Two of the Featherweight division’s best finishers, Josh Emmett and Ilia Topuria, battle it out in this weekend’s main event from VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. In the co-main rising stars Maycee Barber and Amanda Ribas duke it out and in the Heavyweight division Justin Tafa and Austen Lane go toe to toe. We take a look at my best bets on this weekend’s UFC card below.
UFC Fight Night Preview & Betting Tips
Josh Emmett vs. Ilia Topuria
The main event is not a fight that is at all a betting prospect in my opinion. Ilia Topuria continues to look every bit a hot prospect. He is 5-0 in the Octagon and showed he packs power in his hands and the wrestling game to cause serious problems to those who may have his measure on the feet. Last time out he completely dismantled Bryce Mitchell on the ground, a top prospect in his own right, registering an ultra-impressive victory.
His opponent Josh Emmett has been overlooked his entire career, almost always is the underdog. He always looks decent but not great on the feet before shutting his opponent’s lights out in a split second. He has good takedown defence and is often quite passive on the feet, opting to counter.
Why I don’t like this fight from a betting standpoint is Topuria will look the stronger fighter and should win but Emmett will be a live dog to land that killer shot at any moment and no one has tested Topuria’s chin to date. The odds have it about where they should be and don’t like any line or prop bet so will just enjoy it as a fan.
Tip: No Bet
Jamall Emmers vs. Jack Jenkins
Jamall Emmers meets Jack Jenkins in what should be a fascinating Featherweight bout. Emmers is known to alternate wins and losses but comes into this fight on the back of a complete domination of the then 23-0 Khusein Askhabov at the start of the year.
Aussie Jack Jenkins wiped out the best the local scene had to offer as he dominated as the Eternal MMA champ. In his UFC debut he managed to secure a decision victory over Don Shainis.
Emmers is a step up in competition but his fight IQ is not high and therefore he is likely to fight a boxing fight against a sharper boxer in Jenkins. Therefore, I am backing the Aussie to make it 2-0 in the Octagon as a sizeable underdog.
Jack Jenkins to win
$2.60 (2 Units)
Tabatha Ricci vs. Gillian Robertson
Backing Gillian Robertson as an underdog is often in my opinion a great play and something I am recommending again here against Tabatha Ricci.
Ricci has relied on winning her fights by utilising her judo to take her opponents to the mat in her. However, that route to success in the UFC has been against smaller opponents and none the calibre of wrestler Robertson is. Robertson also has the reach and height advantage on the feet and I like the odds of her being aggressive and getting takedowns of her own. When on the mat expect her to dominate from top position. Back Robertson to get yet another win as an underdog.
Gillian Robertson to win
$2.10 (2.5 Units)
