Damon Jackson vs Chepe Mariscal Prediction: Chepe Mariscal seeks complete dominance in this bout

In the octagon on Sunday, the catchweight division will present a bout between Damon Jackson and Chepe Mariscal. It is set as the Co-Main Event fight 9 of 10 with 145 lbs (65.8 kg) weight class. All action will take place at UFC Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, and can be watched live on ESPN+. 

Damon Jackson, upon announcement of this fight, is the underdog according to the bookies. He has won three of his last five matches since 2022. At age 36, his professional record reads 23 wins, 6 losses, and a draw. His last fight was in April 2024 against Alexander Hernandez, which ended in a split decision victory. One of the down times during his career was when he recorded two straight defeats from Dan Ige and Billy Quarantillo. Jackson will be aiming for another win via submission, as 15 of his victories have been through that.

Chepe Mariscal comes into this bout as the bookies' favorite, boasting of five straight victories in his last five. He has certainly grown in experience and confidence since moving to this fight. At the age of 31, he has a professional record of 16 wins and 6 draws. He is on a perfect record in the UFC with 2 wins, which can be attributed to his takedown defense. Chepe hit an upper path after a short-notice fight against Trevor Peek, in which he won via unanimous victory. His last fight was against Morgan Charriere, which ended in a victory via split decision.

Chepe Mariscal will get this win with a bot of ease. The age advantage going into this bout will be one to keep an eye on as well as the form. What is important in this matchup is how Chepe hopes to control the center of the ring given the reach disadvantage he has against Damon. Nevertheless, I believe Chepe Mariscal will get this win towards the late rounds. This will surely be one of the most entertaining fights on this card.