UFC Vegas 35: Jamall Emmers vs Pat Sabatini Fight Preview and Breakdown

Jamall Emmers vs Pat Sabatini: Meet the fighters

Jamall Emmers (18-5, 1-1 in UFC) has looked brilliant in his first two outings in the Octagon, including in his split decision loss against Giga Chikadze, who is headlining this weekend’s card against Edson Barboza. The 32-year-old has shown his ability to blend striking and grappling together with effectiveness and efficiency throughout his career. In 18 wins, 10 were finishes (7 by knockout, 3 by submission) and 8 were by decision. This tells us ‘Pretty Boy’ has the ability to end a fight at any moment but can also stay focused and grind out a win against durable opponents.

Emmers has displayed his talents against UFC caliber opponents throughout his career, competing against UFC Lightweight’s Thiago Moises and Alexander Hernandez as well as Bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen, holding victories over the last two before entering the UFC. He has also shown championship ability, holding the 145lbs belt in two different promotions (SMASH Global and Hero FC). With it being over a year since his last fight, you can expect to see a new and improved version of Jamall “Pretty Boy” Emmers.

Pat Sabatini (14-3, 1-0 in UFC) is looking to remain undefeated when he steps into the cage. In an outstanding performance in his victory against Tristan Connelly, who had fought Michel Pereira at Welterweight in his previous outing, we had the opportunity to see all the skills that make Sabatini such an exciting prospect in the division; from his unorthodox striking to his elite-level grappling.

Sabatini has entered the UFC at the age of 30, which the great minds of the game say is where skill, athletic ability and mindset all come together at a level where top fighters truly reach their prime. In addition, Sabatini entered the organization as the CFFC featherweight champion, which is shown on UFC Fight Pass, so hardcore fans will be familiar with his work. Currently, on a 3-fight win streak, there’s no doubt that he’ll be looking to keep this run going and push for the top 15.

The Path To Victory

Jamall Emmers’ path to victory will be by keeping the fight standing. As stated previously, Jamall Emmers can win by knockout, submission, or decision. Going back and watching his previous fights, Emmers has shown a dynamic fight style. He has also demonstrated solid conditioning, being able to keep a fast pace without showing signs of fatigue. This attribute will be key when coming up against a relentless grappler like Pat Sabatini.

Emmers also trains with Bellator featherweight Darrion Caldwell. Caldwell is a highly rated wrestler, with Division 1 honours at the collegiate level. Having someone of that level in his camp will definitely allow Emmers to prepare for the high-level wrestling Sabatini possesses. If he is successful at nullifying the threat of takedowns, he will have a much better chance of getting his hand raised.

Pat Sabatini’s path to victory will be by controlling where the fight goes. He has shown solid striking in his career and is more than capable of holding his own in that department. However, it’s no secret that grappling is his bread and butter. With 71% of his wins coming by submission, we can expect to see a grappling-heavy approach throughout the 15 minutes. What intrigues me is how Sabatini’s fluidity in transitioning from one position to another, especially during scrambles. We’ll have to wait and see how it will fare against Emmers’ defensive grappling. Whoever wins the scrambling battles will surely lead the fight.

Final Prediction: Pat Sabatini win by Sub, 2nd round

Pat Sabatini’s ability to secure positions during scrambling exchanges will be the difference. This is not a knock on Jamall Emmers’ grappling but Sabatini is more of a grappling specialist. It won’t be a walk in the park by any means; this fight has the potential to steal the show this weekend.

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