The UFC 284 Early Prelims continue with the only female fight featured on the card from Australia. Loma Lookboonmee of Thailand will take on USA's Elise Reed in the Women's Strawweight Division. Both of these women will be looking to strike in an intriguing matchup. Check out our UFC odds series for our Lookboonmee-Reed prediction and pick.
Loma Lookboonmee has a professional MMA record of 7-3. She's a seasoned Muay Thai specialist and recent opened up her own academy in Thailand. While her kickboxing is polished by a lifetime of experience, Lookboonmee was able to win her last time out against Denise Gomes by using her wrestling and controlling the fight from the ground. All of her fights have gone to a decision, so look for her to play the long game against Reed here. Loma Lookboonmee stands 5'1″ with a 61.5-inch reach.
Elise Reed is 6-2 in her pro career and has split her first four UFC fights at 2-2. Her last time out, Reed was able to out-strike Melissa Martinez en route to a unanimous decision victory. Reed also owns an operates a school of her own, Kickside Martial Arts in New Jersey. She has over 20 years of experience with Tae Kwon Do and will be looking to show off her unorthodox striking in this one. Reed stands 5'3″ and has a 63-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 284 Odds: Loma Lookboonmee-Elise Reed Odds
Loma Lookboonmee: -280
Elise Reed: +220
Over (2.5) rounds: -360
Under (2.5) rounds: +250
How to Watch Loma Lookboonmee vs. Elise Reed
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET/ 3:00 p.m. PT (Early Prelims)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Loma Lookboonmee Will Win
Throughout her UFC tenure, Loma Lookboonmee has showed off the striking that earned her a shot in the world's biggest fight promotion. However, in her last fight, she showed a steep improvement in her grappling as she was able to control her opponent for the entire fight. She landed heavy ground-and-pound and showed off a new wrinkle to her game. It will be interesting to see whether Lookboonmee decides to stand and strike with another seasoned kickboxer in Reed, or if she will take the other route of chasing takedowns and holding Reed down.
Lookboonmee will have slight advantages just about everywhere against Reed. She has a higher output than her opponent and can win the fight in more ways. However, Reed is very unorthodox in her movements and often likes to snap strikes while backing up. If Loma decides to enter quickly with her hands down, she runs the risk of getting clocked by a Reed hook. Lookboonmee will have to be patient and precise. If she can find a takedown, she'll have the advantage as Reed hasn't faired well on the mats thus far.
Why Elise Reed Will Win
Elise Reed's experience as a Tae Kwon Do artist is apparent every time she fights. However, she's been able to mix in her unique style and adapt her kicking game to MMA. She moves her head a lot off the center line and confuses opponents with her foot movement. She's capable of point-fighting her way to a decision, but will need to improve on her finishing skills as she has yet to put anyone away.
The biggest issue with Reed will be her inability to get up off the ground after being taken down. She's shown a major gap in her game when being taken down and controlled in her fights. Reed has difficulty getting up when on the bottom and is susceptible to ground-and-pound when her opponent is on top. She'll have to emphasize her takedown defense to have a chance at this one. If it stays on the feet, Reed has the chance to out-strike her opponent.
Final Loma Lookboonmee-Elise Reed Prediction & Pick
If Loma Lookboonmee decides to fight the way she did in her last bout, we very well could see her cruise to a decision here. While she still has an advantage on the feet, striking with Reed could become dangerous if Lookboonmee moves inside too quickly. Still, look for Loma Lookboonmee to have the wider array of damage done in this one.
Final Loma Lookboonmee-Elise Reed Prediction & Pick: Loma Lookboonmee (-280)
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