The UFC is back in full force this weekend, as we get a pretty strong card with Carlos Ulberg and Dominick Reyes scheduled to fight in the main event at UFC Fight Night 260.

Also known as UFC on ESPN+ 118, this card looks pretty underrated across the board. These are two solid light heavyweights closing things out, but big names such as Jimmy Crute, Tom Nolan, Jake Matthews, and more will enter the Octagon in hopes of proving their worth.

Looking for rock solid UFC picks that you can trust? I’ve got you covered, as I inspect the latest UFC odds and detail which picks stand out the most. Let’s see which fighters are good bets this weekend!

Where To Watch UFC Fight Night 260?

UFC Fight Night 260 can be viewed on ESPN+, which will host both the Prelims and the main card.

When Is UFC Fight Night 260?

UFC Fight Night 260 will go down this Saturday, September 28th. The festivities begin at 7:00 pm EST with the Prelims, followed by the main card at 10:00 pm EST.

Where Is UFC Fight Night 260?

UFC Fight Night 260 event will take place at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

UFC Fight Night Main Card Odds

Check out the latest UFC Fight Night odds for the Main Card, courtesy of the top sports betting sites: 

The UFC FN 260 main card looks pretty good in terms of pricing. We do have some clear favorites with Ulberg and Jenkins expected to pull out wins, while Jake Matthews is the easiest click of the lot.

Crute and Nolan are two of the better fighters on this entire card, yet they come in as super mild betting favorites. They could both arguably be favored by a bit more, but their respective matches won’t be easy.

That said, the value is pretty good across the board. I’d probably stay away from the Jake Matthews moneyline, but beyond that you can take either side of the UFC Fight Night main card and feel reasonably good about the price you’re getting.

Want even more advice before placing your Noche UFC 3 bets? Be sure to check out what the best handicappers have to offer.

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UFC Fight Night 260 Predictions For The Main Card

The main card for UFC Fight Night 260 begins at 10:00 pm EST.

Carlos Ulberg (-260) vs. Dominick Reyes (+210)

This is actually a fairly even matchup by the numbers. We have two gifted strikers, with both of these guys landing north of 5.50 significant strikes per minute. However, it’s Ulberg (13-1) who has inflicted more damage upon his opponents, while he also has the slight edge in wrestling.

Ulberg is on a hot streak, as his lone career defeat – a KO loss to Kennedy Nzechukwu – came four years ago. He’s won all nine of his matches since, and that includes a recent Decision over Jan Blachowicz. He is as battle tested as anyone, and offers reasonable value at his -260 price tag.

There is no edge in terms of age, height, or reach. These guys measure up similarly, with Reyes simply having a little more experience. He’s honestly been in a solid groove lately (three straight wins), but a four-fight losing streak prior to that is certainly troubling.

Reyes has faced some huge names in his career, but he’s displayed a relatively soft chin, getting knocked out three different times. That could be problematic in this showdown with the hard-hitting Ulberg.

I do think Reyes is live for the upset, but the best bets here are Ulberg’s ML, Ulberg via KO, or for this fight to finish inside the distance. 

Bet: Carlos Ulberg (-260)

Jack Jenkins (-280) vs. Ramon Taveras (+240)

Next up we have Jack Jenkins as an ever bigger favorite to beat Ramon Taveras. Jenkins (13-4) has a bit more experience than his opponent, but he does lose two inches in reach. They compare nicely in terms of striking, but Jenkins has proven to be the more accurate fighter in that regard and thus far has been far better on the canvas.

Jenkins is fairly all or nothing, as his solid skill-set has allowed him to finish his opponent nine times, but he’s also been on the losing side early in four different fights. With 13 of his 17 bouts ending before the final bell rang, it’s likely we can look forward to a finish in this one.

The form is shaky with Jenkins. If the four career losses by stoppage aren’t concerning, perhaps we should raise an eyebrow to a spotty 1-2 mark over his last three fights. Early defeats by the hands of Gabriel Santos and Jose Mariscal aren’t embarrassing, but they’re a tad concerning.

Taveras (10-3) has the ability to add to that list of early losses for Jenkins, as he’s managed eight wins by stoppage. While true, just one of those victories have come under the UFC banner, where he’s just 1-1, officially. 

Ultimately, these guys are fairly evenly matched, but Jenkins feels like the far safer bet. I think he takes care of business, provided he can be careful if the fight goes to the ground.

Bet: Jack Jenkins (-280)

Jimmy Crute (-175) vs. Ivan Erslan (+150)

I will admit I am digging the favorites on the main card, and that does not stop with Jimmy Crute. Crute (13-4-2) has had an interesting career with two draws recently, but he is also capable of ending a fight at any moment and has managed to avoid a loss in three of his last four fights.

Not losing is worth noting, but obviously bettors would prefer to see Crute be more dominant. That has not been the case (1-3-2 over his last six bouts), but he did impress last time out when he submitted Marcin Prachnio. He’s also had some big wins in his career, while most of his losses and draws are against top shelf competition.

It’s fair to wonder if that is what Ivan Erslan is. He has a decent 14-5 overall record and his 10 career KOs speak to his finishing ability, but he’s been bad so far in the UFC (0-2). In fact, it’s been tough sledding for him overall lately, as he’s gone just 2-4 over his last six fights.

Erslan definitely has the finishing ability to give Crute problems, but the step up in competition hasn’t made him out to be the threat we thought he was. I am hammering Crute’s moneyline this week.

Bet: Jimmy Crute (-175)

Jake Matthews (-405) vs. Neil Magny (+335)

Another fighter I am extremely high on to get the win this weekend is Jake Matthews. His ML is admittedly best suited for UFC parlays, but still, he’s a really solid bet to get the job done against the aging Neil Magny.

Matthews (22-7) matches up with Magny well, while he’s seven years younger and comes in with strong form. He’s ripped off wins in each of his last three fights (won 4 of last 5), while Magny has not been reliable (3-4 over his last seven).

Magny does have the experience and versatility to give Matthews a headache, but he is undoubtedly past his prime. Hats off to him for earning a TKO win last time out, but that was just his second finish over his last seven fights.

Matthews is not easy to knock out, while his floor game is superior to Magny’s. I think he can hold his own if this fight stays on the feet, but if he works it to the floor we could see Magny tap out for the seventh time in his career.

Bet: Jake Matthews (-405)

Tom Nolan (-150) vs. Charlie Campbell (+130)

The last fight of the UFC on ESPN+ 118 main card has Tom Nolan standing out as a supreme betting value. He is the natural favorite, as he comes into this card with a stout 9-1 record. Nolan’s UFC debut was rough (KO loss to Nikolas Motta), but he has bounced back nicely with wins in each of his last three bouts.

Nolan has looked strong during this hot run and offers solid finishing ability (5 KOs), and he is five years younger than his opponent. He also has a mild 1.5-inch reach advantage and grades out as the slightly more impactful striker.

Campbell’s floor game does stand out when comparing these two, but Nolan is the younger prospect with a higher ceiling. His mild reach edge could allow him to keep Campbell at bay, while his striking gives him the overall edge.

Bet: Tom Nolan (-150)

UFC Fight Preliminary Card Odds

Check out the latest UFC Fight Night odds for the Preliminary Card.

While the main card has a few favorites that appear likely to win, the Prelims is a collective toss-up. One fight (Mullarkey vs. Bedoya) legitimately lacks a favorite, while two others don’t have a fighter coming in at plus money.

To be sure, those three fights are as unpredictable as it gets.

Per usual, the good news is we are getting loads of value here, and you don’t even need to risk it with an underdog to get it. Of course, it all depends on which side of the fight you reside, and what value looks like to you for this particular UFC betting slate.

I’ve already handed out my Prelims picks, though. You can bet on them all now, or read on for further reasoning for each bout – not to mention my top UFC Fight Night 260 picks for the week.

UFC Fight Night 260 Predictions For The Preliminary Card

The UFC Fight Night 260 kicks off with the Prelims at 7:00 pm EST.

Justin Tafa (-115) vs. Louie Sutherland (-105)

The first fight for the Prelims has Justin Tafa (7-5) taking on Louie Sutherland. Tafa has some experience and every single one of his wins have come via KO, but he also has a middling record and has been KO’d twice.

Tafa is still a knockout threat, but he’s dropped his last two fights and the betting odds are pretty tight here. Louie Sutherland (10-3) is even more explosive, as he has eight knockouts in 10 wins. He’s a lot less vulnerable to a knockout than his opponent, too, as he’s yet to be finished in any regard.

Sutherland is still unpredictable, as this is his UFC debut. Tafa definitely has his shortcomings, though, and we know who he is at this point – not necessarily for good reasons. The value is similar either way, but I will gladly roll the dice on Sutherland, while a KO prop is also in play.

Bet: Louie Sutherland (-105)

Navajo Sterling (-220) vs. Rodolfo Bellato (+185)

Next up we have an exciting tilt between the undefeated Navajo Sterling (7-0) and the nasty Rodolfo Bellato (12-2-1). Bellato is fresh off a no contest result against Paul Craig, while he worked his way to a draw against Jimmy Crute the fight before that.

Bellato hasn’t been able to get a win in his last two fights, but he still has four wins over his last six, with three of them being violent finishes. He has 11 total wins by stoppage in his career, and his recent form indicates he is a major threat to get a 12th again soon.

Navajo Sterling has yet to lose and has four KOs to his name, but both of his UFC matches so far have gone the distance. With these guys fairly evenly matched, I am leaning hard into Bellato’s finishing ability and betting on his experience against tougher competition.

Bet: Rodolfo Bellato (+185)

Alexia Thainara (-235) vs. Loma Lookboonmee (+200)

Sometimes we like to go away from UFC favorites, but I won’t be doing that when it comes to Alexia Thainara (12-1), who is coming into this one with a massive six-inch reach edge.

Thainara also brings superior takedown offense and more impactful striking to the table, giving her the collective edge. On the flip side, Loma Lookboonmee (10-3) has displayed very little finishing ability (two wins by stoppage), while her lone loss inside the distance came on the mat.

That might be bad news against Thainara, who has eight career submission wins to her name. Considering she started her UFC career off with a bang by forcing Molly McCann to tap out last March, I like her chances in this one.

Bet: Alexia Thainara (-235)

Oban Elliott (-118) vs. Jonathan Micallef (-102)

UFC Fight Night 260 could be a scene of redemption for Oban Elliott (12-3), who hopes to bounce-back after a shocking upset loss to Seok Hyeon Ko in June. He’s had some time to shake off the rust, and he’s otherwise been on fire, with eight wins before that surprising defeat.

Elliott does come into this one giving up five inches in reach, but he has better takedown offense and superior striking accuracy. Jonathan Micallef (8-1) has a nice record, but he didn’t blow anyone away in his UFC debut, and the numbers favor Elliott

This one could be closer than expected, as Micallef scored five finishes against lesser competition, while the pricing is obviously rather tight. That said, I trust in Elliott’s skill-set and experience.

Bet: Oban Elliott (-118)

Andre Petroski (-151) vs. Cam Rowston (+131)

The odds don’t tell us much for this tilt between Andre Petroski and Cam Rowston. On paper, Petroski has a little more experience and offers far superior takedown offense, but he also has more losses, is four years older, and loses five inches in reach.

All of that has me interested in Cam Rowston (12-3), who has proven to be highly versatile and adept at finishing matches early. He has 11 total finishes in his 12 wins, while his only loss by stoppage came way back in 2018.

Rowston has the age and reach edge by wide margins, while he seems to be heating up, having won four in a row. There is risk here due to this being his official UFC debut, but I like his chances of staging the upset.

Bet: Cam Rowston (+131)

Josias Musasa (-150) vs. Colby Thicknesse (+130)

Another UFC FN bout with a pretty tight line has Josias Musasa (8-1) as the favorite to upend Colby Thicknesse (7-1). These guys have both been rock solid to this point, and come in at the same age with similar height.

Musasa does own a huge five-inch reach advantage, of course, while he grades out as the more dangerous and more accurate striker. That isn’t shocking based on his 7 KOs, although it is very much worth noting that he was submitted last time out in his UFC debut.

Perhaps that gives Thicknesse a shot here, especially since the Aussie has exhibited a more well-rounded floor game (2 submissions) than his opponent to this point. He wasn’t any better in his official UFC debut, either, however, and the reach advantage Musasa has could nullify the takedown risk.

Ultimately, I like Musasa a bit more here. I prefer his striking and so long as he can avoid tapping out, he looks like a strong bet.

Bet: Josias Musasa (-150)

Jamie Mullarkey (-110) vs. Rolando Bedoya (-110)

This is the tightest match of them all at UFC on ESPN+ 118, as there is not a true favorite in a showdown between Jamie Mullarkey and Rolando Bedoya. Perhaps you’ll find a favorite if you shop around at the top MMA sportsbooks, but right now it is a pure pick’em.

That gives us nice value across the board, but my early lean has Bedoya (14-4) standing out. He has way less experience at the UFC level, but he’s three years younger, has a more impressive record, and has been extremely damaging with his striking.

Even so, he’s 0-3 so far in the UFC. While true, he has run into some solid opponents in Jai Herbert, Kenan Song, and Kalinn Williams. He couldn’t get past any of them, but he did enough to at least go the distance each time out.

Bedoya’s first UFC win is just around the corner, and I do think we will eventually see his finishing ability pop up at this level. The other thing is he has never lost via stoppage anywhere, so Mullarkey being the one to make it happen just feels unlikely.

Mularkey’s striking numbers are less impressive, while his form is just as spotty with a weak 1-3 record over his last four fights. All three of those losses came via TKO, too, which further adds to my belief that Bedoya may finally score an inside the distance victory under the UFC banner.

Bet: Rolando Bedoya (-110)

Michelle Montague (-210) vs. Luana Carolina (+180)

Next up is one of the few female-driven bouts on this card, as Michelle Montague is a decent favorite to beat Luana Carolina. Montague (6-0) has yet to lose a professional MMA fight, while she has been positively dominant on the mat, winning all of her matches via submission.

Montague has not yet done that on the UFC level, but her floor game is brutal. It will be very interesting to see if that translates, and also if she can do any damage with her fists. 

Carolina (11-4) obviously has way more experience, but she has just four finishes in 11 wins. She can get it done, but she isn’t super reliable in this matchup, especially since she’s tapped out before and hasn’t been very effective with her submission game.

Her form is rock solid (three straight wins), but she’s just 6-3 in the UFC so far. Without a truly dominant skill-set, I don’t like her odds of handing Montague her first ever loss.

Bet: Michelle Montague (-210)

Brando Pericic (-210) vs. Elisha Ellison (+180)

Lastly, we have what could be an explosive showdown between Brando Pericic and Elisha Ellison. Ellison (5-1) comes in with little experience, but sheer dominance with five finishes across five wins. He’s been all or nothing of course, as his only other fight ended with him tapping out.

Ellison has the edge if this fight is decided with the fists, and his aggressiveness makes him a fun bet. That said, Pericic (4-1) has a similar record and may actually have the power and toughness to combat his opponent.

Ultimately, I think this one is a closer call than the pricing indicates. I think we’re headed for a finish, one way or another, and that has me really liking Ellison and his +180 ML.

Bet: Elisha Ellison (+180)

The Best UFC Fight Night Picks

The following is our best UFC Fight Night picks for this weekend’s event:

• Carlos Ulberg (-260)
• Jake Matthews (-405)
• Rodolfo Bellato (+185)

Ulberg is the safest play of the slate. He has a nice moneyline, he has elite finishing ability, and Reyes – as good as he can be – has proven in the not too distant past that he is a bit vulnerable to explosive strikers.

I also really like Jake Matthews. I will say that the -405 moneyline is a bit thick, so I’d be looking for alternative lines. Regardless, Neil Mangy is way older, super inconsistent, and not a reliable finisher anymore. I’m not entirely sold on a finish for Matthews, either, but he’s a must for your MMA parlays this week.

Need some value? My favorite underdog pick for this card is Rodolfo Bellato. He has his flaws and Navajo Sterling is undefeated, but Bellato is an explosive finisher with loads of upside. I like his chances to be the first fighter to defeat Sterling.

UFC Fight Night 260 Card

Check out the updated UFC Fight Night fight card: