We're back with another betting prediction and pick for the UFC Houston Prelims as we take a look at this next bout in the Women's Bantamweight (135) Division. No. 12-ranked Nora Cornolle of France takes on No. 14 Joselyne Edwards of Panama with a chance to improve their rankings. Check our UFC odds series for the Cornolle-Edwards prediction and pick.
Nora Cornolle (9-3) has gone 3-2 since joining the UFC in 2023. She opened her tenure with two-straight wins, but has since gone 1-2 in her last three with repeated issues on the scales. She'll look to redeem herself in more ways than one as the moderate underdog. Cornolle stands 5-foot-7 with a 67-inch reach.
Joselyne Edwards (16-6) is 7-4 inside the UFC since 2021. Responding from back-to-back losses of her own, Edwards has caught fire with three consecutive wins while earning a performance bonus with her latest finish. Edwards stands 5-foot-8 with a 70-inch reach.
UFC Houston Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Houston Odds: Nora Cornolle-Joselyne Edwards Odds
Nora Cornolle: +260
Joselyne Edwards: -325
Over 2.5 rounds: -298
Under 2.5 rounds: +220
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Why Nora Cornolle Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Karol Rosa – U DEC
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 6 KO/TKO, 2 SUB
Nora Cornolle was bested her last time out against Karol Rosa as Rosa led the striking numbers convincingly 190-75. Rosa also managed two takedowns and tried for a number of submission attempts, exploiting the clear gap in Cornolle's wrestling game heading into that fight. The more concerning factor was Cornolle's striking efforts which she'll be looking to improve ahead of this fight.
While Cornolle wasn't able to get much of her offense going against Rosa, she'll be facing a less talented striker in Joselyne Edwards. Edwards is effective when she lands, but Cornolle is the more technical striker by a significant margin and has more technique throughout the fight. Still, she'll need to close the distance without getting hit, benefitting from jab-and-go fighting through three rounds.
Cornolle should also look to push a pace as Edwards' cardio has been a question in the past, but it's worth noting Cornolle has had her own issues on the scales in recent memory. If she wants to take down Joselyne Edwards during this current streak, it'll take a nearly flawless performance to get things done with her striking.
Why Joselyne Edwards Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Pirscila Cachoeira – TKO (right hook, R1)
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 7 KO/TKO, 4 SUB
Joselyne Edwards wasted no time in closing the distance against another aggressive opponent in Priscila Cachoeira, landing a flush right hook and finishing the fight with strikes on the ground. The finish earned her a performance bonus from the UFC as she notched her third-straight win, finally climbing into the rankings after a slight hiccup in her record. With a win here, Edwards could use this momentum as the betting favorite to make a significant jump in the rankings once again.
Edwards marches forward without much fear and uses every bit of her size advantage to overwhelm opponents. She'll have a slight reach advantage, but she's most effective when trying offense from the clinch and landing shots during the break. Edwards is very scrappy along the fence and won't hesitate in trying to take Cornolle down if she senses an advantage from there.
In her three wins leading up to this fight, Edwards has been able to remain poised while facing a number of varying looks, so a traditional Muay Thai kickboxer like Cornolle shouldn't pose too many issues. She'll be extremely difficult to put away with punches alone, so consistent output will be the key to her success during this fight.
Final Nora Cornolle-Joselyne Edwards Prediction & Pick
Nora Cornolle comes into this bout with something to prove following a loss where she was dominated all three rounds. Joselyne Edwards is riding a completely different wave of momentum, dialing in her weight cut and game plan ahead of each fight.
While Nora Cornolle beat Joselyne Edwards during her UFC debut, this could be a redemption spot for Edwards given her recent success. These two have a history and are familiar with each other's styles, but Edwards has grown in her technicality and should come into this second meeting with a fresh outlook.
For our final prediction, we're going to side with the betting odds and take Joselyne Edwards to win the fight. The first meeting between these two women went all three rounds and we can expect a similar story once again here. However, in terms of finishing upside, we have to favor what we've seen from Joselyne Edwards in the time since.
Final Nora Cornolle-Joselyne Edwards Prediction & Pick: Joselyne Edwards (-325); OVER 2.5 Rounds (-298)
