UFC 297 Predictions, Odds and Preview

We have uncovered the best UFC 297 predictions for Saturday. The UFC will be back in Toronto for the first time since UFC 231 (December 2018) and the fans in the city are going to be rowdy.

It’s not the strongest pay-per-view (PPV) card, but it’s top heavy, with two title fights.

Sean Strickland will fight Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title in the main event. The UFC women’s bantamweight is also on the line in the co-main event (Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva).

We’ll preview the event before jumping into our expert UFC 297 predictions.

UFC 297 Preview

When: Saturday, January 20th 2024

Where: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada

Time: 8:00 PM ET (Prelims) / 10:00 PM ET (Main Card)

Watch: ESPN and ESPN+ (PPV Main Card)

Apart from the two title fights, there are four other ranked fighters on the card. Those include Neil Magny (#13 WW), Chris Curtis (#14 MW), Arnold Allen (#4 FW) and Movsar Evloev (#9 FW).

The UFC 297 weigh-ins are complete. Two fighters on the prelims missed weight. Ramon Taveras and Malcolm Gordon missed weight, but both will still fight at UFC 297 tomorrow night. Tavares will need to forfeit 30% of his purse and Gordon will need to forfeit 20% of his purse.

Let’s jump into my expert UFC 297 predictions.

Expert UFC 297 Predictions

Open a Sports Hub account to access all of our expert UFC 297 predictions for this weekend.

This isn’t the best fight card, but I’ll still aim to identify the best value bets. The two title fights are a toss up. We also have a lot of favorites in the -200 odds range, which makes things tough. One loss on one of those favorites could ruin the entire night, so I’ll be trying to focus on alternate UFC betting markets.

We started the New Year off right last week. I went 6-0 (+$695) on my UFC Vegas 84 predictions. I had a pair of TKO/KO/DQ props hit at plus money. It could have been even better if Manel Kape made weight.

I’ll look to keep the profits rolling with my UFC 297 predictions for Saturday night.

Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis Prediction

• Fight Odds: Strickland (-110) vs. Du Plessis (-110)

This should be an incredible fight. Strickland (28-5) is controversial and not very well liked, but he’s a UFC veteran that can fight. Strickland went 3-0 last year, including a win against Israel Adesanya.

Du Plessis (20-2) is 6-0 in the UFC, with five of those wins coming by stoppage. In his last three fights, he has submitted Darren Till, knocked out Derek Brunson and knocked out Robert Whittaker. One concern with Du Plessis is he hasn’t fought five rounds before and Strickland has gone five rounds five times.

Strickland averages 5.82 SLpM and 4.24 SApM. Du Plessis averages 6.95 SLpM, 3.79 SApM and 2.72 takedowns per 15 minutes. Both guys have power. Where’s the value?

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Raquel Pennington vs. Mayra Bueno Silva Prediction

• Fight Odds: Pennington (+145) vs. Silva (-165)

Pennington (15-8) is durable and she’s on a five-fight winning streak. Silva (10-2-1-1) is 3-0-0-1 in her last four fights, she’s coming off a NC (overturned) against Holly Holm. This is a five-round fight. Pennington has ten decision wins and four of her last five wins are by decision. Silva has seven submission wins.

Pennington has been tapped once, but that was over a decade ago. Pennington averages 4.02 SLpM, 3.34 SApM and 0.93 takedowns per 15 minutes, while Silva averages 4.16 SLpM and 4.71 SApM.

Silva will likely win, but I’m not betting against Pennington. To find out what I’m betting on in the UFC 297 co-main event, you need to open a Sports Hub account to view my UFC 297 predictions.

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Neil Magny vs. Mike Malott Prediction

• Fight Odds: Magny (+300) vs. Malott (-400)

Malott (10-1-1) has won all his fights by stoppage and he’s 3-0 in the UFC, but this is a step up. Magny is the welterweight gatekeeper, but he’s 2-3 in his last five fights. His last two fights have gone the distance, but he has been tapped out six times and Malott has won four of his last five fights by submission.

Magny averages 3.45 SLpM, 2.40 SApM and 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes. Malott is averaging 4.21 SLpM, 3.07 SApM and 2.53 takedowns per 15 minutes. Ian Garry couldn’t finish Magny last time out.

I’m backing Malott by submission for one of my UFC 297 predictions on Saturday.

Best Bet: Mike Malott by Submission (+100)

Chris Curtis vs. Marc-Andre Barriault Prediction

• Fight Odds: Curtis (-180) vs. Barriault (+155)

Curtis (30-10-0-1) has 17 TKO/KO wins, but he’s 1-2-0-1 in his last four fights. Barriault (16-6-0-1) is on a two-fight win streak. This fight is expected to stay upright. Curtis averages 5.36 SLpM and 6.30 SApM. He has never landed a takedown and has 92% TD defense. Barriault averages 5.95 SLpM and 5.22 SApM.

Both fighters like to bang and have relatively weak striking defense. However, both fighters are durable and have only been stopped twice each. Will one of these guys connect and finish the fight?

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Arnold Allen vs. Movsar Evloev Prediction

• Fight Odds: Allen (+155) vs. Evloev (-180)

Allen (19-2) is 10-1 in the UFC, but he’s coming off a loss against Max Holloway. He was pieced up in that fight, but went the distance. Evloev (17-0) is 7-0 in the UFC, with all of his wins coming by decision.

Allen has the striking edge. He averages 3.34 SLpM, 2.86 SApM and 1.12 takedowns per 15 minutes. His opponent averages 4.57 SLpM, 2.74 SApM and 4.71 takedowns per 15 minutes. Evloev is a wrestler and hasn’t faced much resistance yet. Allen has 76% takedown defense, but will that hold up this weekend?

This is one of the best fights on the card. Sign-up to Sports Hub to get my UFC 297 predictions.

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Charles Jourdain vs. Sean Woodson Prediction

• Fight Odds: Jourdain (-215) vs. Woodson (+185)

Woodson (10-1-1) is a popular upset pick against Jourdain (15-6-1). Woodson is 4-1-1 in the UFC, but he only has one win by stoppage. Woodson will have a massive 9” reach advantage (78” vs. 69”). This is a tough fight to predict, but I like the Canadian to win. I’m taking a shot on him winning by submission.

This is my biggest longshot, but I like the value for my UFC 297 predictions.

Best Bet: Charles Jourdain by Submission (+500)

Serhiy Sidey vs. Ramon Taveras Prediction

• Fight Odds: Sidey (-175) vs. Taveras (+150)

These guys both have power. Sidey (10-1) defeated Taveras (9-2) on DWCS last time out. The stoppage was a bit premature, but Sidey managed to knock down Taveras regardless. These guys are both capable of finishing this fight. Taveras has heavier hands, but Sidey is more experienced and durable.

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UFC 297 Odds

Here are the UFC 297 odds for all 12 fights on the card:

• Sean Strickland (-110) vs. Dricus Du Plessis (-110)
• Raquel Pennington (+145) vs. Mayra Bueno Silva (-165)
• Neil Magny (+300) vs. Mike Malott (-400)
• Chris Curtis (-180) vs. Marc-Andre Barriault (+155)
• Arnold Allen (+155) vs. Movsar Evloev (-180)
• Brad Katona (-210) vs. Garrett Armfield (+180)
• Charles Jourdain (-215) vs. Sean Woodson (+185)
• Serhiy Sidey (-175) vs. Ramon Taveras (+150)
• Gillian Robertson (-305) vs. Polyana Viana (+255)
• Yohan Lainesse (-140) vs. Sam Patterson (+120)
• Jasmine Jasudavicius (-370) vs. Priscila Cachoeira (+295)
• Malcolm Gordon (-205) vs. Jimmy Flick (+175)

How to Access UFC 297 Predictions

You’ll need to open a Sports Hub account to access all of our expert UFC 297 predictions. This is going to be a great fight card and I have already placed nine UFC 297 predictions under my profile (SWJ Sports).