Esteban Ribovics and Daniel Zellhuber meet Saturday on the main card of UFC 306 at Sphere in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics UFC 306 preview
A pair of Dana White’s Contender Series alums trending in the right direction will get the spotlight when Ribovics and Zellhuber meet in a lightweight bout. … Ribovics (13-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) enters on back-to-back wins after beating Kamuela Kirk and most recently Terrance McKinney by first-round head kick knockout. … Zellhuber (15-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) is on a three-fight winning streak, most recently beating Francisco Prado by unanimous decision.
Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics UFC 306 expert pick, prediction
Although I have some admitted bias toward Zellhuber due to his relationship with Eric Nicksick and Xtreme Couture MMA, I’m honestly a big fan of Ribovics.
An Argentinian fighter with an incredibly fun style, Ribovics provides reliable pocket boxing and counters (from both stances) that ensure high-temperature affairs whenever he’s in the octagon.
Ribovics’ wrestling defense leaves something to be desired, but the 28-year-old demonstrates decent submission defense and a solid ability to scramble. That said, I suspect that a long, athletic fighter like Zellhuber could provide a decent amount of problems on paper.
Not only will Zellhuber’s kicks and jabs have play on paper, but his underrated grappling skills could also come in handy for this contest.
For that reason, I’ll officially side with Zellhuber to edge out the scorecards in a fight that I see being competitive down the stretch.
Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics UFC 306 odds
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Mexican fighter, listing Zellhuber (-225) and Ribovics (+184) via FanDuel.
Daniel Zellhuber vs. Esteban Ribovics UFC 306 start time, how to watch
Ribovics and Zellhuber are expected to walk out to the octagon at approximately 10:45 p.m. ET (7:45 p.m. locally in Las Vegas). The fight will stream on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.
