UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Topuria Fight Card Odds and Picks

Last Updated on June 22, 2023 3:39 pm by Erwin Noguera

The UFC goes into a different venue, as we hit the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, for a good fight night with 14 bouts and quite a bunch of exciting clashes in the main event.

The event will be headlined by an interesting clash in the featherweight division, as Josh Emmett and Ilia Topuria try to see who should be a step closer to title contention.

Amanda Ribas and Maycee Barber are also looking to make a statement in the female flyweight division to challenge the new queen soon.

With multiple names on this fight night, including veterans and up-and-coming talent, there will be a little bit of everything for all fight fans out there.

You can check all the UFC/MMA bets, the analysis of each fighter, and the final bet you can make in this fight.

When:

Saturday, June 24th, at noon ET at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida

Moneyline odds:

Josh Emmett +263 / Ilia Topuria -357

Amanda Ribas -212 / Maycee Barber +163

Justin Tafa -188 / Austen Lane +146

David Onama +181 / Gabriel Santos -238

Brendan Allen -188 / Bruno Silva +146

Neil Magny -175 / Philip Rowe +136

Randy Brown -243 / Wellington Turman +185

Mateusz Rębecki -156 / Loik Radzhabov +123

Tabatha Ricci -135 / Gillian Robertson +106

Zhalgas Zhumagulov -204 / Joshua Van +156

Trevor Peek -112 / Chepe Mariscal -112

Jamall Emmers -208 / Jack Jenkins +159

Tatsuro Taira -270 / Kleydson Rodrigues +203

Cody Brundage -188 / Sedriques Dumas +145

Where can I watch it?

UFC Fight Pass

UFC Fight Night: Josh Emmett vs. Ilia Topuria

Why Bet on Josh Emmett?

Josh Emmett, known for his powerful striking and strong wrestling base, is looking to bounce back from a recent loss. His experience and determination make him a formidable opponent.

There was very little hype on him until he knocked out Ricardo Lamas in a shocker in late 2017. Since then, he’s won five of his next seven bouts, falling only to Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens.

Why Bet on Ilia Topuria?

Ilia Topuria, a rising star in the UFC, is known for his explosive style and technical skill. His perfect record is a testament to his abilities, and he is expected to bring his A-game to this fight.

He has shown impressive form and could continue his winning streak. His explosive style and technical skill have led him to an undefeated record.

Josh Emmett vs. Ilia Topuria Betting Analysis:

Emmett is a bit of an odd fighter to gauge. He’s not the most explosive athlete, he isn’t that quick, and his wrestling game, while strong, isn’t the best in the division. However, he does tend to be able to throw thudding knockout punches largely from nowhere, even in bouts he’s losing. He also doesn’t take too many heavy shots, meaning that his power can often earn him the nod in close decisions.

The big question here, then, is whether Emmett’s low-volume style can work against Topuria’s hyperactive assault, and it seems like too much of an issue. The latter has a history of finishing fights early, and with his powerful striking, there’s a good chance he could end the bout with a knockout or technical knockout.

UFC Fight Night: Amanda Ribas vs. Maycee Barber

Why Bet on Amanda Ribas?

Ribas is quite the star to have in the UFC. Not only is her personality great, but she is also a savage in the octagon. Using constant pressure and endless cardio, she now has a record of 11-3 with six finishes.

Why Bet on Maycee Barber?

Barber came into the UFC with lots of hype and maybe too much confidence. After suffering a brutal knee injury and losing two-straight fights, she now has knocked off four wins in a row and has plenty of momentum behind her. She is currently 12-2 with seven finishes.

Amanda Ribas vs. Maycee Barber Final Betting Analysis:

Technically speaking, Ribas has a big advantage in the grappling department. She has black belts in both BJJ and Judo. But the striking advantage goes to Barber because she has more power and a more fundamentally-sound defense. Assuming the game plan is for Amanda to take Maycee down to the canvas and go to work on grappling, the latter needs to show some major improvements in her grappling defense.

Barber can hurt Ribas on the feet, but she has too many holes in her game on the ground. The latter is going to keep coming forward, taking shots, and then drag her rival to the ground and try to keep the fight there. It’s probably even going to be a very close and debated decision by the judges because these ladies are going to go back and forth for all 15 minutes, but we expect Amanda Ribas to take the victory.

UFC Fight Night: Justin Tafa vs. Austen Lane

Why Bet on Justin Tafa?

Tafa has a rugby background rather than football, but these two share some similarities in terms of strengths and weaknesses. The difference is that Tafa has been a martial artist, specifically a striker, for quite some time longer and thus has more offensive tools at his disposal than pure power.

Why Bet on Austen Lane?

Lane is about what you would expect of a former NFL player-turned-MMA fighter. He’s massive, and he has plus attributes in terms of speed and power. His technical game and defense are still rough around the edges, but then, that’s pretty standard for Heavyweight.

Justin Tafa vs. Austen Lane Final Betting Analysis:

This is a classic Heavyweight banger that could end in either man hitting the canvas face-first within a couple of minutes. Neither of them has shown the skills to switch it up and take things to the ground, so it feels like a kickboxing match.

Seeing as both men can crack, we’ll side with the more fluid striker in Tafa. Lane has been stopped in all three of his losses, and it’s not unreasonable to call Justin the most technical striker he’s faced. That’s not saying a lot, but if we’re betting on who finds the other’s chin first, we guess that Tafa has a trick or two up his sleeve and lands first.

UFC Fight Night: David Onama vs. Gabriel Santos

Why Bet on David Onama?

Onama has some incredible physical gifts. Standing 5’11” with a 74-inch reach, “The Silent Assassin” also happens to have dynamite in his hands. Good luck avoiding those long punches.

He tends to hurt everyone he fights, but the more technical aspects of his MMA game are a work in progress, which seems to be a theme thus far.

Why Bet on Gabriel Santos?

Santos is an exception. At 26 years of age, the former LFA champion already looks like a very complete product with a dangerous, three-pronged attack. In his short-notice debut, he gave the highly-regarded Lerone Murphy all the English fighter could handle, impressing even in a split-decision defeat.

David Onama vs. Gabriel Santos Final Betting Analysis:

Santos looks to have the wrestling and grappling necessary to overwhelm Onama on the canvas, which is very likely to be the focal point of his game plan here. The problem is that David is so wildly dangerous that every exchange carries a very real threat of Gabriel getting put on his butt.

It’s far from a sure thing, but Santos appears to be the better fighter by a significant enough margin that he can survive a scare or two. Plus, everyone hits a bit less hard after a frustrating round of getting pinned to the floor.

UFC Fight Night: Brendan Allen vs. Bruno Silva

Why Bet on Brendan Allen?

Allen is a skilled Middleweight. His kickboxing offense is quite nice, featuring multi-level combinations of punches and kicks. He’s a very strong wrestler with excellent transitional jiu-jitsu too. Add in good cardio and size, and it seems like Allen would be an easy Top 10 contender… were if not for his habit of getting clipped.

Why Bet on Bruno Silva?

Silva has a habit of clipping people: the Brazilian brawler has stopped TWENTY — that’s a 2 followed by a 0 — opponents via knockout. He’s durable enough to take Alex Pereira’s bombs and fire right back, and he’s dang good at turning a small moment into a savage finish.

Brendan Allen vs. Bruno Silva Final Betting Analysis:

These two are essentially nightmare matchups for one another. On one hand, Allen has the wrestling to plant Silva on his back and easily win large swaths of the fight, if not finish him outright. Conversely, the latter’s nasty punching power and excellent eye for finding his mark make Brendan’s shaky striking defense a massive liability.

This feels as close to gambling as the Heavyweight fight because the paths to victory for each man are just so obvious. Ultimately, it’s hard to ignore Silva’s fight with Andrew Sanchez, which saw him taken down seven times and forced to rely on a third-round rally. That late stoppage only really happened because Sanchez slowed down a bit and failed to do much damage from the top position.

Allen has the conditioning and top control to maintain a pace and break Silva down … assuming he doesn’t hang around too long on the feet.

UFC Fight Night: Neil Magny vs. Philip Rowe

Why Bet on Neil Magny?

Now more than a decade into his Octagon career, Neil Magny (27-11) sits at 20-10 in the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion. He’s alternated losses and wins in his last seven bouts, most recently succumbing to a Gilbert Burns arm triangle in Jan. 2023.

Why Bet on Philip Rowe?

Phil Rowe (10-3) punched his ticket to the Octagon by knocking out Leon Shahbazyan, only to spend the next 18 months on the sidelines and fall to Gabe Green in his UFC debut. He’s since won three straight, including a third-round finish of Niko Price last time out. All 10 of his professional wins have come by stoppage, six of them via knockout.

Neil Magny vs. Philip Rowe Final Betting Analysis:

Even with three UFC knockouts under his belt and a genuinely solid performance against Niko Price last time out, we are not sold on Rowe. His height, reach, and durability make up for significant shortcomings that often leave him in need of dramatic comebacks. Without his customary edge in stature, he doesn’t have a lot of answers for the more seasoned and technically sound Magny.

Neil has the striking skills to avoid Philip’s trademark million-punch death flurry, the wrestling to exploit his rival historically poor takedown defense, and the cardio to maintain his pressure and output from bell to bell. He outclasses Rowe on the mat for a dominant victory.

UFC Fight Night: Randy Brown vs. Wellington Turman

Why Bet on Randy Brown?

Randy Brown (16-5) — the first-ever Lookin’ for a Fight product to join UFC — put a 3-3 slump behind him to win six of his next seven bouts. This set up a clash with fast-rising Jack Della Maddalena, who clubbed and subbed him two minutes into their Feb. 2023 clash.

Why Bet on Wellington Turman?

Three months after choking out The Ultimate Fighter (TUF): Brazil finalist, Marcio Alexandre Jr., Turman stepped up on short notice to face Karl Roberson in his UFC debut, ultimately dropping a split decision that snapped a four-fight win streak. He currently sits at 3-4 in the Octagon and was last seen struggling with Andre Petroski’s wrestling en route to a decision defeat in Nov. 2022, and this will be his first Welterweight appearance since 2017.

Randy Brown vs. Wellington Turman Final Betting Analysis:

Generally speaking, Turman’s fights are decided by whether he can reliably hold down his opponents. If he can do it safely, dropping to Welterweight may not be the worst idea, as having a strength advantage makes muscling people to the mat easier. That said, even a flawless transition to 170 pounds won’t save him here. Dealing with Wellington’s height and reach requires a level of striking technique that “The Prodigy” just hasn’t developed during his Octagon tenure.

Though Brown isn’t the best defensive wrestler in the world, Turman will have all sorts of trouble getting close enough to threaten takedowns, leaving him at the mercy of “Rude Boy’s” long-range offense. In short, Randy shuts down Wellington’s wrestling and puts him away around the midpoint.

UFC Fight Night: Mateusz Rębecki vs. Loik Radzhabov

Why Bet on Mateusz Rębecki?

Mateusz Rebecki (17-1) opened his professional career with three straight first-round heel hooks before falling to then-unbeaten Pawel Kielek. His current 14-fight win streak includes a FEN title run, a first-round submission of Rodrigo Lidio on Contender Series, and a decision over Nick Fiore in his Octagon debut, while his professional finishes are split 8:6 between knockouts and submissions.

Why Bet on Loik Radzhabov?

Loik Radzhabov (17-4-1) entered his second PFL tournament final as a sizable favorite over Raush Manfio, only to fall apart down the stretch and once again come up short. After bouncing back with a submission of Zach Zane in Eagle FC, he stepped up on short notice to defeat Esteban Ribovics in his March 2023 UFC debut.

Mateusz Rębecki vs. Loik Radzhabov Final Betting Analysis:

Mirror matches are always fun. Rebecki is a better finisher and Radzhabov is a more seasoned veteran against quality opposition, but they’re both sluggers with quality grappling games. So, they’ll either butt heads in a gritty, competitive affair or cancel each other out in a slog.

We slightly favor Rebecki. He has enough power to hurt Radzhabov the way Ribovics did and his Brazilian jiu-jitsu should be sharp enough to keep him from grinding him out. It’ll be close and could come down to whose gas tank gives out first, but we say Mateusz does enough damage on the feet to eke out a decision.

UFC Fight Night: Tabatha Ricci vs. Gillian Robertson

Why Bet on Tabatha Ricci?

A short-notice Flyweight UFC debut against Manon Fiorot resulted in the first professional defeat for Tabatha Ricci (8-1) in 2021. Returning to Strawweight has paid dividends, producing three straight wins over Maria Oliveira, Polyana Viana, and Jessica Penne.

Why Bet on Gillian Robertson?

Despite going one-and-done on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 26, Roberton amassed a 7-5 Flyweight record in the Octagon. After choking out Mariya Agapova in Dec. 2022, she dropped to Strawweight, where she handed Piera Rodriguez the first defeat of her professional career. Nine of her 10 professional finishes have come via submission, all by either rear-naked choke or armbar.

Tabatha Ricci vs. Gillian Robertson Final Betting Analysis:

This is a fight Robertson should win. Ricci has been reliant on racking up takedowns during her Octagon tenure, so Gillian’s size, strength, and wrestling prowess represent a hard counter. That said, the first has been out-grappled before, most notably by Taila Santos and Miranda Maverick. If Ricci can put “The Savage” on her back, Robertson hasn’t proven able to threaten from there.

Santos and Maverick were far larger than Ricci, however, and that may be the key here. Robertson’s wrestling is ostensibly a match for her judo, and with the bonus of a size advantage, that’s enough to get the nod. In the end, long stretches of top control should keep Gillian Robertson undefeated (2-0) in her new weight class.

UFC Fight Night: Zhalgas Zhumagulov vs. Joshua Van

Why Bet on Zhalgas Zhumagulov?

Zhalgas Zhumagulov (14-8) finally earned his first UFC victory in his third Octagon appearance, choking out Jerome Rivera just two minutes into their bout. The success wasn’t to last, and he enters the cage this Saturday on the heels of three consecutive defeats. This marks his third new opponent in the last two months, as scheduled bouts with Rafael Estevam and Felipe Bunes fell apart at the last minute.

Why Bet on Joshua Van?

The 21-year-old Joshua Van (7-1) has yet to see the third round as a professional, scoring all of his victories inside two rounds. His current five-fight win streak includes a submission of Cleveland McLean that earned “The Fearless” Fury FC’s Flyweight title. He takes this bout on 10 days’ notice, having previously been scheduled to face Kevin Borjas on Contender Series in August.

Zhalgas Zhumagulov vs. Joshua Van Final Betting Analysis:

Van is an incredibly promising young fighter, a deceptively vicious striker with rapidly improving grappling. He does, however, still have some maturing to do in terms of filling out his frame and not sacrificing his position in pursuit of low-percentage submissions. Zhumagulov’s aggressive, high-output style can be a lot to handle if you can’t keep your head, which we are not fully convinced Van can do at this point in his career.

While Van is sharp enough to potentially win a striking battle, he leaves too many openings to beat someone this seasoned and well-rounded. In the end, Zhumagulov out-works Van on the feet and hits the occasional takedown to secure a competitive victory.

UFC Fight Night: Trevor Peek vs. Chepe Mariscal

Why Bet on Trevor Peek?

Peek roared back from early trouble to pound out Malik Lewis and secure a contract on the Contender Series. Five months later, he made his UFC debut against late replacement Erick Gonzalez, flattening “The Ghost Pepper” in the last second of the first round to claim his first post-fight bonus. All of his professional wins have come by knockout, six of them in the first round.

Why Bet on Chepe Mariscal?

A 6-1 (1 NC) run, highlighted by decisions over Pat Sabatini and Youssef Zalal, gave way to a 1-3 skid that saw Mariscal fall to three future UFC competitors. He’s 3-0 since, including a ground-and-pound finish of Guilherme Faria in his second LFA main event. “Chepe” steps in for Victor Martinez on 10 days’ notice.

Trevor Peek vs. Chepe Mariscal Final Betting Analysis:

While Mariscal has recently shown a willingness to slow things down and cosplay as a technical kickboxer, both men thrive in absolute chaos. We’ll be shocked if this doesn’t devolve into a slugfest within the first two minutes.

It’ll be fun for us, but not for Mariscal. He’s the naturally smaller man, and though he boasts an impressive judo pedigree, Peek has proven impressively adept at getting back to his feet when taken down. “Chepe” is going to have to slug it out with Peek whether he wants to or not, and though his heart is up for it, his power and durability aren’t.

UFC Fight Night: Jamall Emmers vs. Jack Jenkins

Why Bet on Jamall Emmers?

Jamall Emmers (19-6) rebounded from his Contender Series defeat to Julian Erosa by winning four straight, among them a knockout of TUF veteran Jay Cuccinello. He’s alternated losses and wins in the Octagon, most recently ending an 18-month layoff by dominating 23-0 Khusein Askhabov in Feb. 2023.

Why Bet on Jack Jenkins?

Jack Jenkins (11-2) enjoyed a lengthy stint as Eternal MMA champ before pounding out Freddy Linares on Contender Series. His efforts set up a UFC debut against Don Shainis, whom Jenkins out-boxed and outwrestled to a decision win. “Phar” has knocked out five professional foes and submitted three others.

Jamall Emmers vs. Jack Jenkins Final Betting Analysis:

If everything clicks for Emmers, he’s good enough to beat anyone below the Featherweight Top 10. His issue is that that only happens sporadically; for example, even though he comprehensively dominated Askhabov, he’ll just as easily dive into a submission battle with a rocked Pat Sabatini or strike with Giga Chikadze.

He’s too erratic to pick against a top technician like Jenkins, who shares Jamall’s well-roundedness if not his physical abilities. Emmers could very well use his long-range striking and potent wrestling to neutralize Jack. More likely, though, Jenkins capitalizes on Emmers’ questionable decision-making to out-box him for his second UFC win.

UFC Fight Night: Tatsuro Taira vs. Kleydson Rodrigues

Why Bet on Tatsuro Taira?

Tatsuro Taira (13-0) went 9-0 as an amateur and 10-0 as a professional before joining UFC in 2022. He’s been dominant in the Octagon thus far, winning three and taking home “Performance of the Night” for his two submission wins. His 10 professional finishes are split 7:3 between submissions and knockouts.

Why Bet on Kleydson Rodrigues?

Seven months after out-classing Santo Curatolo on Contender Series, Kleydson Rodrigues (8-2) made his UFC debut against C.J. Vergara, seemingly winning the first two rounds but ultimately settling for a split decision loss. Though he missed weight against Shannon Ross next time out, he reclaimed some honor by smashing his fellow Contender Series veteran in 59 seconds.

Tatsuro Taira vs. Kleydson Rodrigues Final Betting Analysis:

Taira is a potential star in the making and Rodrigues is electric in the cage. This figures to be competitive both on the feet and the mat. For our money, it will come down to how well Taira uses his length and how well Rodrigues manages his cardio.

Rodrigues’ more versatile striking offense and superior stopping power pose a huge threat, but if Taira can keep him at a distance and threaten with takedowns, he should be able to come out on top. We say he does in a fight that winds up much closer than the odds suggest.

UFC Fight Night: Cody Brundage vs. Sedriques Dumas

Why Bet on Cody Brundage?

After falling to Nick Maximov in his UFC debut, Cody Brundage (8-4) rattled off back-to-back finishes of Dalcha Lungiambula and Tresean Gore, the former of which earned him “Performance of the Night.” He’s since dropped two straight, most recently suffering a comeback submission loss at the hands of Rodolfo Vieira.

He replaces Punahele Soriano on 10 days’ notice.

Why Bet on Sedriques Dumas?

Sedriques Dumas (7-1) kept his 100 percent finish rate intact by choking out Matej Penaz with a bonus-winning guillotine 47 seconds into their Contender Series bout. He wasn’t quite as successful against Josh Fremd, who dominated him on the mat en route to a second-round guillotine finish.

Cody Brundage vs. Sedriques Dumas Final Betting Analysis:

Brundage may be prone to spectacular flameouts, but Dumas’ loss to Fremd didn’t inspire a lot of confidence. His wrestling looked nonexistent and his striking — so venomous on the regional scene — proved entirely ineffective in the Octagon.

If Brundage can get inside without getting plunked by a counter, Dumas doesn’t have the tools to stop him from dominating on the ground. The first’s tendency to fold in the face of adversity gives Sedriques a better chance than he would have had against the double-tough Soriano, but it’s still not much of one. In the end, Brundage pressures Dumas to the fence takes him down, and does terrible things to his neck for a quick submission win.