Two recent title challengers will collide on Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night when top-ranked flyweight Brandon Moreno meets No. 3-ranked Brandon Royval. Their five-round battle anchors the main UFC fight card starting at 10 p.m. ET from Arena CDMX in Mexico City. Both fighters saw their last appearance end in a title-fight loss to current champion Alexandre Pantoja. But because of the general lack of depth at the top of the flyweight division, the winner of Saturday’s main event will become the front-runner for another opportunity at the belt. Moreno defeated Royval in November 2020 when an injury caused a stoppage at the end of the first round.
Moreno is a -270 favorite (risk $270 to win $100), while Royval is priced at +220 in the latest UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 odds. In the co-main event, ranked bantamweight contenders meet as Yair Rodriguez (-165) takes on Brian Ortega (+135). Before locking in your picks for UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine analyst Kyle Marley.
Marley won the first-ever “ToutMaster” UFC betting contest sponsored by MMAOddsBreaker and appears regularly on multiple MMA betting and daily Fantasy shows. He watches every single fight for every professional MMA card and does extensive research before each event.
Over the past five years, $100 bettors who have followed Marley’s picks are up nearly $11,000. Just two weeks ago at UFC Fight Night, Marley advised SportsLine members to back underdog Jack Hermansson (+220) against rising prospect Joe Pyfer (-275) in the middleweight main event. Hermansson won a unanimous decision to give Marley’s followers an easy winner. Anyone who has followed him has seen massive returns.
Now, with UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 on deck, Marley has studied the card from top to bottom and revealed his top UFC predictions. Those picks are available at SportsLine.
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 preview
The main event Saturday is a rematch from November 2020 that left a sour taste for both fighters, particularly Royval. The flyweight contenders engaged in a nonstop battle that saw both come close to fight-finishing sequences before the other countered with his own barrage.
Near the end of the first round, Royval suffered a shoulder injury that left him unable to continue and Moreno was awarded the victory via technical knockout. Both fighters have since proven to be among the division’s elite.
Moreno (21-7-1) went on to become a two-time champion behind his memorable four-fight rivalry with former champion Deiveson Figueiredo that saw the 30-year-old Mexico native go 2-1-1 and emerge as one of the promotion’s most popular champions.
However, both of Moreno’s stints as champion have been short-lived. He came out on the short end of a close decision in December against Pantoja, against whom he is now 0-3. Coincidentally, Pantoja’s first defense came in a decision victory last December against Royval, who was making his first title-fight appearance.
Royval (15-7) is a former Legacy Fighting Alliance champion whose UFC tenure has been marked by wild fights and fast finishes. The 31-year-old Denver native has gone 5-3 in eight UFC appearances with all but two of those fights decided inside of two rounds.
This profile speaks to his dangerous but volatile style that has proven Royval can defeat any opponent on any given day, but his risk-heavy style also has the potential to backfire. See all of Marley’s UFC Fight Night picks here.
UFC Fight Night predictions
We’ll share one of Marley’s UFC Fight Night selections here: He is going with Manuel Torres (-170) to get his hand raised against Chris Duncan (+140) in a matchup of lightweight brawlers that will kick off the main card.
Torres (14-2) is a powerful striker with a lethal ground game to match who joined the UFC following successful stints in numerous promotions. The 28-year-old Mexican fighter is a “Dana White’s Contender Series” alum who has won his first two bouts with the promotions against seasoned veterans. Torres managed a first-round knockout of Nikolas Motta last June.
Duncan (11-1) is a brawler known for his willingness to engage and durability. The 30-year-old Scottish fighter brings a four-fight winning streak into Saturday’s showdown. His last outing resulted in a decision over Yanal Ashmoz last June.
“Duncan should have the wrestling advantage and he has power on the feet as well. But he is a little too hittable and Torres can make him pay. I’ll take Torres by TKO,” Marley told SportsLine. See who else to pick here.
How to make UFC Fight Night picks
Marley also has strong picks for Moreno vs. Royval and every other bout on the UFC Fight Night card. He’s also backing a combatant who “is the better and more dangerous striker” to emerge with a huge victory. Those picks are only available at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC Fight Night, all from the seasoned expert who’s up nearly $11,000 on MMA in the past four years, and find out.
UFC Fight Night odds, fight card
See full UFC Fight Night picks, predictions, best bets here.
Brandon Moreno (-270) vs. Brandon Royval (+220)
Brian Ortega (+135) vs. Yair Rodriguez (-165)
Daniel Zellhuber (-275) vs. Francisco Prado (+225)
Raul Rosas (-260) vs. Ricky Turcios (+210)
Yazmin Jaregui (-530) vs. Sam Hughes (+400)
Raoni Barcelos (-175) vs. Christian Quinonez (+145)
Edgar Chairez (-355) vs. Daniel Lacerda (+280)
Fares Ziam (-220) vs. Claudio Puelles (+180)
Muhammad Naimov (-330) vs. Erik Silva (+285)
Felipe Dos Santos (-295) vs. Victor Altamirano (+240)
