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UFC 280: Katlyn Chookagian vs. Manon Fiorot Betting Guide (2022)

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The UFC hits the road this weekend and heads to Abu Dhabi for a card full of thrilling fights. A pair of belts are on the line, with Aljamain Sterling defending against TJ Dillashaw in the Bantamweight division. In contrast, Islam Makhachev makes his first attempt at the Lightweight title against Charles Oliveira in the main event. This is a stacked bill from top to bottom, and the main card gets underway with a Women’s Flyweight clash between first-ranked Katlyn Chookagian and sixth-ranked Manon Fiorot. Let’s dive into this main card opener and lock in a bet! 

Betting Profile: Katlyn Chookagian (18-4-0)

Last Five Fights (WWWWL)

Katlyn Chookagian is currently riding a four-fight win streak with victories over Cynthia Calvillo, Viviane Araujo, Jennifer Maia, and Amanda Ribas, most recently. All four bouts ended via decision, and that’s not uncommon for the “Blonde Fighter,” as all 11 of her UFC victories have gone to the judges’ scorecards. In her most recent battle against Ribas, Chookagian landed 63 strikes compared to Ribas’ 55. Despite being taken down three times and giving up 4:49 of ground control time, the American was able to get her hand raised. 

Being taken that often isn’t necessarily an anomaly for Chookagian as her takedown defense rate is just 54%. On the flip side, she’s averaging just 0.28 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing at a 15% success rate. So it’s safe to say that grappling isn’t her strength, even though she holds a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The 33-year-old’s game plan is pretty straightforward: she wants to keep the fight upright and turn it into a kickboxing match. Chookagian’s averaging 4.56 significant strikes landed per minute at a 35% clip while absorbing 4.26 strikes per minute. 

Betting Profile: Manon Fiorot (9-1-0) 

Last Four Fights (WWWW)

Manon Fiorot will make the walk for the fifth time in her UFC career, and she’s a perfect 4-0 up to this point. The French-born fighter came on the scene with a bang, picking up consecutive second-round knockouts over Victoria Leonardo in her debut and Tabatha Ricci shortly after. Fiorot followed up those efforts with a pair of decision victories over Mayra Bueno Silva and Jennifer Maia most recently. 

Two things stand out to me about sixth-ranked Fiorot. First, she’s dominated all four of her UFC opponents in the striking department. In her most recent fights against Maia and Silva, she outstruck them 83-37 and 91-48, respectively. Second, she’s active when it comes to wrestling. “The Beast” is landing an average of 1.91 takedowns per 15 minutes at a 50% success rate, and she’s defending 83% of opposing takedown attempts. As for Fiorot’s credentials, she’s a purple belt in BJJ and also holds a black belt in karate. 

Bottom Line

This main card opener should set the tone for a fantastic evening in Abu Dhabi. Both of these women boast great striking ability and we should see some big blows in this top-10 Flyweight division battle. 

Fiorot is currently a -245 favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook, while Chookagian returns at a +186 underdog. To knock off the juice, I’m going to lock in Fiorot to win by decision at -115. The Beast will have her biggest challenge yet as she takes on first-ranked Chookagian, but I think she’ll be ready as she’s won convincingly in all four of her UFC contests. As I mentioned above, Fiorot’s a very well-rounded brawler, and she can find ways to adapt in the cage and still come out victorious. However, if this fight stays upright, you can rely on Fiorot’s volume of strikes to guide her to victory. She’s averaging 6.60 significant strikes per minute while absorbing just 2.52. Let’s ride with Fiorot to win by points on Saturday evening. 

Pick: Manon Fiorot to Win by Points (-115 via Fanduel Sportsbook)

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