UFC Fight Night: Emmett v Topuria main card betting tips

UFC Fight Night from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, features some enthralling matchups and plenty of emerging talent.

Heavyweights Justin Tafa and Austen Lane are certain to provide a highlight reel knockout finish, while David Onama and Gabriel Santos are both proven finishers with enormous upside.

Read on for all the UFC betting tips and analysis for the four fights leading up to the main event.

Josh Emmett v Ilia Topuria

Josh Emmett vs Ilia Topuria

Which of these top-10 featherweights will salute in Jacksonville? See our in-depth betting preview for Josh Emmett v Ilia Topuria here.

Amanda Ribas v Maycee Barber

Amanda Ribas vs Maycee Barber

Amanda Ribas (12-3-0) has endured a rough patch of late going 2-2 from her last four outings. She has fought at both strawweight and flyweight but looks more comfortable at 125 pounds, where this fight will be held. The Brazilian has four submission wins on her record and looks to have the grappling edge in this contest courtesy of a black belt in BJJ. A win here should see her crack the top 10 rankings in the women’s flyweight division and press for a higher-ranked opponent at her next match-up.

Maycee Barber (12-2-0) enters this match-up on a four-fight win streak. The American has evolved into a decision fighter with her last six bouts all being settled by the judges. This contrasts with her early professional career that featured six consecutive stoppage wins, including three at UFC level. Barber boasts a strong cardio base and looks a lot more dangerous when she throws caution to the wind and lets her hands and elbows fly.

Justin Tafa v Austen Lane

Justin Tafa vs Austen Lane

Justin Tafa (6-3-0) is a hard-hitting Kiwi fighting out of Brisbane Australia. He has scored successive first round knockouts at his two most recent UFC appearances and has the power to buckle any opponent. He struggles with cardio as his fights progress beyond the opening five minutes and has never won a decision victory as a professional. Tafa looks and fights like fan favourite Mark Hunt, who retired from UFC action in 2018 following a long and disguised career and will be hoping to unleash the same kind of power punches here.

Austen Lane (12-3-0) makes his UFC debut after showing some nice skills on Dana White’s Contender Series, where he scored a round one TKO. The Floridian will enjoy strong hometown support here as he goes searching for a seventh successive victory. Lane is also a knockout artist, so this should be a blink-and-you-will-miss-it affair that does not progress beyond the early exchanges. Lane’s abilities are still unknown given his recent arrival in the premier promotion, and this is a dangerous matchup.

David Onama v Gabriel Santos

David Onama vs Gabriel Santos

David Onama (10-2-0) is 2-2 since joining the UFC in 2021 with the losses coming via decision and the wins coming via stoppage. The American has a strong finishing record with six knockouts and four submissions to his name. He last faced David Landwehr, who is a highly rated featherweight, suggesting UFC matchmakers have a high opinion of the inexperienced Onama. Although he lost that contest via decision, he still presents as a likely improver.

Gabriel Santos (10-1-0) lost his debut UFC contest after entering the promotion with a perfect, unbeaten record. The loss was a close split decision verdict that can be attributed to nerves under the bright lights. The Brazilian has a solid ground game with four submission wins as a professional and may be keen to take this fight to the mat given he suffers from a height and reach disadvantage. This looks like a Fight of the Night contender and might be closer than betting markets suggest.

Brendan Allen v Bruno Silva

Brendan Allen vs Bruno Silva

Brendan Allen (21-5-0) looks sharp and nearing the top of his game after four straight victories in the middleweight division. The 27-year-old is a submission specialist who can be unstoppable once he takes an opponent’s back and searches for a guillotine choke. The recent run of success has seen Allen break into the top 15 and he appears ready to mix it up with some of the bigger names lurking in the 185-pound weight class.

Bruno Silva (23-8-0) is a devastating striker with an impressive 20 knockout wins on his resume. He will enjoy a significant standup advantage over Allen and the outcome of this fight will be decided entirely by where the contest takes place. If Silva can keep the action upright, he is almost certain to find a home for his heavy punches and knees, but if he is taken down, the Brazilian looks certain to be exposed by the superior ground game of his Allen.

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