UFC Tampa fundamental card odds, breakdowns and predictions | X-Issue

This weekend (Sat., Dec. 14, 2024), Final Preventing Championship (UFC) ventures forth to Amalie Area in Tampa, Florida for UFC Tampa. The ultimate card of 2024 ought to be a enjoyable one! The primary occasion shifted on the final second, however now we have now an opportunity of seeing Colby Covington flattened, so … could possibly be worse! Elsewhere on the cardboard, standard motion fighters like Cub Swanson, Adrian Yanez, and Joel Alvarez promise an electrical present in entrance of a reside viewers.

Let’s dig into all the principle card fights main as much as the principle occasion:

Featherweight: Cub Swanson (+130) vs. Billy Quarantillo (-168)

Finest Win for Swanson? Charles Oliveira For Quarantillo? Alexander HernandezCurrent Streak: Each males misplaced their final boutX-Issue: Swanson is 41 years oldHow these two match up: Neither man has appeared at high kind these days, however this could nonetheless be a enjoyable scrap.

Since returning to 145-pounds after an ill-fated drop to Bantamweight, Swanson has fought twice and break up a pair of very enjoyable and aggressive selections. Even at this stage of his profession, “Killer Cub” continues to be a quick boxer with appreciable energy and plenty of tips up his sleeve. Quarantillo, in the meantime, is a hard-nosed grinder, a strong kickboxer and wrestler who stands out from the pack due to his tempo and aggression.

Apparently, Quarantillo’s final efficiency was extra regarding than Swanson’s latest work. He could also be youthful by 5 years, however “Billy Q” seemed dangerous in opposition to Youssef Zalal in his final displaying, strolling into each single counter shot and getting fatigued shortly. Might it’s that Quarantillo’s aggressive, easy model is catching as much as him at 36, or is Zalal merely that good?

I’m inclined to assume a mixture of the 2 is the reply. So, can a diminished-but-still-with-it Quarantillo deal with an old-but-still-crafty Swanson? I’m not satisfied. Quarantillo depends fairly a bit on his wrestling to win fights, and Swanson continues to be fairly laborious to pin down. As such, he’s going to should strike with the extra expert and highly effective kickboxer, counting on quantity alone to outwork Swanson.

I’m undecided he has the protection to tug it off.

Prediction: Swanson by way of choice

Gentle Heavyweight: Vitor Petrino (-320) vs. Dustin Jacoby (+230)

Finest Win for Petrino? Tyson Pedro For Jacoby? Maxim GrishinCurrent Streak: Petrino misplaced his final bout, whereas Jacoby has misplaced two in a rowX-Issue: Petrino is a a lot better athleteHow these two match up: Prospect vs. veteran within the Gentle Heavyweight ranks.

Petrino must be a little bit embarrassed to have his undefeated run go up in smoke by the hands of an Anthony Smith closed guard guillotine. The 27-year-old Brazilian is clearly a bodily expertise with some respectable placing kind, however diving right into a choke positively revealed there’s tough edges in want of smoothing. Jacoby would look like the right opponent to disclose extra potential weaknesses (or strengths) in his sport. The previous skilled kickboxer is fairly strong in all places however doesn’t are inclined to overwhelm opponents, which has produced some shut and thrilling fights throughout his present UFC run.

The issue with Jacoby’s sport is that he doesn’t actually have a method to cease extra athletic opponents from working him over. He’s a greater technician than Alonzo Menifield in each aspect of MMA, for instance, however he wasn’t capable of punish the wild “Atomic” fees that have been coming his path. He can be successful most of a spherical, get clipped, after which find yourself down on the playing cards.

He’s going through a virtually 10 12 months age drawback right here, and there’s no proof he’ll have Smith’s sneaky submission sport to bail him out. Extra probably, Petrino takes some jabs and low kicks till capable of time one thing massive, returning to the win column in model.

Prediction: Petrino by way of knockout

Bantamweight: Adrian Yanez (+140) vs. Daniel Marcos (-182)

Finest Win for Yanez? Davey Grant For Marcos? … Davey GrantCurrent Streak: Yanez returned to the win column final outing, whereas Marcos is unbeaten after 4 UFC fightsX-Issue: Can Marcos’ kicks halt Yanez’s boxing?How these two match up: There’s no means the Bantamweights don’t ship a banger.

Yanez is a nasty offensive boxer, which resulted in an early string of thrilling victories. When pushed up the ladder in opposition to high expertise, nevertheless, defensives points in his strategy have been revealed. At 31 years of age, it’ll be very fascinating to see whether or not or not Yanez can shore up the holes and reside as much as the hype of a pair years in the past.

Marcos is a striker himself, however he does extra work along with his kicking sport. Although unbeaten within the Octagon after 4 fights, a “No Contest” and extremely debatable choice vs. Grant have slowed his momentum. Regardless, the Peruvian expertise is definitely a enjoyable fighter, excessive quantity and harmful.

It seems to me that the chances maker’s anticipate a replay of Yanez vs. Jonathan Martinez, wherein “The Dragon” kicked Yanez’s leg to items and prevented him from firing in any mixture. Vary will certainly be the deciding issue — as is often the case in boxer vs. kicker match ups — however I’m not so positive it’s going to be that straightforward.

Martinez might have flaws, however he’s one of the best low kicker in a division full of wonderful low kickers — Marcos isn’t fairly so specialised. Different man have tried to low kick Yanez with far worse success in stopping his counters and ahead mixtures, and I anticipate Marcos to wrestle to maintain Yanez off him as properly.

When Yanez lands a bit, he begins touchdown quite a bit shortly.

Prediction: Yanez by way of choice

Flyweight: Manel Kape (-345) vs. Bruno Silva (+275)

Finest Win for Kape? Kai Asakura For Silva? Cody DurdenCurrent Streak: Kape misplaced his final bout, whereas Silva has received 4 straightX-Issue: Kape typically forgets to throw punchesHow these two match up: After the Mokaev incident, I’ve sworn to by no means get excited a few Kape combat once more.

Nonetheless … this SHOULD be enjoyable. Kape is an electrical striker when he decides to interact, probably the quickest puncher within the division with appreciable knockout energy besides. He’s very troublesome to take or maintain down, which ought to be a recipe for constant success on the elite Flyweight stage.

A jiu-jitsu black belt, Silva has been preventing skilled since 2011. He’s on fairly a tear, successful 4 consecutive “Efficiency of the Evening” bonuses in 4 end victories. He’s a harmful puncher who excels on the ground as properly, although getting held down has been a priority.

This reads as a really favorable match up for Kape. Silva doesn’t have the wrestling to pull him to the ground nor the quickness to win on the surface. Plus, he’s a naturally aggressive fighter. The chance of him making an attempt to push ahead and make one thing occur is excessive, which is able to in the end play proper into Kape’s arms.

The previous RIZIN king returns to the win column right here, maybe organising the Asakura rubber match?

Prediction: Kape by way of choice