Julian Marquez vs. Marc-Andre Barriault Prediction: Can Marquez Rebound at UFC 285?

Julian Marquez vs. Marc-Andre Barriault Prediction: Can Marquez Rebound at UFC 285?

The UFC 285 middleweight bout between Julian Marquez and Marc-Andre Barriault is set to be one of the most exciting fights on the preliminary card. Both fighters are coming off losses in their last fights and will be looking to make a statement with a win. With their aggressive and finish-focused fighting styles, this one could be over quickly. The books have Barriault listed as the -150 favorite, while the comeback on Marquez is +125. Which man will bounce back at UFC 285?

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Julian Marquez vs. Marc-Andre Barriault Prediction

Julian Marquez, also known as “The Cuban Missile Crisis” (one of the coolest UFC nicknames), enters the fight with a record of 9-3 and a 3-2 record in the UFC. Marquez has gained a reputation for his exciting fighting style and charismatic personality. He has won three of his five UFC fights, all by submission. Marquez has victories over Maki Pitolo, Sam Alvey, and Darren Stewart. Still, he also has an even more impressive win over Phil Hawes, which happened on the contender series and earned Marquez his spot in the UFC.

In Marquez’s last fight, he suffered a tough loss to Gregory Rodrigues. However, prior to that, he had back-to-back submission victories over Sam Alvey and Maki Pitolo. Marquez is a dangerous fighter with heavy hands and six knockouts to his name. He also has solid grappling skills with three submissions. In fact, Marquez has finished all nine of his wins, showing his high finishing upside.

On the other hand, Marc-Andre Barriault, also known as “Power Bar,” enters the fight with a record of 14-6 and a 3-5 record in the UFC. Barriault is a former TKO middleweight champion who has rebounded from a rough start in the UFC. He has won three of his last five fights, including a submission win against Jordan Wright, after dropping his first three fights in the promotion.

Barriault has made adjustments to his style, such as enhancing his jab and sticking one-twos, which makes him more dangerous in striking. His grinding clinch game is a strong suit, but it may not be enough to overcome Marquez’s dynamic and finish-focused fighting style. Barriault’s most recent loss came from a submission by Anthony Hernandez, which exposed some of Barriault's weaknesses in grappling.

Looking at the stats, Marquez seems to have an advantage. He has as many wins in the UFC as Barriault but in three fewer fights. Marquez is coming off a tough loss to Adrian Rodriguez, but prior to that, he had back-to-back submission victories over Sam Alvey and Maki Pitolo. As bad as Sam Alvey was in the UFC, he rarely was submitted. In fact, in 52 fights, Sam Alvey was only submitted by Gerald Meerschaert, Brendan Allen, and Marquez, which speaks to his improved grappling.

While Barriault has made adjustments to his style, his game may lead right into a war with Marquez. Barriault likes to go to his clinch game, but if this is a grappling war, I like Marquez to come out on top. I predict that Marquez will win this fight. He has a more well-rounded skill set and has shown to be a dangerous finisher in his previous fights. Barriault may put up a tough fight, but Marquez’s grappling and striking will likely be too much for him to handle. Fans can expect an exciting fight, but ultimately, Marquez should come out on top. I also like the excellent price on Marquez in this matchup as the underdog.

Julian Marquez vs. Marc-Andre Barriault Pick

Pick: Julian Marquez ML @ (+125) Bet $100 to collect $225. Get the best odds at DraftKings; click here to bet

Marquez vs Barriault Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds

• When: March 4, 2023
• Start Time: 8:00 PM ET
• Where to Watch: ESPNN, ESPN+

Click here for Marquez vs. Barriault odds

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