UFC Odds – UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Topuria

Featherweight contender Ilia Topuria puts his perfect record on the line in the main event of UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Topuria on Saturday from VyStar Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. With a professional record of 13-0 with five of those victories coming inside the Octagon, Topuria opened as a big -310 favorite on the UFC betting line for his bout with recent interim title challenger Josh Emmett. It’s always risky backing the favorite at that price, especially someone with little exposure. With 18 wins in 21 career fights, Emmett has been a fixture among the top 5 contenders in the weight class and will be the most experienced opponent Topuria has faced. The headline bout is one of five fights on the main card that will air on network television. An additional nine fights make up the prelims.

Bet on UFC online at BetRivers sportsbook with odds for every fight on the ticket. The action takes place on Saturday, June 24, 2023 from VyStar Arena in Jacksonville, FL. The prelims start at 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+. The main card is scheduled to get underway at 3 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN+.

UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Topuria Main Card Odds

Josh Emmett +260 vs. Ilia Topuria -310

Maycee Barber +170 vs. Amanda Ribas -200

Austen Lane +155 vs. Justin Tafa -180

Gabriel Santos -230 vs. David Onama +195

Bruno Silva +155 vs. Brendan Allen -180

The main event fighters are at different stages of their career but in search of a common goal. Topuria ( 13-0, 4 KOs, 8 SUBs ) is a beast quickly ascending the featherweight ranks with some impressive victories. And considering the state of the division another win vaults him up the rankings and in line for a shot at the title. Josh Emmett ( 18-3, 6 KOs, 2 SUBs ) has been around for over a decade and following a five-fight winning streak was given a shot at the interim featherweight belt earlier this year. Emmett suffered just his third professional loss falling to Yair Rodriguez via a triangle choke in February.

Despite a 12-year age gap and Emmett pushing 40, he’s showing no signs of slowing down. His varied skill set along with his experience should be beneficial against a younger, stronger opponent. Emmett was a perfect 9-0 before joining the UFC and opened his career inside the Octagon with a pair of wins prior to suffering his first professional setback, a split decision to Desmond Green at UFC 210.

I get that combat sports are brutal and injuries happen, but Emmett has missed a substantial amount of time recovering. That’s why a guy who’s been fighting professionally since 2011 has only 21 fights on his resume. Emmett missed 13 months from injuries sustained in a loss to Jeremy Stephens in February 2018. Injuries again put Emmett on the shelf following his unanimous decision win over Shane Burgos in 2020. Emmett sustained several leg injuries, including a complete ACL tear, early in the first round.

That Emmett was able to finish the fight and beat a strong opponent is a testament to his will inside the Octagon. “Most people would’ve quit or looked for a way out. I will never quit,” he tweeted after the fight.

If Topuria wants to keep his unblemished record he best know a little about his opponent other than just his grappling and defense techniques. Topuria has plenty going for him on the lead in. The unbeaten record is a good start and he thrills audiences with a relentless attack. He won 12 of his fights by stoppage and Emmett’s defense is questionable. In his last fight Topuria beat Bryce Mitchell via an arm-triangle choke submitting the sub specialist.

Topuria looks like the real deal and a strong challenger for the featherweight belt. However, the competition hasn’t been the toughest leading up to this fight and we’ll get a good idea if all the hype surrounding him is legit. Because of that I’m hesitant to make a UFC bet on him for the outright. Alternate markets at UFC betting sites have better odds and there’s a real good chance that if Topuria wins the match ends before the distance.

UFC Prediction: Ilia Topuria / Submission

Check out the latest UFC betting odds at BetRivers.