Adrian Yanez vs. Jonathan Martinez Prediction: Can Yanez Move Up the Rankings at UFC Fight Night?
Adrian Yanez vs. Jonathan Martinez Prediction: Can Yanez Move Up the Rankings at UFC Fight Night?
The UFC is in the Apex Center again this Saturday for a fight night card headlined by Sodiq Yusuff and Edson Barboza. However, one of my favorite fights on the card in the third-to-last match of the night between Adrian Yanez and Jonathan Martinez. This is my fight of the night to watch and features two surging bantamweights that may crack the top ten with a win. As such, this fight has the closest odds on the card, with each fighter coming in at a -110 pick 'em.
Adrian Yanez vs. Jonathan Martinez Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: October 14, 2023
- Card Time:Â 7:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: ESPN+
Adrian Yanez vs. Jonathan Martinez Prediction
Adrian Yanez is 29 years old and holds a record of 16-3, including a 5-1 record in the UFC. Yanez started 5-0 in the promotion before getting knocked out against Rob Font last time out. In five UFC wins, Yanez has four knockouts, and in 16 professional wins, Yanez has 10 total knockouts. This speaks to the power he holds in his hands, and he may be the hardest-hitting bantamweight in the division. Rob Font and the current champion, Sean O'Malley, also have tremendous knockout power, but Yanez is right up there with them. He can truly end the fight with one punch, which is not common at bantamweight. Yanez is currently ranked #14 in the division, and a win here would move him up at least one spot, if not more, considering his opponent, Jonathan Martinez, is ranked 13th in the division.
Jonathan Martinez, like Yanez, is also 29 years old and is entering the prime of his career. Martinez is 18-4 as a professional, including a 9-3 record in the UFC. His losses have come to Andre Soukhamthath, Andre Ewell, and Davey Grant. He has now won five fights in a row, and this fight against Yanez may be the biggest of his career. With a win, Martinez would surely get a top-ten opponent, which would put him potentially two fights away from a shot at the belt if he continues this winning streak. However, Yanez is the hardest hitter Martinez has faced and will bring heavy leather into this matchup, and Martinez has a knack for exposing his chin.
This matchup is close based on the books, given that it is then only -110 fight on the card, but I favor Yanez given his power and the specific matchup. Yanez is the better boxer, but Martinez throws more kicks. In a Yanez fight, I don't think he will give Martinez many chances to set up any kicks. Instead, Yanez will be in his face, pressuring and forcing Martinez to defend. That didn't go so well for Martinez against Davey Grant.
While the Davey Grant fight was six fights ago for Martinez, many of the same defensive holes are open for Yanez. When pressured, Martinez tends to leave his chin open because he looks for one-punch counters and he tends to leave his chin high. Martinez has not faced many powerful opponents that can expose this because he fights at bantamweight, but Yanez has the power to make him pay.
Yanez moves quickly enough in and out of the pocket that I think he will nullify the kicking gameplan Martinez employs. With that said, Yanez is the smart bet for me. He is so powerful for a bantamweight, and his striking style and pace are a bad matchup for Martinez. This will not be a methodical, distant striking affair centered around point fighting that would favor Martinez. Yanez will be in his face from the beginning of round one, and he will keep that pressure on until the final horn. Even if Yanez doesn't find the finish, his damage and octagon control will be enough to get his hand raised on the scorecards. Yanez will win and move on to a top-ten opponent.
Adrian Yanez vs. Jonathan Martinez Pick
Pick: Adrian Yanez ML -110 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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Article Author
Ben Rajavuori is a handicapper out of Minneapolis, MN. He has been creating sports content for almost four years now and is an expert in all things NFL, MLB, NBA, UFC, and NCAAB. Ben thrives on diving deep into statistics to find the best angle on every bet. You can follow him on Twitter @WeBeatTheSpread.