Maki Pitolo vs Julian Marquez pits two middleweight fighters who are eager to climb the UFC rankings. Marquez dropped his last fight, but he enters this fight as the betting favorite over Pitolo. Pitolo has a ridiculous reach for his size at 75 inches, but it’ll be tough to overcome Marquez’s size and the attacking variety he brings to the ring.
Maki Pitolo vs Julian Marquez will be featured on the main card for UFC 258 in Las Vegas on February 13, 2021. The relatively fresh-faced fighters are both looking to climb the UFC rankings to avoid falling into obscurity. Maki Pitolo will be looking to snap a two-fight losing streak, but he was very active last year as he fought three times in 2020. His last fight was against Impa Kasanganay on August 29, where he lost via unanimous decision. The Hawaiian is an underdog for this weekend’s matchup against Julian Marquez and presents decent betting value according to the top UFC betting sites and NJ online betting sites. However, most MMA predictions say that Marquez should win this bout easily. NJ online sportsbook review has betting breakdowns, but if you want to go with the favorite, FanDuel has the best moneyline odds at -170, while BetMGM has the best odds for the underdog at +155. It’s important to note that Marquez closed as the betting favorite for his last bout against Alessio Di Chirico at -150 odds, which he ended up losing. Before that, however, he had won two consecutive fights. Pitolo may take advantage of Marquez’s lack of recent inactivity since the “Cuban Missile Crisis” hasn’t fought since 2018. Still, I’m going to side with Marquez who’s heavy-hitting strikes will be problematic for Pitolo. Pitolo is on the ropes and needs a victory, but Marquez should get it done with a KO/TKO in the 2nd round, which FanDuel has listed at +850 odds, or you can go with the double chance of a KO/TKO or Submission victory at +155 odds.
Pitolo’s recent activity could very well pay off in this bout. It’s concerning that Marquez hasn’t fought in nearly three years, but Pitolo’s current form makes it hard to bet on him. My prediction: Marque wins by KO/TKO in the 2nd round.
