UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos Tips
The UFC returns to the Apex this weekend with a card stacked with prospects including in the main event where Kevin Vallejos steps up to face veteran Josh Emmett.
The co-main event sees two top ten strawweights battle it out as Gillian Robertson looks to enter title conversation if she can defeat the experienced Amanda Lemos.
Here are our best bets for Saturday night's MMA card.
Tip 1 – Kevin Vallejos by KO, TKO or DQ @ 26/25
Emmett (19-6-0) looks to have his work cut out here against surging star Vallejos (17-1-0).
Emmett, who is 10-6 in the UFC, is a former interim title challenger who came up short when submitted by Yair Roriguez for the belt in 2023.
That defeat saw the start of a win which has seen the 41-year-old go 1-5 in his last six fights.
Vallejos, who is 3-0 in the UFC, is in red hot form taking out Giga Chikadze in two rounds with a sublime spinning back fist last time out.
The 24-year-old punched his ticket to the UFC with a first-round finish over Cam Teague on the Contender Series before doing the same to Seung Woo Choi on his UFC debut.
Vallejos’ only career defeat is by decision to Jean Silva on his first attempt at a UFC contract on the Contender Series in 2023, with the destructive Brazilian going on to climb to number six in the rankings since.
Currently riding a two-fight losing streak to hot prospects Lerone Murphy and Youssef Zalal, Emmett’s now gatekeeper status could take further damage here.
It is worth noting that Emmett has only been finished once on the feet by Jeremy Stephens in 2018, but in the smaller Apex cage with 25 minutes to work, Vallejos is fancied to push the pace and find a TKO finish.
Tip 2 – Gillian Robertson to Win & Over 1.5 Rounds @ 19/20
Robertson (16-8-0) can put herself in title conversation here with a win over Lemos (15-5-1).
Robertson has won six of her last seven fights and comes into this following a TKO win over Marina Rodriguez last May.
That was a similar wrestler vs. striker match-up to what we find here, with Robertson able to control the fight with her grappling.
The 30-year-old averages 2.74 takedowns landed per 15 minutes and 0.9 submissions attempted per 15 minutes, compared with Lemos at 1.02 takedowns per 15.
Lemos is the more dangerous pure striker, but arrives here having been outgrappled to a unanimous decision defeat to Tatiana Suarez last September, despite having a late surge in the third round.
Lemos has three KO/TKO wins from her nine in the UFC, but will need her takedown defense to be on point to stand a chance here.
Even so, Robertson has the pace and relentlessness in her work to be able control the geography of the fight and could well make her case for a title shout even louder.
Tip 3 – Jose Delgado by KO, TKO or DQ @ 57/50
Jose Delgado (10-2-0) will look to get back in the win column against Andre Fili (25-12-0, 1 NC).
Delgado, who is 2-1 in the UFC, looks a serious prospect and was given a tough assignment last time out against Nathaniel Wood.
That fight ended in a split decision, with Delgado almost having Wood finished in the first round.
The 27-year-old finished both of his other UFC opponents in the first round making quick work of both Hyder Amil and Connor Matthews.
Fili is now 13-11, 1 NC, in the UFC and arrives here off the back of a split decision win over Christian Rodriguez last August.
Known for his aggressive striking, the 35-year-old will bring the fight to Delgado here and could be made to pay against the younger, faster and more powerful opponent.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to change
