UFC Vegas 9 Odds, Picks & Predictions – Overeem vs Sakai

• Top-10 heavyweights collide in the main event this Saturday (Sep. 5th)
• Can Augusto Sakai remain undefeated in the UFC?
• See the odds, picks, and betting preview for the full UFC Vegas 9 main card below

The UFC remains in Las Vegas, Nevada, for three more weeks before heading back out to Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

In the main event of UFC Vegas 9 this Saturday (Sep. 5th) Alistair Overeem is looking to extend his winning streak as he battles surging contender Augusto Sakai. The co-main event sees Ovince Saint Preux and Alonzo Menifield getting rebooked after their Aug. 22nd fight was canceled on the day of the event due to OSP testing positive for COVID-19.

The UFC Vegas 9 main card airs live on ESPN at 8:00 pm ET. The table below shows odds for the main card at FanDuel and DraftKings, followed by best bets for the event.

UFC Vegas 9 Main Card Odds

Odds as of August 31.

Can Overeem Turn Back the Clock Once More?

Alistair Overeem is 40 years old but is still as dangerous as ever. He has also been the main event in his last three fights. Augusto Sakai, meanwhile, has been rising up the ranks and gets his biggest test in the main event of UFC Vegas 9.

Overeem & Sakai Recent Fights

This is the perfect test to see if Sakai is the real deal at heavyweight. The Brazilian has had his moments, in particular his 59-second knockout of Marcin Tybura. Yet, he also has had his struggles, like narrowly getting past Blagoy Ivanov and Andrei Arlovski by split decision. Out of 13 MMA media members, 12 saw the fight for Arlovski, who has not been the same fighter in the past couple of years.

The oddsmakers have set the line perfectly; Overeem should be the favorite but, at these odds, you will see action on both men.

Many view this as a striking matchup. Yet, ever since Overeem started to train at Team Elevation in Denver with the likes of Curtis Blaydes and Neil Magny, his ground game has been much better.

I have concerns about how Sakai’s cardio will fare in the championship rounds, if it gets there. Ultimately, I expect Overeem to be the better striker, which will make it tough for the Brazilian to last into the fourth round. Once Sakai tires out, Overeem will use his improved wrestling to get the fight to the ground and earn a ground-and-pound TKO win.

Pick: Alistair Overeem (-184)

Overeem vs Sakai Stats

How Do the Extra Two Weeks Play a Factor in Saint Preux vs Menifield?

Saint Preux and \Menifield were scheduled to fight on August 22 at UFC Vegas 7, but on the day of the event, it was scratched due to a positive COVID-19 test on OSP’s side.

Saint Preux & Menifield Recent Fights

When I broke down this fight two weeks ago, I didn’t like Menifield taking it on eight days’ notice and I thought Saint Preux would be able to tire him out and eventually get a submission win.

Now, however, with the fight being delayed two weeks and Saint Preux having COVID-19, I think it puts the fight in Menifield’s favor. We have seen fighters who contracted coronavirus look like lesser versions of themselves, especially when it comes to their gas tank.

With Menifield having an extra two weeks to prepare, his cardio should be there. He will land the knockout punch in the second round.

Currently, there are no odds as the UFC only confirmed this fight on Saturday night. When the fight was scheduled on Aug. 22, Menifield was a slight -120 favorite with OSP a +110 underdog. The odds will likely be very similar when they re-open.

Pick: Alonzo Menifield

Other UFC Vegas 9 Picks:

• • Karol Rosa (-142): Rosa should be able to piece up Eubanks en route to a decision win.
  • Michel Pereira (-110): This is a crazy fight but I expect Pereira to land the knockout punch in the first or second.
  • Jalin Turner (+175): I don’t understand these odds as I believe Jalin Turner is better everywhere and should earn a decision win.