Ranked strawweights meet when Tabatha Ricci (#10) takes on Lupita Godinez (#13) this Saturday at UFC 295. Ricci, who is on a four-fight win streak capped with a most recent decision over Gillian Robertson, boasts a total pro record of 9-1.
Godinez, on the other hand, is riding a win streak of three, with decisions over Cynthia Calvillo and Emily Ducote as well as a submission over Elise Reed. Both women are supremely tough fighters and superb grapplers with ever-evolving striking, making this a barnburner matchup in the women’s 115lb class.
Ricci vs Godinez Betting Odds
Lupita “Loopy” Godinez comes in as the -170 favorite over Tabatha “Baby Shark” Ricci.
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Ricci vs Godinez Fight Breakdown
Tabatha Ricci is a conventional Muay Thai striker, with great explosion, fluid movement and a high output. Her lower height and reach means that she has had some difficulty getting on the inside against some rangier opponents and she usually depends on blitzing forward and combination punching to get there when she does. Every attack she does have in her arsenal she does string together and mixes it all very well, whether its leading with her punches into kicking off the angle to taking out the leg with a low kick into her punching combinations.
Likewise she uses her striking blitzes to hide and set up her takedowns. Ricci owns black belts in both BJJ and Judo, offering and array of grappling skills. Her takedown of choice seems to be the double leg grip to inside reap, a rare technique and almost a modified version of the Judo Ouchi. She will attack that same trip takedown by catching the body kick of her opponents. On the mat she has shown an ability to both pass with pressure and looser passing against opponents whom guard she respects more, but either way looks to get to half guard where elbows present her opportunities to find a submission on a defensive opponent.
Lupita Godinez is likewise a well rounded fighter but finds her roots in the grappling department. As a striker she stands in a lower stance with a tight high guard and tends to stick to sharper fundamental boxing and body kicks. While she may not have the variety of technique that Riici does, she has slick timing and head movement, which can be sometimes missed by fans as she is efficient in the way she moves as she needs to and not much more.
The jab will be the most important tool for her as she usually throws shorter crisper shots, but has to be aware of the variety, especially the kicks coming back at her. Where Ricci utilizes good Judo takedowns and Jiu jitsu mat work, Godinez is a tremendous wrestler so in the clinch expect swift arm drags and snap downs, as she works to off balance Ricci. She is very good at defending takedowns and not allowing her opponents to reset, instead circling and maintaining control positions and working perpetually in wrestling exchanges.
Ricci vs Godinez Prediction
I do believe that the fight will be competitive everywhere, Ricci with a higher output striking but Godinez with more accuracy and potentially more damage visually. I think that it will come down to who gets the edge in the grappling exchanges, and because of her ability to chain wrestle and scramble, I do think that Lupita Godinez controls the top positions more frequently and chips away with enough ground and pound to score more of each round.
Pick: Lupita Godinez to win (-170 at BetUS)
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