Published on: October 4, 2025, 09:34h.

Updated on: October 4, 2025, 09:37h.

This evening’s UFC 320 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas features a highly anticipated double title bout. The spotlight is on light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev defending his title against top contender Alex Pereira.

Pereira as the Underdog

Pereira aims to regain his title and seek revenge after losing to Ankalaev in a unanimous decision at UFC 313 last March.

In another title fight, bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili will defend his title against American contender Cory Sandhagen.

BetMGM lists Pereira as the underdog at +210, with Ankalaev favored at -275. Following this bout, betting odds show Dvalishvili at -425 and Sandhagen at +310 for their fight, while Khalil Rountree Jr. (+165) faces Jiri Prochazka (-200), with Joo Sang Yoo (+135) battling Daniel Santos (-165) in a preliminary catchweight matchup. Josh Emmett (+360) will also compete against Youssef Zalal (-500) in a featherweight clash on the main card.

Seeking Retribution After UFC 313 Defeat

BetMGM’s most popular prop bets include Pereira winning by KO/TKO or DQ at +300, Pereira by Decision/Technical Decision at +900, Rountree by KO/TKO or DQ at +300, Dvalishvili by Submission at +700, and Sandhagen by Submission at +2500.

Mark Collier, a trader at BetVictor, noted that many analysts expected Pereira to dominate Ankalaev quickly in their first fight, which did not occur.

Dvalishvili Favored in Betting

“Last time, betting on Alex was at -138 with the Over 2.5 rounds being a pick’em, but now, Alex is a +175 underdog with the Total Rounds line at 4.5. This reflects Ankalaev’s impressive performance, leading experts to predict another dominant 5-round display from Magomed,” said Collier.

“Predictable betting patterns can be a challenge in our field but also an opportunity for us. While I expect Ankalaev to win by Decision again, I believe Pereira will not let this be his last shot at Light Heavyweight. Failing this time may push him into Heavyweight,” he added.

Pereira’s Last Major Opportunity

“Magomed may not have dominated every round previously, but he has learned to navigate around Alex effectively. For Pereira to secure a victory, he must aim for an early KO/TKO. As the fight progresses, it likely favors Ankalaev. The betting odds for an AP KO/TKO are around +300, which I would prefer over betting on Pereira to win outright,” Collier commented.

“In conclusion, the pressure of this bout could enhance Pereira’s threat level significantly,” he added, highlighting that he favors Pereira by KO/TKO/DQ at +210 this morning.

Sandhagen’s Underdog Status

Collier expressed skepticism about why Sandhagen, ranked No. 4, was given this opportunity, especially since more deserving contenders like Petr Yan (No. 3) and Umar Nurmagomedov (No. 2) are in the bantamweight category.

“It’s hard to see how Sandhagen can effectively compete against Merab in this fight. Similar to his loss to Aljamain Sterling five years back, I foresee Dvalishvili finishing Cory quickly with an early Submission,” he explained.

“Nearly all of Merab’s 15 previous UFC fights have ended in Decision, so a MD Decision seems probable, but it’s priced around 1/2, which is unappealing for betting.”