Jamahal Hill says the lone defeat of his mixed martial arts career was the result of simply disrespecting the sport, and that it won’t happen again. Three consecutive wins later, the No. 7-ranked Hill is fighting for the vacant light heavyweight title Saturday against former champion Glover Teixeira in the main event of UFC 283. The title fight tops the pay-per-view main UFC 283 fight card (10 p.m. ET) from Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Hill’s lone defeat came in June 2021 against grappling specialist Paul Craig. Hill appeared unfocused and Craig took advantage for a first-round finish. Hill told the media this week that the loss taught him a lesson and he vows to never repeat the mistake. His first title shot comes against the No. 2-ranked Teixeira, who will have the home-crowd advantage and is looking to become a champion for the second time.
Hill is a -125 betting favorite (risk $125 to win $100), while Teixeira is offered at +105 in the UFC 283 odds from Caesars Sportsbook. In the co-main event, flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo (-105) takes on top-rated challenger Brandon Moreno (-115) in the fourth meeting between these rivals. Before making any UFC 283 picks, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine combat sports expert Daniel Vithlani.
Vithlani is a highly analytical UFC bettor who profited more than $6,200 for $100 bettors in 2022. This includes a documented 24-14 record on his two-leg parlays. Every pick was documented on his public Instagram account.
From breaking down film and following fighters and their camps closely, to tracking sharp action and reacting to betting market signals, Vithlani covers the breadth of the MMA betting landscape top to bottom.
He also trains amateur boxers and speaks regularly with MMA fighters to understand the sport’s nuances. Over the past three years, Vithlani has developed a system with several “must tail” and “must fade” angles that consistently pay off. Anyone who has followed him has seen massive returns.
Now, Vithlani has zeroed in on the UFC 283 fight card and made his picks for who wins each fight, plus he’s made recommendations on some intriguing props. You can only see who to back here.
UFC 283: Teixeira vs. Hill preview
Teixeira and Hill have both said they were surprised and grateful for the opportunity to fight for the title at UFC 283, which came on just about six weeks’ notice for both combatants. This is because the vacant title was also at stake at UFC 282 last month, but the matter went unresolved.
Former champion Jan Blachowicz and top contender Magomed Ankalaev fought a choppy and back-and-forth affair for five rounds that ended in a split draw. Instead of booking them for a rematch, UFC president Dana White decided to award the opportunity to Hill and Teixeira, who now gets a title shot in his home country.
The No. 7-ranked Hill was originally scheduled to fight former title challenger Anthony Smith at UFC 283, but that fight was scrapped when the UFC brass decided to fast-track him to compete for the vacant title. Smith, temporarily left without a fight, went on to help Hill train for Saturday’s main event.
The 31-year-old Hill (11-1-1) is a product of the popular UFC recruiting program “Dana White’s Contender Series,” though he wasn’t considered one of the top prospects on the show. He has silenced skeptics by going 5-1-1 in seven UFC appearances with four stoppages.
The 43-year-old Teixeira (33-8) won his first UFC title at age 42, but still looks as athletic and durable as his much younger opponents. He was ahead of the heavily favored Prochazka on the scorecards last July when he briefly lost focus and was submitted late in the fifth round. You can see who Vithlani is backing at SportsLine.
Top UFC 283 picks
We’ll share one of Vithlani’s UFC 283 picks here: He is backing Gilbert Burns (-455) to get his hand raised against Neil Magny (+345) in a battle of veteran welterweight contenders on the main card.
Burns (20-5) is a nine-year UFC veteran and a late bloomer who saw a six-fight win streak result in his first career title shot. The versatile Brazilian came up short against former champion Kamaru Usman in February 2021 but could position himself for another title shot with an impressive victory.
Magny (27-9) has been a consistent contender who made his UFC debut in February 2013. Although he has shared the cage with countless upper-tier opponents, Magny has never fought for the title despite being the welterweight division’s all-time wins leader with 20. The 35-year-old New Yorker has won three of his past four bouts.
“Magny’s only chance is to stay on the outside and strike at range. Burns will likely maul him at some point and get the finish, either with a big power shot or using his lethal submission game,” Vithlani told SportsLine. See more picks at SportsLine.
How to make UFC 283 picks
Vithlani also has strong picks for Teixeira vs. Hill and every other bout on the UFC 283 card. He’s backing a fighter who “will be the sharper competitor” to emerge with a big victory. Those selections are only available at SportsLine.
So who wins UFC 283: Teixeira vs. Hill? And which fighter is set to emerge with a big victory? Visit SportsLine now to see which fighters you need to be all over at UFC 283, all from the accomplished MMA analyst who profited more than $6,200 for $100 bettors in 2022.
UFC 283 fight card, odds
See Vithlani’s full UFC 283 picks at SportsLine
Jamahal Hill (-125) vs. Glover Teixeira (+105)
Brandon Moreno (-115) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (-105)
Gilbert Burns (-455) vs. Neil Magny (+345)
Jessica Andrade (-550) vs. Lauren Murphy (+400)
Johnny Walker (-190) vs. Paul Craig (+160)
Ihor Potieria (-215) vs. Mauricio Rua (+180)
Gabriel Bonfim (-180) vs. Mounir Lazzez (+155)
Jailton Almeida (-950) vs. Shamil Almeida (+650)
Cody Stamann (-350) vs. Luan Lacerda (+275)
Terrance McKinney (-125) vs. Ismael Bonfim (+105)
Warlley Alves (-120) vs. Nicolas Dalby (+100)
Josiane Nunes (-550) vs. Zarah Fairn (+400)
Saimon Oliveira (-160) vs. Daniel Marcos (+140)
Thiago Moises (-320) vs. Melquizael Costa (+250)
