Marco Novak vs Eemil Kurhela Prediction: Marco Novak to create an upset

We have been graced with the last MMA fight for the year 2024. The Featherweight division presents an exciting matchup between Marco Novak and Eemil Kurhela. The bout will take place at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic, and promises to deliver plenty of action. All fans can catch up with the action live on OKTAGON TV. The bout billing for this bout is the Preliminary Card (fight 2 of 9) and weight class of 145 lbs (65.8 kg). 

Marco Novak - seeking fourth win

Fighting out of Bratislava, Slovakia, Marco Novak has been a strong force within the division. He is currently on a three-fight winning streak. His last fight was on July 20, 2024, in OKMMA against Radek Roušal. The bout was a main card in the OKTAGON 59: Summer Party, which ended in his favor via unanimous decision. Prior to this, he was on the main card in the Hanuman Cup 47 and won against Matěj Val via unanimous decision. Novak is currently ranked as the 1,006th-ranked MMA fighter in the Europe region. He is also affiliated with Hanuman Gym Bratislava. Joining OKTAGON MMA promotion in 2023, he has fought three times, winning twice. Some of his tough losses were to Deniz Ilbay (via ground and pound TKO), Michal Krčmář (via unanimous decision), Nikita Kurbatov (decision), and Tadeáš Růžička (via KO/TKO). 

Eemil Kurhela - more experienced

Eemil Kurhela is known, nicknamed the Sergeant, and boasts of a seven-win and two-draw record. Having his last fight on May 04, 2024, in OKMMA, which ended in a loss to Max Holzer, he is seeking to overturn the event and get to winning ways. Prior to this loss, he fought at CAGE 60 against Jose David Flores and won through a rear naked submission. He was able to get Peyman Haciev by disqualification. 2022 can be regarded as a solid year for him as he won all his bouts. He faced Migen Pepa via punches TKO, Misha Goriashvili via rear naked choke submission, Beka Eradze via technical knockout, and Markus Maki-Ventela via guillotine choke. His second loss in his career was to Dominik Gierowski through a rear-naked choke technical submission. 

Expert Betting Tips

Novák has a 5-1 professional record and is on a three-fight winning streak, including a recent unanimous decision victory over Radek Rousal in July 2024. Although Novák has built momentum, Kurhela's experience and the betting odds give him a slight advantage in this matchup. Novák excels in three-round fights and is expected to use his experience effectively. With a strong boxing base combined with kickboxing and Muay Thai skills, fans can look forward to a mix of styles in this bout. A safe bet would be the fight lasting over 1.5 rounds, while a value bet could be Novák winning in the third round.