UFC 277 Betting Preview: Pena vs. Nunes 2 odds, picks

Two exciting rematches are the featured bouts of this Saturday night’s UFC 277 event in Dallas, Texas, and there’ll be a title on the line in each of them. UFC 277 is a PPV event, meaning fans must order the fights on ESPN+ to watch all of the action live.

It’s a fascinating fight card for those looking to place a bet on the weekend as Julianna Pena, who defeated Amanda Nunes in a stunning upset in December, will enter as the underdog yet again — despite her impressive submission win. The +220 odds on Pena to win are fairly generous, considering that she showed that she has exactly what it takes to pose a significant threat to Nunes. Pena was able to withstand Nunes’ heavy strikes and ended up trading toe-to-toe with her during the second round.

In the co-main event, Brandon Moreno and Kai Kara-France will face off in a rematch of their bout from 2019. Kara-France won the first round that night, but Moreno stepped it up in rounds two and three to secure a unanimous decision win. Kara-France will be entering that fight as the betting underdog.

But for the purposes of this article, we’ll dive into the details of the main event bout between Julianna Pena and Amanda Nunes, including a look at the latest betting odds, our expert predictions, and more.

Pena vs. Nunes 2 odds

Nunes will enter the UFC 277 as a big betting favorite despite her second-round submission to defeat to Pena in December. Pena represents great value for those who believe we’ll see a similar outcome this Saturday night.

Amanda Nunes: -280
Julianna Pena: +220

Pena vs. Nunes 2 fight picks

Just like UFC 276, when all three of our expert analysts picked Israel Adesanya to defeat Jared Cannonier, we have a unanimous decision before the UFC 277 main event. All of our picks are in, and we believe it’s Amanda Nunes who will exact her revenge on Julianna Pena this weekend.

Braeden Arbour picks Nunes to win, stating, “On paper, Nunes should still be the more skilled fighter, and watching the fight, this is evident when the two women are completely fresh… I think Nunes is going to come in with a new preparedness in her cardio, as well as a more measured approach, appreciation for her opponent, and a more technical gameplan, largely based on those leg kicks and tagging from a step further out.”

Michael Pounders writes, “If Nunes goes into the rematch with the wrong mindset, the mindset that she needs to put Pena’s lights out, we’ll likely see a repeat of the first matchup. But, if Nunes goes in calmly and fights a tactful fight, Nunes is more than well-rounded, dangerous, and skilled enough to get her belt back. Look for Nunes to fight behind her jab and leg kick early, wrestle if she gets in trouble, and win a decision.”

Joe Pounders reveals his pick, declaring, “Ultimately, I anticipate Amanda will enter the octagon with respect and a more measured approach. Meanwhile, I anticipate Pena coming into the octagon with more to lose, thus not fighting with the same “carefree attitude” she had in her last fight, which I believe greatly aided in her success. Because of this dual anticipation, I expect Amanda to put forth a dominant performance in the same fashion she has in nearly every one of her 16 UFC fights.”

Read our full Pena vs. Nunes 2 staff predictions article here.