The Stats Zone
November 22 2024, 14:58 · Rob Esteva
Updated: November 22 2024, 22:30

Yan Xiaonan vs Tabatha Ricci at UFC Fight Night 248 | Preview & Prediction

Yan Xiaonan vs Tabatha Ricci at UFC Fight Night 248 | Preview & Prediction

Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!

The co-main event at UFC Fight Night 248 has top ten implications in the UFC’s women’s strawweight division as Yan Xiaonan faces Tabatha Ricci

Yan Xiaonan vs Tabatha Ricci Facts

When is UFC Fight Night 248? UK – the preliminary card starts at 8:00am on Saturday November 23rd 2024, followed by the main card at 11:00am / USA – 3:00am/6:00am ET and 12:00am/3:00am PT

Where is UFC Fight Night 248? Galaxy Arena, Macau, China

Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 248? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 248

What TV channel is UFC Fight Night 248 on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+

Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 248? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass

For viewers in the United States, UFC Fight Night 248 will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!

What time are Yan Xiaonan and Tabatha Ricci expected to walk out? 1:15pm UK / 8:15am US ET / 5:15am US PT

UFC Fight Night 248 Main Card

Petr Yan vs Deiveson Figueiredo (Bantamweight)

Yan Xiaonan vs Tabatha Ricci (Women’s Strawweight)

Song Kenan vs Muslim Salikhov (Welterweight)

Wang Cong vs Gabriella Fernandes (Women’s Flyweight)

Volkan Oezdemir vs Carlos Ulberg (Light Heavyweight)

Zhang Mingyang vs Ozzy Diaz (Light Heavyweight)

UFC Fight Night 248 Prelims

Baergeng Jieleyisi vs You Su-young (Bantamweight)

Kiru Singh Sahota vs Choi Dong-hun (Flyweight)

Shi Ming vs Feng Xiaocan (Women’s Strawweight)

Nyamjargal Tumendemberel vs Carlos Hernandez (Flyweight)

Lone'er Kavanagh vs Jose Ochoa (Flyweight)

Xiao Long vs Quang Le (Bantamweight)

Maheshate Hayisaer vs Nikolas Motta (Lightweight)

Yan Xiaonan: Chinese star looking to bounce back from title shot loss

Yan Xiaonan (18-4 with one no contest) is coming off a unanimous decision loss at the hands of the UFC's women's strawweight champion Zhang Weili. The 35-year-old was incredible game over the five rounds but she could not prize the belt away from Zhang who was a class above. It is back to the drawing board for Yan Xiaonan but she knows a win here is essential to keep her in and around the top five in the rankings.

Tabatha Ricci: Baby Shark looking for big win to catapult her up the rankings

Tabatha Ricci (11-2) has been on something of a tear in the women's strawweight division having won six of their last seven fights. A solid from a split decision loss to Loopy Godinez, Ricci has beaten some quality opponents including Angela Hill in her last fight in August. This will be her third fight in just over six months and she is the fighter coming into this one with real momentum. 

Yan Xiaonan vs Tabatha Ricci Prediction

Yan Xiaonan and Tabatha Ricci will battle it out in the UFC's women’s strawweight division in what will be a really interesting test. Xiaonan needs to bounce back quickly from her loss in the title fight last time out while Ricci wants to prove that she belongs in the upper echelons of the division.

For Ricci, this is another step up in quality that will really test her credentials but she has some excellent momentum in 2024.

Whether she can defeat the Chinese star is another question. Yan Xiaonan found champion Zhang Weili too good for her, but she is still a quality operator. We have a feeling she may just have too much for Ricci, but we are not that confident in this one.

Our pick here is in the fight going the distance. Neither possesses much knockout power but they are durable and we fully expect this to go to decision regardless of who wins.

Prediction: Fight to go the distance