Former men’s flyweight title challenger Brandon Royval Will be looking to re-enter the championship race when he takes over manel cape Saturday from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas in the main event of UFC Fight Night (10 p.m. ET on ESPN2/ESPN+, prelims at 7 p.m. on ESPN2/ESPN+).
Royval entered the fight following a loss to become champion by unanimous decision in June. joshua vanAlthough Royval did not receive a nod on any judges’ scorecards, the fight was extremely tight and it was a Frontrunner for ESPN’s Fight of the YearRoyval is at number three ESPN’s flyweight rankings,
Cape, ESPN’s No. 8-ranked flyweight, has defeated his last two opponents by third-round knockout. In his most recent win, in March, Cape ended Asu Almabayev’s unbeaten run inside the Octagon.
ESPN MMA analysts and commentators provide their main event predictions, and ESPN betting expert Ian Parker adds insight on the value bets available on the card.
Men’s flyweight main event
Cape coach Eric Niksic has assured me that Cape is healthy. This is the most important thing for him. If he’s healthy, he’s dangerous – and probably the most skilled flyweight in the UFC. If their coach is right, Cape will beat Royalvale, probably by knockout. Royval is a volume striker who doesn’t have the best defense. The speed of the cape will be too much for him. –Deen Thomas
It’s tough, but I’ll resort to Royval. Cape appears to be a one-trick pony, while Royval has many different ways to win. He is dangerous on the feet and is very opportunistic when it comes to grappling. The Cape gets itself into some bad spots sometimes. He’s shown he can fight and get out of those bad spots, but he can’t afford to do the same against Royval. –Anthony Smith
betting analysis
Odds are accurate as of publication. For the latest prospects, visit DraftKings.
Parker: Over 3.5 rounds. (-140). Both fighters are extremely durable, as neither of them have ever been eliminated inside the Octagon. Thus, I don’t see a finish happening before Round 4.
Cape will try to keep the fight consistent, where he has the striking advantage, while Royval will try to turn it into a brawl and may try to take it to the mat. If you have to take a shot at a winner, Royval is priced around +250 as an underdog here. He has plenty of experience in five-round fights, while Cape’s only five-round fights ended in Round 3.
Parker’s best bets on the rest of the card
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Melquizel Costa taps Andre Fili
Andre Fili tapped out after submitting a guillotine choke to Melquizel Costa for the win at UFC Fight Night.
Feather Weight: giga chickadee versus kevin vallejos
More than 2.5 rounds. (-154). This should be a fun battle between two high-class strikers. The odds are a little higher for Vallejos, considering he only has two UFC fights under his belt since earning a UFC contract on “Dana White’s Contender Series” last year. Chikadze is coming off a string of losses, but has proven that he is durable and can compete with the best fighters in the division. Take over 2.5 rounds and expect this to be a competitive fight that goes the distance.
Feather Weight: melquizel costa versus morgan charrière
Costa will win (-112). This is very valuable for Costa, who is on a four-match winning streak. He can match Charrière’s striking on the feet, and has excellent wrestling and grappling skills. Look for Costa to fight at a fast pace and put pressure on Charrière to strip away his power punching. If Costa gets the fight on the mat, he will have a huge advantage.
Strawweight: amanda lemos versus Gillian Robertson
Robertson would win by submission. Robertson is one of the best wrestlers and submission specialists in the division. Although Lemos is an excellent power puncher, if she makes a mistake and gets off balance, Robertson can take advantage and bring her to the mat. Once there, Robertson can use her ground game to control the fight and ultimately find the submission for the win.
