UFC Tampa main card picks, predictions & top odds | December 14

Veteran featherweights Cub Swanson and Billy Quarantillo fill the co-main event slot in UFC Fight Night: Covington vs Buckley at the Amalie Arena in Tampa this Saturday night. Other highlights include a flyweight showdown between Manel Kape and Bruno Silva and the all-action Adrian Yanez against the undefeated Daniel Marcos. Read on for fight previews and betting suggestions.

Colby Covington v Joaquin Buckley

Colby Covington vs Joaquin Buckley

Top-10 welterweights Colby Covington and Joaquin Buckley will throw down to headline UFC Fight Night in Florida. While betting markets are leaning heavily toward Buckley, they may be overlooking the vast championship experience of Covington. See our UFC Tampa main event preview here.

Cub Swanson v Billy Quarantillo

Cub Swanson vs Billy Quarantillo

Cub Swanson (29-14-0) has produced mixed results in recent times, with two wins and three losses since 2021. The 41-year-old can never be discounted due to his durability and endurance, and he enters this co-main event as only a slight underdog with leading UFC bookmakers. Another gritty performance will prove a fitting capstone to Swanson’s lengthy and storied career.

Billy Quarantillo (18-6-0) brings a similar recent record into this bout, with three wins and three losses since 2021. The 36-year-old still boasts solid punching power, and the bulk of his professional wins have come via knockout. Quarantillo can struggle for motivation during his training camps and might be a betting risk in what looks like a tricky contest to pick.

Manel Kape v Bruno Silva

Manel Kape vs Bruno Silva

Manel Kape (19-7-0) has faced some of the best flyweights in the world throughout his career, including current UFC champ Alexandre Pantoja and his most recent challenger, Kai Asakura. The 31-year-old is coming off a close decision loss to Muhammad Mokaev, breaking a winning streak of four straight. A skilled striker with 11 knockouts on his record, Kape is heavily favoured to resume his upward trajectory with a bold showing in Florida.

Bruno Silva (14-5-2) has quietly compiled a solid win streak since 2021 with victories over Cody Durden, Tyson Nam, Victor Rodriguez, and JP Buys. This upswing can be attributed to a more aggressive strategy that takes the judges out of the equation. The 34-year-old brings a well-rounded skillset, and this promises to be a Fight of the Night contender that may be closer than the UFC betting odds suggest.

Vitor Petrino v Dustin Jacoby

Vitor Petrino vs Dustin Jacoby

Vitor Petrino (11-1-0) suffered his first professional defeat in May when Anthony Smith choked him out within two minutes. The 27-year-old suffered minimal damage and should be motivated to immediately hit back in Florida. The Brazilian is an athletic light heavyweight with excellent footwork and agility, and that should serve him well against a well-drilled kickboxer.

Dustin Jacoby (19-9-1) has lost four of his last five UFC bouts, struggling to impress the judges with his output. The 36-year-old holds a 6-5 record when his fights last the distance, and he should be incentivised to start this one with a strong opening five minutes. Jacoby is a much more dangerous combatant when able to dictate the range and terms of engagement, but he might be in for a tough night.

Adrian Yanez v Daniel Marcos

Adrian Yanez vs Daniel Marcos

Adrian Yanez (17-5-0) is a willing brawler who has only faced the judges once across his last nine fights. The 31-year-old has 11 knockout wins on his professional record but is prone to being caught with shots coming in the opposite direction. He was stopped by Jonathan Martinez’s leg kicks and Rob Font’s punches in 2023, but he only knows how to fight one way: with relentless aggression from the opening bell.

Daniel Marcos (16-0-0) made his UFC debut in 2023 and has quickly rattled off three straight wins. The 31-year-old displays top-10 potential but will need to pick his shots carefully against a proven finisher. Marcos looks to have the cardio advantage, and if he can avoid early damage and find his defensive range quickly, he should be able to last the distance and finish the stronger.

Navajo Stirling v Tuco Tokkos

Navajo Stirling vs Tuco Tokkos

Navajo Stirling (1-0-0) created a strong impression on Dana White’s Contender Series, landing a one-punch knockout to score a UFC contract. The Kiwi trains with the legendary City Kickboxing camp and looks like a ready-made addition to the light heavyweight division. The 27-year-old is not especially mobile but prefers to plant his feet and unleash heavy strikes in search of an early finish.

Tuco Tokkos (10-4-0) made his UFC debut in May, losing to Oumar Sy via first-round submission. The Brit will be hoping to bounce back but has drawn a dangerous assignment in Tampa. Tokkos has been knocked out twice during his early career and will need to maintain a long range to avoid the heavy hook shots that are bound to be thrown in his direction.

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