UFC 293: Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland continues on the prelims with a fight in the featherweight division between Jack Jenkins and Chepe Mariscal. Jenkins is on a nine-fight winning streak meanwhile, Mariscal is coming off four straight wins coming into his second fight inside the octagon. With that said, check out our UFC odds series for our Jenkins-Mariscal prediction and pick.
Jack Jenkins (12-2) is coming off a highly controversial split decision win in his second fight with the UFC against Jamall Emmers. Many believed that he had lost that fight but nonetheless, his winning streak is still intact and he is now 2-0 in the UFC. Jenkins will be looking to keep his hot streak going when he takes on Chepe Mariscal in front of his hometown fans at UFC 293 this Saturday night.
Chepe Mariscal (14-6) stepped in on short notice up a weight class to take on fan favorite and surging lightweight Trevor Peek. Mariscal was able to go to war with Peek and just outwork him over the course of the fight and put his name on the map. Now, he drops back down to his normal weight class of featherweight for a marquee matchup against Jack Jenkins in his backyard this Saturday night at UFC 293.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 293 Odds: Jack Jenkins-Chepe Mariscal Odds
Jack Jenkins: -210
Chepe Mariscal: +168
Over 2.5 Rounds: -210
Under 2.5 Rounds: +160
How to Watch Jack Jenkins vs. Chepe Mariscal
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT (Prelims)
Why Jack Jenkins Will Win
Jack Jenkins is one of the more exciting featherweight prospects to come out of Australia and New Zealand. After showing off in his Contender Series fight that earned him a UFC contract, he has since gone 2-0 with his last fight being a close split decision win against Jamall Emmers. Jenkins does his best work on his feet when he rips fast and powerful combinations that he mixes to the head, body, and legs very well. He also has grappling chops in his back pocket if he needs to go that route.
Jenkins will be taking on Chepe Mariscal who just made his UFC debut back in June where he was victorious in a back-and-forth battle with Trevor Peek. Mariscal is a game opponent who will be willing to stand and trade with Jenkins front and center of the octagon. With that said, Jenkins seems a bit more technical and well-rounded for Mariscal and his variety of strikes could be the difference maker in this fight. As long as Jenkins doesn’t take Mariscal lightly, he could possibly make it 10 wins in a row.
Why Chepe Mariscal Will Win
Chepe Mariscal put on a show in his short notice fight up a weight class against a fan favorite in Trevor Peek. Mariscal went toe-to-toe and was an absolute berserker and now he goes toe-to-toe with the complete opposite type of strike, one that is as technical as one can be in Jack Jenkins. What Mariscal has going for him is that he has a ton of experience and has fought the who’s who on the regional scene fighting in various top regional promotions like Legacy Fighting Alliance, Cage Warriors, Cage Fury Fighting Championship, and Combate Global.
Mariscal is an absolute dog when he steps into the octagon and he is going to bring that tenacity with him when he takes on Jack Jenkins this weekend in his backyard. He is going to make this an ugly fight because the cleaner it is on the feet the more success Jenkins will have at his preferred range. If Mariscal can put on the pace and the pressure and break down Jenkins he could get win number two inside the octagon.
Final Jack Jenkins-Chepe Mariscal Prediction & Pick
This should be a great scrap between these two featherweight contenders. Jenkins has a very high ceiling and really can make it far in the featherweight division and it’s up to him to get through the very tough and durable Chepe Mariscal. Skill for skill Jenkins has Mariscal beat everywhere but with Mariscal’s toughness, durability, and tenacity, he is always alive to get the win. Ultimately, Mariscal will attempt to be the aggressor and come forward to put the pace and pressure on Jenkins to get him out of his game but Jenkins is too skilled to get coerced into that type of fight, and his technical ability will keep him ahead and allow him to outstrike Mariscal for the majority of this fight to a wide unanimous decision.
Final Jack Jenkins-Chepe Mariscal & Pick: Jack Jenkins (-210), Over 2.5 Rounds (-210)