UFC 298 showcases a thrilling lineup of bouts, with a focus on a women's strawweight clash featuring third-ranked Amanda Lemos and seventh-ranked Mackenzie Dern as the main event of the preliminary card. The preliminary fights kick off on Saturday, February 17, at 8:00 PM ET at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Lemos holds a slight moneyline edge, standing at -125.

Lemos has gone 2-2 over her last four fights, with her most recent battle ending her two-fight winning streak. This recent fight was a unanimous decision defeat against Weili Zhang at UFC 292 in August of last year.

Over the course of her career, she has achieved 13 victories, including eight knockouts, three submissions, and two decisions. Notably, eight of her triumphs occurred in the first round, while she has suffered one loss in each category.

Known as "Amandinha," she boasts a 55 percent accuracy in striking and a 56 percent success rate in takedowns. With a significant strike ratio of 3.54 per minute and an absorption rate of 4.66, these statistics are crucial as she tends to absorb more than she delivers in her upcoming battle.

In the UFC, Lemos averages 0.82 takedowns and 0.82 submissions per 15 minutes. Her defensive capabilities are moderately effective, with a 43 percent success rate against significant strikes and a 56 percent success rate against takedowns.

Dern has gone 3-3 in her last six fights, which is about the same path that Lemos has encountered. Her most recent battle was a second round TKO defeat against Jessica Andrade at UFC 295 in November of last year.

She proudly holds 13 victories, consisting of seven submissions and six decisions. Notably, she efficiently concluded six of these submissions within the opening round of the bouts.

With a striking accuracy of 40 percent and a 14 percent success rate in takedowns, she maintains her prowess. Her combat metrics highlight an average of 3.49 significant strikes landed per minute, while absorbing a mere 4.21, illustrating a favorable outcome.

Dern secures an average of 0.77 takedowns and 1.43 submissions per 15-minute bout. Despite a 51 percent success rate against significant strikes, her defensive skills could be enhanced. Impressively, she boasts a 40 percent success rate against takedowns.

MyBookie showcases UFC 298 betting odds, with Amanda Lemos being a favored contender (-125). Both fighters stack up well, which should make for an entertaining showdown.

If the fight happens to last in its entirety, Dern has a slight edge if she is able to keep Lemos on the ground. However, Lemos is a bit more aggressive when it comes to striking and Dern has never landed a knockout.