Alan Jouban is more than a 2-1 favorite to defeat Ben Saunders on Saturday in one of the preliminary bouts at UFC on FOX 28 in Florida. Jouban is 15-6 in his career, including 6-4 in the UFC, while Saunders is 21-8-2, including 8-5 in the UFC. This bout is one of four on the FOX portion of the preliminary card, leading up to a four-fight main card, also on FOX, featuring Jeremy Stephens vs. Josh Emmett. Let’s look at Jouban vs. Saunders.
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Alan Jouban (15-6, 6-4 UFC)
Jouban is getting a lot of respect from the oddsmakers even though he is coming off two straight losses. Jouban was submitted by Gunnar Nelson in March of last year and he was knocked out by Niko Price in August of last year.
Jouban has been a pro for more than seven years and this is the first time he has ever lost two straight fights. “I’m not a guy that’s in this sport to lose,” Jouban told MMAjunkie Radio. “I’m not a guy that’s in this sport to say I’m in the UFC and trying to get by. … Last year was not my year. Only fought twice – I lost both fights, super disappointing. It’s something that I never could have seen coming. Never lost two fights in my entire life, in anything. Never lost twice in a row at anything.
Jouban said the fault for losing two straight is all on him. “It’s my fault,” Jouban said. “It’s my fault those things happened. There was never anything wrong with me, just small, minor mistakes I made. I’m excited going into this fight because I’m always improving.” Jouban said that he isn’t going to do anything radically different. “I don’t think you’re going to see a new, reinvented Alan Jouban,” Jouban said. I think you’re going to see a little bit more of the classic Alan Jouban than a new Alan Jouban.”
Ben Saunders (21-8-1, 8-5 UFC)
Saunders has won two of his last three fights, but he is coming off a loss against Peter Sobotta, as it was Sobotta knocking him out in May of last year. Saunders said that this fight against Jouban is not really one he wanted, because Jouban is a teammate. “It’s not a fight that we both really wanted in the sense of having kind of the teammate on teammate, but it was what it was,” Saunders told MMAjunkie Radio. “When I was in LA, we did some classes together,” Saunders said. “We sparred back in the day, but honestly, we never did MMA, hardcore sparring on the regular. It’s more of that we’re friends through the gym and being around each other and being on the same team more than consistent, daily training partners. That definitely doesn’t make it as personal.”
UFC Picks
This is a huge fight for Jouban and although I don’t think it will be an easy fight, I expect Jouban to find a way to get the win. I will lay the price and take Jouban on Saturday.
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UFC on FOX 28 takes place on Saturday, February 24, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, with a featherweight match between Josh Emmett and Jeremy Stephens as the event headliner. There are four fights on the main card and nine preliminary bouts, with four on FOX and five on UFC Fight Pass.
Main Card (FOX)
Featherweight - Jeremy Stephens -155 vs. Josh Emmett
Women’s Strawweight - Jessica Andrade -300 vs. Tecia Torres
Light Heavyweight – Ovince Saint Preux -125 vs. llir Latifi
Welterweight - Mike Perry -340 vs. Max Griffin
Preliminary Card (FOX)
Bantamweight – Renan Barao -155 vs. Brian Kelleher
Women’s Bantamweight – Sara McMann -215 vs. Marion Reneau
Women’s Strawweight – Angela Hill -130 vs. Maryna Moroz
Welterweight – Alan Jouban -235 vs. Ben Saunders
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Lightweight – Gilbert Burns vs. Olivier Aubin-Mercier
Light Heavyweight – Sam Alvey vs. Marcin Prachnio
Bantamweight – Rani Yahya vs. Russell Doane
Flyweight – Eric Shelton vs. Alex Perez
Bantamweight – Albert Morales vs. Manny Bermudez
