UFC 248 rookie report: Grading Jamall Emmers, the lone newcomer in Las Vegas

Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the UFC octagon for the first time. For one athlete, Saturday’s UFC 248 event marked that special moment in their career.

Check out this week’s rookie report to see what kind of first impression he made on the sport’s biggest stage from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

* * * * *

Jamall Emmers

Division: Featherweight
Result: Giga Chikadze def. Jamall Emmers via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Record: (17-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Grade: C

Emmers’ octagon debut came against a dangerous striker in former GLORY kickboxing ace Chikadze (8-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC), and the debutant got a taste of the Georgian’s power when he was clipped with a counter right hand by Chikadze early in the opening round.

In contrast to Chikadze’s relaxed demeanor in the standup, Emmers looked a little wary of stepping in and engaging, preferring instead to circle the outskirts of the cage and stay outside of his opponent’s optimum striking range. The downside to that, of course, was it also restricted Emmers’ own offense and allowed his opponent to settle.

The second round saw Emmers up his intensity. He looked to connect with his long-range kicks. Unlike much of the opening round, he was the man pushing the pace from the center of the octagon, and a high amplitude takedown showed he has the ability to switch gears in an instant when he came back strongly in an evenly contested second round.

Emmers poured on the pressure in the final round, but it wasn’t enough to secure the victory and he ended up on the wrong end of a split decision verdict.

It’s always a balancing act when working out how to mix up striking with wrestling, and unfortunately for Emmers, he didn’t quite get the balance right and lost on the scorecards.

After a big Emmers takedown in the second round, UFC analyst Daniel Cormier asked, “If that was available, why did it take seven minutes?” It was a valid question since Emmers’ wrestling seemed to give him a big advantage whenever he chose to use it.

A few well-timed takedowns could have been the difference-maker for Emmers, who did more than enough to prove he is ready for this level.

With a little fine-tuning, and perhaps a little more confidence to trust in his takedowns, “Pretty Boy” could find himself sitting pretty with his first octagon win next time around.