Mauricio Ruffy and James Llontop meet Saturday on the UFC 309 main card at Madison Square Garden in New York. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva Araujo UFC 309 preview
Araujo (12-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) has struggled to maintain momentum during her UFC tenure as she’s lost three of her past four bouts, including most recently a unanimous decision loss to Natalia Silva in February. … Silva (18-4 MMA, 4-0 UFC), on the other hand, hopes to make it five UFC wins in a row since earning her spot on the roster through Dana White’s Contender Series in October 2021.
Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva UFC 309 expert pick, prediction
Although I would’ve put something like Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee on the main card ahead of this fight, I can understand the UFC wanting to build a new contender in Silva.
Silva has won 5 straight fights since her successful Contender Series debut, avenging an early career loss to Maryna Moroz.
Araujo, on the other hand, has struggled to find consistency in the organization since scoring a stunning knockout win in her UFC debut. Moreover, Aaraujo has also been inconsistent with her pace and punctuality in exchanges, which makes me like the Silva side here.
Hopefully it’s an exciting fight from both women, but I see this one going to the scorecards where I see Silva getting the nod by unanimous decision.
Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva UFC 309 odds
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the younger fighter, listing Silva (-290) and Araujo (+225) via FanDuel.
Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva UFC 309 start time, how to watch
Araujo and Silva are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 10:45 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.