The UFC Prelims action continues on ESPN+ with this fight in the UFC Featherweight (145lb) Division. Exciting prospect Jamall Emmers will be making his return from injury to welcome Khusein Askhabov in his debut fight. While early on the card, this has all the potential for a Fight of the Night! Check out our UFC odds series for our Emmers-Askhabov prediction and pick.

Jamall Emmers is 18-6 in his career and 1-2 in his stint with the UFC. His debut against Georgian star Giga Chikadze was a split decision loss in which he was outmatched on the feet, but followed up with a good win over Vince Cachero. His last fight was a year and five months ago against Pat Sabatini where Emmers suffered a bad knee injury due to a heel hook. The injury sidelined him for a substantial amount of time and he's now ready to pick up where he left off. Emmers stands 5'10” with a 74-inch reach.

Khusein Askhabov is unbeaten in his MMA career at 23-0. He's been the WWFC Champion for quite some time and is ready to take his dominating style of fighting to the UFC stage. His finishes read like a highlight reel as Askhabov has been able to put opponents away via heel hook, flying knee, spinning kick, etc. He'll be looking to show fans why he belongs as he faces Jamall Emmers. Askhabov stands 5'8″ and has a 72-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UFC Odds: Jamall Emmers-Khusein Askhabov Odds

Jamall Emmers: +136

Khusein Askhabov: -168

Over (2.5) rounds: -126

Under (2.5) rounds: -102

How to Watch Jamall Emmers vs. Khusein Askhabov

TV: ESPN+

Stream: ESPN+

Time: 4:00 p.m. ET/ 1:00 p.m. PT (Prelims)

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Why Jamall Emmers Will Win

Jamall Emmers is a very technical striker who throws his shots with a lot of snap. He's very elusive with his head movement and can launch hooks and uppercuts from awkward angles. Emmers is also light on his feet and circles his opponents around the octagon. He was doing well in his fight against Dvorak until he was caught in the heel hook submission.

Emmers can throw a number of kicks up the middle and will mix up his striking heavily throughout the fight. He's an active wrestler with good sprawling and is very quick to take his opponent's back. The main question will be how is knee is able to hold up as this fight goes on. Askhabov likes to chase heel hooks, so Emmers will have to be extra cautious in not letting the Russian grab a hold of his legs. He'll also have to be patient in the striking and allow Askhabov to make mistakes first before countering them with his own work.

Why Khusein Askhabov Will Win

Khusein Askhabov is an extremely well-rounded prospect with an electric style of fighting. He feels comfortable wherever the fight goes and has made the most difficult techniques look easy against his opponents. While he hasn't had the same level of competition as he'll have in Emmers, Askhabov has seemingly had an easy time with the competition from other organizations. He'll want to have his creative striking and pressure wrestling on display as he hopes to make an impact on the UFC fans.

When watching Askhabov's tape, the thing to notice is how hard he throws the first few leg kicks. This is crucial in a fight against Emmers, who is just coming off a huge knee injury. Askhabov will look to damage Emmers' legs early and chase the takedown attempt. He has great top pressure and can hold opponents down for long enough to chase one of the many submissions he has in his arsenal. If Askhabov comes in ready and confident, it may be a long night for Emmers in his return.

Final Jamall Emmers-Khusein Askhabov Prediction & Pick

Jamall Emmers is getting a bad draw in having to face an undefeated prospect. Askhabov has all the tools to be a dominant fighter in the UFC, but he'll have the toughest test of his career in Emmers. Jamall Emmers is a really good fighter, but the knee injury is a big deal considering how much Askhabov attacks the legs. I like the shorter line and feel confident with Khusein Askhabov as the prediction.

Final Jamall Emmers-Khusein Askhabov Prediction & Pick: Khusein Askhabov (-168)