Paddy Pimblett Vs Rodrigo Vargas Betting Guide

UFC mega-prospect Paddy Pimblett returns to the Octagon on Saturday night with a main card matchup against UFC veteran Rodrigo Vargas, and we're here to provide a betting breakdown on some of the best pre-fight action available.

All odds featured are available at unibet.co.uk

Paddy Pimblett to win via submission - 2/1

Though the former Cage Warriors star may have announced himself to the global UFC audience with an explosive first-round knockout over Luigi Vendramini back in September, fans familiar with the loveable Scouser's pre-UFC run will be aware that the most dangerous aspect of Paddy's style is actually his grappling and submission offence.

After losing his Cage Warriors title back in 2017, Pimblett rebounded against Greek prospect Alexis Savvidis. After being pushed against the cage by his opponent in the first exchange of the second round, Pimblett jumped guard and began hunting for submissions, masterfully transitioning from a triangle choke into an armbar and forcing Savvidis to submit less than a minute into the second frame.

With eight of his career wins coming by way of submission do not be surprised if Pimblett elects to utilise his superior grappling to negate Vargas' striking, and instead look to neutralise his opponent on the ground and ultimately secure a victory by forcing the Mexican to tap out.

#UFC Paddy Pimblett vs Alexis Savvidis full fıght - Paddy Pimblet New Star

Rodrigo Vargas to win via decision - 9/1

Though some observers have unfairly characterised Vargas as having essentially no path to victory on Saturday night, it is fair to say that the three-fight UFC veteran (1-2) should pose little threat to Pimblett if The Baddy is going to live up to the enormous hype that has been cultivated around him and reach the upper echelons of the UFC's unfathomably talent-stacked lightweight division.

However, during Pimblett's spell in Cage Warriors, he often found himself struggling to deal with opponents who could effectively pressure him and force him to fight on the back foot. When Pimblett defended his Cage Warriors Featherweight Championship against Nad Narimani, the challenger entered the fight as a nearly 2/1 underdog but never allowed Pimblett to get going and ultimately came away as the new champion by way of the judges' scorecards.

If Vargas can employ a similar strategy it is entirely possible that we could see the Pimblett hype train derailed earlier than many would have anticipated, and at 9/1 it's could definitely be worth a punt.

Nad Narimani vs Paddy Pimblett Highlights - Cage Warriors MMA UFC Bellator