UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov Main Card Odds & Best Bets

The UFC heads further East to Abu Dhabi for UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov, with the bantamweight division set to be rocked with four of the top 10 fighters at 135 competing on this main card. Can Cory Sandhagen hold off the challenger, Umar Nurmagomedov, in the main event? The UFC betting odds we’re seeing from the best Ontario sportsbooks certainly don’t think so.

UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov Main Card UFC Betting Odds

All odds provided by Betway.

No. 2 Cory Sandhagen vs. No. 10 Umar Nurmagomedov Bantamweight Bout Betting Odds

Cory Sandhagen (17-4) has just about the worst luck in the UFC. Twice before he’s been on the verge of a UFC title shot, only to lose when he’s right on the cusp, and then watch as the men who beat him got those shots instead. Unfortunately, it looks like it’s going to be the same song and dance for the Sandman here, even though he’s coming in on a three-fight win streak.

Umar Nurmagomedov is undefeated (17-0), just like his cousin, Khabib. He has never fought anyone near as elite as Sandhagen, but even still, the way he’s gone about his 5-0 run since joining the UFC has tended to inspire confidence in the up-and-comer, as his odds have shortened significantly since this line opened.

Sandhagen’s best chance to win is also his most likely path to defeat: flying knees, high kicks, and all that fun stuff the Sandman loves to do. If he can land one, great, but if he can’t, this is the type of wrestler that’s going to make his life hell. If Nurmagomedov has never seen a striker like Sandhagen, Sandhagen has never seen someone with as voracious an appetite for takedowns as the Dagestani (4.5 per 15 minutes).

Sandhagen has only been finished once, via rear-naked choke by Aljamain Sterling in 2020, so we luckily don’t have to deal with those inflated -333 moneyline odds for Umar. Instead, we believe Sandhagen makes him earn his win on the scorecards at +110, probably doing so with 15-20 minutes of ground control.

Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk Middleweight Bout Betting Odds

We get another undefeated Russian in the co-main event with Shara Magomedov (13-0) gearing up for the biggest fight of his career against Michal Oleksiejczuk (19-8, 1 NC). This seems like a fight tailor-made for Magomedov to continue getting his sea legs under him in the UFC, as the Polish fighter has lost three of his last four. Oleksiejczuk is the type of guy to stand and trade too, which is just what the doctor ordered for Magomedov. We like Magomedov to get the finish here (we’re not sure which way) at -139 odds.

No. 4 Marlon Vera vs. No. 6 Deiveson Figueiredo Bantamweight Bout Betting Odds

This one’s got Fight of the Night written all over it, but we must say, the method of victory odds are quite interesting. 18 of Deiveson Figueiredo’s (23-3-1) 23 wins have come via finish, yet he has enormous odds to win that way here.

That’s likely because he’s going against the toughest s-o-b in the UFC in Marlon Vera (23-9-1), who has never been finished. We don’t believe Deus Da Guerra will be the one to break that streak for Chito, but we do like Figueiredo to win this one in the end with his more crisp and powerful striking, and -125 odds at the bell are more than fine.

Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chiesa Welterweight Bout Betting Odds

When will it end? Tony Ferguson (25-10) will always be a legend, but at this point you have to start wondering what kind of advice he’s getting to keep going. This guy was once 25-3, and seven losses later, it seems like he won’t stop fighting until he gets one more W. 

We’re not sure that’s ever going to happen, even against a guy like Michael Chiesa (16-7) who has also struggled immensely lately. This is going to be a tough watch for a variety of reasons, but perhaps the best bet is that these aging bulls are unable to finish one another and they slog it out for 15 minutes for the fight to go the distance at -110.