UFC 302: Makhachev vs Poirier Full Card Odds, Prelim Picks, Start Time, How to Watch, & More

UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier full card preview & prelim picks and best bets are brought to you by BetOnline. BetOnline is a market leader in sportsbooks, offering a variety of options from UFC odds to the NFL and everything in between.

After an MMA-less weekend, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is back in a big way with UFC 302 this weekend. It's going to be an exciting Saturday night in New Jersey as UFC enthusiasts are treated to a massive card that'll be headlined by a lightweight championship bout between Islam Makhachev and Dustin Poirier.

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With another fight-filled weekend upon us, Betting News is here to help you get the most out of your MMA betting experience. Buckle up as we dive into my UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier preview as we look at the latest full card odds and trends, as well as my preliminary predictions and best bets.

UFC 302 Main Card Fights & Odds

All UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier odds are courtesy of BetOnline as of Monday, May 27 at 12:12 p.m.

UFC 302 Main event: Islam Makhachev (c) vs. Dustin Poirier — Lightweight

• Record: Islam Makhachev (25-1) vs. Dustin Poirier (30-8, 1 NC)
• Moneyline: Islam Makhachev (-700) | Dustin Poirier (+500)
• Round total: 2.5 — Over (+135) | Under (-165)
• Most likely method of victory: Makhachev via Submission (-115)

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UFC 302 Co-Main Event: Sean Strickland vs. Paulo Costa — Middleweight

• Record: Sean Strickland (28-6) vs. Paulo Costa (14-3)
• Moneyline: Sean Strickland (-240) | Paulo Costa (+205)
• Round total: 4.5 — Over (+110) | Under (-140)
• Most likely method of victory: Strickland via KO/TKO (+140)

Kevin Holland vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk — Middleweight

• Record: Kevin Holland (25-11, 1 NC) vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk (19-7, 1 NC)
• Moneyline: Kevin Holland (-275) | Michał Oleksiejczuk (+235)
• Round total: 1.5 — Over (-165) | Under (+135)
• Most likely method of victory: Holland via KO/TKO or Submission (+265)

Jailton Almeida vs. Alexander Romanov — Heavyweight

• Record: Jailton Almeida (20-3) vs. Alexander Romanov (17-2)
• Moneyline: Jailton Almeida (-255) | Alexander Romanov (+215)
• Round total: 1.5 — Over (-135) | Under (+105)
• Most likely method of victory: Almeida via Submission (+135)

Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski — Welterweight

• Record: Randy Brown (18-5) vs. Elizeu Zaleski (24-7-1)
• Moneyline: Randy Brown (-161) | Elizeu Zaleski (+141)
• Round total: 2.5 — Over (-165) | Under (+135)
• Most likely method of victory: Brown via Points (+170)

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UFC 302 Preliminary & Early Prelim Card Odds & Picks

UFC Vegas 92 Prelim Fight Record: 6-1

UFC Vegas 92 Prelim Best Bet Record: 2-5

César Almeida vs. Roman Kopylov — Middleweight

• Record: César Almeida (5-0)  vs. Roman Kopylov (12-3)
• Moneyline: César Almeida (-106) | Roman Kopylov (-114)
• Round total: 2.5 — Over (+100) | Under (-130)

World-class kickboxer César Almeida made his UFC debut just last month with a TKO win over Dylan Budka. Meanwhile, Roman Kopylov hopes to turn things around after a submission loss to Anthony Hernandez ended his four-fight winning streak in February.

In a fight that could go either way, I'm taking Kopylov to win. Yes, Almeida is undefeated, but Kopylov has more MMA experience, which includes four knockout wins at the UFC level. I see these middleweights trading shots throughout the three rounds before Kopylov finds an opening to win.

Almeida vs. Kopylov Prediction: Roman Kopylov

Almeida vs. Kopylov Best Bet: Kopylov ML (-114)

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Grant Dawson vs. Joe Solecki — Lightweight

• Record: Grant Dawson (20-2-1) vs. Joe Solecki (13-4)
• Moneyline: Grant Dawson (-450) | Joe Solecki (+350)
• Round total: 2.5 — Over (-200) | Under (+160)

Grant Dawson and Joe Solecki could both use a win as they come off knockout losses in their last respective outings. While neither man has experienced consecutive defeats, I'm going with Dawson to emerge victorious this weekend.

Solecki is a solid fighter, but he's also 2-2 in his last four fights, whereas Dawson was on a 12-fight undefeated run before his last outing. Dawson is also the bigger and more experienced combatant with the edge when it comes to the ground-and-pound department, opening the door for a potential finish if this fight heads to the mat.

Having said that, Solecki tends to fair well at avoiding being finished, so look for Dawson to win via decision.

Dawson vs. Solecki Prediction: Grant Dawson

Dawson vs. Solecki Best Bet: Dawson via Points (-110)

Philip Rowe vs. Jake Matthews — Welterweight

• Record: Philip Rowe (10-4) vs. Jake Matthews (19-7)
• Moneyline: Philip Rowe (+140) | Jake Matthews (-160)
• Round total: 2.5 — Over (-150) | Under (+120)

Jake Matthews may be the favorite in this welterweight scrap, but I'm not sure if I trust him over Philip Rowe. After all, Matthews hasn't won consistently in years, going just 2-3 in his last five fights. Meanwhile, Rowe knocked out three consecutive opponents before falling to Neil Magny via split decision last June.

Due to Matthews' inconsistencies, I'm going with a Rowe upset this weekend. The Brooklyn, NY native has fought well since making his UFC debut while his opponent's recent history proves that the door is open for an upset.

Rowe vs. Matthews Prediction: Philip Rowe

Rowe vs. Matthews Best Bet: Rowe ML (+140)

Niko Price vs. Alex Morono — Welterweight

• Record: Niko Price (15-7, 2 NC) vs. Alex Morono (24-9, 1 NC)
• Moneyline: Niko Price (+185) | Alex Morono (-220)
• Round total: 1.5 — Over (-180) | Under (+150)

I'm not going to overthink things when it comes to this UFC 302 bout. Niko Price has looked terrible over the last few years, going 1-4 with a no-contest in his last five fights. Meanwhile, Alex Morono is 6-2 in his eight previous bouts and owns a 7-2-1 record as the favorite.

Considering how Price has been KO/TKO'd five times in his last 10 fights, look for Morono to win inside the distance.

Price vs. Morono Prediction: Alex Morono

Price vs. Morono Best Bet: Morono inside the distance (+105)

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Mickey Gall vs. Bassil Hafez — Welterweight

• Record: Mickey Gall (7-5) vs. Bassil Hafez (8-4-1)
• Moneyline: Mickey Gall (+245) | Bassil Hafez (-285)
• Round total: 1.5 — Over (-185) | Under (+155)

After a 4-0 start to his MMA career, Mickey Gall is just 3-5 in his last eight outings and hasn't fought since being knocked out by Mike Malott over two years ago. While Bassil Hafez lost to Jack Della Maddalena in his UFC debut, I trust him more this weekend as I expect he'll be hungry to prove that he does belong in the biggest MMA company.

Hafez is known for his grappling, but Gall is a pretty solid wrestler himself. With that in mind, I see Hafez winning this one via points.

Gall vs. Hafez Prediction: Bassil Hafez

Gall vs. Hafez Best Bet: Hafez via Points (TBD)

Ailín Pérez vs. Joselyne Edwards — Women's Bantamweight

• Record: Ailín Pérez (9-2) vs. Joselyne Edwards (13-5)
• Moneyline: Ailín Pérez (-195) | Joselyne Edwards (+170)
• Round total: 2.5 — Over (-350) | Under (+275)

When it comes to this weekend's sole women's fight, I like Ailín Pérez's chances of extending her winning streak. She's now 2-0 since making her bantamweight return, bringing her weight class record to 8-1. Pérez now gets to go up against Joselyne Edwards, who dropped to 3-3 in her last six fights with a loss to Nora Cornolle.

Edwards is a seasoned veteran who knows how to avoid getting finished, though, meaning Pérez will likely have to go the distance to get the job done.

Pérez vs. Edwards Prediction: Ailín Pérez

Pérez vs. Edwards Best Bet: Pérez via Points (TBD)

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André Lima vs. Mitch Raposo — Flyweight

• Record: André Lima (8-0) vs. Mitch Raposo (9-1)
• Moneyline: André Lima (-237) | Mitch Raposo (+202)
• Round total: 2.5 — Over (-155) | Under (+125)

UFC fans can expect to experience a hard-hitting flyweight showdown here. Mitch Raposo is making his debut after finishing seven of his first 10 MMA opponents while André Lima aims to remain perfect after defeating Igor de Silva via disqualification just two months ago.

Raposo has a solid record, but we already saw him lose on The Ultimate Fighter: Season 29 and Dana White's Contender Series 2021. He just isn't suited for the UFC level and I wouldn't be surprised if he has his hands full with Lima, who has four first-round knocks under his belt.

Raposo may put up a fight, but I fully expect Lima to end this one with a knockout blow.

Lima vs. Raposo Prediction: André Lima

Lima vs. Raposo Best Bet: Lima via KO/TKO (TBD)

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UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier Information & FAQ

When is UFC 302?

• UFC 302 will take place on Saturday, June 1, 2024.

Where is UFC 302?

• UFC 302 airs live from Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

What time does UFC 302 start?

• UFC 302 Early Prelims Start Time: 6:15 p.m. ET
• UFC 302 Preliminary Card Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
• UFC 302 Main Card Start Time: 10 p.m. ET

How to Watch UFC 302

• UFC 302 Early Prelims Channel: ESPN+
• UFC 302 Preliminary Card Channel: ESPN+, ESPN2
• UFC 302 Main Card Channel: ESPN+, PPV

How to Bet on UFC 302

• All of the top online sports betting sites will have UFC 302 odds, but here are some of the sites we recommend most for UFC betting enthusiasts.