MMA Event Breakdown - UFC 295: Procházka vs. Pereira
UFC 295: Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira
The Octagon is BACK in the Big Apple for one of the best pay-per-view showcases of the year. The top of the bill features two incredible title fights, and the card is replete with action fighters, local stars, and fighters with styles you can easily get behind. Let’s dig into the action starting with a New Yorker on the preliminary card.
Dennis Buzukja vs. Jamall Emmers
Fight Odds: +210 Buzukja vs. -250 Emmers
Weight Class: 145lb. (Featherweight)
Dennis Buzukja has had a tough road to get to this point in the UFC, dropping his debut against Sean Woodson after being rejected by Dana and company on DWCS in 2022. Buzukja is a young man from a solid gym in Serra Longo MMA in Long Island, New York, and he has always shown heart, toughness, and durability in his fights. Buzukja doesn’t have the highest danger factor, and he doesn’t seem like he is destined for great things long term, but he has a winnable matchup in this fight, and I expect the New York crowd to be fully behind him.
As for Jamall Emmers, the 34 year old missed weight for this contest, showing up at 147lbs, one pound over the contracted limit of 146lbs. Buzukja has struggled badly in two fights against potent strikers in Melsik Baghdasaryan and Sean Woodson, but he was sick against Melsik and cut 20+ pounds in a week against Woodson. I think Buzukja has more to show than he has so far, and I think the context is perfect for him to eke out a SDEC or find a way to close the show with pressure.
Prediction: Dennis Buzukja defeats Jamall Emmers via TKO2/3