Preview: UFC Fight Night 185 Prelims

3rd Round Arm-Triangle Submission win for Jamall Emmers. #LFA81 pic.twitter.com/i8neyW47Yu

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Featherweight

NR | Jamall Emmers (18-5, 1-1 UFC) vs. NR | Chas Skelly (18-3, 7-3 UFC)

ODDS: Emmers (-240), Skelly (+200)

Skelly has certainly lived up to his “Scrapper” nickname over the course of his UFC career. Nothing Skelly does has been all that technical or pretty, but he has gotten by on a relentless willingness to chain winging punches into a scramble-heavy wrestling game. Skelly looked to be on the fringes of the UFC’s featherweight Top 15 before a 2017 loss to Jason Knight, and he has not built much momentum since. Injuries have limited him to just two fights in the last three and a half years, one of which was a loss to Bobby Moffett that was later overturned. After missing all of 2020 due to another major injury, Skelly looks for his second straight win. Emmers was on the periphery of the UFC for years before a late-notice callup in March, when he gave a game effort in a close loss to Giga Chikadze. Emmers is a well-rounded fighter who always feels like he is capable of a bit more. He is a solid athlete with the ability to crack his opponents, but he is not a particularly controlling wrestler and his pocket boxing approach often leads to his being open for his opponent’s counters. The worry for Skelly, who was never much of an overwhelming athlete, is that this latest wave of injuries may remove his remaining margin for error. However, as long as he is close to his former self, he should be able to implement his usual approach and drown Emmers in a messy fight. The pick is Skelly via decision.

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