Sean Strickland might be the best UFC fighter you've never heard of, though he's not particularly interested in changing that perception. Even so, the brash middleweight contender is bound to receive more recognition should he beat veteran Uriah Hall on Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Hall vs. Strickland. The matchup of ranked contenders highlights the main UFC fight card (9 p.m. ET) from Las Vegas. The No. 11-ranked Strickland is making his first main-event appearance, while the No. 8-ranked Hall will be doing so for the third time overall and second time in eight months.
Strickland is a -210 favorite (risk $210 to win $100), while Hall is an underdog at +180 in the latest Hall vs. Strickland odds from William Hill Sportsbook. In the co-main event, Kyung Ho Kang is the -140 favorite in the UFC Fight Night odds as he faces Rani Yahya (+120) in a battle of bantamweight prospects. Before locking in any Hall vs. Strickland picks or UFC Fight Night predictions, make sure you check out the expert UFC picks from SportsLine's Kyle Marley.
Over the past 28 months, $100 bettors who have followed Marley's picks are up more than $15,000. The accomplished MMA analyst has now connected on 33 of his last UFC 55 main-event selections, a stretch that includes a streak of five straight underdogs.
Two weeks ago at UFC Fight Night, Marley posted a 9-1 record to bring his followers a profit of $700 in one night. Last week, his winners included predicting a tight decision win for Maycee Barber (+120) against Miranda Maverick (-140) in a matchup of women's flyweight prospects on the main card. Anyone who has consistently followed Marley is way up.
Now, Marley has made the call on Uriah Hall vs. Sean Strickland and every other matchup on the UFC Fight Night card. You should see Marley's UFC Fight Night picks before making any UFC picks and predictions of your own.
Uriah Hall vs. Sean Strickland expert preview
Marley knows the main event will serve as both a showcase for the fighters and a chance to gain ground in a division led by a brash champion in Israel Adesanya, who has shown he is unafraid to take on challengers whom he deems worthy of the opportunity.
Strickland (22-3) and Hall (17-9) both have a chance to present their cases with an impressive victory. The 30-year-old Strickland has gained a reputation as a free-swinging and free-talking brawler who has repeatedly told the media that rankings and title considerations are secondary to the satisfaction that comes with fighting for a living.
The North Carolina native was more than happy to accept the increased exposure and pay bump that comes with a main-event slot, as he is aware that much of the general public is unfamiliar with his work. He has won four straight fights, and the gem of the bunch was a brutal knockout of celebrated prospect Brendan Allen last November on two weeks' notice.
Hall is known for his performance on "The Ultimate Fighter" in which he lost a split decision to Kelvin Gastelum. He has spent much of his eight-year UFC career in the top 10, but has failed to break through to title-contention.
However, the precision counter-striker would likely enter the title picture should he pull off his fifth consecutive victory. His last fight resulted in a memorable and gruesome leg injury suffered by former champion Chris Weidman in the first round of their UFC 261 fight in April. The normally reserved Hall won over many fans with his expressions of respect and support for Weidman afterward. You can see which Hall vs. Strickland picks to make for the UFC Fight Night card at SportsLine.
UFC Fight Night: Hall vs. Strickland predictions
We'll share one of Marley's UFC Fight Night selections here: He is going with Collin Anglin (+125) to pull the upset of Melsik Baghdasaryan (-145) in a matchup of featherweight prospects.
Anglin (8-1) is known for his sculpted physique that belies the division limit of 145 pounds and his results show he has the power to match. The 28-year-old Michigan native won four straight fights by knockout in the Warrior Xtreme Cagefighting and Legacy Fighting Alliance promotions. Those performances earned him an invitation to "Dana White's Contender Series," where he beat Muhammadjon Naimov by decision in September.
Baghdasaryan (5-1) has a similar skill set, as four of his five professional victories have come by first-round knockout. The 29-year-old Armenian fighter went to the scorecards for the first time in his career in September, when he took a unanimous decision against Dennis Buzukja on "Contender Series."
"Anglin isn't great anywhere, but I expect him to be the fresher fighter after the first round and I think he can win the later rounds," Marley told SportsLine.
How to make UFC Fight Night: Hall vs. Strickland picks
Marley has strong picks for Hall vs. Strickland and every other fight on the UFC Fight Night card. He's also backing an underdog who is "live to get a submission win." You can only get those UFC Fight Night picks at SportsLine.
Who wins Sean Strickland vs. Uriah Hall? And how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC Fight Night, all from the expert who's up more than $15,000 on MMA in the past 28 months, and find out.
UFC Fight Night odds, card
Sean Strickland (-210) vs. Uriah Hall (+180)
Kyung Ho Kang (-140) vs. Rani Yahya (+120)
Cheyanne Buys (-180) vs. Gloria De Paula (+160)
Bryan Barberena -260) vs. Jason Witt (+220)
Nicco Montano (-210) vs. Yanan Wu (+180)
Melsik Baghdasaryan (-145) vs. Collin Anglin (+125)
Rafa Garcia (-250) vs. Chris Gruetzemacher (+210)
Kai Kamaka (-120) vs. Danny Chavez (+100)
Ashley Yoder (-140) vs. Jinh Yu Frey (+120)
Ronnie Lawrence (-145) vs. Trevin Jones (+125)
Orion Cosce (-185) vs. Philip Rowe (+165)
Ryan Benoit (-135) vs. Zarrukh Adashev (+115)
