Yair Rodriguez vs Josh Emmett UFC 284 Prediction & Picks: Can Rodriguez Outlast Emmett in Australia?

UFC 284 takes over the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia this Saturday with an unforgettable card. While there are different types of fights for all MMA lovers, one matchup that fans will want to keep an eye on is the featherweight co-main event between former The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America Yair Rodriguez and former WCFC Lightweight Champion Josh Emmett.

Emmett on fight against Rodriguez: 'I'm ready to go right now

MORE: https://t.co/1958Ts1DcQ pic.twitter.com/ghP2AYS5Oz

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) February 9, 2023

While this fight is big on its own, the stakes are elevated due to it also being for the interim UFC Featherweight Championship. Considering how Rodriguez and Emmett are the No. 2 and No. 5 fighters in the division, respectively, there’s no doubt that this is going to be a thrilling collision

There are many things to consider ahead of the UFC 284 featherweight co-event, especially when it concerns the numerous betting opportunities. Fortunately, Betting News has all of your Rodriguez vs Emmett needs, ranging from the latest odds to our picks for the fight.

UFC 284: Rodriguez vs Emmett Fight Odds (as of Thursday, February 9)

Odds are via our top reviewed and recommended sportsbooks.

BetOnline Sportsbook

• Yair Rodriguez -196
• Josh Emmett +152

Bovada Sportsbook

• Yair Rodriguez -180
• Josh Emmett +155

BetUS

• Yair Rodriguez -180
• Josh Emmett +143

BetMGM

• Yair Rodriguez -185
• Josh Emmett +150.

Oddsmakers Slightly Favor Rodriguez at UFC 284

While the odds are somewhat close, each of the highlighted sportsbooks slightly favors Rodriguez to capture the interim featherweight gold at UFC 284. His shortest odds sit at -196 on BetOnline Sportsbook, carrying an implied probability of 66.2%.

Rodriguez has been impressive since joining the UFC in 2014, going 9-2 with a no-contest in 12 fights. Things looked a bit shaky after a unanimous decision loss to Max Holloway at UFC Vegas 42, however, Rodriguez rebounded nicely with a first-round TKO victory over Brian Ortega at UFC on ABC 3.

Although Rodriguez has never held UFC gold, his win over Ortega shows that the former has championship potential. Not only is Ortega a two-time UFC Featherweight title challenger, but he’s also the No. 3 fighter in the division.

Yair Rodriguez is doing Yair Rodriguez things at #UFC284 open workouts. 😮🌪️ pic.twitter.com/9NJClNOAv6

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 9, 2023

While Rodriguez has been impressive, Emmett isn’t a stranger to success. The 37-year-old Phoenix, AZ native is currently on a five-fight winning streak, which includes two knockout victories and three wins by points.

It’s not like Emmett has been beating up on weak talent either. After all, his last two victories came against Calvin Kattar and Dan Ige, who are both top-15 fighters in the featherweight division at the moment.

Emmett also has the slight ground advantage in this fight, averaging 1.04 takedowns per 15 minutes on 40% accuracy while Rodriguez averages 0.83 on 28%. Though the latter has a 62% takedown defense rate, he’ll still be in trouble if Emmett gets him on the mat.

At the end of the day, this is a fight between two men who deserve the opportunity. Only time will tell who has what it takes to emerge the victor.

UFC 284 Betting Markets & Trends for Rodriguez vs Emmett

With this projected to be a close-fought bout, the moneyline odds are solid in both directions. Nevertheless, some bettors might be looking for more markets and, fortunately, BetOnline Sportsbook has them covered.

When it comes to the likeliest method of victory, Rodriguez is favored to capture the interim gold by points at +155 odds. He’s currently 6-1 in his career when his fights head to the judges’ table and with this being a fairly even contest, it wouldn’t be shocking if it goes the distance.

Emmett’s top method of victory is also to win by points, albeit at +340 odds. As mentioned before, each of his last three fights has gone the distance, making it clear that he doesn’t mind a longer tilt. On top of that, he’s 10-1 when his fights come to a decision.

Speaking of which, BetOnline Sportsbook is expecting a longer fight, favoring that Rodriguez and Emmett will go the distance at -142 odds.

Method & round combo betting also offers a bit more value than the above options. For this market, Rodriguez is favored to win by first-round knockout at +1000. Of his five career KO/TKO victories, only two have come in Round 1, making this an option to stay away from.

Meanwhile, Emmett’s top combo bet is to also win by first-round KO/TKO at +1700. He has six knockout victories to his name and three have them have come in the opening round.

Rodriguez vs Emmett UFC 284 Fight Prediction

This is the definition of a fight that could go either way. Rodriguez and Emmett match up nicely and it wouldn’t be shocking if it does go the distance. With that being said, I’m siding with Rodriguez in this one. He has the size advantage and is the better striker of the two while also boasting momentum from his huge win over Ortega.

In the event of a Rodriguez win, I recommend backing him to win by points at +155 odds on BetOnline Sportsbook. All signs point to this being a long fight and since he doesn’t often finish his opponents, winning by points is the likeliest scenario.

Having said that, if you don’t like Rodriguez, I also recommend backing the fight going the distance at -142 odds on BetOnline. I expect the time limit to be reached regardless of who the victor is, making this a less risky betting option.

UFC 284 Event Details

When is UFC 284?

UFC 284 will take place on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023.

Where is UFC 284?

UFC 284 will take place at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

What time does UFC 284 start?

• UFC 284 Early Prelims Start Time: 6 p.m. ET
• UFC 284 Prelims Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Start Time of UFC 284’s Main Card: 10 p.m. ET

How can I watch UFC 284?

The early prelims will be available on UFC Fight Pass, while the prelims will be available on both ESPN and ESPN+, and the main card will be available via pay-per-view (which can be ordered through the ESPN+ app).

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