Calvin Kattar vs. Josh Emmett headlines UFC Fight Night betting tonight, June 18.
This should be an entertaining bout between a pair of Top-10 featherweights in one of the deepest divisions in the promotion. UFC odds opened with Kattar as a -227 favorite and have since shifted to -250 with Emmett coming back at +200.
Here are our best free UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs. Emmett picks and predictions for June 18 from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
Kattar vs Emmett fight odds
Live odds courtesy of the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Kattar vs Emmett method of victory odds
| Method of Victory | Calvin Kattar | Josh Emmett |
|---|---|---|
| To win by KO/TKO | +260 | +470 |
| To win by Points | +135 | +2,000 |
| To win by Submission | +1,800 | +470 |
| Draw | +5,000 | +5,000 |
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook on June 14, 2022.
Kattar vs Emmett picks
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
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Kattar vs Emmett betting preview
Calvin Kattar is the No. 4-ranked featherweight contender and is coming off an impressive decision victory against Giga Chikadze in January: Which earned Fight of the Night honors. Kattar was a +190 underdog for that headline event bout, but ended up winning all five rounds to bounce back from a tough loss to No. 1 contender Max Holloway last year.
The 34-year-old is now 7-3 since entering the UFC in 2017, with all three of those losses coming by decision. Despite a background as an outstanding high school wrestler, Kattar prefers to keep things standing up with his crisp boxing and vicious elbows. The Boston Finisher has lived up to his nickname, with four of his last six wins coming via KO/TKO.
Josh Emmett is No. 7 in the featherweight rankings and is on a four-fight winning streak, most recently defeating Dan Ige by unanimous decision in December. Emmett didn't make his promotional debut until he was 31-years-old but has since compiled an 8-2 record inside the octagon.
Emmett has a background in wrestling, but like Kattar prefers to stay on his feet and bang. He has very strong punching ability and his right hand packs plenty of power, with Emmett racking up 11 knockdowns in his last seven fights.
Kattar vs Emmett tale of the tape
| Calvin Kattar | Josh Emmett | |
|---|---|---|
| 34 | Age | 37 |
| 5-foot-11 | Height | 5-foot-6 |
| 145 lbs | Weight | 145 lbs |
| 72 inches | Reach | 70 inches |
| 23-5 (10 KO) | Record | 17-2 (6 KO) |
Kattar vs Emmett UFC prediction and best bet
Our prediction is compiled from the analysis of the fighters and is an indication of who we are leaning with to win this bout.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this fight or where the most value lies, and is where we would put some of our bankroll behind.
Prediction: Kattar moneyline (-235)
With both of these fighters rarely mixing in their wrestling ability, this bout will stay standing up.
While Emmett has dynamite in his hands, he often sits on his power punches and his predictable combinations can be disrupted by an effective jab. We saw that in his previous bout against Ige, and Kattar is even longer and more technical with his striking.
Kattar has knockout power of his own and will likely out-volume Emmett, especially in a fight that's scheduled for five rounds. Keep in mind that each of Kattar's last three bouts went 25 minutes, and he displayed his impressive gas tank by bringing the heat in the later rounds, while Emmett has never fought more than three rounds.
Prediction: Kattar moneyline (-235 at DraftKings)
Best bet: Kattar by decision (+155)
Despite Emmett's power, his last two fights went the distance and he'll have a very tough time sending Kattar to the mat.
Kattar has a granite chin and has never been finished by strikes in his MMA career. Matter of fact, he has never even been knocked down in 27 career fights — going all the way back to 2007. Considering that Kattar was able to eat more than 400 significant strikes from Holloway, we like his ability to weather the storm from Emmett and pick up the win via points.
Pick: Kattar by decision (+155 at FanDuel)
