UFC 300 is an intriguing mix of former champs and rising stars

When the UFC 300 fight card was revealed, there was a big groan from critics. The card lacks one signature superstar and one can’t-miss match as a headliner.

But as we draw closer to Saturday’s showdown in Las Vegas, it’s clear what UFC 300 has is depth and quality. There are reasons to watch the main card, undercard and prelims and just the number itself, 300, is reason for people to tune in and they won’t be disappointed.

Michigan Sportsbooks never miss a big event like UFC 300 and you’ll find plenty of bets on the winners of each match at DraftKings and PointsBet Sportsbooks. There are also bets on the method of victory in each fight and props on how long each fight will go.

Headliner Goes Here

Officially, the marquee event on the card is a light heavyweight battle between Brazil’s “Hands of Stone’ Alex Pereira and Chicago’s Jamahal Hill.

Pereira has won two UFC titles at light heavyweight and middleweight, making him just the ninth UFC fighter to win straps in two different weight classes. He’s officially 9-2 in his UFC career. He lost the middleweight belt to Israel Adesanya at UFC 291.

Pereira is a legit champion, just not a big-time story, but that’s where Hill comes in. Hill seemed bound for legendary UFC status after winning a unanimous decision over Glover Teixeira at UFC 283, but then bang, a blown Achilles tendon while playing basketball forced him to drop his belt last June.

It’s a good fight with a good storyline, but probably not the main event UFC fans wanted. Pereira is -155 moneyline favorite at DraftKings.

The Co-Main Event is also a unique choice in that it’s a women’s strawweight title fight between Chinese born Zhang Wieli and Yan Xiaonan. Zhang is 24-3 and the favorite, but remember, UFC boss Dana White knows they can buy PPV events in China too.

Who’s a BMF?

Another unofficial belt is on the line, the UFC’s BMF belt (you can figure out what it stands for, just think of Samuel L. Jackson) when Justin Gaethje meets Max Holloway in a lightweight fight. Gaethje is the current owner of the BMF belt. UFC fans will never forget his fight of the year classic against Michael Chandler at UFC 268 in 2021. He’s just 3-2 in his last five fights.

Holloway is a former featherweight UFC champion and had 32 matches in the octagon, and he’s only been submitted once. He’s 25-7 in his career. Gaethje is a big favorite at -238 to win.

Next? And Maybe Next?

The UFC is taking this opportunity to showcase a potential star in former Penn State wrestling champion Bo Nickal who gets a fight on the main card. Nickal is 5-0 in his UFC career, all first-round finishes. He’s a whopping -1350 favorite to destroy 10-5 Cody Brundage.

The prelims feature former women’s champion Holly Holm, now 42, fighting against rising star Kayla Harrison in a bantamweight fight. Harrison is 16-1 in his MMA career, with six knockouts and nine first-round finishes.

By:Darren Cooper

Born and raised in Louisiana, Darren Cooper has a fond appreciation for bayous, Mardi Gras beads and the sports betting industry. Darren has worked for multiple print and online publications since 1998, primarily as a sports columnist in the Northeast. He’s covered a Super Bowl (it was a blowout), the World Series (same) and the NBA Draft (man, those guys are tall). For the last few years he’s dug deep into the sports gambling industry as it exploded across America, learning how the legal sausage is made and how while all the sportsbooks look the same, they all have different identities and styles. He’s learned to always bet within his means -- and take the under. When not in front of his computer creating, Darren spends time with his three boys. He runs, reads and is always looking for the next big thing to write about.