UFC 242: Khabib vs. Poirier - Predictions and Picks

#6 The Prelims: FX card

Popular Flyweight Andrea Lee headlines the FX prelims this weekend

Given they’re now with ESPN I literally have no idea how the prelims for this card have found their way onto FX – formerly the home of UFC Fight Nights in the pre-Fox Sports 1 era. At least in the UK, we don’t have to deal with that kind of confusion!

At any rate, headlining this portion of the card is a Flyweight clash between Joanne Calderwood and Andrea Lee. Given the strange state of Women’s 125lbs right now the winner of this one could easily find themselves in a title fight as early as 2020. I like Lee here; I think the stand-up is probably even but I’d give ‘KGB’ a massive advantage on the ground, and Calderwood has also taken a lot more damage across her UFC tenure. Lee by submission is my pick.

At Featherweight, dangerous Khabib training partner Zubaira Tukhugov faces newcomer Lerone Murphy. I honestly don’t get this fight; Murphy is 5-0 but only started fighting on the UK regional scene in 2016, while Tukhugov is incredibly dangerous in all areas, and while he hasn’t fought himself since 2016 – he’s been under a ban from USADA for PED use – I just can’t see a newcomer handling him. Tukhugov via TKO is my pick.

Georgian newcomer Liana Jojua debuts at Bantamweight against veteran Sarah Moras and despite Jojua being thoroughly unproven at this level, I’m comfortably picking her here; Moras is a skilled ground fighter but struggles due to a lack of athleticism and more worryingly, she’s also 1-4 since 2015. I like Jojua by decision here.

Another newcomer, Lightweight Ottman Azaitar debuts against Teemu Packalen to round out this portion of the card. Azaitar – the brother of UFC Middleweight Abu – is a highly skilled and dangerous striker, and at 11-0 he looks like the real deal. This sounds like a good fight for him too – Packalen hasn’t fought since 2017, is relatively slow, and has trouble with explosive strikers. Azaitar by TKO is the likely outcome.