Billy Brand vs. Cody Haddon – Prediction, Odds, Pick for UFC Contender Series Week 2

Contender Series Week 2: Andreas Gustafsson vs. Pat Pytlik opens the bantamweight division between Billy Brand and Cody Haddon. Brand comes into this fight with four straight wins, with three of those victories coming by knockout. Haddon also comes into his Contender Series debut with four straight wins, with all four victories coming inside the distance. Despite this, cCheck out our UFC odds series for our Brand-Haddon prediction and selection.

Billy Brandt (5-1) had extensive amateur experience where he went 5-0 before turning pro, leading to a 5-1 start to his professional career. His only loss came against rising bantamweight star Payton Talbott, who defeated him via third-round TKO. Brand will look to bring his aggressive fighting style to the Contender Series in hopes of adding another knockout to his resume and securing his UFC contract.

Cody Haddon (6-1) is one of the most promising bantamweight prospects from Australia, where he was the HEX Fight Series Bantamweight Champion. Like his opponents, Haddon suffered his only loss to one of the rising stars in the men's flyweight division and former title challenger Steve Erceg. Since that loss, Haddon has now won four fights in a row and will look to continue his winning streak when he faces Billy Brand to secure his contract for this season of the Contender Series.

Here are the UFC Contender Series odds, courtesy of DraftKings.

UFC Contender Series odds: Billy Brand-Cody Haddon odds

Billy Brandt: +135

Cody Haddon: -175

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Why Billy Brand Will win

Billy Brand will make his Contender Series debut after winning four straight fights, three of which came by knockout. He is a long-time Muay Thai fighter who has seamlessly transitioned into MMA over the years, which is reflected in his fighting style. He went toe-to-toe with one of the UFC's top bantamweight prospects, Payton Talbott, until the referee had to intervene before any more damage could be done in the third round. This was Brand's only loss of his career, and he will now be looking for the biggest win of his career when he faces Australia's Cody Haddon in the hopes of securing his UFC contract.

Brand is an exceptional striker who likes to vary his attacks, from leg kicks to body shots to head shots. His variety of attacks makes it difficult for his opponents to know what he's going to throw next. Brand is also very good at holding a high guard to avoid some of the big punches, but he's been known to just rush into fights with his opponents and just duke it out until they go down. While that's great in hindsight, he needs to do a better job of keeping his distance and not getting into a firefight with Haddon, whose punches are so powerful that he'll pay for his brawl. If Brand can pick Haddon apart from a distance with his Muay Thai, he may be able to land a big counter that knocks Haddon down, incapacitates him, and earns him the UFC contract.

Why Cody Haddon Will win

Cody Haddon comes into this fight as the most promising bantamweight from Australia and New Zealand, where he won the bantamweight championship of the HEX Fight Series, the premier regional promotion in Australia. Haddon has faced tough competition during his time on the regional stage that was very experienced, with an overall record of 51-36 from his opponents. He hopes that experience will help him when he steps into the Octagon on Tuesday night for the biggest fight of his career, facing Billy Brand.

Haddon fought former flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg when he was down just 2-0 and nearly pulled out the win after losing a close 29-28 decision. However, he was able to get back on track with four consecutive finishes, most recently taking the second-round rear-naked choke in his last fight. Haddon does a great job of managing his distance and putting together combinations while standing. He's also good defensively, and when his opponent strikes, he hits back, always giving his opponent something to do. While he can certainly keep up with Brand while standing, he can also throw in takedowns and tire out the Muay Thai striker, making it increasingly difficult for him to get into the flow of his striking in this matchup. If Haddon can combine his attacks and takedowns, he may be able to tire out Brand, get the late finish, and get that coveted UFC contract.

Final: Billy Brand – Cody Haddon Prediction & Selection

This is a fantastic opening fight for Contender Series Episode 2 featuring these two promising bantamweight prospects. Expect the two to go full steam ahead, but Haddon should be the one landing the more impactful strikes and engaging in grappling to mitigate Brand's forward pressure and reckless punching. In the end, Haddon will be the aggressor to continue the fight against Brand, landing the more devastating strikes and using the takedowns that overwhelm Brand and ultimately earn him the win and the illustrious UFC contract.

Final Billy Brand-Cody Haddon Prediction and Pick: Cody Haddon (-175)

Garrett Kerman covers all combat sports for ClutchPoints, from MMA and UFC to boxing and bare-knuckle. He is also very knowledgeable about all American sports, especially the NFL, when it comes to news and betting analysis. A native of Saint Cloud, Florida, he is a guest on Playmaker HQ and Vegas Odds.