We’ll see Diego Ferreira vs Gregor Gillespie this Saturday as the lightweights step into the octagon to slug it out. Gillespie is the betting favorite, though, not by a large margin. Ferreira boasts a good combination of MMA skills, but his takedown defense is lacking, which, as an excellent wrestler, is a weakness that Gillespie should exploit.
The lightweight division is super-saturated with talent, so we should be treated to an entertaining bout when Diego Ferreira and Gregor Gillespie take the stage on Saturday for UFC Vegas 26. Top UFC betting predictions and the best MMA betting sites in NJ favor Gillespie, and it’s not hard to see why. Gillespie is a submission artist with a wide array of wrestling skills at his disposal. He’s also a pretty decent striker, and although he doesn’t land as many hits as Ferreira does, he’s more accurate. Gillespie lands 49% of his strikes, while Ferreira connects on just 37%. Everything sounds good on paper for Gillespie, but we haven’t seen him since November 2, 2019, when Kevin Lee knocked him out in the first round. He had been looking solid before that, however, winning six straight UFC fights. It’s difficult to predict how he’ll look in his return to the ring, but I think he’s a better betting pick over Ferreira for this bout. Ferreira also was riding an impressive winning streak before Beneil Dariush snapped it on February 6th. He’ll try to bounce back this weekend, and although he’s fought more recently than Gillespie, I don’t think he’ll pull off the upset. Gillespie is the overall better fighter, and his wrestling skills might put him over the top as Ferreira’s poor takedown defense may end up costing him the fight. Check out the NJ online sportsbook reviews for a summary of the best places to bet in New Jersey for the upcoming lightweight bout. Fanduel, one of the best online sports betting sites in NJ, has the best odds for the underdog at +156, but if you’re going with Gillespie like I am, head over to 888sport, where they’ve got his money line odds listed at -189.
Gillespie’s inactivity for the past year and a half is concerning, but he’s proven that he can win in various ways. Ferreira may have some luck if he lands the right hits, but I’m going to bank on Gillespie to make sure that doesn’t happen. My prediction: Gillespie wins by submission in the 3rd round.
