I like UFC 289 from a betting perspective and I have a decent amount of action on this card. Here are my main card picks.

Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Eryk Anders

Marc-Andre Barriault will never be a contender at middleweight, but he’s a reliable soldier who fights to his strengths.

Barriault is renowned for weaponizing his cardio. He takes the front foot, wears opponents out in the clinch and eventually breaks them.

The Canadian is slow and hittable in open space, which is a liability when facing power punchers or more technical strikers who can keep him at bay. However, he is typically good at edging his way into range, firing off shots and pinning adversaries against the fence.

Interestingly, Eryk Anders also has a penchant for grinding – so there is the potential for this to devolve into an ugly clinch-fest with both men jockeying for position.

Barriault has the cardio advantage and is likely to win the third round, but Anders is a physical specimen who will be hard to bully.

I give Anders the boxing advantage.

“Ya Boi” stands southpaw and has a powerful left hand, a good right hook and will slip and rip effectively. His style is crude, but I expect him to win the aggregate of exchanges if he can keep his back off the fence.

I don’t think there is a strong moneyline position on this fight, but I see value on Eryk Anders to win by decision at +300.

Dan Ige vs. Nate Landwehr

Once known as a chaotic brawler, Nate Landwehr has overhauled his game at MMA Masters and now fights with more process and intelligence.

At range, Landwehr possesses serviceable Muay Thai with improved boxing defense. However, he does his best work when hammering opponents with elbows and knees in the clinch, dragging them to the ground and hunting for neck attacks.

Landwehr does a good job of wrestling the upper body and he pushes a pace that opponents struggle to match.

Despite his newfound confidence, I think this is a difficult fight for him stylistically.

Dan Ige had a tough run of form against the top contenders at featherweight, but he performed admirably against everyone else.

The Hawaiian has a significant boxing advantage and I love how he throws tight, compact punches in the pocket. When Landwehr defends using the high guard, this will allow Ige to rip the body (which he does brilliantly) and possibly shoot on the legs.

Ige is deficient when flat on his back, but I’m not confident Landwehr’s style of wrestling will be effective here.

There is no value at -250, but I like Dan Ige to sprawl and brawl his way to victory.

Mike Mallot vs. Adam Fugitt

I have a difficult time seeing why Mike Mallot is lined as a -210 favorite. He possesses clean striking technique and a slick ground game, but it’s impossible to get a proper read on his skill set based on the lack of cage time.

He hasn’t been out of the first round since a 2015 fight against Thomas Diagne, where he won the first round emphatically before dropping the second and third.

That performance was a long time ago, so I don’t want to jump to conclusions – but it wouldn’t shock me if a potent early finisher like Mallot was unable to maintain his work rate when dragged into deep waters.

Adam Fugitt lacks refinement, but he fights like a junkyard dog and is functional in all aspects. He loads up on punches and leaves his chin high (which is a major concern), but I enjoy his southpaw kicking game and he will fight for your money.

Evidence points to Mallot having a grappling advantage, but Fugitt has shown an ability to hit takedowns and handle himself on top of opponents. With Mallot’s cardio being an unknown, I can’t easily predict what will happen if the fight hits the mat.

I’d take Adam Fugitt at +175 if I was forced to place a wager, but I generally avoid betting fights with so many unknown variables like this one.

Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush

After a few years on top of the mountain, Charles Oliveira looks to defend his position as the #1 contender against a hungry and dangerous opponent in Beneil Dariush.

Both men are predominantly grapplers that have rounded out their games in order to become two of the best lightweights in the world.

In terms of raw submission skills, Oliveira has the advantage. His guillotines, back takes and guard game make him a feared combatant.

Most lightweights are reluctant to go to the mat with “Do Bronx”, but that won’t be the case here. Dariush is a high level black belt himself, but also a strong wrestler and positional grappler.

Oliveira usually relishes the opportunity to play guard, but in this fight he could lose minutes while fishing for submissions off his back unsuccessfully.

On the feet, both men are proficient Muay Thai strikers – although I like the open stance dynamic for Dariush. His left leg is his best weapon and we’ve seen him smash livers and inside low kicks against orthodox opponents.

This fight could play out in a number of ways, but I believe Beneil Dariush is the rightful favorite.

Amanda Nunes vs. Irene Aldana

After blowing her gas tank and getting finished by Julianna Pena, Amanda Nunes regrouped and fought the perfect game plan in order to reclaim her belt in the rematch.

Nunes has obvious flaws, but her well-roundedness allows her to capitalize on weaknesses and it’s the reason she’s been at the top of the division for so long.

I assume the strategy will be to chip away at Irene Aldana at kicking range, catch her with counters as she enters the pocket and hit well-timed takedowns. Securing a dominant position on the mat will be the ultimate goal and this could look similar to Nunes’ fight with Germaine De Randamie.

Aldana has a window of opportunity where she can win. She is the superior boxer and has to take the front foot in order to force Nunes to exchange with her.

The Mexican has power in both hands and a nasty left hook, which could find the target if the fight devolves into a brawl.

I’d be tempted to take an underdog shot on Aldana if her defensive wrestling was a bit better, but her fights with Holly Holm and Macy Chiasson were too much of a red flag.

If Aldana winds up on her back, I could see her chase submissions against a higher level grappler in Nunes – which increases the likelihood of her getting finished herself.

I wouldn’t lay the juice on Amanda Nunes, but she’s probably going to win this fight.