UFC Austin: Beneil Dariush vs. Arman Tsarukyan continues on the prelims with a fight in the lightweight division between Drakkar Klose and Joe Solecki. Klose is coming off a lengthy layoff after winning back-to-back fights. Meanwhile, Solecki has also won two straight fights as he comes into this matchup this weekend. So check out our UFC odds series for our Klose-Solecki prediction and pick.
Drakkar Klose's (13-2-1) only loss in the last five years was against Beneil Dariush, who he visibly rocked before he was brutally knocked out. He has since won his next two fights, but he also had five fight cancelations over the last five years and is coming off an ACL tear and surgery as he looks to get back in the octagon to make it three in a row and continue his rise in the lightweight rankings.
Joe Solecki (13-3) has only one loss in his UFC career, and that was a close split-decision loss against Jared Gordon back in 2021. He is now 5-1 in the world's largest MMA promotion and is riding a two-fight winning streak coming into this fight. Solecki is searching for a big win here against Drakkar Klose in hopes of moving up the lightweight ladder and a fight with a ranked opponent this weekend in Austin, Texas.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Austin Odds: Drakkar Klose-Joe Solecki Odds
Drakkar Klose: -134
Joe Solecki: +110
Over 2.5 rounds: -158
Under 2.5 rounds: +124
How to Watch Drakkar Klose vs. Joe Solecki
TV: ESPN
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 4:00 PM ET/ 1:00 PM PT (Prelims)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Drakkar Klose Will Win
Drakkar Klose was poised to make a run in the lightweight division after securing back-to-back wins and wins in five out of his last six with his lone loss coming against one-half of this weekend's main event Beneil Dariush. That was until he tore his ACL in preparation for his fight against Mark Madsen, which has now sidelined him for the last 16 months.
He is now back and fully healthy ready to pick up where he left off as he takes on surging prospect Joe Solecki, who's looking for his third straight win. If Klose hasn't missed a beat this should be his fight to win as long as he is able to keep this fight from hitting the mat.
He has some serious power on the feet, and he's the much more technical striker of the two. It's up to Klose to keep this fight where he is best to get the win he so desperately needs at this point of his career.
Why Joe Solecki Will Win
Joe Solecki rattled off three-straight wins to start his UFC career only to drop his next fight via a close split decision against Jared Gordon. Since that loss, however, he has been able to win his next two fights most recently submitting Carl Deaton III in Round 2 back in February.
Solecki will now be looking to get his third win in a row when he takes on one of the mainstays in the lightweight division Drakkar Klose. While Solecki isn't the worst striker, he certainly will be at a disadvantage if he's standing and trading with Klose for a long and extended period of time.
The good thing for him is that he is an exceptional grappler, and he's going against someone who's been taken down and controlled on numerous occasions against lesser grapplers. If Solecki can avoid being chin-checked on the feet and get his grappling going, he can score the upset and keep his winning ways going.
Final Drakkar Klose-Joe Solecki Prediction & Pick
This battle between these two surging lightweight contenders should be an absolute barnburner. It's going to be interesting to see what kind of shape Klose's knee is in after an ACL tear and surgery at 35 years old. Those are all red flags, especially having to defend numerous takedown attempts and having to scramble back to his feet.
Solecki on the other hand will need to be composed on his feet and not over-extend on his punches, or it could be a quick night for him. He's certainly not going to win these striking exchanges with Klose, so he's going to need to live and die by his grappling, which is something he should be able to do.
Ultimately, things will be a bit dicey early on for Solecki against Klose, but Solecki will then be able to get his grappling going, and that is when he should be able to just take over and control Klose for long extended periods of time to get the unanimous decision nod and make it win number three in a row.
Final Drakkar Klose-Joe Solecki Prediction & Pick: Joe Solecki (+110), Over 2.5 Rounds (-158)
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