A grudge match headlines Saturday’s UFC 272 between former title challengers Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal. When you look online, there is plenty of support for the underdog, Masvidal as he looks to be one of many underdogs to win. On this note, UFC 272 does present plenty of upset potentials, based on the UFC betting odds.
We spot not one, not two, but four underdogs with the best shot at winning their respective fights. We don’t even need to include Masvidal who enters the main event as +245 underdog. Throwing him into our parlay of UFC bets will yield a payout of $12,891.20 for every $100 wager. Even without Masvidal, these four ‘dogs could just cash a big payday.
Progressive Underdog Parlay For UFC 272
Each of the four underdogs we’re selecting is worth betting individually if you prefer. For our progressive parlay, we break our four ‘dogs into three smaller wagers, led by our two-leg parlay.
Leg #1: Mullarkey Outlasts Turner
There is considerable hype on Jalin Turner right now. The American is 6-foot-3 with a 75½-inch reach in the lightweight division, and has three straight finishes. However, Turner (11-5-0) has one weakness, and it’s tough-nosed grinders who can wear him down when the fight goes past the first two rounds. Enter Jamie Mullarkey.
The unsung Mullarkey (14-4-0) is incredibly durable and pretty hefty for the division as well: 6’0” with a 74” reach. So he isn’t giving up too much size. The Australian has also improved by leaps and bounds since training under Alexander Volkanovski, the featherweight champ.
Mullarkey has begun using body shots to his advantage. Against the gargantuan Turner, he has plenty of room to connect, then take over in the latter half of the fight. At +130, Mullarkey is a solid anchor to our underdog parlay.
Bet: Jamie Mullarkey (+135).
Leg #2: Hardy Smashes Spivak
After dropping two consecutive bouts, fans and oddsmakers are down on Greg Hardy. However, Sergey Spivak is a sizable decline in competition for the NFL linebacker-turned MMA fighter. Hardy (7-4-0, 1 NC) still hits hard and can just finish Spivak (13-3-0) before he gets a chance to assert his grappling.
Hardy is a fish out of water once taken to the ground, but good luck doing that as Hardy has an 80% takedown defense. He’s only been taken down once in his last eight bouts. Over three rounds, Spivak may find a way to ground Hardy and beat him. This one may not even get to Round 2, with Hardy catching the smaller Spivak flush and putting him away. At +175, Hardy has tremendous value on the UFC lines.
Bet: Greg Hardy (+175)
Parlay: Jamie Mullarkey (+135)/Greg Hardy (+175) at +546.
Leg #3: Elliott Spoils Ulanbekov’s Party
Earlier on the card, we like long-time veteran Tim Elliott against Tagir Ulanbekov. Trust us when we say that the only reason Ulanbekov (13-1-0) is favored is because 1) His ethnicity (Dagestani), and 2) His association with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s camp.
However, not everyone from Nurmagomedov’s crew is bulletproof, especially since Ulanbekov is going against a proven UFC vet in Elliott (17-12-1). The former title challenger has only lost to top-10 caliber fighters, and Ulanbekov barely beat Allan Nascimento. We’re not sold on this Dagestani wrestler, so we like Elliott to come through, albeit in a close decision.
Add: Tim Elliott (+190)
Parlay: Jamie Mullarkey (+135)/Greg Hardy (+175)/Tim Elliott (+190) at +1677.
Leg #4: Barboza Neutralizes Mitchell
Last, but not least, there’s another grizzled veteran who could deliver against another much-hyped prospect. Edson Barboza is not a fighter you simply beat. He has fought plenty of champions at 155 lbs, having lost just once in the featherweight division, excluding a bogus decision loss against Dan Ige.
Barboza’s (22-10-0) kryptonite is grappling, and a relentless foe like Bryce Mitchell could do him in over 15 minutes. However, Mitchell (14-4-0) is too one-dimensional, and if he can’t get his takedowns, he will get smoked. Barboza, even at age 36, is still strong and explosive. At his current price, it’s worth betting he can win the earlier parts of the fight.
Add: Edson Barboza (+115).
Parlay: Jamie Mullarkey (+135)/Greg Hardy (+175)/Tim Elliott (+190)/Edson Barboza (+115) at +3721.
