Alexander Munoz vs Carl Deaton Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for UFC Vegas 77 (Munoz Impresses in Return to Octagon)

Munoz vs Deaton Fight Info, Date & Time

UFC Vegas 77 — Preliminary Card Lightweight Bout
Alexander Munoz (6-2, 2 KOs) vs. Carl Deaton (17-6, 3 KOs)
Date: Saturday, July 15, 2023
Fight Time: This will be on the preliminary card, which begins at 7 p.m. ET.
Venue: UFC Apex — Las Vegas, NV
Coverage: ESPN+

Munoz vs Deaton Odds & Prop Bets

All UFC Vegas 77 odds, lines and prop bets are available on FanDuel Sportsbook.
Moneyline:
- Alexander Munoz: (-188)
- Carl Deaton: (+146)

Method of Victory:
- Munoz by KO/TKO: (N/A)
- Munoz by Points: (N/A)
- Munoz by Submission: (N/A)
- Deaton by KO/TKO: (N/A)
- Deaton by Points: (N/A)
- Deaton by Submission: (N/A)

Munoz vs Deaton Prediction

Saturday will end Alexander Munoz's long absence from the UFC as he last fought in the octagon on April 17, 2021. That was when he lost to Luis Pena via split decision. This fight could be determined by whether the 33-year-old needs time to shake off any rust or if he comes back better than he left.

On the other side, Carl Deaton is fresh off his UFC debut back in February when he fell victim to a submission loss against Joe Solecki. It certainly wasn't the result the American was hoping for, as his poor takedown defense ended up costing him. That rate sits at just 33% heading into UFC Vegas 77.

That bodes well for Munoz's chances of winning. He has showcased great grappling skills across two UFC bouts, posting 3.0 takedowns per 15 minutes. Leaning on his experience in that area while also exploiting a weakness of Deaton's is the avenue to victory. Look for Munoz to take full advantage.

Winner: Alexander Munoz

Munoz vs Deaton Best Bet

Any bettor willing to take on juiced odds can feel comfortable backing Munoz at -188 moneyline odds. Those looking for a bit more bang for their buck can back him to win by decision. A two-year gap between fights means Munoz may not be as sharp as he once was. He'll get enough takedowns and jabs to win over the judges, but it would be surprising to see one of those moves end in a finish.

Bet: Alexander Munoz by Decision (TBD)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.