Belal Muhammad vs Gilbert Burns: UFC 288 Odds, Prediction

Pegged at No. 4 on the UFC welterweight rankings, Muhammad has been idle since earning a Performance of the Night bonus for his second-round TKO win over Sean Brady at UFC 280 that extends his current unbeaten streak to nine fights. The No. 5 contender among UFC welterweights, Burns returns to action after claiming a unanimous decision over Jorge Masvidal last month at UFC 287, and is undefeated in two octagon appearances so far in 2023.

Muhammad’s recent dominance has failed to lift him on the UFC 288 odds, where he trails as a +105 underdog while Burns leads the way as a -140 favourite, while the odds of this fight going a full five rounds are pegged at -121.

Gilbert Burns -150
Belal Muhammad +110

Belal Muhammad Odds

Muhammad agreed to this fight under far from ideal circumstances. With the UFC needing a top-flight matchup as the co-main event after plans for a battle between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush fell through, Muhammad and burns stepped up. However, the short notice is unlikely to work int favour of Muhammad, who was fasting to observe the holy month of Ramadan when the call was made.

Still, there is plenty to like about the 34-year-old American. Muhammad has claimed victory in eight of his past nine outings, with the lone exception being his tilt with current champion Leon Edwards, which ended in a no-contest due to an accidental eye poke. “Remember the Name” has gone the distance in six of his eight recent wins, while also tallying on TKO and one submission.

Gilbert Burns Odds

After going the distance in his eventual unanimous decision win over Jorge Masvidal last month, Gilbert Burns faces a huge challenge to get ready to face Muhammad. Burns claimed the victory on the strength of level changes, bring the former BMF title winner to the mat on four occasions, and establishing almost six minutes of control.

The former Jiu-Jitsu world champion is a supremely grappler, and has seen nine of his 27 career victories come by submission. However, he has come up far short in his past two dates, with both Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev dominating on the mat in their recent victories over the nine-year UFC veteran.

UFC 288 Prediction: Belal Muhammad vs. Gilbert Burns

Can Burns overcome his recent struggles when facing wrestlers when he steps into the octagon to take on Belal Muhammad? With little time to heal and prepare after taking this fight on short notice, Burns faces a real challenge to fend off level changes by Muhammad, who has demonstrated his ability to win standing or on the mat during his 8-0 run.