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Results: Loik Radzhabov def. Esteban Ribovics via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Radzhabov was a -245 favorite, while the odds for him to win by decision checked in at +180.
Made good on the debut!
— UFC (@ufc) March 4, 2023
Tajikistan's @LoikRadzhabov gets the unanimous decision to kick off #UFC285 pic.twitter.com/8Ta86jQTsL
UFC 285’s early preliminary card begins with a pair of lightweights, Loik Radzhabov and Esteban Ribovics facing off at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. This portion of the card is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed on UFC Fight Pass. Later on in the day, a main event showdown between heavyweights Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane caps the card.
Radzhabov (16-4-1) is making his UFC debut in this one and has experience fighting in multiple environments. His most notable win’s an early first-round knockout over Akhmed Aliev just 27 seconds into the bout. At 32, the native of Tajikistan is looking for a win in his first appearance in the UFC after Kamuela Kirk was a late scratch for this fight.
Ribovics (11-0) enters this matchup with an unblemished record, including a five-fight TKO streak. The Argentina-born fighter earned his UFC call-up after an impressive knockout win on Dana White’s Contender Series over Thomas Paull. Similar to Radzhabov, he has an arsenal of strikes and punches that can leave his opponent on the ground.
How to watch Loik Radzhabov vs. Esteban Ribovics
Date: Saturday, March 4
Fight time: Early preliminary card starts at 6:15 p.m. ET
Live stream: ESPN and ESPN+ via WatchESPN or the ESPN app
DraftKings Sportsbook Odds/Predictions
Radzhabov: -260
Ribovics: +220
Splits: 66% of handle, 64% of bets on Radzhabov
This is a great fight to kick off UFC 285, with two contenders looking to make an early statement. On both sides, each posses strong striking skills, and it’ll come down to the experience aspect. It’s rare to see an undefeated fighter like Ribovics as an underdog, but it speaks to the promise Radzhabov has. Take Radzhabov on the moneyline and if he’s able to get Ribovics to let his guard down, a win for him by knockout has odds of +215.