut decision.
3. Mateusz Gamrot (-182): Gamrot is very well-rounded and will be too much for Ferreira, and score a late TKO or submission in the third.
4. Cub Swanson (-215): Swanson is the better striker and will keep it standing to win a decision.