Charles Johnson and Su Mudaerji meet Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 245 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Charles Johnson vs. Su Mudaerji UFC Fight Night 245 preview
Johnson (16-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) has seemed to figure things out since a three-fight skid nearly ended his UFC tenure. He enters as a winner of his last three fights, all of which have come in a very busy 2024 campaign. Johnson’s decision win over Azat Maksum in February was a Fight of the Night affair, and his third round finish of Joshua Van in July earned a Performance of the Night bonus. … Mudaerji (16-6 MMA, 3-3 UFC) will look to stay above .500, and return to the win column after being finished in back-to-back outings. Mudaerji’s last victory was a unanimous decision nod over Zarrukh Adashev in January 2021.
Charles Johnson vs. Su Mudaerji UFC Fight Night 245 expert pick, prediction
Filling out the main card is a flyweight attraction between Johnson and Mudaerji.
Considering that these two fighters were strangely booked with opposite momentum as far as their winning and losing streaks are concerned, I can see why the betting public is getting behind Johnson.
Many, including myself, have seen solid glimpses of Johnson’s skills and potential and have wanted to see him do well since stepping onto the UFC stage. And though the wins and losses have come down to the wire, Johnson appears to be hitting his stride as a fighter.
Mudaerji, on the other hand, has dealt with everything from injuries and inactivity to continual tough matchmaking.
Mudaerji appears to have been spending the last two fight camps at Team Alpha Male alongside Song Yadong, so I’m curious if we finally start to see the 28-year-old Tibetan turn a corner in his career as well.
Although this should be an easy pick to make for Johnson, I find myself semi-reluctantly wanting to take a flier on the other side.
Aside from the fact that it would be hilarious to see an Asian fighter ice “Inner G” after the borderline racist tweet he sent out this week (which, according to Johnson’s logic, is okay since “he likes anime”), Johnson has traditionally struggled with southpaws, officially standing at a shaky 1-2 opposite UFC-level lefties.
Even though my personal bias is admittedly at play, considering how fed up I am over repeated incidents like this involving Asian athletes in this sport/sports culture, in general, I’ll stand by my pick here.
All personal gripes aside, Johnson is one of the least trustworthy fighters from a gambling perspective, so I stay away from his fights – particularly when he’s the one who is favored.
The official pick is for Mudaerji to serve Johnson some much-needed humble pie with a surprising first-round knockout.
Charles Johnson vs. Su Mudaerji UFC Fight Night 245 odds
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the American fighter, listing Johnson -225 and Su +180 via FanDuel.
Charles Johnson vs. Su Mudaerji UFC Fight Night 245 start time, how to watch
Johnson and Mudaerji are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 8:05 p.m. ET (5:05 p.m. PT). The fight will stream on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 245.
