UFC 297 Prelim Picks and Predictions: Jasudavicius Shows Out for Canadian Fans

UFC 297 takes place this Saturday at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, and features Sean Strickland’s first defense of his middleweight title against the dangerous Dricus Du Plessis. UFC odds favor the champion, and unsurprisingly, the card has a strong Canadian presence.

Jasmine Jasudavicius, Gillian Robertson, and Charles Jourdain will look to make the hometown crowd happy and build their resumes as they each inch toward the top tier of their respective divisions.

Here are my free picks for the UFC 297 preliminaries.

UFC 297 prelim picks and predictions

Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Priscila Cachoeira
• Prediction: Jasudavicius ML (-370)
• Best Bet: Over 2.5 rounds (-150)

Gillian Robertson vs. Polyana Viana
• Prediction: Robertson ML (-300)
• Best Bet: Over 2.5 rounds (+120)

Charles Jourdain vs. Sean Woodson
• Prediction: Jourdain ML (-210)
• Best Bet: Over 2.5 rounds (-145)

Click on each fight to jump to the full analysis.

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UFC 297 prelim odds and picks

Jasmine Jasudavicius vs Priscila Cachoeira fight odds

Method of Victory	Jasudavicius	Cachoeira
To win outright	-400	+290
To win by KO/TKO	+525	+550
To win by points	-105	+1,150
To win by submission	<<+310>>>	+2,250
Draw	+2,500	+2,500

Odds as of January 20, 2024.

Jasudavicius came out of nowhere in 2023, and she hopes to build on her breakout year against Cachoeira. Though Jasudavicius is a damage sponge, she doesn’t stop coming forward and seems to have a granite jaw. She racks up 2.17 takedowns per 15 minutes and doesn’t take a backward step as she relentlessly stalks her opponents — always threatening to drag them to the ground.

Cachoeira is a big striker with seven knockouts in 12 wins, but her defense is somehow worse than Jasuadvicius in striking and grappling. Unless Cachoeira lands a one-hitter quitter in the opening moments of the fight, she’s going to get worked over and dominated on the ground for three rounds.

Expect Jasudavicius to show off her impressive damage resistance and wrestling in a fight likely to go the distance.

Prediction: Jasudavicius moneyline (-375 at Bet99)
Best Bet: Over 2.5 rounds (-150 at Bet99)

Gillian Robertson vs Polyana Viana fight odds

Method of Victory	Robertson	Viana
To win outright	-300	+225
To win by KO/TKO	+700	+800
To win by points	+220	+800
To win by submission	+145	+730
Draw	+2,500	+2,500

Odds as of January 20, 2024.

Viana always seems to come apart when she isn’t facing someone who is overmatched. Robertson won’t be mistaken as an elite strawweight, but her grappling and submission skills are going to be too much for Viana to handle. Also, Viana has been taken down seven times in her last three fights.

Robertson can sometimes make strange tactical errors, which has been the source of her stunted development, but she wouldn’t dare ignore her wrestling to try and win a striking battle with Viana. Expect Robertson to score a submission win later in the fight.

Prediction: Robertson moneyline (-300 at Bet99)
Best Bet: Over 2.5 rounds (+120 at Bet99)

Charles Jourdain vs Sean Woodson fight odds

Method of Victory	Jourdain	Woodson
To win outright	-210	+165
To win by KO/TKO	+285	+700
To win by points	+170	+310
To win by submission	+600	+2,100
Draw	+2,500	+2,500

Odds as of January 20, 2024.

The freakishly long and tall Woodson should have this fight in the bag against the talented, yet inconsistent Jourdain, but there are too many holes in his game to pick him comfortably. 

Woodson is easy to hit despite his 78-inch reach and 6-foot-2 frame, and his chin and takedown defense are questionable at best. Though Jourdain is physically outgunned, Woodson sometimes fights in a manner where he gives up those advantages, and Jourdain is a solid finisher if nothing else.

If Woodson fights smart, he’ll keep Jourdain at bay and avoid his firepower. However, an energized Jourdain will put his best foot forward for his hometown and find a way to take the fight to Woodson and score a win in a competitive bout that goes Over 2.5 rounds.

Prediction: Jourdain moneyline (-210 at Bet99)
Best Bet: Over 2.5 rounds (-145 at Bet99)

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