Slated for later this month at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, UFC 278 features some dynamic action in the men’s division. Serving as the headliner of the evening, UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman will defend his title in a rematch against Leon Edwards. In another explosive contest scheduled for that night, Paulo Costa locks horns with rival Luke Rockhold in a chance to climb up in the middleweight division. For the best in UFC 278 betting, SBS has you set and ready to go with this preview.
For this preview, SBS will go over what to look for from each fighter in the top two bouts at UFC 278, who will be victorious and some more notes about UFC 278 betting.
| UFC 278 Main Event Bouts | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usman vs. Edwards | Usman | -335 | -335 | -335 |
| Costa vs. Rockhold | Costa | -265 | -265 | -265 |
Fighter Spotlight: Kamaru Usman (c)
The winner of the The Ultimate Fighter 21 tournament, the 21st century Nigerian Nightmare is one of the most feared competitors in all of the UFC. Recognized as the No.1 athlete in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings, Usman has dominated since breaking into the UFC back in 2015. Since winning the welterweight in 2019, Usman has amazed audiences with five consecutive title defenses, including three wins by way of knockout or TKO. However, this title fight will have some extra appeal with the champion taking on a challenger from his past in Edwards. In Usman’s first fight after the Ultimate Fighter, he took on Edwards and was able to win a hard fought battle back in December of 2015.
Fighter Spotlight: Leon Edwards
Coming off perhaps the best win of his career at UFC 263 over Nate Diaz, Edwards is looking to shock the world with a victory over Usman in Salt Lake City. With a professional record of 19-3, along with one no contest, the 30 year old has earned his place as the No. 1 contender for the welterweight championship. With an ability to score consistent decision wins in his MMA career, Edwards has shown he can tangle with some of the sport’s best and hold his own. However, this will be his biggest challenge to date in his rematch with Usman.
Prediction: Though Edwards does pose a threat to Usman’s welterweight championship, this fight will be in favor of the champion Usman once again.
Fighter Spotlight: Paulo Costa
In the secondary main event of the evening, Costa will square off with Rockhold. A former middleweight title challenger, the Brazilian is looking to get his career back on track after back-to-back losses. Prior to his TKO defeat at the hands of Israel Adesanya at UFC 241, Costa had put together a perfect record of 13-0 in professional MMA action. This mark also includes a five fight winning streak in the UFC. While he has been unlucky in his last two bouts, Costa is still one of the most physically gifted fighters in the UFC.
What to look for from: Luke Rockhold
Opposing the 31-year old Brazilian will be former Strikeforce and UFC Middleweight Champion Rockhold. One of the most respected veterans in MMA fighting, the 37-year old is also coming off back-to-back defeats at UFC 221 and 239, respectively. This will also be Rockhold’s first professional fight in over three years after last squaring off against Jan Błachowicz at UFC 239. Regardless, the veteran still has put together emphatic wins against some of the biggest stars in the UFC like Michael Bisping, Lyoto Machida and Keith Jardine.
Prediction: Though Rockhold has already reached the mountain top of the middleweight division before, it is now Costa’s time to shine. Take the Brazilian to win in Salt Lake for your UFC 278 betting picks.
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About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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