UFC 258 Picks: Usman Will Defend Welterweight Title

Latest UFC 258 Gambling Predictions

The last time Kamaru Usman lost an MMA bout, Barack Obama was barely into his second term in the White House and Colin Kaepernick had just quarterbacked the San Francisco 49ers into the Super Bowl. A lot has changed in the world since then, but a constant remains in the UFC picks - Usman is unbeatable in the octagon. Look for him to successfully defend his UFC middleweight world title against Gilbert Burns at UFC 258.

• Kamaru Usman is the -275 favorite to defend his world middleweight title belt against Gilbert Burns at UFC 258
• Usman has won 16 fights in a row and successfully defended his world title twice
• Alexa Grasso is the -140 choice to defeat Maycee Barber in their women's flyweight bout

Champion Kamaru Usman is steadily disposing of all the top contenders in the UFC welterweight division. His resume shows victories over the current No. 1 (Colby Covington), 3 (Leon Edwards), 4 (Jorge Masvidal), 7 (Tyron Woodley) and eighth-ranked (Demian Maia) fighters among the promotion's top 10 in Usman's weight class.

Next up is No. 2, Gilbert Burns, and these two fighters can only hope that third-time lucky applies to their Feb. 13th bout at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Originally slated to battle for the title on the UFC 251 card, Burns withdrew after his coach Greg Jones tested positive for COVID-19. A chance to headline UFC 256 was scuttled when Usman withdrew due to undisclosed injuries.

Favorite			Underdog
Kamaru Usman	-275	+215	Gilbert Burns

Usman is the solid -275 chalk in the UFC 258 odds to dispose of Burns and retain his UFC welterweight belt. He's already successfully defended his title twice since winning it from Woodley at UFC 235. Burns is the +215 underdog in the UFC 258 Vegas odds.

Other bouts tentatively carded for UFC 258:

• Jimmie Rivera (-145) vs Pedro Munhoz (+115)
• Rodolfo Vieira (+400) vs Anthony Hernandez (+300)
• Alexa Grasso (-140) vs Maycee Barber (+110)
• Julien Marquez (-190) vs Maki Pitolo (+155)
• Kelvin Gastelum (-210) vs Ian Heinisch (+170)  
• Mallory Martin (-165) vs Polyana Viana (+135)
• Miranda Maverick (-155) vs Gillian Robertson (+125)
• Philip Rowe (-115) vs Gabe Green (-115)

Remember to read our guide if you have any doubts on how to bet on the UFC.

Kamaru Usman (17-1) vs Gilbert Burns (19-3)

Trained in wrestling prior to moving into MMA, Usman's skills as a grappler were prevalent in his early bouts. He was a takedown machine. Lately, though, the evolution in his fighting style is evident. His overall game continues to grow stronger and more effective.

The Nigerian Nightmare lists two knockout victories through his last seven bouts, including his title match with Covington. He's an aggressive fighter who always seems to be on the attack, pushing his opponent into fighting off the back foot and reacting instead of setting the tone.

Adding intrigue to the UFC odds on this bout is that these two were teammates at Hard Knocks 365. Usman trained with former UFC world champ Eddie Alvarez to prepare for this bout.

Burns is no slouch. He opened his MMA career 10-0. After a middling 3-3 performance though his next six bouts, the Brazilian is currently on a six-bout win streak. He's 4-0 since moving up from lightweight to welterweight. Durinho, as he's known, has won two of his last four fights as the betting underdog.

He's also won half of his last eight bouts via knockout or submission. Usman, though, is the much more smoother and punishing striker, and that, combined with his attacking style, will make the difference in a close fight.

Will It Go The Distance?

As part of the UFC picks for this bout, BetOnline is offering a prop wager on the length of the Usman-Burns fight.

Over 4.5 rounds is the betting favorite in this prop at odds of -130. Those bettors who are of the opinion that this one will be ending earlier can access +100 odds on under 4.5 rounds.

The scouting report shows that five of Usman's last six fights and nine of his last 11 bouts have gone the distance. In the case of Burns, three of his last four fights and four of his past six bouts went the full five rounds.

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