Sodiq Yussuf says he’s grateful for his first headlining opportunity and plans to make the most of it Saturday when he faces respected veteran Edson Barboza in the main event of UFC Fight Night. The five-round showdown between ranked featherweight contenders will anchor the main card (7 p.m.) from the Apex facility in Las Vegas. Yussuf returns from a year-long layoff to make his first main-event appearance, and an impressive performance could catapult him into the top-10 rankings and earn him another high-profile showdown. But he must first get past the No. 13-ranked Barboza, who has a history of interrupting the steam behind celebrated prospects.
Yusuff is a -165 favorite (risk $165 to win $100), while Barboza comes back at +140 in the latest MMA odds for Yusuff vs. Barboza. In the co-main event, Jennifer Maia (-155) takes on Viviane Araujo (+130) in a battle of women’s flyweight contenders. Before making any UFC Fight Night: Yusuff vs. Barboza picks, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from proven SportsLine expert Daniel Vithlani.
From breaking down film and following fighters and their camps closely, to tracking sharp action and betting market signals, Vithlani covers the breadth…
