Ricky Simon vs Jack Shore: UFC Fight Night Odds, Prediction

Undefeated in his first 16 fights as a pro, Shore leads the way as a -185 favourite on the UFC Long island odds, while Simon vies for a fifth straight win as a +140 underdog.

Ricky Simon Odds

Ricky Simon returns to the octagon for the first time since tallying a decisive second-round TKO win over Raphael Assuncao in his last outing seven months ago at UFC Fight Night 199. The former LFA bantamweight champion put his expanded skill set on display in that contest, outstriking Assuncao by a 27-10 margin, while executing a pair of takedowns and piling up over four minutes of control time while recording his second finish in three outings.

Overall, the 29-year-old now ranks second all-time among UFC bantamweights with 35 total takedowns, with 22 of those coming during his current four-fight win streak. Not surprisingly, Simon has also compiled almost 29 minutes of total control time over that stretch. Despite that dominance on the mat, Simon has seen just three of his 19 career wins come by submission. In fact, Simon is more likely than not to go the distance, with 10 of his career wins coming by decision.

However, Simon has proven vulnerable when facing big hitters. Despite his efforts to keep the action on the mat, Rob Font’s striking prowess proved to be the difference in his most recent defeat, a unanimous decision loss at UFC on ESPN 7. He also lasted just 46 seconds before getting knocked out by veteran Uriah Faber at UFC Fight Night 155.

Jack Shore Odds

Currently listed at No. 14 in the UFC bantamweight rankings, Jack Shore could be poised for a great leap forward with a victory on Saturday afternoon. “Tank” has quickly established himself as a legitimate contender in five UFC appearances, capped by a three-round unanimous decision win over Timur Valiev four months ago at UFC London.

While each of his past two fights have gone a full three rounds, Shore has previously demonstrated his ability to vanquish opponents standing up or on the mat. The former CWFC bantamweight champion submitted opponents in his first two octagon appearances, and has already racked up 18 total takedowns and 26:23 of control time in just five UFC contests. Not surprisingly, Shore has now seen eight of his 16 wins come by tap out.

However, Tank is also an underrated striker, who makes up for power with deadly accuracy, and sports a two-inch reach advantage over Simon. In addition to sporting a strike differential of 1.91 through his first UFC clashes, he also ranks behind only Shaun O’Malley among UFC bantamweights with 59.9% significant strike accuracy.

UFC Fight Night Prediction: Ricky Simon vs Jack Shore

Ricky Simon represents the toughest opponent that Jack Shore has faced in the octagon, and this fight serves as a true test of his worthiness to be included among contenders for the 135-pound strap. While much of the action in this contest is likely to be on the mat, it will be Shore’s edge in striking that will make the difference as he extends his unblemished record to 17-0.

Prediction: Jack Shore by Points or Technical Decision (-135)