UFC 298 has appealing fights coming up that are exciting betting opportunities, featuring a bantamweight clash between Rinya Nakamura and Carlos Vera in the preliminaries at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The preliminary action kicks off on Saturday, February 17, at 8:00 PM ET, with Nakamura holding a significant -1300 moneyline advantage.

Nakamura is currently undefeated in eight professional bouts, while also going 4-0 in his time with the UFC so far. His most recent success was a unanimous decision over Fernie Garcia at UFC Fight Night 225 in August of last year.

He boasts eight victories, including five knockouts, one submission, and two decisions. Notably, five triumphs occurred in the first round, and three took place in the UFC.

Known as "Hybrid," he showcases a 55 percent striking accuracy and an 86 percent takedown success rate. His significant strike ratio is 4.23 per minute with an absorption rate of 1.78, crucial stats for his upcoming battle, indicating a positive balance between the two averages.

Nakamura averages 4.23 takedowns and 2.82 submissions per 15 minutes. His defense is noteworthy, with a 70 percent success rate against significant strikes and a perfect 100 percent success rate against takedowns.

Vera is currently on a four-fight win streak as he approaches his debut with the UFC. His most recent battle was a first round guillotine choke submission over Isaiah Gutierrez back at Fury FC 69 in September of 2022.

He has put together 11 victories, which include one knockout, five submissions, and five decisions. He has established three first-round wins so far out of his 11. Looking at his three losses, two have been by submission.

“Pequeno” was on the Ultimate Fighter and lost in his exhibition battle against Brad Katona in March of last year. Prior to that, he has bounced around various fighting organizations such as Legacy Fighting Alliance, Fury FC, and even Renaissance Mixed Martial Arts.

Vera has earned himself the 33^rd-best bantamweight fighter in the United States, with an opportunity to be ranked globally with a win here. Compared to Nakamura he comes in as a disadvantage, since his world ranking is at 55^th for best bantamweight.

MyBookie offers enticing UFC 298 odds, with Rinya Nakamura being a strong favorite at -1300. Bettors aiming for his victory could explore including him in a parlay with other bouts that evening or opting for a prop bet to enhance the potential payout.

Nakamura is an aggressive wrestler and can end this style quickly on the ground. The problem for Vera is that he has lost two out of his three battles in his career by submission and have arguably been against weaker fighters.