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- What: UFC Denver Co-Main Event
- Who: Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov
- Date: Saturday, July 13, 2024
- Location: Ball Arena in Denver, CO
- Time: Prelims (7:00 p.m. ET), Main Card (10:00 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: Prelims (ESPN, ESPN+), Main Card (ESPN, ESPN+)
On Saturday, July 13, the UFC is in Denver for the first time since 2018 for an ESPN Fight Night card. The UFC Denver main event sees former UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas face Tracy Cortez in a flyweight matchup. In the evening’s co-main event, Santiago Ponzinibbio and Muslim Salikhov face off in a welterweight scrap. Here is some background on the UFC Denver co-main event fighters before we discuss the betting breakdown on the fight card.
Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-7) was 7-0 with the UFC between December 2015 and November 2018, but the 37-year-old has hit a rough patch since then, going 2-4. In his most recent outing, which took place in April 2023, Kevin Holland knocked out Ponzinibbio in the third round of their UFC 287 matchup.
Muslim Salikhov (19-5) saw his five-fight UFC winning streak end in July 2022. The 40-year-old is 1-3 since then, and he is coming off back-to-back losses. Salikhov’s most recent trip to the Octagon took place in February when Randy Brown knocked him out in the first round.
Before we look at the best bets for the Ponzinibbio vs. Salikhov matchup on the UFC Denver card, check out the best UFC betting sites and where you can find our betting picks for the main event of UFC 304, Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad 2.
UFC Denver co-main event: Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov betting picks
| Fighters |  |  |  |  |
| Santiago Ponzinibbio | -207 | -200 | -210 | -210 |
| Muslim Salikhov | +177 | +165 | +170 | +162 |
Santiago Ponzinibbio betting breakdown
Santiago Ponzinibbio mainly relies on his striking, racking up 16 of his career wins by way of knockout, including his most recent victory, a December 2022 “Performance of the Night” bonus-winning stoppage of Alex Morono. Ponzinibbio mostly strikes from the outside and does a good job of managing range. While he doesn’t have a lot of one-punch knockout power, Ponzinibbio relies on his volume and ability to stay on an opponent once he senses they are hurt.
Ponzinibbio struggled with Kevin Holland’s speed and range during his last outing. He seemed frustrated by Holland’s style, which caused him to do a bit of head-hunting. However, Ponzinibbio did have some success with his low kicks. If he wants to succeed in Denver, Ponzinibbio must stay calm and collected and not overextend himself. He cannot provide openings for his opponent to counter—something he did against Holland.
Ponzinibbio has a three-inch reach advantage in this matchup. He lands 4.90 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy of 41 percent. His striking defense is 61 percent, but he gets hit 4.67 times per minute. Ponzinibbio lands 0.48 takedowns per 15 minutes with a success rate of 30 percent. His takedown defense is 60 percent.
Muslim Salikhov betting breakdown
Like his opponent on the UFC Denver card, Muslim Salikhov is a striker above all, with 13 knockouts during his career. His most recent win came in 2022 when he stopped Andre Fialho in the third round of their UFC Fight Night matchup. The win earned Salikhov a “Performance of the Night” bonus.
Salikhov mixes up his techniques well. Despite his age, Salikhov has good speed, especially when he unloads spinning techniques. Salikhov has good defensive movement, and his low kicks from distance can slow his opponent’s footwork and ability to throw off their front foot. He also throws all his strikes with full power, but he doesn’t rush or force things. Instead he is patient and can do some damage with his counters.
If there is a concern about Salikhov in this matchup, it’s his cardio, which won’t improve in Denver.
Salikhov lands 3.36 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy of 51 percent. On defense, Salikhov absorbs 2.94 significant strikes per minute with a defensive rate of 62 percent. He lands 1.27 takedowns per 15 minutes and hits 40 percent of his takedown attempts. Salikhov’s takedown defense is 73 percent.
Best Bets: UFC Denver co-main event – Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov
Cardio will come into play in this fight, and that gives Ponzinibbio the edge. If he can remain focused on the task at hand and not become frustrated with Salikhov’s defense and speed, Ponzinibbio will be able to rack up points and win this fight. The betting pick for the UFC Denver co-main event is for Santiago Ponzinibbio to defeat Muslim Salikhov via decision.
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