UFC 256 Odds, Picks & Betting Preview – Figueiredo vs Moreno
- Deiveson Figueiredo headlines back-to-back PPV’s
- Will Tony Ferguson get back in the win column in the co-main event?
- See the odds, picks, and betting preview for the full UFC 256 main card, below
The final UFC pay-per-view of the year goes down on Saturday, December 12, at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In the main event of UFC 256, Deiveson Figueiredo is looking to defend his flyweight title for the second time as he takes on Brandon Moreno. The co-main event sees fan-favorite lightweight Tony Ferguson returns against rising contender Charles Oliveira.
UFC 256 airs live on pay-per-view at 10 PM EST. The table below shows odds for the main card at FanDuel and DraftKings, followed by best bets for the event.
UFC 256 Main Card Odds
| Fighter | Odds at FanDuel | Odds at DraftKings |
|---|---|---|
| Deiveson Figueiredo | -355 | -335 |
| Brandon Moreno | +270 | +250 |
| Fighter | Odds | Odds |
| Tony Ferguson | -176 | -175 |
| Charles Oliveira | +142 | +140 |
| Fighter | Odds | Odds |
| Renato Moicano | +122 | +130 |
| Rafael Fiziev | -150 | -159 |
| Fighter | Odds | Odds |
| Kevin Holland | -115 | -106 |
| Jacare Souza | -105 | -118 |
| Fighter | Odds | Odds |
| Junior dos Santos | +330 | +333 |
| Ciryl Gane | -450 | -455 |
All odds taken Dec. 10
How Will The Quick Turnaround Impact Figueiredo & Moreno?
Both Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno fought at UFC 255 on November 21 and are making a three-week turnaround to fight at UFC 256. Following the November PPV, news came out that Petr Yan vs Aljamain Sterling was off. The UFC needed to add another title fight to this card, and both men agreed to make the quick turnaround.
Figueiredo & Moreno Recent Fights
| Alex Perez, win by submission (title fight) | Fight 1 | Brandon Royval, win by TKO |
| Joseph Benavidez, win by submission (title fight) | Fight 2 | Jussier Formiga, win by decision |
| Joseph Benavidez, win by TKO | Fight 3 | Kai Kara-France, win by decision |
| Tim Elliott, win by submission | Fight 4 | Askar Askarov, draw |
Throughout his run in the UFC, Deiveson Figueiredo has made it look easy. However, he did suffer a loss to Formiga where he had a plethora of injuries in the lead up to the fight.
However, I believe Moreno is the toughest test for him, but I wish this fight was happening on a full camp for both men. The back-to-back weight cuts are a concern for both men. But they both told SBD they will make it with ease and don’t think it will hinder them.
Next up… 🏆
[ December 12th – LIVE on #ESPNPlus PPV ] pic.twitter.com/xYIKedMjvi— UFC (@ufc) December 6, 2020
Entering the fight the common perception is the longer the fight goes it will be Moreno having success. Although Figueiredo has better cardio than most think, Moreno pushes a high pace and has gone into the fifth round before.
Figueiredo vs Moreno Stats
| 32 | Age | 27 |
| 5’5″ | Height | 5’7″ |
| 68″ | Reach | 70″ |
| 7 | UFC finishes | 3 |
A big question I have is can Figueiredo finish Moreno. The Mexican has never been finished in his UFC career. Only on The Ultimate Fighter was Moreno submitted, but that is considered an exhibition bout. However, I do think Figueiredo is a different beast, and I expect the two to engage in the pocket and both men to land heavy shots.
Eventually, in the second or third round, the champ will drop Moreno. He will either finish him off via TKO or follow him to the ground and submit him. Either way, I expect Bruce Buffer to say ‘And Still’ and Figueiredo remains the flyweight champ.
Pick: Deiveson Figueiredo (-335)
Will Ferguson Get Back Into The Win Column?
Tony Ferguson is back and looking to get start another winning streak after he was completely dominated by Justin Gaethje for the interim lightweight title back in May.
Ferguson & Oliveira Recent Fights
| Justin Gaethje, loss by TKO (interim title fight) | Fight 1 | Kevin Lee, win by submission |
| Donald Cerrone, win by TKO | Fight 2 | Jared Gordon, win by KO |
| Anthony Pettis, win by TKO | Fight 3 | Nik Lentz, win by TKO |
| Kevin Lee, win by submission (interim title fight) | Fight 4 | David Teymur, win by submission |
This is a phenomenal fight and one that Charles Oliveira has deserved for a long time.
The Brazilian contender is on a lengthy seven-fight winning streak but hasn’t got the big step up in competition he deserved to prove how good he is. However, I do have some questions about him as every time he gets a step up he falters, as evident by the Max Holloway and Paul Felder losses.
In this fight, I expect Ferguson to be able to keep the fight standing and out jab Oliveira to win a clear decision and get back into the win column. -175 is also a very fair price to pay for Ferguson.
Pick: Tony Ferguson (-175)
Other UFC 256 Picks:
- Renato Moicano (+130): This is a pick’em fight, so to get plus-money on Moicano is a solid bet as I like him to use his range and footwork to pick Fizev apart and win a decision.
- Jacare Souza (-105): This won’t be a popular pick as Holland has all the hype as he looks to go 5-0 in 2020. The last time Holland fought a grappler was against Brendan Allen, and he got submitted. I expect this same here for Souza to get a second-round submission.
- Ciryl Gane (-450): The UFC is trying to push Gane into the top-10, but -400 is way too high of a price to pay. Instead, a Gane to win inside the distance is -160 is a much better bet.
Cole graduated from Sheridan College in April of 2019 with a diploma in journalism. He now is a full-time freelance writer, focusing on MMA for sites like BJPENN, while also covering the Toronto Blue Jays as a credentialed media member. At SBD, Cole covers the four major sports and MMA.
