Rongzhu vs. Austin Hubbard prediction, odds, pick for UFC Shanghai

We’re back with one more exciting Prelim bout at UFC Shanghai as we bring you a betting prediction and pick for this tilt within the Lightweight (155) Division on Saturday. Rongzhu of China will tackle Ultimate Fighter alumni Austin Hubbard in what must be an exciting battle early on this card. Check put the UFC odds for our Rongzhu-Hubbard prediction and pick.

Rongzhu (26-6) has gone 2-3 contained in the UFC since 2023. After winning the Road to UFC tournament, Rongzhu exacted his return to the roster along with his latest unanimous victory over Kody Steele. In front of a home-country crowd, he’ll look to construct a winning streak because the betting favorite. Rongzhu stands 5-foot-9 with a 71-inch reach.

Austin Hubbard (16-9) has gone 4-7 contained in the UFC since 2019. Since advancing to the finale of the Ultimate Fighter 31, he’s taken his contract and gone 1-2 and hoping to interrupt a two-fight streak of consecutive split-decision losses. Hubbard stands 5-foot-10 with a 71-inch reach.

Listed here are the UFC Shanghai Odds, courtesy of DraftKings. 

UFC Shanghai odds: Rongzhu-Austin Hubbard odds

Rongzhu: -258

Austin Hubbard: +210

Over 2.5 rounds: -260

Under 2.5 rounds: +195

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Why Rongzhu will win

• Last Fight: (W) Kody Steele – U DEC
• Last 5: 4-1
• Finishes: 14 KO/TKO, 7 SUB

Rongzhu looked extremely sharp during his last bout against Kody Steele, earning a “Fight of the Night” bonus for his or her intense exchanges on the feet. Rongzhu managed to land more often with 126 total significant strikes, cementing him as an exciting talent that is willing to get busy on the feet. He’s also dangerous in locking submissions on the bottom, so he’ll definitely be in search of the finish in front of this home crowd.

Rongzhu outpaces Hubbard with 5.9 significant strikes per minute to Hubbard’s 3.87 while also matching his wrestling pace with higher takedown accuracy (62%) and defense (84%). With Hubbard’s takedown rate sitting at just 31%, Rongzhu definitely has the advantage in dictating where this fight will happen, neutralizing a number of the potential groundwork from Hubbard.

All in all, Rongzhu is the rightful favorite here, and fighting in front of the house crowd will give him an added boost of confidence. If he manages to place the pressure on Hubbard early and back him against the fence, it should open opportunities to complete the fight and get the group getting in his favor.

Why Austin Hubbard will win

• Last Fight: (L) MarQuel Mederos – S DEC
• Last 5: 2-3
• Finishes: 4 KO/TKO, 3 SUB

Austin Hubbard has now gotten consecutive split-decision verdicts in heartbreaking fashion, each of which could have gone his way. Hubbard actually landed more strikes than his previous opponent, however it was ultimately the general damage that favored each Mederos and Hernandez of their wins over him. Nevertheless, we have seen the underdog mentality from Hubbard previously, and he’ll be seeking to channel that very same attitude on Saturday.

While Hubbard is not essentially the most technical or accurate striker on the market, he’s all the time in front of his opponent and throwing mixtures with significant power. His use of the jab might be crucial during this fight because it’ll be his best method to maintain Rongzhu at a secure distance and giving himself room to operate along with his kicking game.

The low leg kicks from Hubbard could the truth is be a robust asset for him on this fight and negate a few of Rongzhu’s movement. He’ll also must capitalize on any moments that Rongzhu is retreating as he won’t get many probabilities to actually press forward with intention during this fight.

Final Rongzhu-Austin Hubbard prediction & pick

This must be one other fun matchup on the Prelims, and each men have shown a fantastic willingness to bang in the middle of the octagon. Rongzhu is the more lively side with each his striking and wrestling, so it’ll be interesting to see whether Hubbard meets him head-on or if he takes a more defensive approach.

Hubbard definitely has a capability to harm Rongzhu during this fight, but he’ll have to be very clean in stringing punches together. While he’s normally good for a minimum of one shot, it’ll be those consecutive punches that hurt Rongzhu and permit him to pressure forward.

Nonetheless, Rongzhu’s defense has been stout up so far, and he should give you the option to handle anything Hubbard throws at him. Fighting on Chinese soil could give him a large boost of motivation, and he has more tools to complete the fight in plenty of ways. Still, I expect this to be a back-and-forth bout where each men land significant offense on one another.

Final Rongzhu-Austin Hubbard Prediction & Pick: Rongzhu (-258); OVER 2.5 Rounds (-260)