UFC takes a step back this weekend, returning to the APEX warehouse for a relatively subdued fight card. This time, heavy-handed featherweight veteran Josh Emmett looks to gate-keep his ranking against up-and-coming Argentinian prospect Kevin Vallejos.
Vallejos might remind fans of Ilia Topuria – a stocky, front-foot heavy boxer-brawler who prefers to keep fights on the feet. He’s racked up three wins in the UFC, most notably knocking Giga Chikadze out with a spinning back fist earlier this year.
Fighters Weekly see this matchup as a pretty straight forward prediction, so let’s get into it.
Kevin Vallejos vs. Josh Emmett prediction
Casual viewers should know: Josh Emmett is always a live underdog. It only takes one punch and he’s got 25 minutes to find that moment. Vallejos is a patient puncher, and there may be plenty of chances for Emmett to find his home run.
That said, we’re not focusing on outright winners, instead, looking to pick a fight result that seems the most likely. Emmett is an aged fighter at 41 — Vallejos is 24 — so Emmett should have a considerable disadvantage in wear-and-tear, durability, and cardio.
Emmett’s major crux is his one-dimensional style. The American has relied on one home-run punch for a majority of his career. Emmett’s right hand might be money, but pot-shotting a slick boxer like Vallejos is just asking for counters, like in his fight with Ilia Topuria (one of the most one-sided beat downs in UFC history).
It’s certainly a fight built by the UFC for Vallejos to win and gain some notoriety. Fighters Weekly picks Vallejos to win this fight out right. The safest pick would be for this fight to end inside the distance. If you’re feeling a decision, Vallejos would be the pick as the younger, fresher fighter.
