Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Cody Haddon Odds
| Wellmaker Odds | -155 |
| Haddon Odds | +130 |
| Over/Under | 2.5 (+130/-166) |
| Location | Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY |
| Bout Time | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| TV/Streaming | ESPN+ |
| UFC 322 odds as of Saturday and via DraftKings. Bet on UFC 322 with our DraftKings promo code. | |
Check out the Malcolm Wellmaker vs. Cody Haddon prediction for UFC 322on Saturday, November 15, along with my betting preview and breakdown.
Veterans of the 2024 season of the Contender Series meet in the UFC at the UFC 322 prelims, with Malcolm Wellmaker and Cody Haddon each having added some UFC wins to their resume since debuting on the tryout show. Only one of them can keep their upwards trajectory, but will it be the dangerous knockout artist Malcolm Wellmaker, or the well-rounded Ausgtralian Cody Haddon?
Here's my Wellmaker vs. Haddon pick and prediction.
Tale of the Tape
| Wellmaker | Haddon | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 10-0 | 8-1 |
| Avg. Fight Time | 2:22 | 9:05 |
| Height | 5'10" | 5'7" |
| Weight (pounds) | 135 lbs. | 135 lbs. |
| Reach (inches) | 71" | 69" |
| Stance | Switch | Orthodox |
| Date of birth | 6/4/1994 | 9/8/1998 |
| Sig Strikes Per Min | 7.20 | 9.20 |
| SS Accuracy | 62% | 51% |
| SS Absorbed Per Min | 4.80 | 3.47 |
| SS Defense | 60% | 64% |
| Take Down Avg | 0 | 2.48 |
| TD Acc | 0 | 37% |
| TD Def | 100% | 83% |
| Submission Avg | 0 | 0.8 |
The Australian Cody Haddon is still just 27 years old, and firmly in the "prospect" category with an 8-1 pro record. His lone loss was to former title challenger Steve Erceg, with six straight wins since.
He has a well-rounded skill set, with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, some amateur national boxing championships, and strong takedowns based on what we've seen from him so far.
After dropping and then submitting his Contender Series opponent, Haddon was able to showcase his full range of skills in his UFC debut. Since he had finished all of his previous opponents, it was encouraging to see him continue to perform across 15 minutes, and his staying power could be a key factor against the explosive Wellmaker.
On the feet, Haddon's boxing background is apparent. He pushes forward behind a solid jab, with an extremely high work rate. I described his striking as one-dimensional when I scouted him for the Contender Series, but since then, he's clearly worked to diversify his striking. He landed a handful of leg kicks on the Contender Series and mixed in kicks at the end of combinations in his first UFC fight.
He's also a very sharp defensive boxer, using plenty of head movement and footwork to avoid strikes rather than shelling up and trying to block them. He does tend to drop his hands and get a bit wild once he starts flowing through combinations, but that may have been a function of preparing to defend takedowns against high-level wrestler Dan Arguets in his last fight.
He won't have that issue against Wellmaker, as Haddon clearly has the grappling upside here. Ha picked up a pair of takedowns on Argueta, and chain wrestled beautifully in his Contender Series fight the second he took any damage on the feet. That will be a crucial ability against the powerful Wellmaker.
Counting the Contender Series, Wellmaker has three straight right hook knockouts, all in the first round. He's not exactly well rounded, but you don't need to be with death touch power like Wellmaker has.
He's also a very solid athlete, with good length for the bantamweight division and exceptional balance. His 100% takedown defense isn't due to a lack of trying from his opponents, though he's been carefully matched against fellow strikers to this point in his career. Still, as I noted in his regional tape, he was able to work back to his feet very well when he was taken down. Of course, that was also against much lesser grapplers than Haddon.
The key here will be whether Wellmaker canfind a home for his big right hook. Haddon's forward pressure could create openings, as the stance-switching Wellmaker is particularly adept at landing it while stepping backwards into a southpaw stance. That turns it more from a big haymaker to a tight check hook, with the power provided by pivoting his body around his lead leg. If that lands Haddon could be in trouble — if it doesn't, Haddon's superior pressure, volume, and grappling are likely to win him minutes.
Wellmaker vs. Haddon Pick, Prediction
Any time I can get plus-money on the fighter with more ways to win a fight, it's going to be hard to turn down.
That describes Haddon here, as he could win minutes on the feet, lay-and-pray his way to victory, or even potentially finish Wellmaker on the ground. While I'm always somewhat nervous betting on the fighter who has to win 15 minutes when his opponent just needs one moment, the odds here make it a worthwhile risk.
Especially since Haddon, at just 27, is likely to continue improving both technically and physically. The 31-year-old Wellmaker got a somewhat late start on his MMA career. While he's still in his prime, he is almost certainly already at his physical peak with less room for growth. He's also a massive bantamweight who could struggle cutting to 135 lbs as he gets deeper into his 30s.
Finally, and most importantly, is Haddon's defense and chin. He avoids strikes well and has never been dropped, so I'm willing to trust his durability until proven otherwise.
Billy's Pick: Cody Haddon +143 (BetRivers)
