The Weasle thinks Michael Chandler should defeat Paddy Pimblett via first-round knockout—but emphasizes this is contingent on Chandler fighting strategically and abandoning his recent reckless 'showmanship' style. Chandler possesses clear skill advantages: powerful punching, good wrestling, explosive athleticism, and effective pressure style—attributes particularly dangerous given Pimblett's mediocre striking defense, stationary stance, and lower-level wrestling. Chandler is desperate, coming off two consecutive losses and needing to protect his UFC career with a crucial win. Assuming Chandler recognizes the urgency and listens to his coaches, fighting disciplined instead of chasing entertainment, he should easily score a KO finish in the first round.

Drew Martin identifies value in betting on Michael Chandler at plus 130 odds versus Patty Pimblett. He believes Pimblett is stepping up significantly in competition, and Chandler's skill and experience represent a notable gap. With Chandler priced as an underdog, Drew finds Chandler's line to be undervalued, recommending a bet at plus money due to Chandler's edge in class, experience, and overall ability. He explicitly calls out the odds as appealing, reinforcing the recommendation as a good UFC wager.

Jeff Chalkx strongly supports Paddy Pimblett as the pick against Michael Chandler at UFC 314, basing his reasoning around Pimblett's exceptional durability, grappling skills, youth, and Chandler's vulnerabilities. Pimblett, undefeated in the UFC, has exhibited a granite chin, never being knocked out, even while facing powerful strikers. Chalkx points out Chandler can be dangerous early due to still-existing explosive knockout power, but Pimblett's proven toughness should enable him to survive the early threat. Once Chandler inevitably fades or engages in grappling, Pimblett has notable advantages—his grappling and ground game are more technical and dangerous than Chandler's. Chalkx specifically cited Chandler's vulnerability to grappling exchanges—even noting Chandler surrendering advantageous positions previously against Charles Oliveira. Additionally, Pimblett is substantially younger and fresher, devoid of Chandler's significant fight mileage and declining form, making Pimblett an excellent betting selection at current odds.

Daniel Gumbi Vreeland identified Paddy Pimblett as a strong play this weekend against Michael Chandler, arguing Chandler's defensive liabilities and career stage make him a perfect opponent. Chandler, known for prioritizing entertaining fights and a tendency to recklessly engage, has only two UFC wins against Dan Hooker and Tony Ferguson, both fading fighters. Vreeland believes Chandler's declining stardom and deteriorating tactical discipline will play directly into Pimblett's hands: Pimblett's rapid rise, knockout power, and ability to capitalize on opponents' mistakes make him a prime candidate for a finish win in this showcase opportunity provided by the UFC to elevate Pimblett's profile in the key UK market.

Drake Burden identifies Michael Chandler as a compelling underdog and DFS target, given his explosive power, superior wrestling credentials, and athleticism compared to Paddy Pimblett. Pimblett has shown vulnerabilities against high-level opponents, thus Burden anticipates Chandler dictating the fight's pace and having an excellent opportunity for an early finish. Chandler's ability to strike powerfully and control the grappling exchanges makes him an appealing high-upside DFS target.

Tim Bissell expects Paddy Pimblett to have his toughest, longest fight yet against Michael Chandler at UFC 314. While Pimblett's submission skills are elite, Chandler has shown he can defend submissions effectively, having resisted Charles Oliveira for extended periods and rarely getting tapped in his career. Bissell foresees Pimblett's size and ground dominance keeping Chandler immobilized for extended stretches, resulting in a longer engagement rather than the quick submission finish many anticipate. Consequently, he strongly recommended betting the Over 1.5 rounds (-180) prop as the best value for this specific matchup.

Cody Saftic believes Michael Chandler has notable betting upside at plus money against Paddy Pimblett, citing numerous favorable factors beyond skill advantage alone. He argues matchmaking favors Chandler, describing Paddy as a weaker, 'McGregor-lite' opponent given to Chandler by UFC partly as compensation for missing the McGregor fight. The bout being placed in Florida rather than Pimblett's UK is also a strong betting factor, providing Chandler with hometown crowd advantage, energy, and motivation. Chandler has proven durability, elite-level experience against fighters like Gaethje, Poirier, and Oliveira, and a well-tested five-round capability. Saftic emphasizes Pimblett's cardio concerns, evident in previous cage warriors bouts like his fight against Julian Erosa, suggesting Pimblett won't handle Chandler's early pressure and late-round stamina. All these contextual advantages make the current plus money line highly attractive to Cody.

Paul Shaughnessy sees significant betting value in Michael Chandler winning late against Paddy Pimblett, highlighting attractive round four (+2800) and round five (+3300) props. Chandler's ability to regain stamina late was evident in his recent five-round bout against Charles Oliveira, where he hurt Oliveira in the last round despite being out for two years pursuing a Conor McGregor fight. Paul emphasizes Pimblett's questionable cardio, notably his fatigue against Tony Ferguson in round three, a substantially older opponent past his prime. Paul points out Chandler has proven his stamina and resilience through wars with elite fighters, including Eddie Alvarez in Bellator, and believes Chandler will push Pimblett to a level of intensity he can't sustain over five rounds. Paul expects Chandler's pace, cardio, and skill advantages to come through late in the fight, making these long-shot late-round finish odds particularly appealing.

Cody Saftic strongly recommends fading Paddy Pimblett against Michael Chandler at plus money, declaring Chandler by far the toughest opposition Pimblett has faced. Saftic critiqued Pimblett's previous UFC performances, pointing out major struggles against weaker opponents such as Luigi Vendramini, Kazula Vargas, Jordan Leavitt, and notably Jared Gordon, who arguably defeated Pimblett. Chandler possesses vastly superior wrestling, striking power, high-level experience against elite UFC competition (Gaethje, Poirier, Oliveira), and proven durability against top-level submission threats like Oliveira. Saftic also emphasizes Pimblett's questionable cardio over five rounds, recommending bettors take Chandler due to his proven resilience and elite MMA background.

Joe Osborne is backing Paddy Pimblett at -160 odds over Michael Chandler, emphasizing that Chandler is more known for exciting bouts rather than sustained success, losing four of his last six fights. Chandler’s damage-absorbing 'all gas no brakes' style has been exciting but ineffective against top-tier opponents. Osborne believes the UFC has strategically handpicked Chandler as an opponent for Pimblett, seeing him as a well-known but highly beatable big-name fighter. With the UFC marketing machine fully behind Pimblett, Osborne expects a career-defining win here, citing Patty's improved performance against Tony Ferguson and a finish against Bobby Green in his recent outings, as well as his notably focused mindset compared to Chandler's fan-entertainment priority.

Georges St-Pierre sees clear betting value in Michael Chandler as a plus-money underdog (+125) against Paddy Pimblett, particularly for those expecting an early knockout. While Chandler's aggression and explosive power early on present strong knockout potential, Pimblett's evasiveness and grappling could help him withstand the early onslaught. GSP acknowledged surprise at the odds set significantly against Chandler given his proven power. For bettors predicting Chandler lands early with a knockout, GSP sees excellent value at Chandler's underdog odds.

Brian Campbell stated clearly this is a career-defining fight for Paddy Pimblett, who faces his most substantial challenge yet in former Bellator champ Michael Chandler. Campbell highlighted Pimblett’s history of blowing up significantly between fights but said Pimblett has shown greatly improved maturity and physical conditioning at age 30. Citing recent life events, including marriage and the birth of twins, Campbell thinks fans will witness the best-ever version of Paddy. Given the perceived lack of star power in today's UFC, Campbell believes if Pimblett manages to secure a victory over Chandler—especially if he looks impressive—he's one win away from a UFC title shot, solidifying his star status and answering key questions about his endurance, chin, and complete skill set.

Ethan Diamandas views Paddy Pimblett not only as a capable favorite against Michael Chandler but also believes he matches up well stylistically against elite lightweight contenders like Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, and Arman Tsarukyan. Diamandas appreciates Pimblett's skillset versatility, notably his modern grappling approach and dynamic striking, indicating favorable stylistic compatibility against potential future opponents. This analysis offers actionable considerations for betting markets, as it implies a potential betting angle on Pimblett in future marquee fights beyond the current Chandler bout.

Jon Anik is optimistic about Paddy Pimblett's odds (-160) against Michael Chandler, highlighting Paddy's disciplined preparation and championship-level commitment. Anik dismissed concerns around Pimblett's notable weight fluctuation between fights, stating they were dramatically overstated. He praised Pimblett's overall skillset—grappling versatility, striking ability, long-range weapons, athleticism, and favorable size. Anik projected Pimblett potentially defeating Chandler as a significant career turning point that could propel him into a title eliminator against elite contenders like Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, or Justin Gaethje. Anik pointed out that Pimblett's favored status on the betting lines is telling and reflective of his legitimate contender status and star potential.

Jon Anik believes that Michael Chandler, priced at +130, offers genuine betting value even as an underdog against Paddy Pimblett. Anik noted Chandler's relentless pressure, incredible conditioning, and enduring commitment, highlighting his durability and competitiveness even while absorbing punishment in previous fights. Anik emphasized the matchup difficulty for Pimblett, acknowledging Chandler's extensive experience at the highest levels, and his ability to merge elite performance with exciting, crowd-pleasing fighting style. Despite questions raised about recent decreased aggression, Anik firmly stated Chandler remains highly motivated to win at all costs, providing an actionable insight for bettors interested in underdog value opportunities.

Jon Anik feels strongly that Michael Chandler remains highly motivated and committed despite recent setbacks. Anik adamantly dismissed the idea of Chandler losing his competitive edge or prioritizing entertainment over victories. He praised Chandler's unmatched conditioning, relentless resilience, and longstanding history of high-level performances, including a gutsy showing against Oliveira despite sustaining damage. Anik stressed Chandler's rare combination of elite skill-level and fan-friendly aggressive style, reinforcing that Chandler views this fight as critical and career-defining, making him a compelling underdog play at +130 odds against Paddy Pimblett. Anik confidently projected Chandler has significantly more than three fights left in him, indicative of his ongoing hunger and commitment to succeed at UFC's highest level.

Jon Anik believes the prevailing narrative about Paddy Pimblett's dramatic weight fluctuations between bouts is largely exaggerated and overblown. Anik describes Pimblett as an elite professional athlete, claiming that when the stakes are elevated—such as a high-profile matchup against perennial lightweight contender Michael Chandler—Pimblett demonstrates a serious championship-level commitment. Anik cited Paddy's grappling skills, athleticism, striking range, and overall talent, noting the significance of Pimblett being listed as the betting favorite (-160) against an accomplished UFC veteran like Chandler. Anik emphasized that a victory over Chandler would propel Pimblett towards elite matchups against top contenders such as Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira, or Justin Gaethje, thus placing Paddy firmly on a path toward contending for the UFC lightweight championship. Anik praised Pimblett's star power, charisma, and genuine potential, suggesting this fight could mark Pimblett's breakout from popular fighter to a serious championship contender.