We have your Edson Barboza and Paul Felder predictions and odds for UFC 242. The two are set to meet again after having one of the most explosive fights of the year in their first outing. Much has changed since Barboza took the close decision however. A big factor in the match-up is the change of venue. Neither man will have home court advantage as the UFC returns to Abu Dhabi to attempt to fill a record breaking arena.

If you’re looking to bet some real money on the bout, you’re going to need have nerves of steel while awaiting the outcome. The two do have highlight knockouts throughout their careers, however the first bout proved that neither man is dominant over the other, and you can expect a likely three round war. Lets get to our Barboza vs. Felder Predictions.

Paul Felder’s Prediction for Victory

If “The Irish Dragon” is to get his redemption against Barboza, he will need to force the pace and keep Barboza outside of kicking distance. Felder has admitted that it is no secret that it was the lightning fast kicks that was the difference on the score cards. Felder has since improved dramatically since the loss, taking out top 10 contender James Vick. Of course, prior to that Felder suffered an arm break, attempting a spinning fist in a loss to Mike Perry. Much like Perry, Felder has found a new way of managing his aggressive style more intelligently with his new coach in Milwaukee, Duke Roufus. Training daily with former champ Anthony Pettis is an ideal situation for preparing for Barboza. If Felder can stick to a Roufus gameplan and smother Barboza, the UFC commentator can continue his win streak.

Edson Barboza’s Prediction for Victory

Barboza will likely be coming into the bout with confidence. He may have lost via KO to Justin Gaethje back in March, but he did beat Felder back in 2015 and has since beaten higher ranked opponents such as Anthony Pettis and Kevin Lee. Barboza also has the upper hand in experience with 27 fights and a longer running UFC career overall. The key to victory for Barboza will be to keep the distance and unleash his insanely fast kicks. Not easy with an aggressive opponent like Felder, however Barboza has found the path to victory before. As prior, if he can land to the body and slow the onslaught, he will create windows of opportunities for the finish.

Outcome Prediction

Edson Barboza is the safer bet in this contest. He has the experience, the previous victory and a higher probability for the finish. I would not say that Barboza is a lock to win since Felder’s Fight IQ is a big question-mark in this bout. On paper, Barboza edges another decision, leveraging his body kicks. I would like to see him leverage leg kicks to slow Felder on his entries and make a more dominant fight, but I expect Barboza to trade on occasion in the pocket. Make sure you checkout our events if you want to lay a bet on Barboza vs. Felder.