UFC 332 Betting: Silva vs. Best bets for Wang and more

It looks like the UFC has developed a strong relationship with Salt Lake City after holding a numbered card there in 2022. Now, after an absence last year, the Octagon returns to the Delta Center for UFC 332. While it may not be the strongest card on paper, the Salt Lake City crowd always shows up. Additionally, the promotion will air a main card on CBS for the first time.

In the main event, Natalia Silva will be crowned the new UFC women’s bantamweight champion after Valentina Shevchenko was injured after meeting Wang Kong.

Since 2018, Silva has won 14 straight and is 8-0 in the Octagon. In fact, her last three wins have come over former UFC champions Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas.

Kong is 5-1 in the UFC (10-1 overall in MMA) and he enters this bout on a four-fight winning streak. She is coming off a win over Tracy Cortez tonight at UFC 329.

The main event will be a heavyweight fight as former lightweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo faces up-and-coming Payton Talbott.

Figueiredo desperately needs a win here, coming off four losses in his last five fights. He enters this fight with a submission loss to Song Yadong in May. Talbott, meanwhile, is 11-1 in MMA and enters this fight coming off a decision win over Henry Cejudo at UFC 323.

The UFC 332 main card will also feature King Green vs. Esteban Ribovics, Roberto Soldic vs. Khaos Williams, and Ateba Gautier vs. Roman Kopylov.

NATALIA SILVA VS WANG JONG

Silva’s rise in the bantamweight division has been something to watch. Not only does he have fast punches, but his kickboxing is also full of unpredictability. He is able to change his stance quickly and use his footwork in a way that makes it difficult to shoot. This is in direct contrast to the Kong, which has high stunning accuracy and tries to use its range in the spotlight. Jong has also shown a willingness to duck or go to the floor when necessary, although he is better at stopping his opponent’s attempts.

In the end, it comes down to who will fight to be his fighting type. Will Jong be able to make Silva pay as he cuts through the cage and tries to get in to land on him? Will Silva’s moves and technical strikes cause problems? Who will hit the better shots? Who can handle the height and distance of the championship? And can Kong, only ranked 8th, prove himself worthy of this moment?

BET: Silva by decision (FanDuel: -105)

ATEBA GAUTIER VS ROMAN KOPYLOV

Gautier entered the UFC as “middleweight Francis Ngannou”. Now we’ll see if Gautier is ready for the next level of competition. Andrey Pulyaev already showed us what could have happened if Gautier had fought in the first round, but Gautier bounced back in a violent finish with a win over Ozzy Diaz. A win tonight could indicate he’s ready for tougher competition, but Kopylov won’t make it easy.

Kopylov is an octagon veteran who is 7-3 in the UFC, including a 4-1 record in his last five fights. While Gautier is known for his explosiveness, Kopylov’s powerful kicks and fluid movement can present opportunities for Gautier to confuse with a more awkward style. If Kopylov can survive an early onslaught of power, how will Gautier respond? That could say a lot about how far Gautier can go in his Octagon run.

BET: Gautier via KO/TKO (FanDuel: +110)

DAMIAN PINAS VS ANDREY PULYAEV

Pinas is perhaps one of the most fun rising prospects to watch right now. He’s 10-1 with six straight wins and his first two Octagon fights against Wes Schultz and Cesar Almeida showed he has it. In fact, no one had ever KO’d Almeida before Pinas. But Pulaev’s tall frame, durability and distance control could present a different challenge, as it does for Gautier when the two meet.

Pulayev should try not to play in a close trade battle. He needs to use his range, ground shots and move outside to make it difficult to get a shot. If Pinas stays composed and looks for opportunities like he did in his first two fights, he can pass this test.

BET: Pinas to win and SGP under 1.5 rounds (BetMGM: +135)

ANTHONY WINT VS LUCAS ARMAND

Anthony Wint is clearly making the most of the opportunities that come his way. The former football athlete won Dana White’s Contender Series by seconds in August, and he picked up his first Octagon victory 11 days later in a short fight at UFC Sacramento. Now he can race on the numbered card in another big opportunity.

Armand is undefeated at 6-0, and he’s had as many hits as Wint. Armand has the size and physical dominance, but Wint more than passes the eye test and clearly has the better resume. If Armand can’t overwhelm Wint with his frame, it might not last long (heck, it might not last long either way). And at light heavyweight, more opportunities will come his way if Wint continues to win.

BET: Win by KO/TKO in Round 1 (FanDuel: +170)