UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. Borralho Odds and Predictions

More intense MMA betting action is on its way. UFC 305 was a hit, but the punches never stop coming when it comes to betting on UFC fights.

If you went along with my UFC 305 betting picks last week, you would have made out nicely. I only went 2-3 for the main card, but went 4-3 during the Prelims to break even. One of those picks was a nice underdog play (+150), so it should have been a profitable night.

I did warn of Kara-France’s KO upside, and I’ll admit I am speechless after seeing Israel Adesanya succumb to du Plessis via submission.

It’s onward and upward, though, as the UFC on ESPN 62 odds are out and it’s time to place some bets. Unsure of who to back? I’ll take a look at every bout and offer my top predictions.

UFC on ESPN 62 Odds

The top sports betting sites are offering UFC on ESPN 62 betting odds. Here are the prices I found at BetUS.

UFC on ESPN 62 Favorite	UFC on ESPN 62 Underdog	UFC on ESPN 62 Prediction
Caio Borralho -225	Jared Cannonier +185	Caio Borralho -225
Edmen Shahbazyan -300	Gerald Meerschaert +225	Edmen Shahbazyan -300
Angela Hill -110	Tabatha Ricci -115	Angela Hill -110
Michael Morales -700	Neil Magny +450	Michael Morales -700
Robert Valentin -155	Ryan Loder +125	Ryan Loder +125

The main card features the main event between Caio Borralho and Jared Cannonier, which is undeniably enough to entertain most MMA fans.

It gets some added excitement with the TUF 32 Middleweight Finale, however, as Ryan Loder and Robert Valentin square off.

You’re also getting some pretty big names in Shahbazyan and Meerschaert, while Angela Hill is even a nice seasoned fighter everyone can enjoy.

There is some decent value on the main card, and perhaps even an upset or two to sniff out. The UFC on ESPN 62 betting odds look appealing at first glance, but if you want more details to back up my picks, read on.

UFC on ESPN 62 Main Card Predictions

UFC on ESPN 62 Main Card begins at 10pm ET. Let’s break down all of these thrilling matches and offer some logic that may help you bet with confidence.

Caio Borralho (-225) vs. Jared Cannonier (+185)

Jared Cannonier is known for his immense KO power, but we haven’t seen it in some time. His last KO win came in 2022 against Derek Brunson.

He’s still been good, as he’s 4-2 over his last six fights and Decision losses to Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker would shame nobody. It’s the TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov in June of this year that should have fans of the 40-year old concerned.

Cannonier is still a live underdog at his +185 price, of course. What he lacks in height he makes up for in reach (77.5 to 75.0) in this fight, and he at least hypothetically can end any fight immediately with his fists. Ten career KO victories suggest as much.

Of course, Cannonier isn’t immune to being on the receiving end of such knockouts (3).

That’s especially the case when he’s facing someone as lethal as Caio Borralho. The Brazilian has five career knockouts and has never been stopped early in any fashion.

His most recent damage came against the feisty Paul Craig, and he hasn’t tasted defeat of any kind since his lone loss in 2015.

Cannonier would be a fun underdog to back, but these are two strikers with a lot to gain. It’s just hard to back the 40-year old that simply hasn’t been ending fights as emphatically as he once did.

Edmen Shahbazyan (-300) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (+225)

Next up is a really fun and potentially underrated showdown between Edmen Shahbazyan and Gerald Meerschaert.

The Golden Boy is a solid 13-4 so far in his career, owning an impressive 11 KOs. He’s slipped in recent fights, though, going just 2-4 over his last six bouts. The resume still looks clean, but just one of his fights during that span didn’t end by early stoppage.

The good news? Two of them ended with his fists inflicting the punishment, and that includes a Ko win over A.J. Dobson last May. 

It’s a clash of styles against Meerschaert, who is a canvas hero with 28 career submission wins. He just notched another one in March of this year, when he took out dangerous striker Bryan Barberena.

This is a total mismatch on every level. If we look at experience, Meerschaert is the easy call. If we look at grappling, he gets the nod again. If the fight stays on the feet, Shahbazyan wins by a mile with superior striking.

The reality, though, is that Meerschaert can’t win this fight standing up, and Edmean can do so in his sleep. He’ll go full bore early, so the hope is he simply doesn’t tire out. If he does, a submission on the ground would be in play for Meerschaert.

I like Shahbazyan to get the win, but I’d look for some UFC on ESPN 62 props involving a KO or inside the distance victory.

Angela Hill (-110) vs. Tabatha Ricci (-110)

I never know what to make of Angela Hill, other than she is tough as nails. She could easily be a superstar in the UFC, but she otherwise settles for being a strawweight gatekeeper due to her lack of finishing upside.

Still, she has 30 fights on her ledger, and she’s yet to lose via KO. She has a chin of steel and she knows how to inflict and absorb punishment throughout the duration of a fight.

Hill is 39 now, but the American has been heating up of late, winning two straight and four of her last five. She’s forever live to drop a tight Decision loss, but I sure wouldn’t bet on her getting knocked out.

Ricci has the far better record at 10-2, but her one career knockout isn’t going to change anything I said about Hill’s toughness. She’s just as gritty, though, as she hasn’t lost a fight by early stoppage since 2021.

All that said, maybe Hill is just a late bloomer and/or luck is finally on her side. She’s a bit long in the tooth, but she’s suddenly running hot and she is not easy to take out. I think this one is headed for a Decision, so my favorite bet is for it to go the distance.

If it indeed gets there, I think the more experienced Hill gets the nod. The crazy thing? BetUS doesn’t have a favorite for this fight, so you’re getting a pretty killer -110 price tag.

Michael Morales (-700) vs. Neil Magny (+450)

Another notorious gatekeeper is Neil Magny, who is nearing the end of the line at age 37, but boasts a rock solid record of 29-11.

Magny is another fighter who simply knows how to grind out wins (17 career Decision victories!), but he reminded everyone in a January win this year (TKO against Mike Malott) that he’s still dangerous.

Magney has a well-rounded skill-set and loads of experience, but he’s not immune to an inside the distance loss, and he’s not a great bet to actually finish a fight early, himself.

That’s where the optimism with Morales comes in. The Ecuador native is a sublime 16-0, and that’s counting a successful 4-0 run so far in the UFC. During that stretch he flexed his KO muscle twice and he sports 11 career knockouts in his career.

At just 25, we could be witnessing a rising star in the UFC. It’s sad that an aging vet has to again be the sacrificial lamb to see if the prospect has the goods, but here we are.

Don’t be shocked if Magny makes Morales work for it, though. The Haitian Sensation has a three-inch advantage in height and an inch in reach. I don’t see a KO win for Morales, but he doesn’t feel like the guy to bet against here.

Robert Valentin (-155) vs. Ryan Loder (+125)

This isn’t the biggest fight of the night, but it’s also not one to miss, as it’s the TUF 32 finale match.

Valentin is the understandable favorite, as he’s younger, more experienced, and it’s arguable he has the more versatile skill-set. He’s also red hot, as he’s won three in a row and hasn’t lost since 2022.

He’s been racing through fights and racking up submissions and KOs, with each of his last six wins ending the fight early. Even if you’re not confident in Valentin, betting on this fight to finish inside the distance feels like a great play.

Loder is 6-1 on the other side, and he’s a bit older. Naturally, he’s the slight underdog due to a lack of experience and age, but he’s a vicious fighter who comes with a lot of aggression.

I actually dig the value here, largely because Valentin is not afraid to take the fight to the ground. That could obviously backfire, but he’s a great wrestler and if he has control on the canvas, it could be game over.

UFC on ESPN 62 Preliminary Card Predictions

The UFC on ESPN 62 Preliminary Card begins at 7pm ET. Many of these Prelim fights feature lesser known UFC fighters, but there’s still value to be had so let’s see which fighters are worth backing.

Cong Wang (-950) vs. Victoria Leonardo (+575)

The first fight for the UFC on ESPN 62 Prelims is a lopsided one in terms of price. Cong Wang is a massive favorite after winning her UFC debut in dominant fashion this past May.

That boosted her overall record to an unblemished 5-0, and her well-rounded skill-set has helped her notch wins in numerous ways.

Victoria Leonardo is more experienced, but she’s gotten slapped around quite a bit (four KO losses) and is in poor form with a 1-3 run over her last four fights.

Wang should be the aggressor here and win with relative ease. I’d also be interested in an ITD bet, and perhaps a KO win, too. 

Jacqueline Cavalcanti (-185) vs. Josiane Nunes (+155)

A fight that’s likely to be a lot more contested has Jacqueline Cavalcanti hoping to move to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the UFC. 

She got started off on the right foot in her UFC debut in September of last year, and is constantly moving. She’s shown an ability to stand her ground and strike, but can also be aggressive with takedowns and finish on the canvas.

Of course, standing and striking could be problematic in a showdown with the feisty Nunes. 

Nunes finally lost for the second time this past March, but she did so in a tough Decision defeat. Prior to that, she had won nine straight matches. Seven of her 10 career wins have also come via KO, and she’s yet to be finished early in any regard.

There are two possible issues here; Nunes loses a ton of inches to her competition, and if Cavalcanti takes this fight to the floor, it’s over.

I see why Cavalcanti is favored, but Nunes has been fighting bigger fighters this entire time. She has serious spunk and if she can stay on her feet I think she can win this thing. I love the value with her at +155.

Viascheslav Borshchev (-235) vs. James Llontop (+195)

You can back an even less comfortable favorite in Borshchev if you’d like. Slava is 7-4 for his career, and just 2-3-1 in the UFC. Even so, he has KO upside (six career KO wins), and he’s never been KO’d himself.

His recent history isn’t super encouraging, as he got submitted by Chase Hooper in May of this year and the match before that against Nazim Sadykhov was a Draw.

Borshchev is older, shorter, and has shorter reach (69 to 73) than his opponent, who is looking like a trendy underdog pick the more I look at this.

James Lliontop is a stellar 14-3 with seven KO wins and much like Slava, he’s never been knocked out. His UFC experience is lacking, however, as he has one fight inside the Octagon and it ended with a submission loss to Chris Padilla.

It’s possible he just wasn’t ready for the big show yet, but he could be now. He has the edge in a lot of key areas, and we know historically that he’s a vicious striker that can take his opponent out in a variety of ways.

I like the upside with Lliontop in this one.

Zachary Reese (-450) vs. Jose Daniel Medina (+325)

Savage’s UFC journey has been a mixed bag so far. He got taken down by Cody Brundage in his UFC debut in 2023, but rallied and dominated Julian Marquez in his second fight.

That boosted his career MMA record to 7-1 and gave him his sixth KO victory. 

After seeing what he’s capable of when he’s not getting slammed and battered, the bookmakers made him a pretty hefty favorite.

He’ll be attempting to keep the good times rolling against Jose Daniel Medina, who is a solid 11-3 with eight KOs to his name. None of that has come in the UFC, of course, while he lost a Decision in Dana White’s Contender Series.

Siding with Reese is easy, though. He’s younger, he’s a huge favorite, he has four inches on Medina, and he beats him in reach by 2.5 more inches. He’s also a very dangerous fighter who might be more confident than ever at this point.

That’s a dangerous combination, even if Medina offers strong betting value.

Danny Silva (-210) vs. Dennis Buzukja (+170)

The last UFC on ESPN 62 fight has Danny Silva as a moderate favorite. That makes sense, as he’s a solid 9-1 so far with five KOs under his belt.

He also won his UFC debut in March of this year, and is in fine form with three straight victories. It’s worth noting that he’s never been finished in his pro MMA career, with his only loss coming via Decision in 2022.

El Puma looks like a good favorite at first glance, and he also owns a height advantage as he prepares to take on Dennis Buzukja.

The man known as The Great has more experience, and he flashed his upside with a TKO win against Connor Matthews in March of this year. He’s just 1-2 in the UFC to this point, however.

All things told, I like Silva here. He’s the taller fighter with an overall size advantage, and he’s simply been the more dominant fighter.

UFC on ESPN 62 Fight Card

UFC on ESPN 62 Favorite	UFC on ESPN 62 Underdog	UFC on ESPN 62 Prediction
Caio Borralho -225	Jared Cannonier +185	Caio Borralho -225
Edmen Shahbazyan -300	Gerald Meerschaert +225	Edmen Shahbazyan -300
Angela Hill -110	Tabatha Ricci -115	Angela Hill -110
Michael Morales -700	Neil Magny +450	Michael Morales -700
Robert Valentin -155	Ryan Loder +125	Ryan Loder +125
Cong Wang -950	Victoria Leonardo +575	Cong Wang -950
Jacqueline Cavalcanti -185	Josiane Nunes +155	Josiane Nunes +155
Viacheslav Borshchev -235	James Llontop +195	James Lliontop +195
Zachary Reese -450	Jose Daniel Medina +325	Zachary Reese -450
Danny Silva -210	Dennis Buzukja +170	Danny Silva -210