It’s Fight Day for the final UFC card of 2024 with UFC Tampa featuring a 13-fight lineup headlined by Colby Covington and Joaquin Buckley in a high-stakes welterweight matchup to finish off the year. This should be a really fun event in front of an energized crowd to cap off what has been another exciting year of UFC action. All 26 fighters successfully made weight for the event during the weigh-in yesterday.

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My favorite picks on this card are Miranda Maverick, Navajo Stirling, Joel Alvarez and Joaquin Buckley.

Maverick is getting a very favorable matchup against Jamie-Lyn Horth where I expect her to be better anywhere this fight goes. She trains with multiple former UFC champions and has seen much tougher competition so far in her career compared to Horth. I think Maverick will try to make a statement in this one and get the win via finish.

Stirling is the biggest betting favorite of the weekend by a wide margin in his UFC debut matchup against George Tokkos. Stirling has some nasty power with an 80% KO/TKO rate in his career and I expect him to add another one to the total here in a favorite spot against an opponent who has been stopped in three of four losses.

Joel Alverez has massive 6in height and 7in reach advantages over Drakkar Klose while also being younger by five years. That’s a pretty solid recipe for Alverez here to control the range on the feet in the striking and he’ll be the more dangerous fighter on the ground also. I think Alverez can get a finish but wouldn’t be shocked if he gets his first decision win here either.

Buckley has been on an absolute tear since moving down to 170 and running up a five-fight winning streak. His power has translated well with the move, finding 3 KO/TKO wins in that span, and will likely give Covington trouble. Colby has been a staple at the top of the division rankings, but he’s lost three of his last five and coming off a lengthy layoff too. I think Buckley will be able to match or exceed Colby’s pressure and get this one done via decision or KO/TKO.

For the betting card this weekend, I’m mixing it up and going a bit heavy since it’s our last UFC event until the new year. I have three parlays open: Billy Quarantillo to Win in R3 or Decision + Joaquin Buckley ML (+271 for .5 units), Buckley ML + Jayden Daniels Anytime TD in Commanders/Saints NFL (+532 for .5 units) and Maverick ITD + Quarantillo ML + Buckley ML (+1066 for .5 units). The straight plays I have out include Maverick ITD (+400 for .25 units), Maverick by Sub (+500 for .25 units), Adrian Yanez ML (+195 for .5 units) and Yanez by KO/TKO (+450 for .5 units).

I really like Quarantillo in the co-main event against Cub Swanson. Billy Q is fighting in front of his adopted home crowd in Tampa and should ride the energy to a decision or late stoppage win. In a week where I’m picking a lot of favorites, Adrian Yanez stood out as an underdog against Daniel Marcos. While Marcos is 16-0, this is a big step up and I think Yanez will be able to catch him at some point in this fight on the feet. That’s seven bets out for a total of 3 units.

Overall, this should be a really fun event with a lot of potential for finishes in a front of a live crowd that should be hot from start to finish. While we might not have any fights coming for the next month, be sure to check back here on the site for some fun end of year wrap-ups and 2025 previews. I also plan to update some things around the site during the down time, so keep an eye out for announcements on those changes also. Best of luck on the bets and enjoy the fights!

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