UFC Fight Night 287 Best Bets and Predictions

UFC Fight Night 287 Best Bets and Predictions

UFC Fight Night 287 is scheduled for Saturday, September 5th and will be held at the Accor Arena in Paris, France. The fight card will be made up of 14 total fights, which will be headlined by a Main Event in the UFC Lightweight division between #10 Dan Hooker and Salahdine Parnasse.

The fights will begin at 12:00 PM ET with the Preliminary Card and will be followed by the Main Card at approximately 3:00 PM ET. Further, UFC Fight Night 287 will be available to stream on Paramount+.

Our article will preview UFC Fight Night 287 by giving you our three best bets, all of which will take place on the Main Card.

UFC Fight Night 287 Predictions

Pick #1: Dan Hooker vs. Salahdine Parnasse - Over 1.5 Total Rounds (-175)

Pick #2: Axel Sola ML over Fares Ziam (+130)

Pick #3: Michael Page vs. Nursulton Ruziboev - Fight to go the Distance - Yes (-150)

PICK #1: Dan Hooker vs. Salahdine Parnasse - Over 1.5 Total Rounds (-175)

Our first pick for UFC Fight Night 287 will look for the Main Event between Hooker and Parnasse to go over 1.5 total rounds. Hooker enters this fight with an MMA record of 24-14 and 14-10 in the UFC. His most recent UFC fight resulted in a loss to Benoit Saint Denis by KO/TKO back in January 2026.

Hooker has mostly been a striker throughout his career, averaging 4.82 significant strikes per minute compared to just 0.68 takedowns every 15 minutes. As for Parnasse, he enters this fight with an MMA record of 23-2. More importantly, this will be his debut in the UFC. While Parnasse has not fought in the UFC previously, he has an impressive finish rate. In fact, Parnasse has won 15 times by finish in his career, including his last five fights by KO/TKO.

Parnasse is a promising UFC prospect, but considering that this is his UFC debut, he looks to be too risky to back, especially against a veteran such as Hooker. Because of that, we will simply be looking for this fight to go over 1.5 total rounds. 

While Hooker has recently been inconsistent in the UFC, he has constantly seen his fights go multiple rounds. In fact, Hooker has seen his last five UFC fights in a row go over 1.5 total rounds. Parnasse, on the other hand, has seen nine of his 11 MMA fights go over 1.5 total rounds. 

Parnasse could very well win this fight, but because Hooker has been able to survive multiple rounds in his recent fights, backing this fight to go Over 1.5 Total Rounds will be our best bet.

PICK #2: Axel Sola ML over Fares Ziam (+130)

Our second UFC Fight Night 287 pick will look for Axel Sola to defeat Fares Ziam in the Co-Main Event. Sola enters this fight with an MMA record of 12-1-1 and 2-1 in the UFC. His most recent UFC fight resulted in a win against Ismael Bonfim by submission back in July 2026. While his time in the UFC has been short, Sola has established himself as a balanced fighter. He is averaging 4.50 significant strikes per minute and 1.89 takedowns every 15 minutes.

As for Ziam, he enters this fight with an MMA record of 18-5 and 8-3 in the UFC. Ziam is coming off a loss in his most recent fight, losing to Tom Nolan by unanimous decision back in June 2026. He has also been a balanced fighter, averaging 2.68 significant strikes per minute and 1.86 takedowns every 15 minutes.

Sola may be an underdog in this fight, but looks to be the best betting option. He has the clear advantage in striking, plus also has a small advantage in grappling. For that reason, backing Axel Sola to win will be our play.

PICK #3: Michael Page vs. Nursulton Ruziboev - Fight to go the Distance - Yes (-150)

Our third pick for UFC Fight Night 287 will look for the fight between Page and Ruziboev to go the distance. Page enters this fight with an MMA record of 25-3 and 4-1 in the UFC. As for Ruziboev, he enters this fight with an MMA record of 37-9-2 and 5-1 in the UFC.

Page finds himself as the heavy favorite, but the more likely result looks to be for this fight to go the distance. To this point, Page has seen all five of his UFC fights go the distance. Ruziboev, on the other hand, has only seen two of his six UFC fights go the distance; however, considering that Page has only ever lost inside the distance once in his career, backing this fight to go the distance will be our play.