UFC 327 BETTING TIPS: LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS TO SHINE IN MIAMI
For the second year in a row, a vacant UFC title will be up for grabs in Miami as Jiri Prochazka and Carlos Ulberg look to shine in a UFC 327 card dominated by light heavyweights.
UFC 327: All You Need to Know
- Start time: 00:00 BST (prelims), 02:00 BST (main card)
- Event date: Sun 12th April
- Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami
- Capacity: 20,000
- How to watch: TNT Sports / HBO Max
- Event markets: Click here
Tip 1 – Jiri Prochazka to win by KO, TKO or DQ @ 29/20
Alex Pereira’s move up to heavyweight is his loss and one of Jiri Prochazka (32-5-1) or Carlos Ulberg’s (13-1-0) potential gain in the main event of UFC 327 with the vacant light heavyweight crown up for grabs.
It’s a crown the unorthodox Czech has already worn but also lost in wars with the division-departing Pereira, giving Prochazka another crack at the summit.
The climb won’t be easy, though.
His opponent is on quite a tear, riding a nine-fight winning streak that stretches all the way back to UFC 271, following his only loss in the promotion to Kennedy Nzechukwu in 2021.
Expect ‘Black Jag’ to stake his claim early as he hunts for that trademark first-round KO that has ended six of his previous 11 fights.
Prochazka’s record isn’t as pristine, but when did that ever bother him?
Jiri is a master of playing possum, drifting through rounds before unleashing bursts of unrelenting pressure – as Khalil Rountree Jr found out firsthand despite leading on the scorecards.
Simply put: Ulberg is on the Czech’s time.
Tip 2 – Azamat Murzakanov to win by decision @ 19/10
The UFC 327 co-main is another light heavyweight showcase, this time pitting the undefeated Azamat Murzakanov (16-0-0) against the popular Paulo Costa (15-4-0), with the latter making his debut at 205.
‘The Professional’ has rarely come up against a man he couldn’t knock out, with only Dustin Jacoby surviving the Russian’s elite power – and still lose by decision.
Costa always looked big for a middleweight, so shouldn’t look too out of place among the likes of Murzakanov if this is to be his new stomping ground moving forward.
He also stands a good chance to make a decent first impression given what he brings to the table.
Make no mistake about it: Costa’s chin will be royally checked here, just like Jacoby’s was, but if he survived there’s no reason the debutant can’t either as a much more durable fighter than the Russian’s only blip.
One of the main concerns here is how quickly ‘The Eraser’ tends to fade when fights enter the later rounds which, against Murzakanov and his ability to close distance, is potentially a critical issue.
He might not have enough to finish Costa decisively on Sunday but the onslaught should still be enough to see his arm raised after three rounds.
Tip 3 – Dominick Reyes or Johnny Walker to win by KO, TKO or DQ @ 4/11
If there’s one thing we’re certain of ahead of UFC 327 it’s that this particular fight ends inside the distance – possibly in the first round if it lives up to its all-out slugfest billing.
These two glass cannons are walking knockout highlight reels, both for and against, with 77% of Johnny Walker’s (22-9-0, 1 NC) victories coming by way of KO/TKO.
That said, the 6ft 6in Brazilian has shown himself to be an unconventional – if not clumsy – fighter at times, although the way he systematically broke down Zhang Mingyang last time out did show signs of improvement.
His opponent, Dominick Reyes (15-5-0), could easily have found himself in Ulberg’s spot on the card after getting – you guessed it – knocked out by the New Zealander back in September.
Bringing it back to Miami and his next fight, both ‘The Devastator’ and Walker have the power to end this fight at a moment’s notice; who actually does pull the trigger comes down to personal preference.
We like the unpredictability Walker brings when he steps into the octagon but Reyes is a striking machine in his own right who should never be underestimated – just ask Nikita Krylov.
How does 17/2 sound in sunny Miami? Lock in your UFC 327 Acca combining all our predictions in the same bet here.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change
