UFC 285 Odds: Penne-Ricci prediction, pick, how to watch
Our odds and picks series will continue for the UFC 285 Early Prelims as this matchup highlights two women fighting in the Strawweight (115 lb) Division. UFC veteran Jessica Penne will once again make the walk to the octagon to face off with rising prospect Tabatha Ricci. This should be a great spot on the early prelims!
Jessica Penne is 14-6 in her MMA career and will be making her eighth walk to the octagon since debuting for the UFC in 2014. A trailblazer of the sport, Penne was crowned as the first ever women’s Invicta FC Champ and compete in the first women’s Bellator MMA fight. She’s faced tough competition in the UFC and has gone 3-4, but not without leaving a lasting impression each time out. The 40-year old celebrated her birthday last month and will be eager to turn back the clock and get a win against the much younger Ricci. Jessica Penne stands 5’5″ with a 67-inch reach.
Tabatha Ricci is 7-1 in her short MMA career and has gone 2-1 in her fights with the UFC. She made her debut in 2021 after tearing through the women’s strawweight division in LFA. Since joining the UFC, Ricci has shown her ability to mixed up her skills and tailor her jiu-jitsu to the octagon. A win over Penne here would propel Ricci even further given the tough test her opponent poses. Ricci stands 5’1″ with a 62-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC 285 Odds: Jessica Penne-Tabatha Ricci Odds
Jessica Penne: +245
Tabatha Ricci: -320
Over (2.5) rounds: -370
Under (2.5) rounds: +260
How to Watch Jessica Penne vs. Tabatha Ricci
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+, UFC Fight Pass
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET/ 2:30 p.m. PT (Early Prelims)
*Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why Jessica Penne Will Win
Jessica Penne is a balanced fighter that tests each one her opponents with sheer will and determination. She’s a long-time veteran of the fight game and has been fighting for almost a decade now. She took nearly a six year layoff from the UFC and returned at strawweight in early-2021. She won her first two returning fights, one by armbar submission, but dropped her last fight against Emily Ducote. In that one, Penne was able to land a few big shots throughout, but struggled with the distance control and couldn’t land a single takedown (0-8). Her age showed a tad as she couldn’t land clean on Ducote and was out-struck severely.
Penne shines in her wrestling and will look to lean on it in this fight. She’s the longer fighter and will have a lot of range to work with in the strikes. With Angela Hill as her main training partner, Penne will have worked on her Muay Thai and should use it to keep Ricci from closing the distance. With eight submissions in her career, Penne will feel comfortable on the ground, but shouldn’t get too comfortable as Ricci is a BJJ black belt herself.
Why Tabatha Ricci Will Win
Tabatha Ricci came into the UFC as a skilled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and has translated her skills well to the octagon. Her striking continues to evolve as she’s a very athletic fighter. She likes to mix in her kicks and blitz opponents with her karate-style striking. She’ll certainly have youth on her side and will pose to be the quicker fighter on her fight due to their differing stand-up styles. Ricci does well in maintaining top control and will look to use her ground-and-pound against Penne.
The question for Ricci in this fight will be whether she can close the distance or not against Penne. She’s struggled in the past when looking for takedowns against taller, longer opponents. Penne has great takedown defense and will have an advantage sprawling, so it’ll be interesting to see how hard Ricci is willing to work for the takedown. Penne is a dangerous submission artist herself, so Ricci will have to be smart when chasing anything and watch for the sweeps of Penne.
Final Jessica Penne-Tabatha Ricci Prediction & Pick
Jessica Penne will have to have a high output to win this fight. If she makes just a few mistakes, it could be the opening Ricci needs to gain position and lock up a submission. Penne will have to be diligent in her takedown defense and not let Ricci get takedowns. This may be a drawn-out fight – let’s go with Ricci in a decision.
Final Jessica Penne-Tabatha Ricci Prediction & Pick: Tabatha Ricci (-320); by Decision (-125)
