UFC Fight Island 8 will feature just one light heavyweight bout. Ike Villanueva vs. Vinicius Moreira will have two fighters, both trending downward, duking it out to see who falls into MMA obscurity and who will live to fight another day (pun intended!). Moreira on the moneyline offers better value, and I think he submits Villanueva in Round 2.
The last time we saw Ike Villanueva, he had just been drilled a hole above his right eyebrow, courtesy of Jordan Wright’s knee attack. It was a brutal fight that saw Villanueva lose in the first round. Unfortunately, that fight was just an indicator of Villanueva’s recent struggles. He was also disappointing in his UFC debut back on May 13, 2020, where he lost to Chase Sherman in the 2nd round. It’s essentially do or die for the Houston, Texas native, as his 0-2 record isn’t sitting well. Another loss would all but push him out of the UFC picture. Luckily for Villanueva, Moreira hasn’t fared much better in the UFC. Moreira hasn’t had a UFC fight since September 2019, where he lost by submission to Paul Craig. The Brazilian is on a three-fight losing streak and is also looking to save his UFC career ASAP. This is a tough fight to predict, as both fighters are in desperation mode, but the top sites in NJ for online sports betting have the best MMA predictions and the best UFC betting predictions for this matchup. It’s a bit of a coin-toss given both fighters’ poor form, but there is a slight advantage to rolling with the underdog, Moreira. NJ sportsbook reviews list the best odds and markets, but FanDuel has the best value for either fighter at -138 for Villanueva and +108 for Moreira. I’m not terribly excited about either of these guys in this fight, but I’m going to roll with Moreira, if just for the better betting value. I think he ends up winning in the 2nd round by submission.
Both of these fighters are trending downward, but I think that Moreira will beat Villanueva. Villanueva is capable of KO’ing Moreira, but if Moreira can lock him into a tight grapple before that happens, I like his winning chances. My prediction: Moreira submits Villanueva in the 2nd round.
