UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs Vallejos Odds & Fight Preview

A featherweight bout between ranked veteran Josh Emmett and rising contender Kevin Vallejos serves as the main event at UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos. Fighting professionally since 2011 and with the UFC since 2016, the No. 11 contender has fallen on hard times losing his last two fights and 4 of 5.

This will be just the fourth UFC fight for Vallejos after he won the contender series in late 2024. Three impressive wins vaulted him to No. 14 in the featherweight rankings and facing a struggling opponent 17 years his senior has Vallejos as a big favorite on the UFC betting odds.

UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos Preview

A total of 14 fights are on the UFC Fight Night ticket with the headline bout between ranked featherweights Josh Emmett and Kevin Vallejos. The action takes place on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. The entire fight card will be streamed on Paramount+.

UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos Predictions

• Recent form and his advanced age might suggest Emmett is on the downslope of his career. At 41 he dropped his last 2 fights and has just one victory in his most recent five bouts. However, you have to look past the results and realize Emmett took on some of the best fighters.

• Emmett fought for the interim featherweight title against Yair Rodriquez at UFC 284 and went the distance with current lightweight strap holder Ilia Topuria in 2023. His last 2 fights were losses to No. 3 contender Lerone Murphy and No. 7 contender Youssef Zalal.

• There is a lot to be said about age and experience. And if Emmett has learned anything it’s how to fight and adjust to younger opponents. His power and aggression made him the fighter he is today and that won’t change.

• Emmett has been going against elite fighters for the last several years and despite the record and his current age the opening UFC betting odds show a lack of respect for what he’s accomplished. It’s worth dropping a few bills on him at his inflated odds.

• Though his tenure in the UFC is short, Vallejos has 18 professional fights on his resume. He went undefeated in his first 11 fights claiming bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight titles in the Samurai Fight House promotion.

• His first and so far only pro loss was by unanimous decision to Jean Silva in his first contender series competition in 2023. Vallejos returned a year later earning a UFC deal with a TKO of Cam Teague.

UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos Betting Tips

• Vallejos takes a major step up in competition against a grizzled veteran and is listed as a heavy -583 favorite on the early UFC betting odds. He destroyed Giga Chikadze with a spinning backfist in his last fight, but I think he’s overvalued in this bout.

• The other 5 fights on the main card are all very similar. Andre Fili at +258 is the biggest favorite of the bunch in his featherweight scrap with Jose Delgado (-335).

• Two fighters put their undefeated record on the line. Finishing all 7 of his fights, Marwan Rahiki is a -255 favorite in his featherweight bout with Harry Hardwick (+201). Bia Mesquita (6-0) is the biggest favorite on the Fight Night board at -600 in her prelim card women’s bantamweight fight with Montse Rendon (+419).

UFC Fight Night: Emmett vs. Vallejos Head to Head and Key Stats

(11) Josh Emmett vs. (14) Kevin Vallejos – Featherweight Fight

• This is a measuring stick for both fighters. Emmett looks to regain the form that had him scrapping for a title not long ago. Vallejos looks to continue climbing the ranks after impressive wins, but he will face a more difficult opponent.

• He’s been fighting professionally since 2011, but Emmett has only 25 fights under his belt. He hasn’t been abused like other fighters who have been competing that long. But at 41 the skills start to deteriorate. Four of his 6 career losses have come in his last 5 fights.

• Vallejos has a career record of 17-1 with 11 wins by knockout. He’s a powerful puncher who can go toe-to-toe with the best of them. He will be challenged by Emmett, who also packs a punch. I do believe the power and quickness of Vallejos will prevail in this tussle.