Two Featherweights, Pat Sabatini and Chepe Mariscal, are facing off at UFC 322 on the Early Prelims. Sabatini has won two consecutive fights, while Mariscal has begun his UFC career 5-0. Mariscal and Sabatini first fought in April 2018, with Mariscal winning the bout by split decision.
Jack Della Maddalena defends his welterweight title against former Lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in the Main Event of UFC 322. Here is my prediction for Pat Sabatini vs. Chepe Mariscal at UFC 322 on the Early Prelims.
Chepe Mariscal Moneyline (-102)
This is a good matchup between two fighters who are riding winning streaks in the UFC. In this bout, Sabatini has a one-inch edge in height (5’8″ vs. 5’7″) and reach (70″ vs. 69″). Mariscal’s most significant advantage comes in the striking department as he averages nearly five significant strikes per minute, over three more than Sabatini does. Both fighters are capable on the ground, but Sabatini lands more takedowns over 15 minutes at a higher rate.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, this fight is extremely close as Sabatini is a -118 favorite with Mariscal being a slight -102 underdog. Even though Sabatini has won two in a row, Mariscal hasn’t suffered a loss in over five years.
Mariscal has a 73 percent takedown defense and will need to utilize it in this contest, as Sabatini averages nearly four takedowns per 15 minutes. The opposite is true on the feet as Mariscal averages 3.08 more significant strikes per minute. I think Mariscal has the skills to move to 2-0 against Sabatini, as he has improved a ton since their first contest seven years ago.
