Jack Jenkins vs. Chepe Mariscal Odds
Saturday's preliminary card features a can't-miss Figh of the Night contender with Jack Jenkins vs. Chepe Mariscal at UFC 293.
Contender Series vet Jenkins, an Australian who should be the crowd favorite on fight night, has won nine straight bouts as he meets Mariscal, who recently upset Trevor Peek in a short-notice UFC debut to run his own winning streak to four.
Let's preview Jenkins vs. Mariscal at UFC 293.
Tale of the Tape
| Jenkins | Mariscal | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 12-2 | 14-6-1 |
| Avg. Fight Time | 14:50 | 15:00 |
| Height | 5'7" | 5'7" |
| Weight | 145.85 pounds | 145.85 pounds |
| Reach (inches) | 68" | 69" |
| Stance | Switch | Orthodox |
| Date of birth | 11/3/1993 | 10/27/1992 |
| Sig Strikes Per Minute | 4.34 | 4.73 |
| SS Accuracy | 61% | 60% |
| SS Absorbed Per Minute | 2.79 | 3.40 |
| SS Defense | 60% | 59% |
| Take Down Average | 3.03 | 4.00 |
| TD Acc | 75% | 33% |
| TD Def | 81% | 0% |
| Submission Average | 0.0 | 1.0 |
Mariscal showed impressive durability and fight IQ in that UFC debut against the unique stylings of Peek – and proved that his regional strength of schedule, with fights against Gregor Gillespie, Bryce Mitchell, Pat Sabatini, and Youssef Zalal early in his career – prepared him for the big show.
Jenkins has drawn many comparisons to early-career Alexander Volkanovski, and while he may not have the ceiling of a pound-for-pound fighter, Jenkins has a highly competent, well-rounded skill set.
Both fighters in this UFC 293 matchup should test one another in all facets of MMA in an exciting, high-paced bout.
Ultimately, I expect Mariscal to have the wrestling advantage while Jenkins inflicts more noticeable striking damage with his leg kicks. If Jenkins can land enough leg kicks early to destabilize Mariscal's movement, that should take enough out of Mariscal's takedown attempts to let Jenkins dictate where the fight occurs.
And if both fighters land takedowns at various points, I prefer Jenkins' offensive top game too.
Jenkins vs. Mariscal Pick
Both featherweights are seemingly durable – and neither punches particularly hard relative to the 145-pound division. The likeliest path to a finish would seemingly be an attritional stoppage for Jenkins if he can repeatedly hammer Mariscal's legs.
I expect this fight to reach a decision about two-thirds of the time (-200 implied odds) and would bet that prop up to -183.
Additionally, you can consider betting Jenkins to win by decision (projected +116, listed +140 at FanDuel); Chepe may need to win rounds convincingly to beat the Victoria native on the road.
The Pick: Fight Goes to Decision (-160, 0.5u) at FanDuel
