UFC Vegas 101 Prop Picks: Bet Against Distance Bouts January 11
- Bet against Ponzinibbio versus Harris going the distance in your prop picks
- Cesar Almeida is our pick to finish off Abdul Razak Alhassan at +140
- Join BetUS and bet these UFC props, Bet $200 & Get a $450 Bonus on your first time deposit!
The wait is finally over!
Another week of octagon action awaits, but let’s keep it real: fight night festivities don’t hit right without some proposition wagers to boost the bankroll. You know I’m right!
Fear not; I’m back again to share my expert MMA picks on this weekend’s UFC Vegas 101 fight card, headlined by women’s strawweight savages Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas.
Continue reading to discover the perfect prop predictions for Saturday’s UFC card, including the latest UFC odds as presented by BetUS sportsbook.
First Media Day of 2025 ✅#UFCVegas101 is almost here! pic.twitter.com/UuqWQEoy7i
— UFC (@ufc) January 9, 2025
UFC Vegas 101 Information
- Date/Time: Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025 – 04:00 p.m. ET
- Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas
- How to Watch: UFC Fight Pass, Disney+
- Main Event Bout: Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas
- Co-Main Event Bout: Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris
- Scheduled Fights: 14
- Biggest UFC Vegas 101 Betting Favorite: Fatima Kline -925
- Biggest UFC Vegas 101 Betting Underdog: Victoria Dudakova +575
Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Carlston Harris: Firefight Incoming
What do you get when you cross a 37-year-old and a 38-year-old fighter with a collective 40 knockout or submission wins and losses in pro-MMA?
It’s quite simple: You get a fight with a high probability of delivering fireworks and, more importantly, one with a high likelihood of ending inside the distance.
Argentina’s Santiago Ponzinibbio is a UFC veteran with 18 fights for the promotion and a history of elite-level fights. Per MMA betting trends, nine of those fights ended by KO/TKO or submission, and I know what you’re thinking: He’s gone the distance in four of his previous six.
However, his opponent, Carlston Harris, isn’t going to play a pitter-patter striking game, as he holds a reputation for being an all-action fighter.
Ponzinibbio vs. Harris Betting Trends:
- Carlston Harris has gone the distance in just 1 of his 6 UFC bouts
- Ponzinibbio has won or lost by KO/TKO in 9 of his UFC bouts
NEVER COUNT HIM OUT OF A FIGHT 🫡@SPonzinibbioMMA RETURNS this Saturday at #UFCVegas101! pic.twitter.com/ZvSvzl0sxY
— UFC (@ufc) January 6, 2025
Betting on Violence
Carlston Harris put Jeremiah Wells to SLEEP! 😴#UFCNashville 👏 pic.twitter.com/wN8KwTlh8p
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) August 6, 2023
The veteran craftiness of Ponz is the side I’d back, and with the cleaner, more technical striking game, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him catch Harris with a nasty counter and finish this fight early.
That said, Harris is all about the violence, and the pressure he puts on in the cage has led him to numerous knockout and submission wins, so I equally wouldn’t be shocked to see him pull another stoppage win out of the bag when considering Ponz’s best years are undoubtedly behind him.
Straight picks are cool but nothing feels better than betting on violence, and that’s precisely the type of UFC prop bet we’ll be attacking. The under 2.5 at -130 odds is intriguing, but we’ll play it slightly safer with the “Fight Not to Go The Distance” prop for just 20 points more.
Fight To Go The Distance/No (-150)
Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cesar Almeida: Prove Us Wrong!
Cesar Almeida is a world-class kickboxer. This isn’t news. Therefore, as blood-thirsty MMA fans, the expectation of brutal knockouts is pretty normal. Unfortunately, not every kickboxer can have the luxury of stylistic handouts like Alex Pereira, so Almeida, when matched with even just an average grappler (*cough* Roman Kopylov *cough*), his kryptonite was exposed, and he shattered our online betting slips.
Now, with one win over the aforementioned Pereira in kickboxing, our faith in Almeida remains, despite him losing the trilogy 2-1. So long as he avoids anyone with an ounce of wrestling ability, he should be cool, right?
Cesar Almeida fought and defeated Alex Pereira years ago. #ufc302 pic.twitter.com/ZCOH67J0xJ
— STAND&BANG MMA (@standbangmma) June 2, 2024
Abdul Razak Alhassan has displayed some wrestling ability, but at age 39, he has no serious threats on the ground. Considering this, I will give Almeida one more shot before completely writing him off.
It’s quite obvious that Dana White and Co. would love to reinvigorate the rivalry between Almeida and Pereira but in an MMA setting, much like they did with Adesanya/Pereira. Why else would they position him atop the main card? So, I’ll side with the suites and hope they’ve matchmade this one to suit the striking aficionado.
Alhassan vs. Almeida Betting Trends:
- Almeida has finished 4 of his 6 pro-MMA wins by KO/TKO
- Alhassan is winless in 3 of his previous 4 UFC bouts
Cesar Almeida wins his UFC debut with authority 💥 #UFCVegas90 pic.twitter.com/LUUrGNVvFE
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 6, 2024
Manifesting Alhassan vs Almeida
Alhassan comes from a judo background, but this rarely translates into the octagon. Training with Fortis MMA at elevation might assist his offensive wrestling to some extent, but I’m not trusting his cardio to achieve this game plan for 15 minutes in my UFC predictions.
As we know, it only takes one from the former kickboxing champion to end his opponent’s night, and whenever this fight takes place on the feet, it will be a lopsided affair.
Sure, the BetUS sportsbook betting odds are slightly juiced for an unproven fighter in Almeida, but he should have enough to test the durability of an aging Alhassan, so backing the KO prop will boost said odds.
Our Favorite UFC Vegas 101 Proposition Wagers
- Ponzinibbio/Harris – Fight Doesn’t Go the Distance [-150]
- Cesar Almedia To Win By Knockout [+140]
Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.
Question of the Day
Did Cesar Almeida defeat Alex Pereira?
Current UFC middleweight Cesar Almeida (2-1 UFC) defeated Alex Pereira in a 2013 kickboxing bout. The two faced off in a trilogy of kickboxing contests, with Pereira taking two of the three fights.
