Movsar Evloev vs. Diego Lopes is scheduled for three rounds in the featherweight division as a featured undercard attraction on tonight's UFC 288 card from The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Lopes steps up to face the dangerous Evloev on just a few days’ notice to replace the injured Bryce Mitchell.
UFC odds have the undefeated Evloev as a huge -600 favorite. Lopes makes his UFC debut as a +450 underdog.
Here are our picks and predictions for Evloev vs. Lopes at UFC 288 on Saturday, April 6.
Movsar Evolev vs Diego Lopes fight odds
Movsar Evolev vs Diego Lopes method of victory odds
| Method of Victory | Movsar Evloev | Diego Lopes |
|---|---|---|
| To win by KO/TKO | +150 | +1,600 |
| To win by Points | +120 | +2,000 |
| To win by Submission | +400 | +1,400 |
| Draw | +5,000 | +5,000 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook on May 6, 2023.
Movsar Evloev vs Diego Lopes picks
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Movsar Evloev vs Diego Lopes betting preview
Evloev once again saw a Bryce Mitchell fight fall completely apart, but is keeping his spot on the card against Lopes. Though it’s natural to favor Evloev against a late substitute, especially one on five days' notice, Lopes might actually be a tougher challenge than Mitchell.
There is a lot to like from Evloev. He’s scored wins over Dan Ige, Hakeem Dawodu, and Choi Seung-Woo, behind a balanced offense, though shining on the ground. In each of his six UFC fights, he’s scored multiple takedowns in each of them, including nine in each of his last two fights.
That being said, it’ll be expected that Evloev tries to get Lopes on the ground. It’ll be hard for Lopes to get properly prepared for something like this, coming in against a rising contender. There isn’t much that Lopes has to offer that Evloev hasn’t seen against better opposition.
Contender Series veteran Lopes has been busy on the regional circuit, having gone 3-2 in his last five fights. He’s a busy striker that sometimes gets out of control when he feels like he has an opening, and has shown some solid BJJ skills against the limited opposition he’s faced.
Lopes won’t be mentally compromised as Mitchell, and he’s wild enough at times to catch the disciplined Evloev off guard. In whatever Lopes does, he’s usually very aggressive, and if he can keep Evloev off him, there’s a possibility for an upset.
Evloev is not known for finishing fighters. That subtle intangible means Lopes has three rounds to overcome his wrestling and try to make this a stand-up fight, where his busy hands and bigger shots could cut Evloev down.
Movsar Evloev vs Diego Lopes tale of the tape
| Movsar Evloev | Diego Lopes | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Age | 28 |
| 5-foot-8 | Height | 5-foot-11 |
| 145 lbs | Weight | 145 lbs |
| 72.5 inches | Reach | 72 inches |
| 16-0 | Record | 21-5-0 |
Movsar Evloev vs Diego Lopes UFC prediction and best bet
Fight prediction: Evloev ML
It’s hard to pick against Evloev. Lopes is getting a big bump in competition from the regional circuits, and he’s likely to be competitive in defeat just like he was falling short to Joanderson Brito during the Contender Series.
Expect a few takedowns, some methodical jabbing opening up said takedowns, and a lot of top control to carry Evloev toward another victory.
Prediction: Evloev moneyline (-600 at DraftKings)
Fight best bet: Evloev ML
Due to the rapid scheduling of this fight, there are no other props at the time of this writing. We’ll stick with Evloev on the moneyline as our best bet as a result.
Pick: Evloev moneyline (-600 at DraftKings)
