Maycee Barber vs. Alexa Grasso will serve as the co-main event for UFC 258 betting on Saturday, February 13 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
While this might be a surprising matchup to see as the co-main event of a pay-per-view, it should still be an exciting fight between a pair of up-and-coming women's flyweight contenders.
Oddsmakers are expecting a close fight with Grasso a slim -152 favorite and Barber coming back at +124.
We break down the UFC betting odds and bring you our best picks and predictions for Barber vs. Grasso at UFC 258.
Barber vs Grasso Fight Odds
| Method of Victory | Maycee Barber | Alexa Grasso |
|---|---|---|
| Win Outright | +124 | -152 |
| Win by KO/TKO | +500 | +1,000 |
| Win by Points | +340 | +100 |
| Win by Submission | +850 | +1,300 |
| Draw | +5,000 | +5,000 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Barber vs Grasso Betting Preview
Barber has the nickname "The Future" because she was hyped as a future champ. The 22-year-old began her UFC career with three-straight TKO victories against Hannah Cifers, JJ Aldrich, and Gillian Robertson but is coming off her first career loss as she was dismantled by Roxanne Modafferi over 15 minutes last January, injuring her ACL in the process.
Barber is a phenom that was teaching adults karate by the time she was 13 and made her MMA debut at the age of 19 with a first-round stoppage win in the Legacy Fighting Alliance.
She has fantastic striking and power for the division and, while Barber prefers to keep fights standing up, she has strong wrestling ability. She is best when she can advance and attack with punches while overpowering her opponents in the clinch and the ground and pound.
Grasso, 27, is coming off a unanimous decision win against Ji Yeon Kim and has alternated wins and losses over her last six fights.
The Mexican began her career as a 19-year-old in the strawweight division but made the move up to flyweight against Kim. She is an excellent boxer with strong technical striking ability.
Barber vs Grasso Tale of the Tape
| Maycee Barber | Alexa Grasso | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Age | 27 |
| 5-foot-5 | Height | 5-foot-5 |
| 125 lbs | Weight | 126 lbs |
| 65 inches | Reach | 66 inches |
| 8-1-0 (5 KO) | Record | 12-3-0 (4 KO) |
Barber vs Grasso UFC Prediction and Betting Pick
PREDICTION: Barber +124 - Barber is kind of like the female version of "The Golden Boy" Edmen Shahbazyan. Both are extremely young fighters who seemed destined for greatness, began training in MMA as children, and steamrolled their first several UFC foes. And both hype trains got derailed in their last bouts against veteran fighters.
Barber entered that fight against Modaferri as a massive -1000 favorite and ended up being dominated over three rounds, albeit while moving around on a torn ACL.
That said, I think Barber's fight against Modaferri will serve as a wake-up call for the ultra-talented prospect. Barber has always had a worrying tendency to try to walk through her opponents' attacks, and I think the loss and her subsequent change in training camps will result in more respect for her foes and an improvement in striking defense.
Grasso, meanwhile, has good kickboxing skills but never seemed to put it all together when she faced her toughest foes at 115 pounds, losing decisively to Carla Esparza, Tatiana Suarez, and Felice Herrig.
Barber has unreal power for the division and can be absolutely devastating at close range. Add in Barber's takedown and ground-and-pound ability and I think she looks like a strong bet to bounce back with a win.
Where Can I Bet on UFC Odds?
Most online sportsbooks and casinos offer bets on UFC odds and props. While odds to win usually come out as soon as a fight is announced, prop bets become more readily available closer to an event. Check out the best sportsbooks available where you live and see what UFC bets they have available.
