The most underrated fight of this week’s PFL regular season event is this one between new PFL lightweights Mads Burnell and Michael Dufort. With both making their PFL debut, this is a massive chance for one of them to start the season with points and momentum going into the summer.
Burnell vs Dufort Picks
- Pick: Burnell -190.
This clash of fresh faces holds the potential to be an early contender for the fight of the night. Keep an eye on scores and odds throughout the bout to see who emerges victorious and starts their PFL journey with a bang.
Read more for the official Burnell vs Dufort betting analysis and prediction before you bet on MMA this week. Use this as a cheat sheet to understand how to bet on this unpredictable sport moving forward and take a look at our picks and parlays section to maximize your betting experience.
Burnell vs. Dufort Information
Mads Burnell vs Michael Dufort
Location of the game: The Theater at Virgin Hotels, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Date & Time: April 12, 2024. 9 PM ET main card start
Where to Watch: ESPN+ / ESPN 2
Last Fight Record
Burnell is coming off a decision win over Daniel Weichel at Bellator 299 last September.
Dufort is coming off a first-round submission win over Joe Giannetti at Cage Titans FC 81 last September.
Burnell vs. Dufort Betting Analysis
Mads Burnell
Burnell is a Danish mixed martial artist with an 18-5 professional record, including 1 TKO/KO and 9 submissions under his belt at the age of 30. With a background in elite submission grappling, winning the 2014 No-Gi European championships, he has gone on to win championships in promotions like SOMMA and Cage Warriors, along with earning Submission of the Year honors in 2017. He also had three fights in the UFC, going 1-2.
This Mads Burnell betting guide can’t go on without more numbers. Burnell is listed as a stocky 5’8” with a 68” reach as well. He is coming up from the featherweight division, so his size will be something to look for in the cage. He hasn’t had a KO in the cage since 2021.
Michael Dufort
Dufort is a Canadian mixed martial artist with a professional MMA record of 12-4, including 2 TKO/KO wins and 9 submissions. He is a high-level submission grappler as well earning first-round submission wins in both of his 2023 bouts. He participated in the PFL Challengers Series in 2022, winning that fight via second-round submission.
Dufort is listed as a 5’9” former welterweight with a 74” reach while fighting out of the orthodox stance. He is a true grappler, landing 4 takedowns in less than two rounds at the 2022 PFL Challenger Series. The Michael Dufort betting strategies will most likely include betting on him to win by submission if you predict him getting his hand raised.
Updates
The injury report is clear according to PFL and ESPN.
Burnell vs. Dufort Betting Preview
The Burnell vs Dufort betting analysis and prediction wouldn’t be complete without previewing the betting lines and studying the tape on both guys going into this interesting matchup.
Starting with the current PFL odds, Burnell is coming in as the -190 betting favorite in his PFL debut, going up against the +160 Dufort. This bout is favored to go the distance at -170 with a lot of value in a win-by-submission prop bet.
These two have very similar styles. They both use their pressure and striking only to set up takedowns. They are both most comfortable while grappling and are both very dangerous in those exchanges.
Does this mean that the grappling of both will cancel each other out and turn into a standup battle? That tends to happen a lot in MMA. Keep that in mind when you are betting on MMA fights tonight.
Burnell vs. Dufort Betting Prediction
The Burnell vs Dufort betting analysis and prediction wouldn’t be possible without understanding that the sport of MMA is very unpredictable and there will never be a “sure thing” when betting on fighters at this level of the sport.
With that being said, the official prediction for this fight is that Burnell outclasses the Canadian prospect and starts his 2024 PFL campaign off hot.
He is the more experienced fighter and still one of the best fighters outside of the UFC. This fight could be a showcase of Burnell’s superior striking prowess, potentially keeping it on the feet against Dufort.
- Pick: Burnell -190.
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