Jake Hadley and Cameron Smotherman meet Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 245 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Jake Hadley vs. Cameron Smotherman UFC Fight Night 245 preview
Hadley (11-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) gets a late opponent change in a key spot as he looks to stay above .500 in the UFC. In his last outing, Hadley won a unanimous decision over Caolan Loughran, although a weight miss tainted it. This will be Hadley’s third fight of 2024. … Smotherman (11-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his UFC debut on very short notice. After being stopped on Dana White’s Contender Series last August, Smotherman has picked up three straight wins under Fury’s banner.
Jake Hadley vs. Cameron Smotherman UFC Fight Night 245 expert pick, prediction
Serving as an impromptu bout at bantamweight is a fight between Hadley and Smotherman.
Hadley was initially slated to face Brady Hiestand, who was forced to withdraw from the contest.
Smotherman, who was last seen in the Apex in a DWCS loss to Charalampos Grigoriou, is getting the short-notice call based on the strength of his current three-fight winning streak.
Smotherman can produce some fun moments if given the chance, but it’s hard to like said chances on this short of notice opposite a southpaw like Hadley.
Not only is Hadley a submission stud on the floor, but the Englishman can work at a high pace and loves to work the body (which I see being particularly effective in this contest).
The pick is Hadley to produce a stoppage by strikes in Round 2.
Jake Hadley vs. Cameron Smotherman UFC Fight Night 245 odds
The oddsmakers and the public favor the English fighter, listing Hadley -550 and Smotherman +390 via FanDuel.
Jake Hadley vs. Cameron Smotherman UFC Fight Night 245 start time, how to watch
Hadley and Smotherman are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 7:35 p.m. ET (4:35 p.m. PT). The fight will stream on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 245.
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