vs
-200 +175
UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira · Nov 12, 2022 · Bantamweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira Next Fight
Age 34
Height 5' 10"
Reach 75.0"
Weight 135 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Age 36
Height 5' 7"
Reach 70.0"
Weight 145 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Career Averages - Montel Jackson
3.09 SLpM
52.0% Str. Acc.
1.4 SApM
61.0% Str. Def.
3.0 TD Avg
63.0% TD Acc.
67.0% TD Def.
0.3 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Julio Arce
4.36 SLpM
36.0% Str. Acc.
3.05 SApM
68.0% Str. Def.
0.46 TD Avg
28.0% TD Acc.
96.0% TD Def.
0.3 Sub. Avg
Montel Jackson
Moneyline
FanDuel -200
KO/TKO
BetRivers +280
Submission
BetRivers +1050
Decision
BetMGM +175
Julio Arce
Moneyline
Caesars +175
KO/TKO
FanDuel +1000
Submission
FanDuel +1100
Decision
FanDuel +310
Montel Jackson - Fight History
LOSS vs Raoni Barcelos
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Sterling vs. Zalal · Apr 25, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Montel Jackson 1 35 of 66 53% 72 of 104 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:23
Raoni Barcelos 0 21 of 38 55% 33 of 51 6 of 18 33% 2 0 7:45
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Montel Jackson 1 14 of 24 58% 46 of 57 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:23
Raoni Barcelos 0 3 of 4 75% 7 of 8 2 of 4 50% 1 0 2:49
2 Montel Jackson 0 13 of 19 68% 15 of 21 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Raoni Barcelos 0 8 of 17 47% 15 of 25 1 of 7 14% 1 0 2:14
3 Montel Jackson 0 8 of 23 34% 11 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Raoni Barcelos 0 10 of 17 58% 11 of 18 3 of 7 42% 0 0 2:42
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Montel Jackson 35 of 66 53% 26 of 57 8 of 8 1 of 1 26 of 53 3 of 5 6 of 8
Raoni Barcelos 21 of 38 55% 7 of 18 8 of 11 6 of 9 13 of 30 7 of 7 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Montel Jackson 14 of 24 58% 10 of 20 4 of 4 0 of 0 7 of 13 1 of 3 6 of 8
Raoni Barcelos 3 of 4 75% 0 of 0 2 of 3 1 of 1 2 of 3 0 of 0 1 of 1
2 Montel Jackson 13 of 19 68% 9 of 15 3 of 3 1 of 1 11 of 17 2 of 2 0 of 0
Raoni Barcelos 8 of 17 47% 2 of 7 3 of 5 3 of 5 6 of 15 2 of 2 0 of 0
3 Montel Jackson 8 of 23 34% 7 of 22 1 of 1 0 of 0 8 of 23 0 of 0 0 of 0
Raoni Barcelos 10 of 17 58% 5 of 11 3 of 3 2 of 3 5 of 12 5 of 5 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Montel Jackson vs. Raoni Barcelos
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jackson (-175); Barcelos (+140)

Round 1
The fighters in this next main card offering weigh roughly half of what the two heavyweights in the last bout amassed, and speed kills at 135 pounds. “Quik” Jackson (15-3, 9-3 UFC) saw his mighty six-fight win streak come to a halt last year when Deiveson Figueiredo narrowly outpointed him, so he is in search of getting back in the green. Ageless wonder Barcelos (21-5, 10-4 UFC), who turns 39 next Friday, has won four in a row and could be poised to make a run. Referee Jason Herzog will make sure everything is copacetic.
The longer Jackson takes a few seconds to measure his opponent, and with his long reach, he clips Jackson with a head kick that shakes the elder statesman to his core. Barcelos hits the ground, and Jackson proceeds to hammer him with concussive blows. Barcelos takes them mostly on the chin, surviving and moving enough to stave off Herzog, all while huge strikes collide with his head time and again. Barcelos gets through the initial assault and turns to his knees in pursuit of a takedown, pushing the longer fighter against the wall. When there is no takedown to come from it, he spins out and ducks knowing that Jackson will—and does—swing at him. Jackson’s jab is money, and his follow-up left is destroying Barcelos’ face. Barcelos right eye is swelling and badly damaged halfway through the round.
Ignoring the pain, Barcelos closes in and trips Jackson to the floor. Barcelos climbs on top, and when Jackson tries to set something up off his back, Barcelos powerslams him. Jackson scrambles upon the impact, and Barcelos grabs his shorts in hopes of hanging on. Herzog admonishes him for the foul, and Jackson squirms his way out. Barcelos looks to jab his way in, but the range is a seemingly insurmountable task for the older man when he tries to box. Barcelos has to sell out and rush forward to swing, but when he gets close enough, he grabs hold of “Quik” and hurls him to the mat like a junior high wrestling coach against a new recruit. Jackson turns to his side, and Barcelos starts fishing for rear-naked choke. On the third attempt, it is under the chin, but Jackson is not about to give up. Time is up before the submission is complete.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jackson

Round 2
Herzog informs Barcelos between rounds to not grab the shorts or commit any position-changing fouls lest he deduct a point. They engage again, with Barcelos slowly, methodically working his way in. He looks to counter even with Jackson the far longer man, and he does not sell out or get reckless to advance. When he finds his openings, he draws ever closer, until he is near enough to crash the pocket and go for a level change. Jackson keeps his balance with his back to the cage, and he works his way out and resets.
Barcelos stays pressing the pace, walking through the fire that Jackson swings at him with every single effective blow. Barcelos takes the strikes on the chin and looks to engage his grappling. He does not force the action or put himself off-balance, instead measuring his blows efficiently to set up and further open up offense. Barcelos beats on his opponent until Jackson turns around to give up his back, and with seconds to spare, Barcelos once again goes for the rear-naked choke. The Brazilian wraps his left arm under the chin, and Jackson keeps his hand ready to tap but hears his corner saying he can make it to the bell and does just that.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos

Round 3
The grizzled veteran—14 UFC fights to Jackson’s 12—Barcelos goes right after Jackson in the final frame, looking to take the offense out of his opponent and prevent him from landing hard on him. As he controls Jackson against the cage for a prolonged time, he cannot secure a level change. Jackson works his way out, and Barcelos chases him and gives him a right hand on the jaw to think about. Jackson appears surprise, and he fires big punches at Barcelos that Barcelos ducks. Barcelos gets his hands on Jackson, and he sweeps the leg and puts Jackson down.
Jackson works back to his feet and lifts Barcelos off the ground with a knee in the clinch. Barcelos throws one back, and they trade hands up close until Jackson gets the space he was seeking. Jackson doubles up on a jab to the temple, whipping a rear-leg high kick at him that Barcelos blocks in time. Barcelos walks through the offense to wrap his hands around Jackson, where he takes him for a ride with a trip and throw. Jackson bounces back up, and Barcelos looks for a mat return with a single. Barcelos boots Jackson right in the face, bloodying his nose with it, and he lets Jackson charge him to turn that against him. Like the previous two rounds, Barcelos takes the back position and is fishing for a choke. Also like those rounds, there is no truly deep submission, so time expires and it’s all up to the judges. It could go either way.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos (29-28 Barcelos)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos (29-28 Barcelos)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Barcelos (29-28 Barcelos)

The Official Result
Raoni Barcelos def. Montel Jackson via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Apr 19, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Angelo leans on Montel Jackson, noting his power and wrestling background. He points out that Jackson's three UFC losses came when he couldn't defend takedowns, but believes Raoni Barcelos's age may prevent him from getting takedowns. He worries that Jackson might be gunshy due to wrestling concerns, which could allow Barcelos to win with empty takedowns. He says Montel should win but the fight could get weird.

"I'm going to lean Montel here. But, I am worried that he's going to be gunshy because he's worried about the wrestling."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Apr 21, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Big Brady picks Montel Jackson but with hesitation. He acknowledges Jackson's talent and power but notes his inconsistency and lack of effort in some fights. He believes if Jackson shows up, he can knock out Barcelos, who is older and has a questionable chin. However, he warns that Jackson could lose if he doesn't try.

Jackson wins by first round knockout
"Give me Jackson here. Jackson to win this fight by first round knockout."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert Hesitant picked Apr 25, 2026 (fight day)
Raoni Barcelos

The host notes Jackson has many physical advantages but is mentally inconsistent, often passive and inactive. Barcelos is mentally strong, high output, and aggressive. He believes Barcelos has a good chance if Jackson is not at his best. He prefers Barcelos +3.5 because Jackson lacks killer instinct and often goes to decision, and Barcelos should win at least one round.

Barcelos +3.5 rounds; fight likely goes to decision
"Barcelos very live underdog here, very risky to bet him cuz he's second best everywhere, but if Jackson's not at his best, I think there's a really good chance that Barcelos will outwork him."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked Apr 19, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Raoni Barcelos

James picks Barcelos as an underdog, believing his veteran skills and pocket boxing will overcome Jackson's power. He thinks Barcelos can follow the blueprint from Figueiredo's win over Jackson, using takedowns and pressure to win a decision or late submission.

"I'm going to pick him as the underdog here. I'm going to say Barcelos gets a probably a decision win."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 21, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Raoni Barcelos

Barcelos is on a four-fight winning streak with improved durability and a well-rounded game. He can use lateral movement, kicks, and wrestling to neutralize Jackson's power. Jackson is gun-shy and struggles against wrestlers. Barcelos has more paths to victory and should win a decision, though he risks getting knocked out if he gets caught clean.

"I think Barcelos has more paths to victory here and I think he can successfully stay away from the knockout power of Jackson."
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Oliveira vs. Gamrot · Oct 11, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Deiveson Figueiredo 0 23 of 43 53% 23 of 44 2 of 5 40% 0 0 2:18
Montel Jackson 0 30 of 70 42% 30 of 70 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:02
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Deiveson Figueiredo 0 8 of 13 61% 8 of 14 1 of 3 33% 0 0 1:08
Montel Jackson 0 8 of 20 40% 8 of 20 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Deiveson Figueiredo 0 7 of 16 43% 7 of 16 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:10
Montel Jackson 0 14 of 32 43% 14 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Deiveson Figueiredo 0 8 of 14 57% 8 of 14 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Montel Jackson 0 8 of 18 44% 8 of 18 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:02
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Deiveson Figueiredo 23 of 43 53% 4 of 19 9 of 11 10 of 13 22 of 42 0 of 0 1 of 1
Montel Jackson 30 of 70 42% 14 of 51 7 of 8 9 of 11 28 of 67 2 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Deiveson Figueiredo 8 of 13 61% 0 of 4 4 of 4 4 of 5 7 of 12 0 of 0 1 of 1
Montel Jackson 8 of 20 40% 4 of 14 1 of 2 3 of 4 7 of 18 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Deiveson Figueiredo 7 of 16 43% 2 of 9 3 of 3 2 of 4 7 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Montel Jackson 14 of 32 43% 7 of 24 4 of 4 3 of 4 14 of 32 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Deiveson Figueiredo 8 of 14 57% 2 of 6 2 of 4 4 of 4 8 of 14 0 of 0 0 of 0
Montel Jackson 8 of 18 44% 3 of 13 2 of 2 3 of 3 7 of 17 1 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Montel Jackson
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jackson (-300); Figueiredo (+250)

Round 1
On his first career losing streak, Figueiredo (24-5-1, 13-5-1 UFC) at the tender age of 37 would like nothing more than to turn things around at the expense of “Quik” Jackson (15-2, 9-2 UFC). Both bantamweights have plenty of firepower, so referee Jason Herzog will need to don his proverbial hard hat. Fists are bumped before they are traded.
Figueiredo lets loose first with a low kick, and he ducks a huge right hand to clinch up. They split before anything of merit lands, and Figueiredo resets and reaches with another low kick. Jackson plants a one-two on the Brazilian’s jaw, who responds with a heavier-than-expected body kick. Figueiredo kicks low and ducks the anticipated counter, and he looks for a body lock to muscle the longer man to the floor. “Daico” manages to leverage Jackson to the mat, where he starts hunting for a way to pass the guard. Jackson uses butterfly hooks to keep the former flyweight king at bay, and he briefly gives up his back when scrambling. Figueiredo takes it, and he has to let it go when Jackson explodes to his feet. Figueiredo drives a knee to the chest on the way up, and he retreats.
Jackson smacks him with an inside calf kick, and he doubles up on jabs to the body. Figueiredo turns his hips to a hard leg kick, and he swipes out with a right hand when Jackson advances towards him. The calf kicks land from both sides, and Figueiredo sprints in and ducks down to clip Jackson with a big right hand. Jackson fires back on the way back, catching the Brazilian as well but off-balance so his weight is not behind it. The two hand-fight, and Figueiredo boots his foe in the sternum. Jackson catches the leg, but when he cannot do anything with it, he releases it and bops Figueiredo in the nose with a jab. Figueiredo runs towards Jackson and cracks him with a right hand that makes Jackson’s knees buckle, and one final body kick from the former champ ends the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo

Round 2
Figueiredo jogs out of his corner looking to throw hands, and he uses the punches to set up a takedown. Less than 20 seconds into the round, and Figueiredo has secured full mount. Jackson turns to escape, and Figueiredo uses the opportunity to snatch up an arm-triangle choke. “Deus da Guerra” jumps to the side to complete the sub, and rather than wait around for it to be over, Jackson somehow busts out of it and stops the choke from materializing. Figueiredo smoothly slides around to take the back, and he fishes for something but does not have any openings. Jackson works to his feet before long, and he stabs out a jab that bloodies up the bridge of the former flyweight champ’s nose. Figueiredo motions low to fake a takedown, and he kicks where he reached towards instead.
The feints of the Brazilian draw out reactions, allowing him to rip kicks to the body when not pump-faking. Jackson swats out with a single right hook, and Figueiredo does the same. Volume is low and both men are tentative to engage, and even more cautious committing to much. Figueiredo hops away from a couple half-hearted jabs and pitches a kick to the midsection. Jackson sticks and moves, and he just evades a looping right hand intent on lopping his head off at the stem. Jackson peppers the reddened nose of his foe with a few more jabs, and he takes a low kick on the way out. Jackson sits down on two punches and a knee, and Figueiredo is fired up and lets go with his own punches. A right hand from the Brazilian appears to wobble Jackson with seconds to spare, and the two duke it out until the bell sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo

Round 3
Bounding out of his corner ready for five more minutes of bantamweight melee, Figueiredo strikes first with a jumping stomp kick to the knee. The Brazilian goes high with his lead leg, and he sways to take the brunt out of a jab. Figueiredo backs his man up with surging punches, and he takes a flush jab on the forehead. Figueiredo drills the front leg with a kick, and he races forward and slips. Jackson does not capitalize on this, instead allowing Figueiredo to stand up so he can push out one single jab. Jackson chambers and fires off a hard low kick, and Figueiredo grins at him and briefly switches stances before recovering and loosing a body kick that just misses.
Jackson tags Figueiredo walking in with a left and then a right, and he times the bounces of the Brazilian to moderate effect. Jackson scores a body kick, and Figueiredo grimaces at him. Jackson kicks the same spot once more, resulting in a clinch and some knees from the Brazilian. Jackson uses a body lock to elevate the former champ and dump him on his back, and Figueiredo bounces off the mat as if he had springs in his shorts without taking a strike. Jackson backs off his opponent, but all he can muster is a low kick that is answered harder by the ex-champ. The crowd is completely out of the fight, disappointed by four straight losses for the locals, even though one might win this lackluster match. Figueiredo waves Jackson on with 10 seconds to go, and he boots Jackson in the belly with a kick. Pointing down again, he tricks Jackson to engage and shoots for a single. The bummer of a bout ends with Figueiredo looking for a hug.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Jackson (29-28 Figueiredo)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo (30-27 Figueiredo)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo (30-27 Figueiredo)

The Official Result
Deiveson Figueiredo def. Montel Jackson via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Oct 5, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Angelo picks Montel Jackson, believing he will rise to the occasion. He notes Figueiredo is a shell of his former self, older and slower. He acknowledges Figueiredo's past success but thinks Montel's wrestling and power will be enough. He also mentions Figueiredo plus 3.5 as a possible bet.

Figueiredo +3.5 spread might be worth exploring
"I'm going to pick Montel Jackson here. I think Montel Jackson will rise to the occasion and will win this fight."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 9, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Big Brady picks Montel Jackson to win by first-round knockout. He notes Jackson's significant size advantage (5-inch height, 7.5-inch reach) and power, having many knockdowns in the UFC. He believes Figueiredo has taken too much damage and is now 37, and that Jackson will keep the fight standing and land a knockout. He expects Jackson to stuff takedowns easily.

knockout
"I'm going to say Montel Jackson wins this fight by first round knockout."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Oct 8, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Deiveson Figueiredo

Cody also picks Figueiredo, calling it a 'dog or pass' fight. He highlights Jackson's low output and susceptibility to takedowns, while Figueiredo's experience and power make him live. He suggests waiting for a better price or live betting.

"It's a dog or pass fight, Paul. For me, that's what it is. And so, I took Davidson Figero."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked Oct 5, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Deiveson Figueiredo

James picks Figueiredo as a value underdog, citing Figgy's superior jiu-jitsu and wrestling as a path to victory via submission or control. He notes Montel Jackson's wrestling vulnerability exposed in past fights and Figueiredo's ability to get takedowns. However, he admits low confidence due to Figueiredo's recent losses and age, and says he would not bet on Montel at -275.

"I'll pick Figero in this one. Why not? Figuredo has the he's the money line side. He's the value side. I think he can get submission here."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked Oct 8, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Lucrative James picks Montel Jackson but is not confident. He notes Figueiredo's age and declining durability, but also his takedown and jiu-jitsu advantage. He believes Jackson's wrestling is a weakness, but Figueiredo may not be able to exploit it. He sees Jackson winning by decision, but wouldn't bet at -305.

"I'm picking Montel Jackson to win this fight."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Oct 9, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Manpreet leans towards Jackson but is not confident enough to bet the moneyline at -300. He believes Jackson's reach and height advantages will be key, and that Jackson's power will find a knockout as Figueiredo slows down. However, he acknowledges Figueiredo's grappling threat and notes that if Figueiredo can get control time, he could win. He considers the KO prop for Jackson and the submission prop for Figueiredo at +800 as alternatives.

Figueiredo by submission +800; Jackson by KO
"I think Jackson ends up nullifying most of that grappling of Figueiredo, and then finds that knockout in the second or third round."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Oct 8, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Deiveson Figueiredo

Paul picks Figueiredo as a dog, arguing that Montel Jackson's -300 price is unjustified. He points out Jackson's low volume striking and lack of elite wins, while Figueiredo has faced top competition and has the wrestling and power to win a close fight in Brazil. He sees value in the underdog.

"I am actually taking Figgy. Simply because the number on Montel Jackson just really makes no sense."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 7, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

The MMA Guru picks Montel Jackson over Deiveson Figueiredo, believing Figueiredo is past his prime and looked poor against Sandhagen. He notes Jackson has a reach advantage and is durable. He predicts a decision win for Jackson.

"I'm going to go Montel Jackson here. I'm going to take him by decision. 30-27."
WIN vs Daniel Marcos
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo · May 03, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Montel Jackson 0 30 of 66 45% 67 of 106 2 of 8 25% 1 0 3:37
Daniel Marcos 0 17 of 32 53% 24 of 43 3 of 7 42% 0 0 5:45
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Montel Jackson 0 4 of 12 33% 22 of 31 1 of 4 25% 0 0 2:07
Daniel Marcos 0 4 of 7 57% 7 of 11 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:26
2 Montel Jackson 0 15 of 28 53% 22 of 37 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:26
Daniel Marcos 0 7 of 12 58% 7 of 12 1 of 4 25% 0 0 1:55
3 Montel Jackson 0 11 of 26 42% 23 of 38 1 of 3 33% 1 0 1:04
Daniel Marcos 0 6 of 13 46% 10 of 20 1 of 2 50% 0 0 2:24
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Montel Jackson 30 of 66 45% 25 of 58 1 of 3 4 of 5 27 of 62 3 of 4 0 of 0
Daniel Marcos 17 of 32 53% 5 of 18 5 of 7 7 of 7 13 of 27 3 of 4 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Montel Jackson 4 of 12 33% 2 of 8 1 of 2 1 of 2 3 of 11 1 of 1 0 of 0
Daniel Marcos 4 of 7 57% 2 of 4 1 of 2 1 of 1 3 of 6 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Montel Jackson 15 of 28 53% 12 of 25 0 of 0 3 of 3 15 of 28 0 of 0 0 of 0
Daniel Marcos 7 of 12 58% 1 of 5 2 of 3 4 of 4 5 of 10 1 of 1 1 of 1
3 Montel Jackson 11 of 26 42% 11 of 25 0 of 1 0 of 0 9 of 23 2 of 3 0 of 0
Daniel Marcos 6 of 13 46% 2 of 9 2 of 2 2 of 2 5 of 11 1 of 2 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Montel Jackson vs. Daniel Marcos
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jackson (-205), Marcos (+170)

Round 1
Bantamweights are up again in Des Moines, this time red-hot rising contenders Marcos and Jackson, with Gary Copeland on referee duty. Jackson is southpaw, Marcos orthodox, and they exchange a couple of glancing punches from outside before Marcos closes the distance and clinches with the much taller American. Jackson grounds Marcos with a beautiful foot sweep, and takes top position in Marcos’ guard. He lets “Soncora” up quickly, and they go back to kickboxing, where Marcos continues to try and solve the puzzle of Jackson’s huge height and reach advantages. They clinch again, this time with Marcos’ back against the fence, and Jackson drives his knee into Marcos’ thigh and midsection before they break off and move away from the fence. Marcos rushes forward and pushes Jackson to the fence, where he takes a turn firing short knees as they vie for head position and wrist control. Marcos changes levels, peels Jackson off the fence and takes him down. Marcos is in Jackson’s guard, but only briefly, as Jackson hips out, gives his back up and stands. He turns to face Marcos, completing the escape, just before the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jackson

Round 2
Marcos comes forward, working to navigate his foe’s reach by springing in with big overhand rights. Marcos jumps in again, but this time he changes levels and completes a takedown in the center of the Octagon. Marcos is in Jackson’s guard, but Jackson will not concede the position, keeping his hips active and looking to get his feet on Marcos’ hips and kick him off. Marcos lets his man up and they go back to work on the feet. Jackson is connecting with a fast, long jab that comes up from near his beltline, while Marcos is keeping his chin tucked and looking for his moment to land a big punch. Marcos steps into the pocket and shoves Jackson to the fence, where they exchange a couple of blows in close before breaking the clinch. Marcos wades right back into range and drives the taller man to the cage again. He locks his hands and, after a moment’s adjustment, hoists Jackson and puts him on the ground. Jackson springs right back to his feet and they move back to the fence. Jackson reverses position and is pushing Marcos into the chain-link at the end of the round.

Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jackson

Round 3
The final round begins with Marcos landing a nice body kick to the open side. Jackson comes back with a pair of punches, one of which might have grazed Marcos’ right eye in an awkward way, as he comes away guarding that side of his face closely. Jackson moves in and tries for a takedown near the fence, but Marcos sprawls well in close quarters. Marcos goes for a takedown of his own and gets Jackson off his feet, then moves to the back as Jackson gets back up. Marcos works from standing back control for a few moments before Jackson spins out of his grasp and off of the fence. Marcos immediately closes the distance again, bending at the waist and trying to pull Jackson’s hips away from the cage. Jackson turns his back and Marcos takes a rear waistlock, but he can only get off a few knees to the thigh before Jackson escapes again. Jackson comes forward, stalking a suddenly tired-looking Marcos, and gets an easy takedown. As Marcos stands, Jackson snares him in a D’Arce choke, dragging him back to the mat as he does so. Marcos remains calm and defends against the choke, but the final horn sounds seconds later, possibly without “Soncora” having landed a single strike this round. Barring some extreme judging malfeasance, one of the UFC’s two dozen or so undefeated fighters is about to go down.

Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Jackson (30-27 Jackson)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jackson (30-27 Jackson)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jackson (30-27 Jackson)

The Official Result
Montel Jackson def. Daniel Marcos via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 27, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Daniel Marcos

Angelo goes against the public and picks Daniel Marcos as an underdog. He trusts Marcos's cardio and takedown defense, and believes he can win a close decision similar to his last fight. He suggests a +3.5 spread bet if the odds remain wide.

Interested in +3.5 spread if odds widen
"I'm picking Daniel Marcos."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 29, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Big Brady picks Montel Jackson, citing his significant height and reach advantage, power, and wrestling upside. He notes that Jackson's losses came against wrestlers who took him down, but Marcos is not a wrestler; Jackson may get takedowns instead. Brady questions Marcos's ceiling, pointing out close decisions against Adrien Yanez and Davey Grant, where Grant outlanded Marcos. He expects Jackson to win a decision, mixing in wrestling and landing big shots.

Decision win
"I'm going to go Jackson here. I think he wins by decision."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked May 1, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Daniel Marcos

Connor picks Marcos, believing his defensive awareness and ability to slip past length will neutralize Jackson's reach. He notes that Jackson's striking is aimless and he has struggled against pressure fighters like Brent Johns and Ricky Simone. Connor thinks Marcos can get inside and land meaningful shots, and that Jackson's lack of process will be exposed. However, he admits Marcos tends to walk a fine line and doesn't control fights completely.

Same odds commentary as Zane.
"I have faith in Daniel Marcos in this one... I think Jackson is quite easy to pressure and push around the cage at range."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 1, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Jackson will shut down Marcos's calf kicking and grappling game. He will land his big power and muscle Marcos, getting a KO finish within 10 minutes.

KO within 10 minutes
"Jackson shuts down the calf kicking and grappling game of Marcos, landing his big power, musling Marcos and eventually getting that KO finish within 10 minutes."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

The MMA Guru picks Montel Jackson to win by TKO in the first or second round. He praises Jackson's power, reach, and wrestling defense, noting that he has never been held down. He believes Daniel Marcos lacks the grappling threat and power to trouble Jackson, and that Jackson will find a finish. He thinks Jackson should be a -250 favorite, so -198 is good value.

TKO in round 1 or 2, good value at -198
"I've got Montel Jackson getting this one done and I think he wins it by TKO."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked May 1, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Zane picks Jackson, citing his size, reach, and fight-changing power as key advantages. He notes that Marcos has never faced a fighter with Jackson's physical attributes and may struggle to get inside. Zane acknowledges that Marcos is skilled and defensively aware, but worries that Jackson's power will be the difference if Marcos can't neutralize the reach. He admits it's a close fight and not confident.

Odds: Jackson -190, Marcos +165. Zane thinks the odds should be closer.
"I think I'm gonna pick Jackson... I think he has the fight changing power that Marcos does not have."
KO (punch) R1 0:18 · UFC on ESPN: Namajunas vs. Cortez · Jul 13, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Montel Jackson 1 4 of 6 66% 4 of 6 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Da'Mon Blackshear 0 1 of 1 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Montel Jackson 1 4 of 6 66% 4 of 6 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Da'Mon Blackshear 0 1 of 1 100% 1 of 1 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Montel Jackson 4 of 6 66% 4 of 5 0 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 3 0 of 0 3 of 3
Da'Mon Blackshear 1 of 1 100% 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Montel Jackson 4 of 6 66% 4 of 5 0 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 3 0 of 0 3 of 3
Da'Mon Blackshear 1 of 1 100% 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Da'Mon Blackshear vs. Montel Jackson
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jackson (-162), Blackshear (+136)

Round 1
The prelims continue as bantamweights meet in the Octagon, with Jackson (13-2, 7-2 UFC) putting together a quietly successful run in the UFC as he enters into his 10th fight. The same cannot be said for Blackshear (14-6-1, 2-2-1 UFC), who hopes to break out of his .500 record with a victory. The two will be joined in the cage by referee Nick Berens, who checks them in as they bump fists. Blackshear lands a leg kick earl y, and Jackson responds with a right hand that loops around the guard. They hand-fight, and Jackson sticks out a front kick.
As Blackshear steps in to attack, Jackson releases a lightning-quick one-two that knocks Blackshear clean off his feet. As Blackshear’s head ricochets off the mat, it is clear he is out cold, and Jackson knows that his work here is done but understands the rules and drops down a few unnecessary punches until Berens leaps in.
While the audience explodes in favor of the ultra-fast knockout, Jackson signals to bring it down a few notches and drops a knee out of concern for his wrecked opponent. Blackshear comes to, although he needs to lean on his coach to remain upright, and Jackson is relieved and goes to embrace his fallen foe. The confident Jackson, who finds himself on a mighty win streak after a vicious knockout, simply tells upcoming adversaries during his post-fight interview that they need to “sign the contract.”

The Official Result
Montel Jackson def. Da’Mon Blackshear R1 0:18 via KO (Punch)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 7, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Angelo picks Montel Jackson, citing his superior wrestling background (Olympic Training Facility), power, and speed. He notes that while Da'Mon Blackshear is a good underdog with early wrestling initiation, Montel's offensive wrestling and power should be the difference. Angelo plans to wait for prop bets before placing a wager.

Waiting for prop bets to drop before placing a bet.
"Montel is the pick before I place a bet on this fight I'm going to wait for all the props to drop"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 10, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Cody picks Jackson, citing his striking advantage and improved grappling. He notes Blackshear's cardio issues and short notice, and believes Jackson will win by decision or late TKO. He expects Jackson to stuff takedowns and outwork Blackshear.

"Montel Jackson is going to figure out a way how to get the job done."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean picked Jul 10, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Da'Mon Blackshear

Daniel Vreeland leans with Da'Mon Blackshear as a plus 130 underdog. He notes that Montel Jackson is talented but inconsistent, often having long periods of inactivity. He thinks Blackshear's pressure and cardio could be factors, though he acknowledges Jackson's high ceiling. He calls it a tough fight to call but prefers the dog.

"I'll lean with the plus 130 dog just because I I could see this you know potentially being line minus 110 a piece so I'll go with the plus 130 dog."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 12, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Montel Jackson

Montel Jackson has shown improvements in surviving early rounds and taking over in the second and third. Blackshear tends to slow down later in fights. Jackson will keep the fight upright and use his power to finish Blackshear in the second or third round.

"I think we'll see good improvements here from Jackson in terms of being able to survive early then really start to take over in these second and third rounds"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jul 10, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Paul picks Jackson but is less confident, citing Blackshear's wrestling threat. He notes Jackson's inactivity but believes his striking and cardio advantage will prevail. He expects a competitive fight and may wait for weigh-ins.

"Jackson will be the pick for the purpose of this show."
WIN vs Rani Yahya
KO (punches) R1 3:42 · UFC Fight Night: Pavlovich vs. Blaydes · Apr 22, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Montel Jackson 0 7 of 21 33% 7 of 22 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:08
Rani Yahya 1 9 of 21 42% 10 of 23 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:17
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Montel Jackson 0 7 of 21 33% 7 of 22 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:08
Rani Yahya 1 9 of 21 42% 10 of 23 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:17
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Montel Jackson 7 of 21 33% 1 of 10 1 of 2 5 of 9 7 of 21 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rani Yahya 9 of 21 42% 7 of 18 1 of 2 1 of 1 5 of 14 0 of 0 4 of 7
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Montel Jackson 7 of 21 33% 1 of 10 1 of 2 5 of 9 7 of 21 0 of 0 0 of 0
Rani Yahya 9 of 21 42% 7 of 18 1 of 2 1 of 1 5 of 14 0 of 0 4 of 7
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Montel Jackson vs. Rani Yahya
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jackson (-560), Yahya (+430)

Round 1
The quintessential “striker vs. grappler” contest rears its head between these two bantamweights, one that also has a storyline of a young, hungry up-and-comer against an aging, storied vet. Owner of 21 submissions without a single knockout to his credit, Yahya (28-10-1, 1 NC; 13-4-1, 1 NC UFC) will attempt to run his win streak to three in this matchup. He will face “Quik” Jackson (12-2, 6-2 UFC), who will be much larger, longer and younger. The third man in the Octagon for this match will be referee Keith Peterson, who clocks the fighters in ahead of their sporting and nonsense-free glove touch. Yahya strikes first with a pair of punches and a low kick, and he spins around before Jackson can reach him. The Brazilian lands with another low kick, and he stays out of range for the lanky Jackson to get to him. Yahya tosses forth one more leg kick for good measure, and he scoots forward to stomp at it from another angle. The strategy is clear for Yahya, who is continuously targeting the lead wheel. Jackson throws a few punches that bounce off the guard and knock his man into the wall, not from damage but rather the force of the strikes. Jackson catches him with a one-two, and Yahya dives forward into a single. Jackson hops back against the fence and elbows Yahya in the side of the dome before getting lifted off the ground. Yahya ends up falling to his back to make sure the fighters hit the ground, and he closes his guard momentarily before fishing for a sweep. Yahya isolates Jackson’s right arm beneath his own armpit and throws a leg up for a potential armlock, and Jackson sits up to get most of the leverage out of the position. Yahya gets popped in the chops to break up the submission, and he pulls on the glove to keep Jackson down but is warned for it. Jackson jumps back up to his feet and rips the body with a kick. Yahya misses with a stomp kick but does reach a right hand over the top, and Jackson does not even register its landing. Jackson hand-fights and throws a high kick that wraps over the guard.
Yahya darts in lunging with his arms outstretched, and “Quik” perfectly counters with a clean left hand over the top that smashes into the veteran’s chin. Yahya falls to his back, in immediate danger, and Jackson senses this and deftly moves over to finish the job with some long, straight punches as he lords over the doomed grappler. As Jackson pounds on his fallen foe, Yahya’s lights go out briefly, and Peterson waves the fight off.
This is a big win for Jackson, who becomes the first fighter to stop Yahya since the Brazilian faced Joseph Benavidez at WEC 45 in 2009 – over seven years before Jackson turned pro.

The Official Result
Montel Jackson def. Rani Yahya R1 3:42 via KO (Punches)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 16, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Angelo picks Montel Jackson easily, stating he should defend every takedown from Yahya and light him up on the feet. He notes Yahya's low takedown accuracy (24%) and that he relies on opponents shooting takedowns to get to the ground. He recommends parlaying Jackson.

Parlay piece.
"This is a very easy Montel Jackson pick... Montel Jackson easy win you should be able to Parlay him."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 18, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Big Brady picks Montel Jackson to win by first-round knockout. He notes that Jackson is the biggest favorite on the card and has a huge reach and size advantage over the 38-year-old Yahya. Jackson has a ton of knockdowns and Yahya has been dropped in recent fights. Brady believes Jackson will stuff takedowns, keep the fight on the feet, and knock Yahya down repeatedly until the fight is stopped. He sees this as a terrible matchup for Yahya.

first round knockout
"first round knockout here for Montel Jackson I think he gets uh Yaya out of there early"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 19, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Cody picks Montel Jackson, citing his massive reach and strength advantages. He notes Yahya is old (38), has poor wrestling and striking, and relies on flopping to his back to avoid damage. Cody believes Jackson can keep the fight standing and use his reach to pick Yahya apart, possibly getting a knockout. He mentions a prop on PrizePicks for under 1.5 takedowns for Jackson, as he expects Jackson to avoid grappling.

Under 1.5 takedowns for Montel Jackson (PrizePicks)
"Montel Jackson the only way he gets himself in trouble in this fight against Rani Yaya who is very long in the tooth and will flop to his back and do all crazy types of things to try to get …"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Apr 20, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Connor picks Montel Jackson, believing he is improving despite himself and that his natural athleticism and size will be too much for Yahya. He notes that Jackson's ability to easily shut down takedowns, as seen against Ricky Simon, will be key. However, he acknowledges that Jackson tends to make fights more competitive than needed and that Yahya is a dedicated grappler who can take a mile if given an inch.

Odds comment: Jackson opened at -562, currently -595; Yahya opened at +435, currently +455. Connor says that's a little too wide on Jackson, noting that Brett Johns beat Jackson with a dedicated game and that Jackson has lapses.
"I am going to pick Jackson to win because I think he's one of those fighters who is just improving despite himself."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Apr 17, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Montel Jackson has significant speed and power advantages, and his kicks can keep Yahya at distance. Yahya is a jiu-jitsu specialist who struggles to get takedowns and has poor cardio. Jackson should be able to pick him apart and eventually land a knockout. However, Jackson has lacked killer instinct and has been taken down by grapplers before. If Yahya gets a hold of him, he could grind out a win. Jackson by knockout in the second round is the pick, but with low confidence.

Jackson by KO in round 2
"I'm gonna go Jackson by knockout but again this is a sketchy one... official prediction Montel Jackson by knockout let's say second round"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Apr 19, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Paul also picks Jackson, agreeing with Cody's assessment. He adds that Yahya's Jiu-Jitsu is good but his wrestling is bad, and Jackson has good takedown defense. Paul notes that judges now favor damage, so even if Yahya gets takedowns, Jackson's striking should win rounds. He expects Jackson to win, possibly by knockout.

"I think Jackson's gonna be able to brick wall him keep the fight standing utilize that big reach Advantage utilize a power Advantage maybe even knock him out"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Lock picked Apr 18, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

The MMA Guru calls this the lock of the card, stating there is no chance Rani Yahya wins. He highlights Montel Jackson's wicked striking and improving skills, and his ability to stuff takedowns with good wrist control. He notes Yahya's age, injuries, and inability to get the fight to the ground. He predicts a KO in the first or second round.

KO in the first or second round
"this is the lock of the card there isn't a single chance on Earth that Ronnie Yaya's gonna win this fight"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Apr 20, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Zane also picks Montel Jackson, agreeing that he is probably too innately good and big for Yahya. He notes that Yahya is self-destructive and puts a ton of energy into grappling, and that Jackson's physicality should allow him to rebuff Yahya's wrestling. Zane mentions that Jackson's ability to just grab a wrist and control an opponent's arm is a huge advantage.

"I am also inclined to pick him. I mean, I just think he's probably too innately good and big for Ronnie."
WIN vs Julio Arce
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira · Nov 12, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Montel Jackson 0 26 of 126 20% 44 of 156 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:06
Julio Arce 1 48 of 106 45% 64 of 127 0 of 3 0% 0 0 5:55
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Montel Jackson 0 4 of 22 18% 9 of 27 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:06
Julio Arce 0 5 of 17 29% 15 of 29 0 of 1 0% 0 0 2:09
2 Montel Jackson 0 15 of 58 25% 25 of 72 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Julio Arce 0 19 of 46 41% 24 of 54 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:12
3 Montel Jackson 0 7 of 46 15% 10 of 57 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Julio Arce 1 24 of 43 55% 25 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:34
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Montel Jackson 26 of 126 20% 13 of 102 8 of 17 5 of 7 25 of 124 1 of 2 0 of 0
Julio Arce 48 of 106 45% 39 of 95 5 of 7 4 of 4 33 of 82 4 of 5 11 of 19
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Montel Jackson 4 of 22 18% 2 of 16 1 of 3 1 of 3 4 of 22 0 of 0 0 of 0
Julio Arce 5 of 17 29% 3 of 15 1 of 1 1 of 1 4 of 16 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Montel Jackson 15 of 58 25% 7 of 47 5 of 8 3 of 3 15 of 58 0 of 0 0 of 0
Julio Arce 19 of 46 41% 13 of 39 3 of 4 3 of 3 18 of 44 1 of 2 0 of 0
3 Montel Jackson 7 of 46 15% 4 of 39 2 of 6 1 of 1 6 of 44 1 of 2 0 of 0
Julio Arce 24 of 43 55% 23 of 41 1 of 2 0 of 0 11 of 22 2 of 2 11 of 19
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Julio Arce vs. Montel Jackson
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jackson (-200), Arce (+170)

Round 1
Arce was victorious in his first appearance of 2022, while Jackson, who has won five of six UFC outings, will return to the Octagon for the first time in 14 months. Marc Goddard will be the third man in the cage. They touch gloves and we’re underway. Jackson changes levels within the first 30 seconds and shoves Arce into the fence. Jackson lands some knees to the body, but one lands on the cup, which prompts a warning from Goddard but no reset. Jackson thinks about a single-leg but Arce defends, and Jackson lands a short punch to the head instead. The crowd is already getting restless as Jackson continues to grind away against the fence. Goddard urges the combatants to stay busy. Arce can’t get his back off the fence and we’re halfway through the round when Goddard orders a restart in the center of the cage. Arce has a kick to the body partially blocked. He’s cautious, perhaps due to the threat of the Jackson takedown. Arce fires a straight to the body followed by a leg kick. Arce pressures and both men exchange jabs. Arce picks up the pace and fires off an overhand left. Jackson moves in with a right hook. Arce pressures as time winds down, and Jackson defends a takedown in the final 10 seconds. Arce muscles his opponent to the mat just before the horn, however.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Arce
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Arce
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Arce

Round 2
Arce again takes the center of the cage, and he lands a left hand as he backs Jackson up. An inside leg kick connects for Arce. An outside leg kick lands for Jackson. Arce continues to lead the dance and he moves in behind a right hook, but Jackson lands a counter in response. A right hook connects for Jackson. Another counter right lands for Jackson, who is having more success but isn’t landing in great volume. Jackson connects with a solid right. Arce throws a right hook and Jackson angles out. Jackson is sticking his right hand with some consistency now as Arce pressures. Jackson shoots for a takedown against the fence. He steps around and gets the back of his opponent. Jackson continues to grind away until the horn, mixing in a knee with some dirty boxing.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jackson

Round 3
Arce comes out throwing combinations, but it’s Jackson who lands a right hand during an initial exchange. Moments later, Jackson puts Arce on his back with a stiff jab. Jackson assumes top position and works to land punches from inside Arce’s guard. Arce seems to have recovered, and he’s very active with his guard. Jackson is struggling to control the hips, and Arce nearly frames a triangle. Jackson works to stack Arce, but he is unable to pass at the 2:30 mark of the round. Arce sits up and then stands. Arce has some swelling under his left eye. Arce is not finding the range on his punches. Jackson finds an opening a tags Arce with a right hand. Arce pressures forward and whiffs on some looping punches. Arce moves in with punches and Jackson ties him up, shoving his foe into the fence. Jackson lands a short right on the break. Jackson with a straight left in the waning seconds, and he dodges a final Arce offering before the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jackson (29-28 Jackson)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jackson (29-28 Jackson)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jackson (29-28 Jackson)

The Official Result
Montel Jackson def. Julia Arce via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 6, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Angelo believes Julio Arce is the better technical striker but has a suspect chin. He trusts Montel Jackson's wrestling and power, noting that Jackson's only losses are to wrestlers who out-grappled him. He thinks Jackson will win by using his takedowns and power, rather than trying to out-strike Arce. He mentions that the takedown prop lines will be interesting and that he will likely bet on Jackson's takedowns.

takedown lines on PrizePicks and BetOnline
"I trust montel's takedowns I have him winning this fight"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Big Brady picks Montel Jackson to win by decision. He highlights Jackson's size, reach, power (10 knockdowns in UFC), and wrestling (over 4 takedowns per 15 minutes at 78% accuracy). He notes Arce has good takedown defense (94%) but hasn't faced many wrestlers. He believes Jackson will mix takedowns and land the bigger shots, winning a decision. He also mentions Jackson's youth and power advantage.

Jackson by decision
"give me Montel Jackson to win give me Montel Jackson to win a decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Cody picks Arce, citing his excellent footwork, volume, and 94% takedown defense. He notes that Jackson has not fought top competition and that Arce's movement and striking should give Jackson trouble. Cody thinks if Jackson can't take Arce down, Arce will outpoint him. He is not highly confident but sees value at plus money.

"I do feel like Julio she has the goods to go out there and pull it off and a plus 175 I'm willing to take a slight flyer on that."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Connor picks Arce, noting that Jackson has not improved in four years and lacks depth in his grappling and striking. He points out that Arce is a complete fighter with sharp footwork and counters, and that Jackson's wrestling is not good enough to hold Arce down. Connor also mentions that Arce has been getting better and has faced higher-level competition.

"I think RSA can edge this one out."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Daniel Levi picks Montel Jackson, citing his immense talent, power, wrestling, and physical attributes. He notes that Jackson has knockout power and a reach advantage, but his work ethic is questionable. Levi believes if Jackson shows up focused, he can dominate. He respects Arce's point-fighting style but thinks Jackson's power and wrestling will be the difference.

"give me Montel Jackson here"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 8, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Julio Arce

The host believes Arce is the better technical striker with superior footwork and kicks, and his 94% takedown defense should keep the fight standing. He questions Jackson's competition level, noting his wins are over lower-tier opponents and he struggles against better grapplers. Arce's output and volume should frustrate Jackson, leading to a decision win. The host acknowledges Arce's durability concerns but sees value at +175.

"I think that this is a good spot to take an underdog shot on Julio or say at plus 175"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Paul also leans towards Arce, agreeing with Cody's analysis. He notes that Jackson is enormous for the weight class and that Arce will have to eat shots to get inside, but if Arce keeps the fight standing, it should be close to a pick'em. Paul is not confident but goes with Arce.

"I'll lean ever so slightly towards Julio Archie with you but another spot I'm not too confident in."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Lean picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

The MMA Guru picks Montel Jackson, citing his underrated prospect status, massive hands, and physical advantages like a 5.5-inch reach advantage. He believes Jackson can outwork Arce on the feet and predicts a close split decision 29-28. He notes Jackson's grappling defense against good grapplers like Brett Johns and Ricky Simon.

"I'm going with Montel Jackson here"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Zane picks Arce, emphasizing that Jackson's striking is one-dimensional and he lacks confidence in it. He notes that Arce's consistent style and ability to handle pressure fighters like Daniel Santos make him a good bet. Zane also points out that Jackson's wins have come against lower-level competition, while Arce has fought tougher opponents.

"I think RSA should be, uh, if anything, a slight to healthy favorite."
WIN vs JP Buys
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann · Sep 18, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Montel Jackson 4 25 of 43 58% 91 of 117 4 of 5 80% 1 0 10:03
JP Buys 0 8 of 24 33% 39 of 60 1 of 7 14% 3 0 1:20
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Montel Jackson 0 8 of 12 66% 27 of 34 2 of 2 100% 1 0 2:36
JP Buys 0 3 of 8 37% 9 of 15 1 of 4 25% 2 0 1:20
2 Montel Jackson 2 7 of 12 58% 21 of 30 2 of 3 66% 0 0 4:07
JP Buys 0 2 of 6 33% 14 of 20 0 of 1 0% 1 0 0:00
3 Montel Jackson 2 10 of 19 52% 43 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 3:20
JP Buys 0 3 of 10 30% 16 of 25 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Montel Jackson 25 of 43 58% 18 of 36 7 of 7 0 of 0 11 of 17 6 of 8 8 of 18
JP Buys 8 of 24 33% 3 of 10 4 of 13 1 of 1 6 of 22 1 of 1 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Montel Jackson 8 of 12 66% 4 of 8 4 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 2 4 of 5 3 of 5
JP Buys 3 of 8 37% 1 of 4 1 of 3 1 of 1 1 of 6 1 of 1 1 of 1
2 Montel Jackson 7 of 12 58% 5 of 10 2 of 2 0 of 0 5 of 6 2 of 3 0 of 3
JP Buys 2 of 6 33% 1 of 2 1 of 4 0 of 0 2 of 6 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Montel Jackson 10 of 19 52% 9 of 18 1 of 1 0 of 0 5 of 9 0 of 0 5 of 10
JP Buys 3 of 10 30% 1 of 4 2 of 6 0 of 0 3 of 10 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Sep 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Angelo picks Montel Jackson as he is well-rounded with power, striking, and wrestling. He notes JP Buys has a path via wrestling but Montel is too good everywhere. He does not like the moneyline at -700 but has a bet on over 1.5 rounds because he thinks Buys will survive early and make it past the first round and a half.

Over 1.5 rounds (plus money)
"montel jackson's the pick"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Sep 14, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Big Brady is very confident in Montel Jackson, citing huge size and reach advantages. He notes JP Buys is moving up a weight class on short notice and has a history of gassing out. He predicts Jackson will finish Buys in the second round, either by knockout or submission, as Buys has never been to a decision.

second round finish
"i think montel jackson's going to win he probably even wins in the first round to be honest"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Sep 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Cody is very confident in Jackson, citing his size, power, and improved takedown defense. He notes that JP Buys is undersized, on short notice, and failed to wrestle in his UFC debut. Cody believes Jackson will keep the fight standing and land a knockout.

Over 1.5 rounds -150 (suggested)
"it's got to be montel the whole way through"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Sep 17, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Montel Jackson

Daniel Levi picks Montel Jackson to finish JP Buys. He believes Jackson has top-five potential and skills, despite past criticism of his mentality. He notes Buys is composed but lacks the goods, and Jackson's path to victory is finishing him. He advises against betting the moneyline at -650 and suggests looking at props like inside distance.

Montel Jackson to finish JP Buys (inside distance)
"my pick is montel jackson to finish jp base just don't just just don't you know take your foot off the gas and get grinded that's really the thing here"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Sep 17, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Montel Jackson

Preet picks Montel Jackson to win, expecting a finish. He notes Jackson has better striking and power, while Buys is fragile and tends to quit when pressured. He likes the fight doesn't go to decision at -200 and Jackson by KO at +105.

Fight doesn't go to decision -200, Montel Jackson by KO +105
"I actually like the fight doesn't go to decision here it's like minus 200 range I really like that spot"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Sep 15, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Paul has Jackson in his parlay, noting his physical advantages and Buys' lack of wrestling. He believes Jackson's power and full camp will be decisive. Paul mentions he bet the over 1.5 rounds as well.

Over 1.5 rounds -150
"montel jackson was the second leg of the of said parlay"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Lock picked Sep 12, 2021 (6 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

The MMA Guru picks Montel Jackson to win by first-round KO, calling it the 'stupidest decision' for JP Buys to take this fight. He emphasizes Jackson's size, power, and grappling advantage, noting he shut down Brett Johns' grappling. He predicts Jackson will land a big shot and finish Buys early.

first round KO
"montel jackson first round ko stupidest decision of anyone's career ever"
WIN vs Jesse Strader
TKO (punches) R1 1:58 · UFC on ESPN: Brunson vs. Holland · Mar 20, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Montel Jackson 2 15 of 26 57% 15 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:16
Jesse Strader 0 14 of 25 56% 14 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Montel Jackson 2 15 of 26 57% 15 of 26 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:16
Jesse Strader 0 14 of 25 56% 14 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Montel Jackson 15 of 26 57% 11 of 22 2 of 2 2 of 2 5 of 12 3 of 4 7 of 10
Jesse Strader 14 of 25 56% 3 of 7 3 of 7 8 of 11 12 of 22 0 of 1 2 of 2
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Montel Jackson 15 of 26 57% 11 of 22 2 of 2 2 of 2 5 of 12 3 of 4 7 of 10
Jesse Strader 14 of 25 56% 3 of 7 3 of 7 8 of 11 12 of 22 0 of 1 2 of 2
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Montel Jackson vs. Jesse Strader (137.5: Missed Weight)

Round 1
The next fight of the night comes at a 138-pound catchweight when a fighter missed weight. “Quik” Jackson (9-2, 3-2 UFC) will look to quick work of Strader (5-1, 0-0 UFC) and make the newcomer pay for missing the mark by 1.5 pounds. Referee Keith Peterson has slain all the nonsense in the building, and the two touch gloves before throwing down. Strader backs off and chips at his opponent with several leg kicks, as Jackson is content to march him down without throwing anything. Strader keeps landing a kick or two low, until Jackson winds up with a booming head kick. It barely gets blocked, and he chains the kick into a leg kick that surprises Strader. The newcomer targets the body and legs indiscriminately, as Jackson aims single kicks in response. “Sui Generis” lets fly kick after hacking kick, and Jackson is tired of it and winds up a huge right hand. Strader ducks it, and Jackson follows it with a knee to the chest and a huge right hand that puts Strader down hard. “Quik” chases after him with punches, but the newcomer jumps back to his feet and swings back to get Jackson to back off.
Jackson bites down on his gumshield, wings a pair of nasty punches and levels Strader once more. “Sui Generis” slumps down into the corner between the fencing and the canvas, and Jackson lords over him dropping bombs. “Quik” continues to pour it on with fast but devastating punches until Peterson has seen enough.
That was quick.

The Official Result
Montel Jackson def. Jesse Strader R1 1:58 via TKO (Punches)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 18, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Big Brady is very confident in Montel Jackson, calling him the biggest favorite on the card for good reason. He notes Jackson is a much better fighter with a significant skill advantage, while Strader is green and has fought low-level competition. Brady expects Jackson to win by first-round knockout, as Strader has been hurt by lesser opponents and Jackson can pick him apart or take him down.

Montel Jackson wins by KO in round 1
"i'm gonna go with montel jackson here to win i'm gonna say first round at knockout"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Mar 20, 2021 (fight day)
Montel Jackson

Daniel Levi picks Montel Jackson confidently, stating Strader is over his head. He worries about Jackson's focus and past stalling but expects a dominant finish, likely by knockout or submission. He emphasizes that Jackson's talent should shine against this level of competition.

Jackson by knockout or submission
"he's going to get his ass beat in this fight"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 18, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Montel Jackson has all the tools: great wrestling, sneaky submission game, improving striking and cardio. He uses his range well and has crazy grip strength. Jesse Strader throws bombs and has power, but his only path is a KO. Jackson should get the takedown and eventually lock up a submission. The line is too wide at -650, but Jackson wins handily.

Jackson by submission (+400), under 2.5 rounds (-185), Strader KO (+1265) worth a sprinkle
"I think we'll see him complete the takedowns i think we'll see him crowd straighter on the ground and just you know really get to work there and eventually lock up some sort of submission"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Lock picked Mar 14, 2021 (6 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

The MMA Guru calls Montel Jackson the lock of the card. He praises Jackson's underrated prospect status, giant hands, and patience. He expects Jackson to weather Strader's early aggression and finish him by second-round TKO. He notes Strader is a good fighter with quick finishes but doesn't see him finishing Jackson.

second round tko
"i'm gonna go with montel jackson i think this is the lock of the card and the odds dictate that massively"
Julio Arce - Fight History
WIN vs Herbert Burns
TKO (punches) R2 2:00 · UFC on ESPN: Blanchfield vs. Fiorot · Mar 30, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Julio Arce 2 29 of 79 36% 29 of 79 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:08
Herbert Burns 0 15 of 57 26% 20 of 63 0 of 6 0% 0 0 1:16
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Julio Arce 0 10 of 38 26% 10 of 38 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:06
Herbert Burns 0 11 of 37 29% 16 of 43 0 of 5 0% 0 0 0:50
2 Julio Arce 2 19 of 41 46% 19 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Herbert Burns 0 4 of 20 20% 4 of 20 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:26
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Julio Arce 29 of 79 36% 19 of 65 9 of 12 1 of 2 20 of 68 9 of 11 0 of 0
Herbert Burns 15 of 57 26% 9 of 45 5 of 10 1 of 2 13 of 55 2 of 2 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Julio Arce 10 of 38 26% 5 of 31 5 of 7 0 of 0 9 of 37 1 of 1 0 of 0
Herbert Burns 11 of 37 29% 7 of 29 3 of 6 1 of 2 10 of 36 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Julio Arce 19 of 41 46% 14 of 34 4 of 5 1 of 2 11 of 31 8 of 10 0 of 0
Herbert Burns 4 of 20 20% 2 of 16 2 of 4 0 of 0 3 of 19 1 of 1 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Mar 24, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Angelo is confident Julio Arce will win, citing his solid striking, volume, and 94% takedown defense. He criticizes Herbert Burns for quitting in his last fight and doubts Burns can get takedowns. However, he avoids betting due to Arce's long layoff and steep -550 price.

"Julio rce should win this fight if Julio wasn't coming off his own very long layoff I actually would consider him for the safety parlay but at minus 550 with a full year away I'm just going to enjoy whatever …"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Hesitant picked Mar 28, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Cody is wary of Arce's layoff, weight class move, and injuries, but still picks him because Burns is unreliable and quits when his early submission doesn't work. He thinks Arce's volume and durability will carry him, but the -400 price is unappealing.

"I can never bet Herbert Birds just can't do it but I will admit at minus 400"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Hesitant picked Mar 27, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Daniel Vreeland picks Julio Arce but calls it a dog-or-pass situation at -400. He acknowledges Arce's solid striking and takedown defense but notes Burns' elite jiu-jitsu and motivation. He thinks Burns could get an early submission if Arce makes a mistake, but Arce is the safer pick. He won't lay the price.

"the pick is Julio but this is a doger pass situation at these odds"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 26, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Arce is a talented Muay Thai striker with head kicks and combinations. Burns has a terrible gas tank and fades if he doesn't finish early. Arce should stay at distance, land pot shots, and work the body. Burns will present early danger but Arce will take over in the second and third rounds, finishing via TKO. Prediction: Arce round 3.

Arce round 3
"I'm going to go RSA RSA round three give him a little time to really get into his Groove and then from there get burns out of there"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Mar 28, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Paul agrees with Cody's assessment, noting Burns' history of quitting and Arce's potential advantages. He doesn't love the price but sees Arce as the likely winner.

"I can see why Julio Arch would be the favorite but at minus 400 is there any meat on the bone"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 27, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Julio Arce

The host picks Julio Arce to survive an early storm from Herbert Burns and then take over. He believes Burns will go for a takedown early, but Arce will work his way out. Once things don't go Burns' way, he expects Burns to break and fade. He predicts a late second-round TKO for Arce.

late second round TKO
"I'm going to go with Julio late second round TKO"
LOSS vs Montel Jackson
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 281: Adesanya vs. Pereira · Nov 12, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Montel Jackson 0 26 of 126 20% 44 of 156 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:06
Julio Arce 1 48 of 106 45% 64 of 127 0 of 3 0% 0 0 5:55
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Montel Jackson 0 4 of 22 18% 9 of 27 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:06
Julio Arce 0 5 of 17 29% 15 of 29 0 of 1 0% 0 0 2:09
2 Montel Jackson 0 15 of 58 25% 25 of 72 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Julio Arce 0 19 of 46 41% 24 of 54 0 of 2 0% 0 0 1:12
3 Montel Jackson 0 7 of 46 15% 10 of 57 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Julio Arce 1 24 of 43 55% 25 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:34
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Montel Jackson 26 of 126 20% 13 of 102 8 of 17 5 of 7 25 of 124 1 of 2 0 of 0
Julio Arce 48 of 106 45% 39 of 95 5 of 7 4 of 4 33 of 82 4 of 5 11 of 19
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Montel Jackson 4 of 22 18% 2 of 16 1 of 3 1 of 3 4 of 22 0 of 0 0 of 0
Julio Arce 5 of 17 29% 3 of 15 1 of 1 1 of 1 4 of 16 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Montel Jackson 15 of 58 25% 7 of 47 5 of 8 3 of 3 15 of 58 0 of 0 0 of 0
Julio Arce 19 of 46 41% 13 of 39 3 of 4 3 of 3 18 of 44 1 of 2 0 of 0
3 Montel Jackson 7 of 46 15% 4 of 39 2 of 6 1 of 1 6 of 44 1 of 2 0 of 0
Julio Arce 24 of 43 55% 23 of 41 1 of 2 0 of 0 11 of 22 2 of 2 11 of 19
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Julio Arce vs. Montel Jackson
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Jackson (-200), Arce (+170)

Round 1
Arce was victorious in his first appearance of 2022, while Jackson, who has won five of six UFC outings, will return to the Octagon for the first time in 14 months. Marc Goddard will be the third man in the cage. They touch gloves and we’re underway. Jackson changes levels within the first 30 seconds and shoves Arce into the fence. Jackson lands some knees to the body, but one lands on the cup, which prompts a warning from Goddard but no reset. Jackson thinks about a single-leg but Arce defends, and Jackson lands a short punch to the head instead. The crowd is already getting restless as Jackson continues to grind away against the fence. Goddard urges the combatants to stay busy. Arce can’t get his back off the fence and we’re halfway through the round when Goddard orders a restart in the center of the cage. Arce has a kick to the body partially blocked. He’s cautious, perhaps due to the threat of the Jackson takedown. Arce fires a straight to the body followed by a leg kick. Arce pressures and both men exchange jabs. Arce picks up the pace and fires off an overhand left. Jackson moves in with a right hook. Arce pressures as time winds down, and Jackson defends a takedown in the final 10 seconds. Arce muscles his opponent to the mat just before the horn, however.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Arce
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Arce
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Arce

Round 2
Arce again takes the center of the cage, and he lands a left hand as he backs Jackson up. An inside leg kick connects for Arce. An outside leg kick lands for Jackson. Arce continues to lead the dance and he moves in behind a right hook, but Jackson lands a counter in response. A right hook connects for Jackson. Another counter right lands for Jackson, who is having more success but isn’t landing in great volume. Jackson connects with a solid right. Arce throws a right hook and Jackson angles out. Jackson is sticking his right hand with some consistency now as Arce pressures. Jackson shoots for a takedown against the fence. He steps around and gets the back of his opponent. Jackson continues to grind away until the horn, mixing in a knee with some dirty boxing.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jackson
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jackson

Round 3
Arce comes out throwing combinations, but it’s Jackson who lands a right hand during an initial exchange. Moments later, Jackson puts Arce on his back with a stiff jab. Jackson assumes top position and works to land punches from inside Arce’s guard. Arce seems to have recovered, and he’s very active with his guard. Jackson is struggling to control the hips, and Arce nearly frames a triangle. Jackson works to stack Arce, but he is unable to pass at the 2:30 mark of the round. Arce sits up and then stands. Arce has some swelling under his left eye. Arce is not finding the range on his punches. Jackson finds an opening a tags Arce with a right hand. Arce pressures forward and whiffs on some looping punches. Arce moves in with punches and Jackson ties him up, shoving his foe into the fence. Jackson lands a short right on the break. Jackson with a straight left in the waning seconds, and he dodges a final Arce offering before the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jackson (29-28 Jackson)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jackson (29-28 Jackson)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Jackson (29-28 Jackson)

The Official Result
Montel Jackson def. Julia Arce via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 6, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Angelo believes Julio Arce is the better technical striker but has a suspect chin. He trusts Montel Jackson's wrestling and power, noting that Jackson's only losses are to wrestlers who out-grappled him. He thinks Jackson will win by using his takedowns and power, rather than trying to out-strike Arce. He mentions that the takedown prop lines will be interesting and that he will likely bet on Jackson's takedowns.

takedown lines on PrizePicks and BetOnline
"I trust montel's takedowns I have him winning this fight"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Big Brady picks Montel Jackson to win by decision. He highlights Jackson's size, reach, power (10 knockdowns in UFC), and wrestling (over 4 takedowns per 15 minutes at 78% accuracy). He notes Arce has good takedown defense (94%) but hasn't faced many wrestlers. He believes Jackson will mix takedowns and land the bigger shots, winning a decision. He also mentions Jackson's youth and power advantage.

Jackson by decision
"give me Montel Jackson to win give me Montel Jackson to win a decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Cody picks Arce, citing his excellent footwork, volume, and 94% takedown defense. He notes that Jackson has not fought top competition and that Arce's movement and striking should give Jackson trouble. Cody thinks if Jackson can't take Arce down, Arce will outpoint him. He is not highly confident but sees value at plus money.

"I do feel like Julio she has the goods to go out there and pull it off and a plus 175 I'm willing to take a slight flyer on that."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Connor picks Arce, noting that Jackson has not improved in four years and lacks depth in his grappling and striking. He points out that Arce is a complete fighter with sharp footwork and counters, and that Jackson's wrestling is not good enough to hold Arce down. Connor also mentions that Arce has been getting better and has faced higher-level competition.

"I think RSA can edge this one out."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Daniel Levi picks Montel Jackson, citing his immense talent, power, wrestling, and physical attributes. He notes that Jackson has knockout power and a reach advantage, but his work ethic is questionable. Levi believes if Jackson shows up focused, he can dominate. He respects Arce's point-fighting style but thinks Jackson's power and wrestling will be the difference.

"give me Montel Jackson here"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 8, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Julio Arce

The host believes Arce is the better technical striker with superior footwork and kicks, and his 94% takedown defense should keep the fight standing. He questions Jackson's competition level, noting his wins are over lower-tier opponents and he struggles against better grapplers. Arce's output and volume should frustrate Jackson, leading to a decision win. The host acknowledges Arce's durability concerns but sees value at +175.

"I think that this is a good spot to take an underdog shot on Julio or say at plus 175"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Paul also leans towards Arce, agreeing with Cody's analysis. He notes that Jackson is enormous for the weight class and that Arce will have to eat shots to get inside, but if Arce keeps the fight standing, it should be close to a pick'em. Paul is not confident but goes with Arce.

"I'll lean ever so slightly towards Julio Archie with you but another spot I'm not too confident in."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Lean picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

The MMA Guru picks Montel Jackson, citing his underrated prospect status, massive hands, and physical advantages like a 5.5-inch reach advantage. He believes Jackson can outwork Arce on the feet and predicts a close split decision 29-28. He notes Jackson's grappling defense against good grapplers like Brett Johns and Ricky Simon.

"I'm going with Montel Jackson here"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Zane picks Arce, emphasizing that Jackson's striking is one-dimensional and he lacks confidence in it. He notes that Arce's consistent style and ability to handle pressure fighters like Daniel Santos make him a good bet. Zane also points out that Jackson's wins have come against lower-level competition, while Arce has fought tougher opponents.

"I think RSA should be, uh, if anything, a slight to healthy favorite."
WIN vs Daniel Santos
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 273: Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie · Apr 09, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Julio Arce 0 127 of 265 47% 127 of 265 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:18
Daniel Santos 0 49 of 229 21% 49 of 229 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:46
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Julio Arce 0 39 of 78 50% 39 of 78 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Daniel Santos 0 17 of 70 24% 17 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:35
2 Julio Arce 0 41 of 78 52% 41 of 78 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:17
Daniel Santos 0 18 of 79 22% 18 of 79 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:11
3 Julio Arce 0 47 of 109 43% 47 of 109 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Daniel Santos 0 14 of 80 17% 14 of 80 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Julio Arce 127 of 265 47% 100 of 228 25 of 35 2 of 2 125 of 262 2 of 3 0 of 0
Daniel Santos 49 of 229 21% 27 of 197 15 of 24 7 of 8 46 of 225 3 of 4 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Julio Arce 39 of 78 50% 34 of 71 5 of 7 0 of 0 37 of 75 2 of 3 0 of 0
Daniel Santos 17 of 70 24% 10 of 61 4 of 6 3 of 3 16 of 68 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Julio Arce 41 of 78 52% 28 of 61 11 of 15 2 of 2 41 of 78 0 of 0 0 of 0
Daniel Santos 18 of 79 22% 9 of 65 6 of 10 3 of 4 17 of 78 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Julio Arce 47 of 109 43% 38 of 96 9 of 13 0 of 0 47 of 109 0 of 0 0 of 0
Daniel Santos 14 of 80 17% 8 of 71 5 of 8 1 of 1 13 of 79 1 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Julio Arce (136.5: Missed Weight) vs. Daniel Gustavo Santos

Round 1
After a much-needed week away for the UFC, the promotion is coming back guns blazing as it takes to Jacksonville, Fla., for a tentpole pay-per-view. Two title fights and a very highly anticipated welterweight showdown will top off the dozen-bout card, and we begin with a fight scheduled at bantamweight that hit a slight snag. Arce (17-5, 4-3 UFC), who missed weight by half a pound, will welcome “Willycat” Santos (8-1, 0-0 UFC) to the promotion. The Brazilian was originally slated to make his debut in 2021, but a pair of fight cancelations pushed it back to this April event. Referee James Larry Folsom will oversee the first match of the evening, and there is an apologetic glove touch offered by Arce and accepted. The first strike attempt comes from Santos, who comes up short with a high kick as Arce bats it away and flicks out a jab. Santos bears down on him with a standard Chute Boxe-style plodding approach, and Arce dips out of the way when Santos swings wide. A spinning strike gets pulled back from Santos when he finds it would not reach his intended target, and Arce stays on the outside with long single strikes. Arce interrupts Santos coming in, but the Brazilian wings a few hooks at him that partially connect. Arce’s jab continues to find its home as Santos’ strikes have more arc on them, and the New Yorker is able to slide out of the way before they reach him. When Santos punches his way into a clinch, he punishes Arce with a clean elbow. He pushes off, and then storms forward with an up-elbow in the vein of Anderson Silva. Arce wears it well and walks into a right hand, but he does not seem overly concerned as he uses his footwork to stay safe. Santos swings and misses with a spinning hook kick, and Arce’s strikes are still very fundamental and effective, with a jab and a two that comes after every so often. Another spinning kick from Santos misses the mark, and Arce tags him with a few more crisp punches. Santos is still throwing everything he has into his strikes, and Arce sees them coming and evades the brunt of most of them. Arce times his jab and a cross to follow as Santos cannot seem to figure it out, as the Brazilian still meanders forward recklessly while throwing haymakers. One jab is followed by a head kick, and Santos absorbs it without missing a beat. Santos lets go with a heavy leg kick, and Arce replies with a head kick that rings his bell. Knowing Santos is hurt but still dangerous, Arce picks and pokes away at his opponent until the round ends, rather than burning his gas tank searching for a finish with seconds to go.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Arce
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Arce
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Arce

Round 2
The fighters come out of their corners to touch gloves in the middle, and Arce resumes his accurate jabbing approach. Santos, on the other hand, is far more aggressively, jumping in the air with a knee and throwing bombs. Arce takes one on the chin that gives him pause, and he is able to dance out of the way when more come from Santos. Seeing Santos charging at him to wind up with a huge right hand, Arce changes levels at the right moment to trip Santos’ leg out beneath him. Arce does not follow him to the ground, and instead just appeared to want to give Santos something else to think about. Santos gets back to his feet and continues his constant forward motion while Arce slips and rips his strikes. Santos lands at the end of a right hand, and Arce escapes out the back door and dodges a spinning wheel kick. Arce is far more mobile of the two, circling on the outside and pawing away strikes that come at him. The Brazilian lands a kick to the body, and Arce returns fire with two to the midsection, with the second colliding with the hip as Arce withdraws his foot gingerly. Arce pushes out a jab as Santos walks him down, and he dings Santos with a head kick. Santos bites down on his gumshield and throws heavy leather, clipping Arce but not slowing him down. Instead, Arce smartly circles away and targets the body with his fists. Santos is the bus that couldn’t slow down, continuously ignoring the offense coming his way and taking practically every jab flush. Santos begins to telegraph his wide strikes, and Arce is able to manage this by planting a clean one-two on the jaw. “Willycat” pays it no mind, steps back and launches a high kick that comes up short. Santos kicks low, and that strike does land, but a head kick shortly thereafter is off-target. Arce scores a right hand, throws a push kick to the chest, and has his leg caught. Before Santos can do anything with it, the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Arce
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Arce
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Arce

Round 3
There is a final clap of hands to start off Round 3, and Arce gets on his bike early when Santos rushes at him with little defense. Santos gets popped on the chops from a couple sharp Arce punches, and he tries to let loose with a spinning kick that ends up colliding with the wall instead of his opponent. Arce blocks a body kick, and he paws out a handful of jabs as Santos looks for a superman punch. The heavier man is much sharper and practically landing at will, while Santos is all offense without landing much of note. Arce lands a jab and follows it with a left to the ribcage, and Santos grimaces and continues plodding ahead. Santos gives a half-hearted spinning high kick, and then changes things up with an Andy Hug-esque spinning kick to the thigh. Arce walks it off and peppers his foe with jabs and low kicks, doing well enough to keep Santos at bay or disturb him long enough to not get tagged by one of his power shots. Arce sticks him with a jab, slides out of the way from a swinging hook, and comes out with another jab. A double jab into a left hand stings Santos for a moment, but the Brazilian is not going to stop pressing forward. Even though he misses with a spinning back fist and a jumping switch kick, he does not lose heart, ever pushing forward and attacking. Arce can see most of these big shots coming and be out of harm’s way well in time, only to reset and put a jab in Santos’ face. A spinning back fist from Santos does not connect, but a kick to the midsection does push off of Arce’s liver. Arce replies with a head kick, not showing any concern with anything coming back at him. The jabs have begun to mark up Santos’ face, with swelling around the left eye. Throwing caution to the wind, Santos jumps forward with a rolling thunder kick, and Arce rocks him when Santos is on his knees after missing with the kick. Santos gets up, and he initiates a brawl that Arce obliges. They throw down right to the final bell, and this one is going to the scorecards but there shouldn’t be much doubt on who will get their hand raised.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Arce (30-27 Arce)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Arce (30-27 Arce)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Arce (30-27 Arce)

The Official Result
Julio Arce def. Daniel Gustavo Santos via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Mar 30, 2022 (10 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Angelo picks Julio Arce but notes he likes Daniel Santos as a live underdog. He thinks Arce's wrestling can be key to slowing Santos' striking. He also likes a prop bet on Santos winning inside the distance with a safety net (refund if decision).

Daniel Santos wins inside the distance (decision no action) - safety net bet.
"juliars is the pick but i think what i'm going to do betting wise is daniel santos wins inside the distance but decision no action"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Apr 6, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Daniel Santos

Cody leans towards Santos as an underdog, citing the unknown factor and Santos' two-and-a-half-year layoff for improvement. He notes Santos' spinning techniques and aggression, and that Arce has been knocked out before. Cody thinks Santos could be a live dog and plans to play him in DFS due to low ownership.

"i think i am going to play this santos kid"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Apr 8, 2022 (1 day before fight)
Daniel Santos

Daniel Levi acknowledges Julio Arce's experience and fundamental soundness but sees Arce as having peaked, while Santos is a young, improving fighter with aggression and wrestling defense. He is concerned about Santos's three-year layoff and first time under bright lights, but believes Santos at 27 is a better version than at 24. At plus money, he is willing to roll the dice on the upset.

"at a price like this i'm willing to roll the odds and take him here"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 5, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Daniel Santos

I love the underdog price on Santos. He is wild, aggressive, and crashes the pocket, which is where Arce struggles. Arce has trouble when opponents engage with him in the pocket. Santos can land big shots and possibly get a knockout. I'm taking Santos to win, probably by KO.

"I love this underdog price tag that we're getting on Daniel Santos at plus 160... I'm gonna take Daniel Santos I'm gonna pick him to win this fight probably by KO."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Apr 6, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Paul picks Arce but has a bad feeling about it. He notes Arce's skill set as a former golden glove boxer and BJJ black belt, but worries about his chin after being knocked out by Song. Paul thinks Santos is dangerous with spinning attacks but is hittable and lacks defense. He expects Arce to win on skill but acknowledges Santos could clip him.

"i'm going to take rj but i got a feeling that i might be paying for this one"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 4, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Julio Arce

The MMA Guru picks Julio Arce, citing his experience and veteran savvy. He expects Santos to start fast but fade, with Arce winning the second and third rounds. He predicts a 29-28 decision, noting that Arce is a high-level unranked bantamweight with good wins.

"i am going to be going with julio arse here in the opening fight of the card"
LOSS vs Song Yadong
TKO (head kick and punches) R2 1:35 · UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. Rodriguez · Nov 13, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Song Yadong 1 30 of 80 37% 30 of 80 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Julio Arce 0 13 of 78 16% 13 of 78 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Song Yadong 0 17 of 52 32% 17 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Julio Arce 0 5 of 46 10% 5 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Song Yadong 1 13 of 28 46% 13 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Julio Arce 0 8 of 32 25% 8 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Song Yadong 30 of 80 37% 15 of 60 8 of 12 7 of 8 27 of 77 0 of 0 3 of 3
Julio Arce 13 of 78 16% 7 of 69 4 of 7 2 of 2 13 of 78 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Song Yadong 17 of 52 32% 6 of 37 6 of 9 5 of 6 17 of 52 0 of 0 0 of 0
Julio Arce 5 of 46 10% 3 of 42 2 of 4 0 of 0 5 of 46 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Song Yadong 13 of 28 46% 9 of 23 2 of 3 2 of 2 10 of 25 0 of 0 3 of 3
Julio Arce 8 of 32 25% 4 of 27 2 of 3 2 of 2 8 of 32 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Julio Arce vs. Yadong Song

Round 1
Kicking off the main card is a fun bantamweight scrap between rising Chinese contender “Kung Fu Monkey” Song (17-5-1, 1 NC; 6-1-1 UFC) and Season 1 Contender Series signee Arce (17-4, 4-2 UFC). The fists and feet are sure to fly, and referee Herb Dean may have his hands full here. There is a sporting touch of gloves to check in the hostilities, and Song is the aggressor right out of the gate. The offense is minimal but Song is controlling the cage, forcing Arce to back off and drawing reactions from his feints. Suddenly, Song bursts forward with swinging punches, and Arce dances out of the way and eats a right hand. Song scores a low kick, and he evades a few jabs and walks in to one as he tries to attack. Song goes up high with a kick, and Arce slides out of the way and keeps looking for his range with his jab. Song swarms his man with punches, but Arce blocks and ducks out of the way in time to not absorb anything flush. Arce tries to counter with a head kick, and Song swats it out of the way. A striking stalemate ensues as neither man goes after anything of note, with Song occasionally throwing bombs that hit nothing but air. A quick melee ensues as they both throw caution to the wind briefly, but they back off to try to get to a calmer pace and range shortly after. Song charges forward with a right and a left, and the left hook gets Arce’s attention. Song plods forward, and they trade heavy body kicks. Arce finally gets the distance of his jab, and Song thanks him for this by booting him to the midsection with his instep. Song whiffs on a quick punch, and he chains it into a combination that does land. They both whip quick kicks at one another, with the strikes glancing off the guards. The accuracy may be low but the speed between these two bantamweights is high. Song chops down low with a kick, and the round ends with Song trying to throw leather.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Song
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Song
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Song

Round 2
The 135ers rush out of their corners to attack, and Arce slings a high kick in the early going that gets blocked. Arce turns a few punches into a heavy leg kick, and the kick makes Song stumble. Arce puts a bit of a pace of his foe, but he soon backs off when Song lands a flush kick to the midsection. Arce flicks out a few jabs and a leg kick that Song tries to defend but still absorbs cleanly. Song rings a right hand home, and Arce is soon to answer him.
A massive head kick from Song cracks Arce on the side of the head, and Arce is stunned and wobbles his way back to the cage wall while Song gives chase. Song does not let him off the hook, sensing that Arce is hurt badly, and he starts letting loose with a ferocious punch combination that smashes into Arce again and again. The fists continue to land for Song, who is unleashing a fury as he seeks a finish. Arce crumbles, and Dean tries to leap in and stop the fight but misses the mark.
This allows Song to keep on pounding on a defeated Arce, and Dean gathers himself to halt the fight once and for all. The contender out of China is now the first man to knock Arce out as a professional, and proves he is one to watch at 135 pounds.

The Official Result
Yadong Song def. Julio Arce R2 1:35 via TKO (Head Kick and Punches)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Song Yadong

Angelo picks Song Yadong, citing his power and speed advantage. He acknowledges that Arce is more technical but thinks Song's volume and power will be frustrating. Angelo considers this a close fight and is surprised by the odds.

"i have song winning here but this is a close fight i this is another one i think the odds are wide"
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Nov 9, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Song Yadong

Big Brady slightly edges Song Yadong, citing his youth (23), power, and improvement at Team Alpha Male. He expects a striking fight with no takedowns, and while Arce is talented, Brady thinks Yadong will land the harder shots and win a close decision. He admits it's a very competitive fight and not confident.

Yadong by decision
"i'll take song yodong to get the win i'll take him to one by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Cody is concerned about Arce's lower volume compared to Yadong. He thinks Yadong throws a lot of strikes and Arce needs to stay at range. He calls it a close fight and a 'dog or pass' situation, but leans slightly to Arce.

"i think it's a close fight and i'll i'll side with you dogger pass situation"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Nov 11, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Song Yadong

Daniel Levi picks Song Yadong, emphasizing his power as one of the hardest hitters in the bantamweight division. He believes Song's impactful shots will sway the judges even if he lands slightly less than Arce. Levi notes that Arce has better defense but Song's forward pressure and power will be the deciding factor in a close fight. He also mentions Song's ability to get back up if taken down.

"give me a song to edge this one out slightly"
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Jacob picks Julio Arce, liking his power and technical boxing. He thinks Arce can land big counters and possibly knock Song out. Jacob notes that Song gets hit and that Arce has the ability to steal rounds with grappling if needed.

"i like arson this just just for the power i think he's got a little bit more power than your dong"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Paul likes Arce as a smooth operator who looked career-best after elbow surgery. He thinks Arce's kickboxing and BJJ are solid, and that Yadong slows down in fights. He calls it a 'dog or pass' situation and takes the underdog.

"give me that plus 10 plus 110 underdog in julia"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Hesitant picked Nov 13, 2021 (fight day)
Song Yadong

The Guru picks Song Yadong by split decision (29-28). He expects a close fight with Yadong's power and speed giving him an edge early, but Arce coming on in the third round. Yadong will win rounds one and two, with Arce taking the third, but Yadong gets the nod on two scorecards.

split decision 29-28
"i'm calling a split decision because listen i know people call me out for like oh you always pick a split decision"
WIN vs Andre Ewell
TKO (punches) R2 3:45 · UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw · Jul 24, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Julio Arce 0 42 of 113 37% 44 of 115 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:24
Andre Ewell 0 31 of 97 31% 31 of 98 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Julio Arce 0 18 of 53 33% 20 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:24
Andre Ewell 0 13 of 50 26% 13 of 51 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Julio Arce 0 24 of 60 40% 24 of 60 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Andre Ewell 0 18 of 47 38% 18 of 47 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Julio Arce 42 of 113 37% 27 of 88 6 of 15 9 of 10 42 of 113 0 of 0 0 of 0
Andre Ewell 31 of 97 31% 10 of 63 10 of 18 11 of 16 31 of 97 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Julio Arce 18 of 53 33% 12 of 42 1 of 6 5 of 5 18 of 53 0 of 0 0 of 0
Andre Ewell 13 of 50 26% 5 of 36 4 of 6 4 of 8 13 of 50 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Julio Arce 24 of 60 40% 15 of 46 5 of 9 4 of 5 24 of 60 0 of 0 0 of 0
Andre Ewell 18 of 47 38% 5 of 27 6 of 12 7 of 8 18 of 47 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 21, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Angelo picks Julio Arce because he is a high-volume striker with good striking defense and movement, and he mixes his boxing and kicks well. He notes that Andre Ewell has cardio issues due to his size and can't grapple. He expects Arce to win by decision after a potential slow first round due to his two-year layoff. He likes the 3.5 round prop on Ewell (buying a round) because Ewell might win the first round when fresh, then fade. He also likes the more/more on monkey knife fight.

Andre Ewell 3.5 round prop (buy a round on judge's scorecard); more/more on monkey knife fight
"i think he can take the first round when he's fresh and he's long and the range is trying to get figured out"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 20, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Big Brady picks Julio Arce by decision, noting Arce's superior competition and cardio advantage. He expects the fight to be competitive early but Arce will take over in the third round as Ewell slows down. He highlights Arce's positive striking differential and Ewell's tendency to fade. He thinks the line (-190) is a bit wide but still favors Arce.

"i'm gonna say rsa does win a pretty uh close decision in this fight"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 21, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Cody picks Arce, citing his slick boxing and good grappling. He thinks the move down to 135 is good for him. He notes Arce has been off due to surgeries but expects him to land the more impactful strikes. He likes Arce's chances as long as the weight cut works out.

"give me the guy landing the more impactful strikes"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jul 23, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Andre Ewell

Daniel Levi picks Andre Ewell as a plus-180 dog, believing the line is off. He notes that Ewell is long for the weight class with a 75-inch reach, and that Arce tends to fight close. Levi expects a three-round stand-up war with both having moments, and predicts Ewell via split decision. He acknowledges Arce's better technical skills but thinks Ewell can make it close.

"i'm going to go with andre via split decision"
JA
Jacob Lines Expert Confident picked Jul 21, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Jacob picks Julio Arce because he is a Golden Gloves boxing champion coming down to bantamweight, so Andre Ewell won't have the usual size advantage. He notes that Arce has never been KO'd and has good head movement. He thinks Arce will have no issues with Ewell and has him in his DraftKings lineup.

"julio is actually coming down in weight he's he's had that layoff but he's actually coming he's usually a featherweight guy coming down to bantamweight so andre won't be as big as he normally is"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 23, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Julio Arce

The host picks Julio Arce, noting his striking and grappling advantage, as well as his cardio edge. He expects Arce to pressure Ewell, who tends to fade in later rounds. He mentions Arce's layoff and ring rust concerns but believes his overall skills will prevail. He likes Arce by decision at +125 and also mentions a potential round three finish.

Arce by decision +125; Arce round three +1375 (sprinkle)
"i do like rsa rc by decision plus 125. that's going to be the side that i'm leaning with"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 21, 2021 (3 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Paul also picks Arce, noting his superior boxing, southpaw stance, and overall skills. He warns about Ewell's reach and tendency to make fights close, but thinks Arce's wrestling and jiu-jitsu give him an edge. He is concerned about the layoff and surgeries but still picks Arce.

"i'm going to hit this one minus one on the julio rj and hope he brings it on home for me"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 18, 2021 (6 days before fight)
Andre Ewell

The Guru picks Ewell as an underdog, noting Arce's lack of leg kicks, which he suspects is due to shin issues. He believes Ewell's reach and range will be decisive, as Arce has no way to close distance or chop the legs. He predicts a unanimous decision win for Ewell, keeping the fight at range.

"i'm going with andre you're as an underdog here"
LOSS vs Hakeem Dawodu
Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 244: Masvidal vs. Diaz · Nov 02, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Hakeem Dawodu 0 32 of 124 25% 64 of 162 1 of 3 33% 0 0 0:56
Julio Arce 0 55 of 139 39% 83 of 170 0 of 0 --- 0 1 3:39
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Hakeem Dawodu 0 6 of 31 19% 12 of 39 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Julio Arce 0 13 of 39 33% 26 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:51
2 Hakeem Dawodu 0 9 of 42 21% 20 of 54 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:43
Julio Arce 0 14 of 37 37% 23 of 47 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:25
3 Hakeem Dawodu 0 17 of 51 33% 32 of 69 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:13
Julio Arce 0 28 of 63 44% 34 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:23
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Hakeem Dawodu 32 of 124 25% 21 of 101 11 of 22 0 of 1 28 of 116 4 of 8 0 of 0
Julio Arce 55 of 139 39% 15 of 79 25 of 42 15 of 18 40 of 121 11 of 14 4 of 4
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Hakeem Dawodu 6 of 31 19% 3 of 25 3 of 6 0 of 0 5 of 30 1 of 1 0 of 0
Julio Arce 13 of 39 33% 2 of 17 6 of 14 5 of 8 11 of 37 2 of 2 0 of 0
2 Hakeem Dawodu 9 of 42 21% 6 of 35 3 of 7 0 of 0 8 of 38 1 of 4 0 of 0
Julio Arce 14 of 37 37% 4 of 23 3 of 7 7 of 7 9 of 32 1 of 1 4 of 4
3 Hakeem Dawodu 17 of 51 33% 12 of 41 5 of 9 0 of 1 15 of 48 2 of 3 0 of 0
Julio Arce 28 of 63 44% 9 of 39 16 of 21 3 of 3 20 of 52 8 of 11 0 of 0
WIN vs Julian Erosa
KO (head kick) R3 1:49 · UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Lee · May 18, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Julio Arce 1 74 of 160 46% 74 of 160 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:13
Julian Erosa 0 43 of 160 26% 46 of 164 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:33
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Julio Arce 0 14 of 43 32% 14 of 43 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:07
Julian Erosa 0 12 of 49 24% 14 of 51 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:11
2 Julio Arce 0 34 of 72 47% 34 of 72 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:05
Julian Erosa 0 21 of 74 28% 22 of 76 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:22
3 Julio Arce 1 26 of 45 57% 26 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Julian Erosa 0 10 of 37 27% 10 of 37 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Julio Arce 74 of 160 46% 61 of 142 12 of 17 1 of 1 71 of 155 2 of 4 1 of 1
Julian Erosa 43 of 160 26% 23 of 129 15 of 24 5 of 7 39 of 151 4 of 9 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Julio Arce 14 of 43 32% 14 of 41 0 of 2 0 of 0 14 of 42 0 of 1 0 of 0
Julian Erosa 12 of 49 24% 4 of 35 6 of 11 2 of 3 11 of 46 1 of 3 0 of 0
2 Julio Arce 34 of 72 47% 25 of 62 8 of 9 1 of 1 32 of 69 2 of 3 0 of 0
Julian Erosa 21 of 74 28% 11 of 61 8 of 10 2 of 3 18 of 68 3 of 6 0 of 0
3 Julio Arce 26 of 45 57% 22 of 39 4 of 6 0 of 0 25 of 44 0 of 0 1 of 1
Julian Erosa 10 of 37 27% 8 of 33 1 of 3 1 of 1 10 of 37 0 of 0 0 of 0
LOSS vs Sheymon Moraes
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 30–26) R3 5:00 · UFC 230: Cormier vs. Lewis · Nov 03, 2018
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Sheymon Moraes 0 25 of 119 21% 46 of 145 1 of 5 20% 2 0 4:10
Julio Arce 2 32 of 102 31% 35 of 105 0 of 0 --- 0 0 1:36
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Sheymon Moraes 0 2 of 12 16% 22 of 37 0 of 3 0% 2 0 3:21
Julio Arce 1 7 of 17 41% 8 of 18 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:42
2 Sheymon Moraes 0 5 of 35 14% 5 of 35 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:49
Julio Arce 1 13 of 43 30% 15 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:53
3 Sheymon Moraes 0 18 of 72 25% 19 of 73 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Julio Arce 0 12 of 42 28% 12 of 42 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:01
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Sheymon Moraes 25 of 119 21% 16 of 97 9 of 21 0 of 1 23 of 114 2 of 5 0 of 0
Julio Arce 32 of 102 31% 22 of 83 9 of 18 1 of 1 16 of 69 9 of 13 7 of 20
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Sheymon Moraes 2 of 12 16% 2 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 11 1 of 1 0 of 0
Julio Arce 7 of 17 41% 6 of 16 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 2 1 of 1 5 of 14
2 Sheymon Moraes 5 of 35 14% 3 of 29 2 of 5 0 of 1 5 of 33 0 of 2 0 of 0
Julio Arce 13 of 43 30% 9 of 33 3 of 9 1 of 1 8 of 32 3 of 5 2 of 6
3 Sheymon Moraes 18 of 72 25% 11 of 56 7 of 16 0 of 0 17 of 70 1 of 2 0 of 0
Julio Arce 12 of 42 28% 7 of 34 5 of 8 0 of 0 7 of 35 5 of 7 0 of 0
Expert Picks (9)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 6, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Angelo believes Julio Arce is the better technical striker but has a suspect chin. He trusts Montel Jackson's wrestling and power, noting that Jackson's only losses are to wrestlers who out-grappled him. He thinks Jackson will win by using his takedowns and power, rather than trying to out-strike Arce. He mentions that the takedown prop lines will be interesting and that he will likely bet on Jackson's takedowns.

takedown lines on PrizePicks and BetOnline
"I trust montel's takedowns I have him winning this fight"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Big Brady picks Montel Jackson to win by decision. He highlights Jackson's size, reach, power (10 knockdowns in UFC), and wrestling (over 4 takedowns per 15 minutes at 78% accuracy). He notes Arce has good takedown defense (94%) but hasn't faced many wrestlers. He believes Jackson will mix takedowns and land the bigger shots, winning a decision. He also mentions Jackson's youth and power advantage.

Jackson by decision
"give me Montel Jackson to win give me Montel Jackson to win a decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Cody picks Arce, citing his excellent footwork, volume, and 94% takedown defense. He notes that Jackson has not fought top competition and that Arce's movement and striking should give Jackson trouble. Cody thinks if Jackson can't take Arce down, Arce will outpoint him. He is not highly confident but sees value at plus money.

"I do feel like Julio she has the goods to go out there and pull it off and a plus 175 I'm willing to take a slight flyer on that."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Connor picks Arce, noting that Jackson has not improved in four years and lacks depth in his grappling and striking. He points out that Arce is a complete fighter with sharp footwork and counters, and that Jackson's wrestling is not good enough to hold Arce down. Connor also mentions that Arce has been getting better and has faced higher-level competition.

"I think RSA can edge this one out."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

Daniel Levi picks Montel Jackson, citing his immense talent, power, wrestling, and physical attributes. He notes that Jackson has knockout power and a reach advantage, but his work ethic is questionable. Levi believes if Jackson shows up focused, he can dominate. He respects Arce's point-fighting style but thinks Jackson's power and wrestling will be the difference.

"give me Montel Jackson here"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Nov 8, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Julio Arce

The host believes Arce is the better technical striker with superior footwork and kicks, and his 94% takedown defense should keep the fight standing. He questions Jackson's competition level, noting his wins are over lower-tier opponents and he struggles against better grapplers. Arce's output and volume should frustrate Jackson, leading to a decision win. The host acknowledges Arce's durability concerns but sees value at +175.

"I think that this is a good spot to take an underdog shot on Julio or say at plus 175"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Paul also leans towards Arce, agreeing with Cody's analysis. He notes that Jackson is enormous for the weight class and that Arce will have to eat shots to get inside, but if Arce keeps the fight standing, it should be close to a pick'em. Paul is not confident but goes with Arce.

"I'll lean ever so slightly towards Julio Archie with you but another spot I'm not too confident in."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Lean picked Nov 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Montel Jackson

The MMA Guru picks Montel Jackson, citing his underrated prospect status, massive hands, and physical advantages like a 5.5-inch reach advantage. He believes Jackson can outwork Arce on the feet and predicts a close split decision 29-28. He notes Jackson's grappling defense against good grapplers like Brett Johns and Ricky Simon.

"I'm going with Montel Jackson here"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Nov 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Julio Arce

Zane picks Arce, emphasizing that Jackson's striking is one-dimensional and he lacks confidence in it. He notes that Arce's consistent style and ability to handle pressure fighters like Daniel Santos make him a good bet. Zane also points out that Jackson's wins have come against lower-level competition, while Arce has fought tougher opponents.

"I think RSA should be, uh, if anything, a slight to healthy favorite."