The UFC’s strawweight division’s premier Australian talent, Jessica-Rose Clark, returns to the octagon in a do-or-die match-up. After two back-to-back submission losses, “Jessy Jess” is on a mission to re-assert herself into the top 10, she once held the #9 spot as she fought former title challenger Jessica Eye back in 2018.
Taking a big risk, she will go up against UFC newcomer Tainara Lisboa, a Brazilian standout with a prolific kickboxing record prior to making the jump into MMA. Lisboa has had one of the quickest ascensions into the UFC in recent memory, largely due to her highly exciting and deadly fighting style with pinpoint accurate punching and an ever-developing game.
Clark vs. Lisboa is a scheduled fight on this Saturday night’s UFC on ABC 4 event. If you’re looking to place a bet on the fights this weekend, sign up to MyBookie using our special link and you can get a sign-up bonus worth up to $1,000 for this event.
Betting Odds
Oddsmakers have the two at almost equal odds in this pick’em fight.
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Fight Breakdown
Both women come from a Muay Thai / kickboxing background and stylistically this is their bread and butter. However, Lisboa fought kickboxing at a much higher competitive level having earned herself two world championships. In the cage, however, she tends to do the most work with her hands, with accurate and blinding speed. What tends to happen is as she unloads in combinations her opponents look to find safety in the clinch, where Lisboa unloads knees to the body.
This is a very likely scenario, as although Clark earned much of her earlier success on the feet, her latest victory have come by boxing her way to the clinch and initiating a wrestling match. If she looks to punch her way to the clinch, range will be her first problem, but the knees become a bigger problem if she does this out in the open, What Clark does so well is box her way and drive her opponent to the cage with double under-hooks, allowing her to drive straight and complete the takedown and by dragging them out on an angle. She likes outside trips, with constant head pressure.
Lisboa also likes the outside trip, and has good balance. On many occasions, she has shown an ability to stay upright while being attacked with head and arm throws, and instead finding herself on top wrapped around the body. She has struggled with those who are able to do the opposite to her and drag her down from behind, another style of takedown that Clark has had success with in the past. If Clark gets to double under look for her to transition to the back and drag her downwards.
It will be difficult for either woman to get too comfortable in striking range knowing the wrestling battle is such an integral part of winning this match-up. Lisboa has been caught attempting to return to her feet and exposing her back. Clark has shown suffocating pressure on top but recently has been submitted attempting to reverse position from the bottom. Whoever wins the initial takedown earns herself a major advantage and sets the tone for the fight.
Prediction
Tainara Lisbao is a very dangerous challenge on the feet, and the more likely to finish the fight. However, Clark has excellent defense and an experienced kickboxing game in her own right. She will look to strike enough to work her way to the clinch, and I believe her ability to mix up her takedowns as well as her UFC experience will give her the edge in winning the wrestling exchanges over three rounds.
Pick: Jessica-Rose Clark to win (-110 at MyBookie)
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