Yan Xiaonan and Tabatha Ricci meet Saturday in the UFC Fight Night 248 co-main event at Galaxy Arena in Macau. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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UFC main cards, 2024: 99-90-3
Yan Xiaonan vs. Tabatha Ricci UFC Fight Night 248 preview
Yan (18-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) returns to action for the first time since getting a shot at the women’s strawweight title at UFC 300. Yan came up short against the champ Zhang Weili on the scorecards, ending her momentum of back-to-back victories over Mackenzie Dern and former champ Jessica Andrade. … Ricci (11-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) enters one of her toughest tests to date on the heels of back-to-back wins. “Baby Shark” has had a perfect 2024 thus far by defeating Tecia Pennington and Angela Hill by decision.
Yan Xiaonan vs. Tabatha Ricci UFC Fight Night 248 expert pick, prediction
The co-main event in Macau features a showdown between ranked strawweights, Yan and Ricci.
Despite Ricci arguably losing her last three fights in a row (receiving a particularly kind decision opposite Tecia Pennington), “Baby Shark” finds herself in the top 10 of the division with a chance to take out a recent and relevant title contender.
Yan, who has not been seen since her failed attempt to unseat Zhang Weili at UFC 300 earlier this year, will be looking to hold the proverbial door on her No. 2 spot in the weight class.
Although Ricci’s on-paper grappling advantages and penchant for stealing judges’ attention spans make her a live dog in this fight, I can’t help but side with Yan from a stylistic perspective.
The reigning champ had some solid success on the ground early against Yan, but the Chinese fighter has made marked improvements to her grappling and submission defense since moving shop stateside to train with Team Alpha Male.
If Yan can keep the majority of this fight on the feet, then I suspect that her superior volume and striking acumen will pay solid dividends against Ricci’s more predictable approaches.
The pick is Yan by split decision (since at least one judge will likely fall under Ricci’s spell).
Yan Xiaonan vs. Tabatha Ricci UFC Fight Night 248 odds
The oddsmakers and public are favoring the Chinese fighter, listing Yan -210 and Ricci +162 via FanDuel.
Yan Xiaonan vs. Tabatha Ricci UFC Fight Night 248 start time, how to watch
As the co-main event, Yan and Ricci are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 8:10 a.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 248.
