The UFC octagon is on the road again this week, setting up shop in the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Topuria will be airing on ABC TV Saturday afternoon in the States, so the UFC has made it a pretty solid fight lineup for a Fight Night card. Here are my UFC Jacksonville predictions and best bets.
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UFC Jacksonville Predictions & Best Bets
Ilia Topuria (-330) vs. Josh Emmett
Saturday’s main event is between two of the world’s top featherweight fighters – Josh Emmett and Ilia Topuria. I’m going with the chalk in Topuria. On top of being 12 years younger than Emmett and far more well-rounded, he’s an extremely dangerous fighter, as likely to eat you up on the feet (five knockouts) or finish you on the mat (eight submissions). Considering Emmett is coming off a submission loss, and Topuria is a finisher, Topuria via submission at +170 may be the path to take in betting this fight.
Amanda Ribas (-195) vs. Maycee Barber
Women’s flyweights get the co-main event slot, and I’m going with the favorite again. Maycee Barber, despite consistently winning, hasn’t really shown much growth in her game and really isn’t good at anything other than being tough. Amanda Ribas has beaten opponents who have tried to bully her in the past, and she’s the more talented fighter – especially on the mat – in this matchup.
Cody Brundage (-175) vs. Sedriques Dumas
Third from the top is a hastily set up middleweight fight between Cody Brundage and Sedriques Dumas. I’m going against my stats that say don’t bet on a fighter stepping into a fight on short notice, and I’m backing Brundage. This is because there is a very clear path to victory here – Dumas struggles with grapplers and wrestlers, and that is what Brundage specializes in.
Philip Rowe (+145) vs. Neil Magny
We have to travel all the way to the main event of the prelims to find an underdog. I like this week, but I do like Philip Rowe to best veteran Neil Magny. Magny relies on his freakishly long 80-inch vertical to win fights at welterweight – unfortunately for him, Rowe has the exact same length of arms and is the same height. He has also TKO’d three straight opponents. I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes it four in a row on Saturday (T/KO +510).
Trevor Peek (-105) vs. Jose Mariscal
Ok, I’m back on fading fighters stepping in on short notice. Not only is this a short-notice fight for Jose Mariscal, but it is also his UFC debut. Against an unorthodox fighter like Trevor Peek, who likes to throw standing hammer fists. Peek is a perfect 8-0 with eight knockouts; Marsical has been KO’d three times. Peek via T/KO as a prop bet is worth a sprinkle.
Tatsuro Taira (-250) vs. Kleydson Rodrigues
In the curtain jerker, I like undefeated flyweight prospect Tatsuro Taira to run his record to 14-0. He’s younger, bigger, and better in every aspect of fighting than Saturday’s opponent Kleydson Rodrigues. Onwards and upwards for Taira.
If you’d like even more information on UFC Jacksonville, be sure to check out the MMA Gambling Podcast. The guys are dropping four episodes a week to make you the smartest guy at the bar.
