The UFC is back in action and taking center stage in St. Louis as we bring you our betting predictions and picks for this upcoming Fight Night card. This next Prelim takes place in the Flyweight (125) Division as Charles “InnerG” Johnson takes on England's Jake Hadley. Check out our UFC odds series for our Johnson-Hadley prediction and pick.

Charles Johnson (14-6) has gone 3-4 thus far in his UFC career since 2022. He's had his moments with back-to-back wins, but recently dropped three-straight fights to tough competition. Johnson bounced back with a unanimous decision win over Azat Maksum most recently and will face another dangerous prospect in Hadley. He stands 5'9″ with a 70-inch reach.

Jake Hadley (10-2) has gone 2-2 in his UFC stint since 2022. Both of his wins have come by way of TKO and submission finishes, while both of his losses coming during unanimous decisions. He's looking to make a name for himself in the deep division and taking out an opponent like Johnson could help raise his stock. Hadley stands 5'7″ with a 70-inch reach.

Here are the UFC St. Louis Odds, courtesy of BetOnline. 

UFC St. Louis Odds: Charles Johnson-Jake Hadley Odds

Charles Johnson: +124

Jake Hadley: -144

Over 2.5 rounds: -260

Under 2.5 rounds: +200

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Why Charles Johnson Will Win

Charles Johnson has been thrown into the fire from his very first fight in the UFC while now approaching his eighth fight in just 2 years with the promotion. He's willing to step in there against anyone and he has a very well-rounded skillset that includes great kickboxing and very technical wrestling. In his wins, Johnson has been able to mix his attacks while keeping opponents guessing and controlling the fight. Through his three-fight losing streak, however, we saw Johnson struggling to find his rhythm in the striking exchanges and got bested on the ground.

To win this fight, Charles Johnson will have to be very calculated against the fast and twitchy attacks of his opponent. Hadley is the more unpredictable of the two, so Johnson should look to stay calm and take the looks Hadley is giving him. He's the more active boxer on paper, but Johnson will have to make a concerted effort to faster on his feet and push a more consistent pace than his opponent. He's also got the slight advantage in the grappling so if we see the best version of Charles Johnson on Saturday, he should be able to find the underdog win here.

Why Jake Hadley Will Win

Jake Hadley got a nice look at finishing a few fights at the UFC level with his triangle choke over Carlos Candelario and his subsequent KO-finish over Malcolm Gordon. He ran into an extremely determined Cody Durden in his last fight and while it was a close out throughout, Hadley seemed just a step behind his opponent in the striking and wrestling exchanges. He's a well-rounded fighter, but typically prefers to stand and box with opponents. He'll use his wrestling when in compromising spots, but he typically likes to attack from mount and side control.

Jake Hadley is the younger, hungrier prospect here and he stands to improve his momentum in the division with a win. He'll need to push the pace against Johnson and force him to make quick decisions. Johnson often struggles to get going, so it would work to Hadley's benefit to gain his respect early with a few clean power shots. If Hadley can control the tone of this fight from the opening round, Charles Johnson will have a hard time getting back mentally and completing a comeback.

Final Charles Johnson-Jake Hadley Prediction & Pick

This should be a fairly close fight if the betting lines are any indication as both fighters have very similar skill sets and have seen their moments of defeat. Still, both men are very technical and won't be willing to give an inch in the striking or the grappling.

Charles Johnson has seen his struggles as of late and it seems as though nothing has come easy to him in the UFC. He needs to get our to a dominant start and show that he's the stronger guy in the 50/50 wrestling exchanges. If he finds his flow-state within his striking, Charles Johnson could be a solid underdog to bet on this card.

Jake Hadley is looking to rebound from his recent losses and his aggressive fighting style should carry him well during this matchup. He's much more willing to engage in a brawl than his opponent, so making this a slugfest from the opening bell could work in his favor if he's able to land a few flurries.

Ultimately, there's too much upside with Charles Johnson as an underdog with more experience and a better jiu jitsu game. Jake Hadley hasn't had success racking points during contests that see the distance and with this total set to go over, we have to like Charles Johnson in this matchup. Look for him to come around and fight the best bout of his UFC tenure thus far.

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Final Chalres Johnson-Jake Hadley Prediction & Pick: Charles Johnson (+124)