UFC 271 predictions, best bets, odds: Derrick Lewis, Carlos Ulberg among top picks to consider

UFC 271 goes down this Saturday night from Houston with a major championship rematch in the main event. Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will put his belt on the line against the man he beat to win the title, Robert Whittaker.

Adesanya is a -280 favorite to retain his title, according to Caesars Sportsbook, a sign that the oddsmakers believe we are in for a repeat of the first fight, where Adesanya dominated Whittaker before scoring a second-round knockout. Whittaker sits as a +230 favorite but claims to be more prepared for battle this time around.

This column will be with you each PPV event to help give you some advice on how you can enjoy the fights a little more. Unfortunately, if you followed our advice for UFC 270, your wallet was a lot lighter. But, if you faded it, you made a boat load of cash! We’ll try to right the ship this weekend in Houston.

Can’t get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news.

Caesars Sportsbook has you covered with every angle of UFC 271 to get in on the action. We’re going to give you a few options to consider with this card from our favorite moneyline play, prop play and parlay play. Let’s take a closer look at those picks now.

Best moneyline pick

Derrick Lewis (-180) vs. Tai Tuivasa

Tuivasa is a fun fighter and it’s been great to watch him bounce back from a three-fight losing skid to win four in a row, doing shoeys all along the way. Unfortunately for Tuivasa, Lewis is a different beast than Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy and Augusto Sakai. Lewis routinely beats people around Tuivasa’s level and that’s why he’s become a staple of the top five in the heavyweight division. Lewis at any number under -200 feels like a great value as the more proven fighter who also has routinely displayed an ability to win fights that go past the first round.

Moneyline record to date (2022): 0-1

Best prop pick

Carlos Ulberg via KO/TKO/DQ vs. Fabio Cherant (-137)

Those of us who bet on Ulberg in his UFC debut likely have some instinctive recoil at the thought of betting on him again. Ulberg entered UFC 259 with a lot of hype and got off to a fast start against Kennedy Nzechukwu, hurting Nzechukwu multiple times in an opening round that got progressively more intense until Ulberg gassed himself out and got knocked out in the second round. In trying to get right in his second UFC fight, Ulberg has serious power and he’s been paired with Cherant, who has been submitted in 71 seconds and knocked out in under four minutes in his two UFC bouts to date. It’s set up as a perfect opportunity for Ulberg to score his first UFC win and score it in an impressive way.

Prop pick record to date (2022): 0-1

Best parlay pick

Casey O’Neill (-400) vs. Roxanne Modafferi
Derrick Lewis (-180) vs. Tai Tuivasa
Bobby Green vs. Nasrat Haqparast to go the distance: Yes (-200)

Parlay total: (+192)

Modafferi is a wonderful person and a largely under-appreciated figure in the history of women’s MMA. That said, she’s on her last legs in the sport and the bout with O’Neill is Modafferi’s retirement bout. O’Neill is a dangerous fighter and a heavy favorite for a reason. Fight sports don’t often provide a happy ending. We’ve already covered the reasons to like Lewis against Tuivasa. And in our final leg, we’ll turn to Green and Haqparast to end up going to the judges’ scorecards. Thirteen of Green’s 17 UFC fights have gone to decision. Similarly, six of Haqparast’s eight trips to the Octagon have done to the judges. A competitive fight between two men who tend to go to the cards at -200 is a must-include.

Parlay record to date (2022): 0-1

Who wins Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2? And what other picks do you need to see? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed top picks on UFC 271, all from the insider who’s up more than $10,000 on MMA picks the past two years, and find out.