Gambling is just not offered on this website in any form.
UFC Vegas 117: Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa kicks off on the prelims with a fight between Shauna Bannon and Nicolle Caliari within the strawweight division on Saturday. Try our UFC odds series for our Bannon-Caliari prediction and pick.
Shauna Bannon (7-2) picked up a momentum-building submission win via armbar over Puja Tomar in March 2025, earning a Performance of the Night bonus, before dropping a troublesome decision to Sam Hughes in September 2025. Now riding a one-fight losing skid, “Mama B” looks to get back on course as she comes into her fight this weekend against Nicolle Caliari.
Nicolle Caliari (8-4) has hit a rough patch heading into UFC Vegas 117 dropping a split decision to Ernesta Kareckaite at UFC Fight Night in January 2025, then suffered a third-round TKO stoppage by the hands of Carli Judice at UFC 318 in July 2025, leaving her on a two-fight skid. Together with her back against the wall, Caliari desperately needs a win as she comes into her fight this weekend against Shauna Bannon.
UFC Vegas 117 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 117 Odds: Shauna Bannon-Nicolle Caliari Odds
Shauna Bannon: +210
Nicolle Caliari: -258
Over 2.5 rounds: -395
Under 2.5 rounds: +280
Why Shauna Bannon Will Win
Shauna Bannon enters UFC Vegas 117 because the underdog on paper, however the numbers tell a special story. Her striking output of 4.3 significant strikes per minute outpaces Caliari’s 3.5, giving “Mama B” a transparent edge on the feet.
Bannon’s decorated kickboxing background makes her one in every of the sharper strikers within the strawweight division. With a two-inch reach advantage over Caliari, she has the tools to manage distance and dictate the pace of the fight.
Caliari is walking in on a two-fight losing streak, including a TKO loss to Carli Judice, which raises real questions on her chin and skill to soak up pressure. A fighter coming off back-to-back stoppages can carry mental baggage, and Bannon is the kind of aggressive, forward-pressing striker who will exploit exactly that.
Bannon also showed elite-level grappling ability together with her Performance of the Night armbar win over Puja Tomar, proving she’s dangerous in all phases. Caliari has struggled against well-rounded opponents, and Bannon’s combination of sharp striking and submission threat makes her a nightmare matchup on any given night.
Why Nicolle Caliari Will Win
Nicolle Caliari could also be on a two-fight skid, but don’t count out the Brazilian strawweight just yet. With an 8-4 record, Caliari has faced tough competition throughout her profession and carries championship-level experience that Bannon has yet to totally match.
Caliari’s wrestling and grappling base gives her a big path to victory against a striker-first fighter like Bannon. If she will close the gap and get the fight to the mat, Bannon’s kickboxing advantage is totally neutralized.
Bannon’s UFC record sits at just 2-2 contained in the Octagon, showing she hasn’t fully cracked the code at the game’s highest level. Caliari, despite her recent setbacks, has the veteran savvy to use any gaps in Bannon’s defensive game.
Fighters with Brazilian MMA pedigree like Caliari are known for his or her relentless pressure and submission hunting, which directly threatens a fighter who has shown some vulnerability on the bottom. Bannon’s recent decision loss to Sam Hughes also proved she could be slowed down and outworked over three rounds.
Motivation is one other factor that can’t be ignored. Together with her back firmly against the wall, a hungry Caliari desperate to avoid wasting her UFC roster spot might be probably the most dangerous version of her yet as she steps into the cage against Shauna Bannon.
Final Shauna Bannon-Nicolle Caliari Prediction & Pick
This strawweight bout has all of the makings of a competitive, back-and-forth fight that might go either way through three rounds. The important thing X-factor will likely be where the fight takes place — on the feet, Bannon holds a transparent edge, but on the mat, Caliari can flip the script entirely.
Expect Bannon to return out aggressive early, utilizing her kickboxing to pepper Caliari with sharp combos and keep her on the skin. Caliari will look to survive the early storm and drag Bannon into deep waters together with her wrestling and pressure game.
The turning point will likely are available Round 2, where conditioning and mental toughness separate these two fighters. Bannon’s forward-pressing style and submission threat give her enough weapons to maintain Caliari guessing in any respect times.
Ultimately, “Mama B” gets her hand raised in a hard-fought unanimous decision, using her striking volume and cage generalship to edge out Caliari across all three rounds.
Final Shauna Bannon-Nicolle Caliari Prediction & Pick: Shauna Bannon (+210), Over 2.5 Rounds (-395)
UFC Vegas 117: Arnold Allen vs. Melquizael Costa kicks off on the prelims with a fight between Shauna Bannon and Nicolle Caliari within the strawweight division on Saturday. Try our UFC odds series for our Bannon-Caliari prediction and pick.