UFC 311: Dvalishvili vs Nurmagomedov Fight Preview, UFC Odds and Top Picks for Jan 18

All eyes are on the matchup between Merab Dvalishvili and Umar Nurmagomedov this Saturday at UFC 311, where the bantamweights fight for the title. UFC betting odds have champion Dvalishvili at +225, and it’s rare to see a champion despised in the markets.

Let’s look at our Dvalishvile vs Nurmagomedov odds and find the best bets today.

Dvalishvili vs Nurmagomedov Fight Information

• Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 18 – 10 p.m. ET  
• Location: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA
• How to Watch: UFC Fight Pass
• Main Event Fight: Islam Makhachev vs Arman Tsarukyan

Monitor UFC news for any updates in advance of Saturday night’s fight.

Best Bets for Dvalishvili vs Nurmagomedov: ML and Prop Picks

1. Umar Nurmagomedov (-310)

It’s hard to bet against Nurmagomedov. He has been avoided by many of the division’s best fighters, and there is a reason for that.

As UFC 311 betting lines suggest, the 29-year-old Russian looks unbeatable at this stage of his career, and being 18-0 attests to that. He comes off a decision win over a game Cory Sandhagen, who was outstruck by 123 to 80 strikes.

Despite his last two fights going to a decision, Nurmagomedov showed his power when knocking out Raoni Barcelos in the first round in 2023. He also submitted Brian Kelleher in 2022, so he has a good all-round game.

Getting ready pic.twitter.com/8WWOUTAcQM

— Umar Nurmagomedov (@UNmgdv) December 23, 2024

Dvalishvili can’t be underestimated as the champion. He made Sean O’Malley look second-rate at UFC 306, and that’s not easy to do. However, as good as he’s been, Nurmagomedov has something different about him.

Aljamain Sterling believes Dvalishvili will be too strong for the contender, but we respectfully disagree.

“I think if we can keep the fight where we want it, Merab is gonna shut a lot of people up and gonna prove a lot of people right that he is who he says he is,” Sterling said. “No disrespect to Umar by any means. For me, it just comes down to one guy has done the work, one guy is being propped up by the accolades of what his relative has done.”

He loves to grind out a win and doesn’t stop coming forward. Dvalishvili could be on the back foot for a change, which is why we’re locking in Nurmagomedov at -300, which is worth including in UFC parlay picks today.

Bet on Umar Nurmagomedov to win the bout (-310)

2. Nurmagomedov by Decision (-110)

Our UFC expert betting picks have Nurmagomedov winning by decision, which pays -110. That’s a healthy price for a fight that has every chance of going all the way.

Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov have enough power and technical ability to end the fight early, but this could be an instant classic five-round title fight. They will throw plenty of punches, but we expect it to go the full 25 minutes.

We also expect Nurmagomedov to come out ahead with the judges’ scorecards, and -110 is a fair price at BetUS Sportsbook. Bettors also get -230 for the fight to go the distance, which is a better price than over 4½ rounds (-280), another UFC prop bet to consider.

Bet on Nurmagomedov by Decision (-110)

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.

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