UFC Saudi Arabia Card Odds And Predictions: Magomedov Vs. Page

The UFC is in Saudi Arabia for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card. The event takes place at and Arena in Riyadh. In the headlining contest, former UFC champion Israel Adesanya faces Nassourdine Imavov. Meanwhile, in the co-main event, Michael “Venom” Page moves up to 185 pounds to face the undefeated Shara “Bullet” Magomedov. UFC Saudi Arabia begins at 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+, following prelims at 9 a.m. ET on the same streaming service. Below, we take a deep dive into the Magomedov vs. Page fight. Shara “Bullet” Magomedov is a perfect 15-0 as an MMA fighter. The 30-year-old from Dagestan made his UFC in 2023. Magomedov was 11-0 with 10 knockout wins when he signed with the UFC. His debut with the promotion took place after a highly publicized incident where he was reportedly arrested for hooliganism and disturbing public order in hometown of Makhachkala. Magomedov also had an incident at the ADCC Southeast Asia tournament in early 2023 where he kicked his opponent after tapping to a heel hook. When Magomedov, who is blind in his right eye after suffering an injuryearly in his career and undergoing eight surgeries, made his UFC debut in October 2023 he picked up a decision win over Bruno Silva in a fight where the newcomer was a -345 betting favorite. In his next outing, which took place in June 2024, Magomedov picked up a “Performance of the Night” bonus for his third-round knockout win over Antonio Trocoli. Magomedov was a -535 betting favorite in that contest. In August 2024, Magomedov earned a “Fight of the Night” bonus for his decision win over Michał Oleksiejczuk. In his most recent outing, Magomedov made the highlight reels with a double-spinning backfist knockout win over Armen Petrosyan. The impressive KO earned him a “Performance of the Night” bonus. Michael “Venom” Page (22-3) made a name for himself in Bellator, racking up big wins in sometimes spectacular fashion. He showed a knack for self-promotion and an ability to make fighters who weren't on his level look bad. However, his run with that promotion was marked with questions about just how good he would be against the best fighters Bellator had to offer. After all, he lost the two biggest fights of his Bellator run, getting knocked out by Douglas Lima in the welterweight Grand Prix semifinal in 2019 and dropping a split decision to Logan Storley in a 2022 interim title fight. The UFC tested Page in his promotional debut, matching him up against the always-game Kevin Holland. Page looked good in that fight, frustrating Holland with his odd striking style and picking up a unanimous decision win. In his next outing, Page dropped a decision to Ian Machado Garry at UFC 303. Page has fought at welterweight for most of his career, so he is taking a step up to 185 pounds in this matchup. When the UFC Saudi Arabia co-main event was announced, Page opened as the -140 betting favorite over the +120 Magomedov. Those odds have shifted. Today, Magomedov is the -175 favorite over the +150 Page. This is a tough fight to pick because Magomedov could end the fight at any point with his power. However, Page can control distance very well and he can be confusing because of his style and stance. If Page can employ his game plan and keep Magomedov on his back foot, the fight is his to lose. The pick is for Page to win via decision, but there is value in picking Magomedov to win via knockout. We wil have more on the UFC Saudi Arabia fight card as the UFC Fight Night event approaches.