UFC 298 Odds, Pick & Prediction for Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick: How to Bet Event Curtain-Jerker (Saturday, February 17)

UFC 298 Odds, Pick & Prediction for Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick: How to Bet Event Curtain-Jerker (Saturday, February 17) article feature image
Credit:

Chris Gardner/Getty Images. Pictured: UFC women’s flyweight Miranda Maverick

Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick Odds

Lee Odds
+154
Maverick Odds
-184
Over/Under
2.5 (-350 / +250)
Location
Honda Center – Anaheim, California
Time
6:30 p.m. ET
TV
ESPN+
Odds as of Saturday afternoon and via FanDuel. Bet on UFC 298 with our FanDuel promo code.

Here's everything you need to know about Andrea Lee vs. Miranda Maverick at UFC 298 on Saturday, Feb. 17 – our expert UFC prediction and pick.

UFC 298 kicks off with women's flyweights Lee and Maverick headed in different directions. Lee looks to snap a three-fight skid while Maverick looks to continue her rise up the ranks – this time as a betting favorite against a known commodity.

Here's my Lee vs. Maverick pick and prediction.

Tale of the Tape

LeeMaverick
Record13-814-5
Avg. Fight Time14:0512:26
Height5'6"5'3"
Weight (pounds)125.5 lbs.126 lbs.
Reach (inches)69"65"
StanceOrthodoxSouthpaw
Date of birth2/11/19897/1/1997
Sig Strikes Per Min4.93.7
SS Accuracy47%46%
SS Absorbed Per Min3.692.62
SS Defense63%59%
Take Down Avg1.842.41
TD Acc57%48%
TD Def54%42%
Submission Avg0.60.5

Both flyweights are better than their recent records indicate; you can take more away from their losses to the likes of Natalia Silva, Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber – all of whom may eventually contend for a title – than you can credit in some of their wins.

While I don't project value on either side of Saturday's opener, I lean to the favorite, Maverick, as the correct side to bet on in this contest.

Maverick is eight years younger than Lee in a smaller division where fractional differences in speed and athleticism can prove crucial. When there is at least an eight-year age gap between MMA combatants, the younger fighter has won 68.5% of the time at average odds of -123 (55.3% implied) – more than 13% above expectation.

UFC 298 Odds: Sean Zerillo's Betting Picks, Preview, Predictions for All 12 Fights Image

Lee owns a four-inch reach advantage, but Maverick has the better striking stats at a distance, out-landing opponents by a margin of 1.7 strikes per minute, compared to 1.1 for Lee.

Maverick spends a higher percentage of her fights grappling (54% vs. 38% for Lee) – averaging nearly two additional takedown attempts per round (3.6 vs. 1.7). She also has a better top game than Lee to consolidate position.

The striking exchanges should be competitive – if not slightly favor Lee – but I expect Maverick to prove the superior offensive grappler and to pull away from Lee with control time and ground strikes, so long as she commits to her wrestling.

Lee vs. Maverick Pick

I projected Maverick as a -175 favorite (63.6% implied), and I expect the fight to reach a decision 74% of the time. As a result, I don't see value on either side of the moneyline or the total in this matchup. The closest thing I can find to a value bet is Lee by decision (projected +243, listed +245).

If her moneyline doesn't drop into that -175 range pre-fight, I'd rather wait to find a better live price on Maverick, who should have a cardio advantage in the third round of this matchup.

The Pick: Miranda Maverick Live after Round 1

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About the Author
Sean is a Senior Writer at The Action Network and a lawyer in the state of New York. He primarily covers baseball, synthesizing advanced metrics with traditional scouting techniques, and believes that Bartolo Colón's home run was the single greatest athletic achievement of our time.

Follow Sean Zerillo @SeanZerillo on Twitter/X.

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