Tabatha Ricci vs. Lupita Godinez Odds
Top-15 UFC strawweight contenders Tabatha Ricci and Loopy Godinez meet in a can't-miss UFC 295 matchup on Saturday.
Ricci has won four straight, and Godinez is riding a three-fight streak. A victory will give either fighter a significant boost in the 115-pound division.
Whose recent success will come to an end on the UFC 295 regular preliminary card?
Here's my Ricci vs. Godinez prediction.
Tale of the Tape
| Ricci | Godinez | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 9-1 | 11-3 |
| Avg. Fight Time | 12:03 | 13:06 |
| Height | 5'1" | 5'2" |
| Weight | 115.4 pounds | 115 pounds |
| Reach (inches) | 61" | 61" |
| Stance | Orthodox | Orthodox |
| Date of birth | 2/21/1995 | 9/6/1993 |
| Sig Strikes Per Min | 4.12 | 4.03 |
| SS Accuracy | 37% | 50% |
| SS Absorbed Per Min | 4.5 | 3.5 |
| SS Defense | 61% | 62% |
| Take Down Avg | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| TD Acc | 48% | 47% |
| TD Def | 66% | 82% |
| Submission Avg | 0.2 | 1.3 |
While Ricci is the superior jiu-jitsu player in this fight, Godinez is the better boxer and wrestler; "Loopy" should be able to dictate where the fight takes place and win the majority of striking exchanges.
Godinez is the much more technical striker (50% vs. 37% striking accuracy) and has far more ability to sit down on her punches and damage opponents.
In contrast, Ricci patters opponents with less impactful volume.
Both fighters are capable of landing offensive takedowns.
However, Godinez seems likelier to maintain control positions. She also showed better fight IQ in her recent win over Elise Reed, taking advantage of a clear grappling edge (completing all five takedown attempts in eight minutes).
In previous fights, Godinez hasn't always capitalized on an apparent mismatch in one area of MMA.
Ricci vs. Godinez Pick
Godinez is the more well-rounded fighter, and her overall skillset is better suited to winning fights at the higher levels of MMA.
I projected Godinez north of -200 in this fight; bet her moneyline up to -190.
The Pick: Lupita Godinez (-165, 0.5u) at BetMGM
