Josh Emmett v Ilia Topuria preview & best bets – UFC Fight Night

Josh Emmett will be hoping to bounce back when he stands opposite emerging featherweight prospect Ilia Topuria in UFC Fight Night from the Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville.

UFC Fight Night: Emmett v Topuria main event preview

#5 Josh Emmett vs #9 Ilia Topuria

Josh Emmett (18-3-0) drops back in grade here after coming up short in his recent bout for the interim featherweight title. The American was no match for Yair Rodriguez and was finished via triangle choke in the second round after losing the early stand-up exchanges. This ended a solid winning run of six straight fights and Emmett must regroup following the disappointing effort on the biggest night of his career.

The 38-year-old can appear one dimensional in his approach at times, relying solely on his powerful right hand, and will need to dig deep against a well-rounded opponent here. Emmett’s defensive wrestling will likely be tested against an athlete with a strong record of submission victories. He will need to establish a striking range that suits his power shots, evade the takedowns, and land a big shot to close out the show. Emmett is certainly capable of enacting such a game plan, but he is coming off a demoralising loss and facing a bright young talent here.

After just five fights in the UFC, Ilia Topuria (13-0-0) has emerged as a genuine contender in the featherweight division. The Spaniard has torn through the ranks and is conceivably one or two fights away from a title shot. Another impressive performance here will put him right in contention to claim UFC gold. He last fought against Bruce Mitchell, who had no answers to the relentless Topuria onslaught, and was finished in the second round via triangle choke submission.

The 26-year-old combines a black in BJJ with tight and highly technical striking and appears to have few holes in his game. Three of his UFC fights were finished via KO, he has eight submissions wins to his credit as a professional, and Topuria is heavily favoured to continue his march toward the top of the rankings. The proven finisher has gone the distance only once in 13 fights, on his UFC debut when nerves might have been a contributing factor to a cautious strategy. Unbeaten fighters always bring an aura of excitement to the cage, and fans will be keen to see if Topuria can continue his seemingly unstoppable momentum.

Josh Emmett vs Ilia Topuria betting strategy & best bet

It is hard to tip against the MMA betting site favourite here. Topuria is younger, fresher, more well-rounded, and riding on a wave of confidence.

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