Mauricio Rua vs. Ihor Potieria: UFC 283 Odds, Prediction

A fan favourite since joining the UFC over 15 years ago, Rua looks to his final fight before retirement with just one win in four fights, capped by a split decision loss to Ovince Saint-Preux last May at UFC 274. Undefeated during a stretch of 15 fights that ended with a first-round knockout win over Lukasz Sudolski on Dana White’s Contender Series that earned him a UFC contract in September 2001, Potieria fell defeat in his promotional debut at UFC 277 with a second-round TKO loss to Nicolae Negumereanu.

Potieria has emerged as a -235 favourite on the UFC 283 odds, while Rua sports long +175 odds of ending his career on a winning note. This fight is also pegged as a -125 bet to last OVER 1.5 rounds.

Maurício Rua UFC 283 Odds

Few fighters can hope to enjoy such a long and storied career in the UFC. A former UFC light heavyweight champion, “Shogun” is best remembered for his epic championship battles with Lyoto Machida. However, the 41-year-old has steadily shown his age in his recent losses at the hands of Saint-Preux and Paul Craig, and was lucky to escape with a split decision win over Antônio Rogério Nogueira at UFC Fight Island 3 in his only victory over the past five years.

The story of Mauricio Rua is one that features no shortage of both big wins and decisive defeats. After mustering just 10 total strikes in his loss to Craig, Shogun steadily wore down in his loss to OSP, losing that contest largely on the strength of a dismal third-round performance. Overall, he has claimed victory inside five minutes on four occasions, and has lost in the first round three times. And while two of his three most recent wins have come by TKO, the sting in his punch that previously made him a constant threat to finish has long since faded.

Ihor Potieria UFC 283 Odds

Potieria will be aiming to avenge his first loss in a pro fight since 2017 when he battles Shogun on Saturday night. A dominant force while fighting with such promotions as World Warriors and GCFC before earning his UFC contract, the 26-year-old Ukrainian has established himself as a threat to finish both standing and on the mat.

Currently sporting an 18-3 professional MMA record, Potieria has finished opponents inside five minutes in three of his past five wins. The Kyiv native struggled with level changes in his UFC debut against Negumereanu, who tallied two takedowns and softened him up for a second-round TKO with over four minutes of control early in the contest. However, with six of his 18 career wins coming by submission, Potieria’s ability to dominate on the mat should not be underestimated.

UFC 283 Prediction: Maurício Rua vs Ihor Potieria

Saturday night’s preliminary card finale has all the makings of a classic clash of generations, with the raw youngster looking to make his name against a respected veteran. In this instance, it is tough seeing Rua hanging in for a full three rounds. Indeed, Shogun will have to show that he still can absorb plenty of strikes from his hard-hitting Ukrainian opponent, who is poised to claim his first victory on MMA’s biggest stage.

Prediction: Ihor Potieria (-235); UNDER 1.5 rounds (-105)