Daniel Pineda vs Herbert Burns Odds and Prediction, UFC 252 Prelims
For this undercard fight, we have ourselves a matchup between two underrated MMA fighters who specialize in the same area which should make for an intriguing and a competitive fight. The only question remaining is which fighter will do enough to get that slight edge.
Herbert Burns is a relative unknown in the UFC but he is doing his best to become a much more recognizable figure in a short period of time. Burns (-290) has won 11 of his 13 career fights and he is undefeated through two fights with the organization so he has continued to move up the ranks. In addition, both of those victories came via highlight reel stoppages. In his UFC debut, Burns was able to defeat Nate Landwehr via first-round knockout due to a lethal knee strike. In his second UFC fight, he defeated Evan Dunham via first-round submission so he has walked through both opponents with ease in a very short time frame. Even more impressively, both of those victories have come in 2020 so this will be the third time that he will be able to improve his record with the organization in roughly eight months.
Although Burns’ first UFC victory came via knockout, he is actually a bit of a submission specialist as about 72% of his victories have come by way of submission. Standing at 5’9, Burns has a ton of athleticism that he showcased through his quick takedowns and smooth transitions once he has the opponent on the canvas. Burns is the favorite for this fight for good reason but he will be facing a fighter who is very experienced so he should not take this fight lightly.
Burn’s opponent in this fight will be Daniel Pineda who has a ton of MMA experience. At the age of 35, Pineda (+245) has already been in 39 fights and he has won 66% of them. Interestingly, this will be his second stint with the UFC and this will be his first UFC fight ever since he lost to Robert Whiteford back in 2014. However, Pineda enters this fight on a four-fight winning streak but there is a bit of grey area there as his last two fights were overturned to no contests by the NASC. It is important to note that 18 of his career victories have come via submission so he is very solid on the ground which should help his chances in this fight.
Pinada has been a member of several MMA organizations over the years including Bellator, Fury FC, the LFC and the PFL so he has had to face off against a ton of fighters at different skill levels which could be beneficial to him on Saturday night. However, Burns will be one of the most athletic fighters that he will ever face off against so one has to wonder if his experience will be able to counter Burns’ significant advantage in the athleticism department.
As for my prediction, I have to side with Burns by stoppage. Although Pineda has a pretty good résumé, he is still 35 years old which makes me believe that he is not the same fighter that he once was. Plus, Burns looks poised to become a ranked fighter in the Featherweight division relatively soon so I expect him to put a ton of pressure on the veteran from the opening bell until he will eventually be able to get the victory inside these 15 minutes.
Winner: Herbert Burns by Stoppage
Odds courtesy of BestFightOdds.com