Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight strikers Bobby Green vs. Mauricio Ruffy will throw down this weekend (Sat., March 8, 2025) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada at UFC 313.

At 38 years of age, Green is a long established veteran of the division. He’s not at his best, but even in the twilight of his career, Green is still more than capable of strong performances and upsetting a prospect or two. That’s his goal in this match up, as Ruffy is yet another talented up-and-comers from The Fighting Nerds team. He’s an incredibly explosive and athletic striker, but at just 2-0 inside the Octagon, there are still questions about his overall skillset and long-term ceiling.

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:

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Green vs. Ruffy Betting Odds

• Bobby Green victory: +350
• Bobby Green via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
• Bobby Green via submission: TBD
• Bobby Green via decision: TBD
• Mauricio Ruffy victory: -455
• Mauricio Ruffy via TKO/KO/DQ: TBD
• Mauricio Ruffy via submission: TBD
• Mauricio Ruffy via decision: TBD
• Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

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How Green Wins

Green is a veteran of the highest order, ranked in UFC a decade apart. An extremely slick boxer with great reaction time, Green is a consistently tough out and can really catch opponents off-guard with his unique style.

This is definitely a challenging match up for Green, who relies on speed, range and boxing ability, given that Ruffy also relies on speed, range and boxing ability … but is a decade younger. Green cannot count on being faster than the Brazilian, and he certainly can’t count on being more powerful.

If he wins here, it’ll be via fundamentals. Green has to establish the jab and punish Ruffy with his straight punches. That’s his edge in this match up: Ruffy is more reliant on flashy techniques, even if they’re effective. Those setups lose their luster over time as fatigue sets in, but a heavy jab to the nose only builds momentum over time.

It’s unlikely to be easy, but Green’s best shot at an upset is to push a hard pace and keep his punches straight.

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How Ruffy Wins

It’s still a little early to be overly confident, but it’s hard not to be impressed by Ruffy. The Brazilian standout is electric, the kind of stand up talent that earns comparisons to the likes of a prime Conor McGregor. We’ll see if he can follow a similar championship trajectory, but there’s no denying his incredible timing and eye for power shots.

In several recent fights (i.e. Paddy Pimblett, Jalin Turner), we’ve seen Green struggle when forced to close distance. His game works best when he can touch his foe with a jab, pull back, and lead them into counters. When his jab isn’t landing, “King” is forced onto the front foot, and that low hand position becomes more costly.

Ruffy has a height and reach advantage to go alongside his athleticism edge. He’s fast enough to blast kicks before Green is able to avoid them entirely. If he’s mobile and chopping at the legs, he can bait Green into an engagement and tee off early.

Often, that’s all it takes for “One Shot” to finish the job.

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Green vs. Ruffy Prediction

This match up feels all wrong for Green.

I’m reminded of when Green faced Rafael Fiziev, another hotshot striking ace rising up the ranks. In that bout, Green was able to really test the younger talent, putting it on “Ataman” late when the Muay Thai fighter fatigued. It was a really good performance from “King,” a demonstration of that veteran savvy.

Sadly, he still lost the decision.

More sadly, that “veteran turns back the clock” performance was four years ago. We’ve seen Green’s durability and reaction time start to fade in recent years, and against a sniper like Ruffy, that’s a recipe for getting sparked.

Prediction: Ruffy via knockout

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UFC 313 Live Streaming ESPN+ PPV Watch Options

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE TILT! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues its 2025 pay-per-view (PPV) schedule on Sat., March 8, 2025, with a high-stakes clash between 205-pound kingpin, Alex Pereira, defending his Light Heavyweight crown against formidable No. 1-ranked contender, Magomed Ankalaev, in the five-round main event. In UFC 313’s electrifying co-headliner from inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lightweight fan-favorite and former interim champion, Justin Gaethje, will rematch the dynamic Rafael Fiziev in a three-round rematch, stepping in on short notice after Dan Hooker’s withdrawal due to injury. UFC 313 will also feature a hard-hitting Heavyweight battle between Curtis Blaydes and promotional newcomer, Rizvan Kuniev, alongside a Lightweight showdown with Jalin Turner facing Ignacio Bahamondes, and so much more! UFC 313’s start time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (“Prelims” undercard) and 10 p.m. ET (PPV main card).

Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!

Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 313 fight card right here, starting with the ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).

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