UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Bueno Silva Picks, Predictions, and Odds

The UFC is in a great spot right now. Although it was derided as cruel and barbaric just two decades ago and was considered nothing more than a niche sport, it has surpassed boxing in terms of overall popularity and might be the fourth most popular sport in the United States. More people are talking about the UFC than the NHL or the MLS, and that doubles down every time there is a big PPV card like we saw last week. It’s always interesting to see the follow-up audience after such a major event, as some new faces are expected to tune into watch UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Bueno Silva on Saturday night.

UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Bueno Silva will be held on Saturday, July 15, 2023, at the UFC APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main card will start at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+.

UFC Betting Odds

Holly Holm -180
Mayra Bueno Silva +143

Former UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion Holly Holm was the first person to knock off the previously indomitable Ronda Rousey. Holm was a massive underdog per the UFC betting odds in that bout, but she handed Rousey a convincing loss. That led to a lot of buzz surrounding Holm’s future and potential, yet she is just 5-6 since winning the title. She has been good enough to repeatedly challenge for titles over the last several years, but she has lost all four of those title fights since beating Rousey.

That has led to Holm being ensconced as a gatekeeper in women’s MMA. Five of her six defeats were to championship winners, and that’s the point that Mayra Bueno Silva is trying to reach. Bueno Silva joined the UFC in September 2018 and endured a rocky start. She was 2-2-1 in her first five fights, but her wrestling and grappling has led to her climbing the ladder over the last year and a half. Bueno Silva has now won three straight fights, and her ground game is strong with five of her last six victories combing by submission.

It’s pretty clear what we are going to see on Saturday night in the main event. Bueno Silva will continually try to take this fight to the ground, while Holm will try to stand and trade for as long as possible. Holm has never won a fight by submission, and Bueno Silva has just one victory by knockout in her career. The underdog is 10 years younger than Holm, and although she isn’t as seasoned, I do think she will be able to use her stamina to shoot the legs and secure a submission victory.

Play: Mayra Bueno Silva by Submission

Albert Duraev +125
Jun Yong Park -155

The co-main event has the potential to be a fun one as Jun Yong Park is a slight favorite over Albert Duraev by the UFC gambling line. Park has won three straight fights and six of his last seven bouts. His only loss in that stretch was to Gregory Rodrigues in October 2021, but otherwise he has looked good thanks to a solid ground game. Although Park has yet to knock out an opponent in the UFC, he does have a 73-inch reach leaving him able to stick and move and potentially knock Duraev.

This will be Duraev’s fourth fight in the UFC. The sambo specialist is 2-1 in his previous three fights in the promotion, as he beat Roman Kopylov and Chidi Njokauni by decision and fell at the hands of Joaquin Buckey by TKO at the end of the second round. Although he won his last bout, he had trouble with Njokauni and needed to settle on the judges to declare him the split decision winner.

This is a nice spot in which to back the favorite Park. He has the experience advantage, and he is a little younger than his counterpart. Park has taken on better foes than Duraev, and even though he might not have the reach advantage, he won’t be afraid to go inside. There’s a very good chance this fight goes the distance too.

Play: Jun Yong Park to Win by Decision