Written by Josh B.
The undercard of UFC on ESPN 11 features youngsters and memorable veterans seeking brighter lights among MMA’s pinnacle. Seven fights kickstart another Zuffa installment from Apex Facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ranked 125-pound women's division mainstay Cortney Casey (+100) looks for her second win in just over four weeks after finishing Mara Romero Borella May 16. That win represented the 33-year-old's fourth submission to compliment three paid TKOs. Casey has won two of three with recent setbacks coming via split decision. A slight underdog this weekend, Casey holds 2018 victory vs. favored Angela Hill.
Gillian "Savage" Robertson (-120) ended four of her initial five UFC appearances early while flashing premiere wrestling. However, touted prospect Maycee Barber unleashed dominant ground-and-pound to remain unbeaten and halt Robertson (7-4) last October.
After taking a discouraging loss the 26-year-old might find ill effect when resuming Octagon business. Young fighters sometimes lose confidence when holes in their game are exposed. That stated, Robertson'smat strengths play directly into Casey's takedown weaknesses. Look for a bounce back TKO or submission Saturday night from Robertson.
Given her five career submissions, and dominant wrestling, taking Robertson inside the distance at +230 from 5Dimes.eu could net decent return.
Gillian Robertson by stoppage
Entertaining lightweights Frank Camacho (+105) and Matt Frevola (-125) hook up Saturday for can't-miss undercard action. Behind educated wrestling chops Frevola (8-1-1) enters slightly favored after going 2-0-1 in his last three underdog UFC tangles. The Gracie Tampa South product recently derailed prospects Jalin Turner and Luis Pena.
Meanwhile, three-time Fight of the Night winner Camacho (22-8) looks to regain momentum following his October submission loss vs. Beneil Dariush. "The Crank" is 1-3 in his last four Octagon appearances.
Look for Camacho to use wrestling and ground control to eke a victory in this intriguing UFC on ESPN 11 undercard billing.
Frevola by decision
Standing .500 since her UFC return, fan favorite Roxanne "The Happy Warrior" Modafferi (-120) has made vast improvements in the near decade following a memorable TUF 18 stint. The 37-year-old ranks #6 among all flyweights after claiming major upsets vs. Antonina Shevchenko and Maycee Barber - Modafferi faced +525 odds against Barber.
On a similar upset-laden late career trajectory, Lauren Murphy (+100) has won three of four. At 36, Murphy grinded recent wins over favorites Andrea Lee and Mara Romero Borella. "Lucky" is 4-5 during her UFC run.
While Modafferi looked spectacular vs. blue chip Maycee Barber, that win was an outlier for the 24-16 Syndicate MMA product. Expect Murphy's (12-4) well-rounded grappling and strength edge to sway matters in her favor Saturday.
Lauren Murphy by decision
UFC on ESPN 11 undercard action begins as short notice replacement Max Rohskopf (-185) makes his Octagon debut vs. Austin Hubbard (+160).
It's rare a UFC newcomer holds favorite odds going in against a fighter already boasting Zuffa success. However powerhouse wrestler and submission ace Rohskopf has the raw tools to warrant that hype. Look for another quick tap out victory from Rohskopf as he drops Hubbard's Octagon record to 1-3.
Over at 5Dimes a Rohskopf submission sells at +180 as one of Hubbard's (11-4) four losses comes via rear-naked choke. Each of Max Rohskopf's (5-0) victories come by various submissions.
Robskopf wins by submission