UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs Kattar, Prelims Predictions and Analysis

The UFC returns in 2021 with their first-ever card on ABC. Tomorrow’s main event will feature a featherweight contest between former champion Max ‘Blessed‘ Holloway and surging contender Calvin ‘The Boston Finisher‘ Kattar.

The main card is stacked with some mouth-watering fights. But the prelims are exciting as well, with 6 bouts scheduled to take place. Here we take a look at the predictions and analysis of the prelim bouts.

1. Phil Hawes vs Nassourdine Imavov

The featured bout for the prelims is an exciting middleweight bout between Hawes and Imavov. Hawes is a DWCS alumni with his only UFC appearance coming in UFC 254. He won via KO against Jacob Malkoun.

Imavov will make his second UFC appearance as well after earning a decision victory in his last outing both fighters possess the same professional record of 9-2.

Prediction- Phil Hawes by TKO

2. Yanan Wu vs Joselyne Edwards

Chinese fighter Wu will welcome Edwards into the UFC at UFC on ABC 1. The bantamweight contest will be Wu’s 4th UFC appearance. She has a record of 1-2 with the promotion currently.

Edwards on the other hand is a proven finisher, finishing 8 of his 9 bouts so far. She has 5 wins by KO/TKO and 3 by submission.

Prediction- Yanan Wu by decision.

3.Carlos Felipe vs Justin Tafa

Carlos Felipe is coming off a decision win over Yorgan De Castro. This will be his 3rd appearance in the promotion. Tafa lost to De Castro by KO at UFC 243. But he has turned it around with a knockout win over Juan Adams at UFC 247.

Prediction- Justin Tafa by KO

4. David Zawada vs Ramazan Emeev

Zawada will fight Dagestani fighter Ramazan Emeev in a welterweight clash. Zawada will end his year-long hiatus from the sport after choking out Abubakar Nurmagomedov back in 2019. He will make his 4th UFC appearance against a 5-fight UFC veteran Emeev.

Prediction- Ramazan Emeev by decision

5. Sarah Moras vs Vanessa Melo

Moras, a women’s bantamweight contender, has managed only 3 wins in her 8-fight long UFC career. Her opponent, Melo, is yet to rack up a win in the organization despite having fought thrice.

Both the fighters will look to change the course of their UFC careers with an impressive showing on the first card of 2021.

Prediction- Vanessa Melo by decision

6. Jacob Kilburn vs Austin Lingo

Kilburn and Lingo both lost their UFC debut. Kilburn lost to Billy Quarantillo back in 2019. Lingo, on the other hand, dropped a decision to Youssef Zalal at UFC 247.

The two promising featherweights will look to turn the tides on their respective careers. They have the stage set for them on UFC’s first event on the ABC network.

Prediction- Austin Lingo by decision

The Fight Night event will also be the first event on the newly inaugurated Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The UFC starts the year off with an exciting card, and fans cannot wait.

How do you see the prelim fights going? Do you agree with the predictions?