Expert picks, best bets for UFC Fight Night and PFL Semifinals

There volition beryllium plentifulness of MMA enactment with the UFC and the PFL hosting combat cards this week.

On Saturday, the UFC travels to Baku, Azerbaijan, for UFC Fight Night. Light heavyweights Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr. volition clash successful the main lawsuit (3 p.m. connected ABC/ESPN+; prelims astatine noon connected ESPN/ESPN+).

Hill, a erstwhile champion and ESPN's No. 5-ranked airy heavyweight, enters the combat having mislaid via knockout successful his past 2 Octagon appearances. Rountree, ranked conscionable down Hill, mislaid to Alex Pereira successful a situation for the title this past October.

On Friday, the PFL World Tournament semifinals continue, arsenic lightweights, bantamweights and women's flyweights look to assertion their spots successful the title round.

MMA seasoned and erstwhile UFC combatant Kevin Lee volition marque his PFL debut against Gadzhi Rabadanov successful the main event, and erstwhile Bellator champion Liz Carmouche takes connected Elora Dana successful the co-main event.

Brett Okamoto spoke to erstwhile UFC fighters Din Thomas and Anthony Smith to get their UFC main lawsuit predictions. ESPN betting adept Ian Parker adds penetration and investigation connected the combat nighttime successful Baku and intriguing bets from the PFL semifinals.

Light heavyweight: Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree

Jamahal Hill lives and breathes connected X factors. I've spent a batch of clip with Hill, and helium is truly unique. If I had to take betwixt who I'd alternatively spar -- Hill oregon Rountree -- it would beryllium Rountree due to the fact that he's familiar. Everything Khalil does looks similar it's expected to. It's technically perfect. But successful a way, that's easier to woody with due to the fact that erstwhile it looks truthful perfect, astatine slightest it's predictable. Jamahal has truly bully eyes and, adjacent though he's not the much technically dependable striker, I deliberation he's much hard to woody with. -- Anthony Smith

Hill has had specified atrocious luck the past mates of years with injuries and layoffs. He needs a combat similar this to crook his luck around, and I deliberation Rountree outperformed himself successful his past fight. He gave the implicit champion imaginable mentation of himself against Pereira, and I deliberation his show this clip volition beryllium a interaction little convincing, and Hill volition drawback Rountree. -- Din Thomas

Betting analysis

Odds close arsenic of June 19. Visit ESPN BET for the astir up-to-date UFC Fight Night odds and PFL semifinals odds.

Parker: Rountree to triumph (-110). Despite losing successful his archetypal changeable astatine a UFC championship, Rountree made a statement. He looked large done 2 rounds, giving the champ each helium could grip until Rountree got bushed successful Round 3 past knocked retired successful Round 4. His quality to bent with Pereira truthful agelong proved Rountree belongs adjacent the apical of the division. Hill has mislaid back-to-back fights by knockout, and I wouldn't beryllium amazed if it happens for a 3rd clip here. Hill is simply a skilled striker, but Rountree a amended 1 and helium is faster and carries much power. Unless Hill tin endanger Rountree with grappling, expect different KO/TKO nonaccomplishment here.

Parker's champion bets connected the remainder of the card

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Ignacio Bahamondes finishes Manuel Torres aboriginal for triumph successful prelims

Ignacio Bahamondes grabs the TKO triumph of Manuel Torres successful the prelims of UFC 306.

Lightweight: Rafael Fiziev vs. Ignacio Bahamondes

Bahamondes to triumph (-130). Bahamondes enters this matchup with Fiziev having won each of his past 3 bouts by first-round finish. Fiziev is simply a large striker, but I judge Bahamondes tin lucifer him connected the feet. Look for Bahamondes to usage lateral question and region striking to get the triumph here. He besides has a submission crippled if the accidental were to contiguous itself.

Heavyweight: Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev

Blaydes to triumph (-250). Kuniev, who's won doubly connected "Dana White's Contender Series," is getting a monolithic measurement up successful contention for his UFC Debut. Although Kuniev is bully connected the mat, Blaydes has fought the champion successful the UFC for astir 7 years. Unless Kuniev catches Blaydes aboriginal successful the fight, expect Blaydes to withstand an aboriginal onslaught and usage his ascendant wrestling to get the win.

Lightweight: Tofiq Musayev vs. Myktybek Orolbai

Over 1.5 rounds. This matchup has combat of the nighttime potential. Orolbai showed his durability successful his past fight, overcoming aboriginal adversity and astir getting a triumph against Mateusz Rębecki. Considering each of his 3 UFC bouts has gone implicit 1.5 rounds, I expect the aforesaid here. Look for Orolbai to usage his wrestling to instrumentality distant Musayev's striking prowess and tally the timepiece en way to a determination oregon precocious submission win.

Best bets connected the 2025 PFL semifinals card

Lightweight: Gadzhi Rabadanov vs. Kevin Lee

Rabadanov to triumph by KO/TKO. Rabadanov is the biggest favourite connected the card, and rightfully so. He has been connected a teardrop and present takes connected a seasoned seasoned successful Lee, who is well-rounded and tin vie wherever the combat goes but is apt past his prime, and Rabadanov has yet to scope his potential, which is scary. To get immoderate worth here, instrumentality Rabandanov to get different knockout triumph to determination connected to the finals.

Women's flyweight: Liz Carmouche vs. Elora Dana

Carmouche to triumph wrong the distance. Coming disconnected an awesome showing, Carmouche looks for different decorativeness against Dana, an up-and-coming prospect. With Carmouche being truthful heavy favored, either arsenic her moneyline successful a parlay oregon instrumentality her to triumph wrong the distance. Dana is simply a coagulated prospect, but Carmouche has the tools to decorativeness the combat anywhere.

Lightweight: Mansour Barnaoui vs. Archie Colgan

Colgan to win. Colgan enters the combat looking to support his cleanable grounds intact. He is simply a ascendant wrestler with plentifulness of knockout power. Barnaoui, who is chiefly a submission specialist, is successful a hard spot. With specified a beardown wrestling game, Colgan tin unopen down Barnaoui's grappling game. I deliberation Colgan should beryllium a -500 favourite here, and we are getting him astir -250. Normally, I don't similar to spell stake connected lines that are implicit -200, but I don't spot a satellite wherever Colgan loses this matchup.

Women's flyweight: Ekaterina Shakalova vs. Jena Bishop

Shakalova to triumph (+105). If you similar Shakalova, you'd amended spot that stake soon, earlier the likelihood gaffe away. Although she opened arsenic an underdog, I expect Shakalova to beryllium the betting favourite erstwhile the combat starts. Bishop is simply a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, and a palmy one. However, Shakalova tin lucifer her connected the ground, and she'll person the vantage if the combat stays connected the feet.