We're back again with another betting prediction and pick for UFC 301 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The next bout takes place in the Lightweight (155) Division as Brazil's own Mauricio Ruffy will make his debut against Australia's Jamie Mullarkey in a scrappy fight on the Early Prelims. Check out our UFC odds series for our Ruffy-Mullarkey prediction and pick.

Mauricio Ruffy (9-1) makes his UFC debut following a TKO-win via ground-and-pound in his Contender Series audition. All nine of his wins and one loss have come by way of knockout, yet to see the distance in his MMA career. He'll come in as the favorite against an established UFC vet. Ruffy stands 5'11” with a 75-inch reach.

Jamie Mullarkey (17-7) comes in with a 5-5 UFC record since debuting in 2019. He's alternated wins and losses over the last six fights, going 3-3 with a few impressive wins coupled by disappointing losses. With a loss in his last bout, he's set to bounce back here and welcome a newcomer to his home division. Mullarkey stands 6'0″ with a 74-inch reach.

Here are the UFC 301 Odds, courtesy of BetOnline. 

UFC 301 Odds: Mauricio Ruffy-Jamie Mullarkey Odds

Mauricio Ruffy: -190

Jamie Mullarkey: +165

Over 1.5 rounds: -155

Under 1.5 rounds: +125

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Why Mauricio Ruffy Will Win

Mauricio Ruffy fights behind a wide karate stance and generally keeps his hands low when bouncing in and out of range. When doing so, he's extremely quick with his hands and puts everything behind his low leg kicks. While he typically makes small defensive errors, he's been able to make up for it with his startling power and being the more aggressive fighter in the cage. He immediately takes the center of the octagon and looks to back his opponent along the fence. If he senses the finish coming at any point, he's quick to jump in and throw his combinations with bad intentions.

Ruffy can win his debut if he's able to stay calm and measured without giving any open looks to his opponent. Jamie Mullarkey is very sound fundamentally and if Ruffy leaves himself open or exposed, his opponent is bound to capitalize on the mistakes and put him in a bad spot. Defense will be important and keeping his hands high might be necessary when working against Mullarkey's boxing. Still, if Mauricio Ruffy can be first in the exchanges and fire harder, we should see him landing the more damaging shots.

Why Jamie Mullarkey Will Win

Jamie Mullarkey is coming into this fight following a tough knockout loss to Nasrat Haqparast in his last bout. Prior to that, he toughed a decision out against John Makdessi in a fight where he was trailing through the start. Mullarkey has been known to get off to a slow starts, but once he settles into his boxing range and eats some punches, he slowly eases into a very effective rhythm that's tough for opponents to break. As the underdog, Mullarkey will need to gain the respect of his opponent immediately and let him know his tactics won't work at the UFC level.

With Ruffy's limited experience fighting on the ground, Jamie Mullarkey could make this fight difficult for him by working takedowns along the fence and doing everything to negate his striking game. Mullarkey is also very good in the clinch and tying his opponents' wrists up along the fence, so expect him to work the body and head with short shots and elbows. Jamie Mullarkey is at his best when the fight looks the ugliest, so expect him to try and turn this into a gritty scrap.

Final Mauricio Ruffy-Jamie Mullarkey Prediction & Pick

Maurcio Ruffy is making his debut in front of his home country in Brazil and the fans can't wait to see his explosive brand of striking. While his competition hasn't been up to the UFC's level, he's been able to secure all nine of his victories by KO/TKO and he'll be looking for another brawl in this one.

Jamie Mullarkey is a very experienced UFC fighter and he's been in this position before. If he can stay fundamental and negate the action of Ruffy while tying him along the fence, we could see Mullarkey grind-out an ugly decision win here. With the total juiced towards the over, don't be surprised if the tide turns in Mullarkey's favor by the third round.

For our prediction, let's take a chance with the underdog here as we see Jamie Mullarkey pick up a tough win. Mauricio Ruffy has all the tools to make this an exciting knockout and he'll be throwing the kitchen sink in his UFC debut. However, Jamie Mullarkey does a great job of pestering opponents into the clinch and negating their own game plans. While it won't look pretty, let's roll with Mullarkey to get a tough decision win here.

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Final Mauricio Ruffy-Jamie Mullarkey Prediction & Pick: Jamie Mullarkey (+165); OVER 1.5 Rounds (-155)