Preview: UFC on ESPN 53 Prelims

Bantamweights

Miles Johns (13-2, 4-2 UFC) vs. Cody Gibson (19-9, 1-4 UFC)

ODDS: Johns (-148), Gibson (+124)

It is nice to see Gibson get a second chance at a UFC career nearly a decade after he was last with the promotion. Gibson had a four-fight run from 2014 to 2015 that was high on entertainment but low in success, partially due to a sneaky difficult strength of schedule. He had the bad luck of getting matched with future champion Aljamain Sterling and eventual divisional mainstay Douglas Silva de Andrade. “The Renegade” chugged along to have a solid regional career and earned a shot at a comeback through “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2023, when he eventually lost the final in an absolute barnburner against Brad Katona in August. Gibson is must-see action every time out thanks to his aggression and willingness to mix things up. It will be interesting to see if Johns is up to the task as a dance partner. Johns has slowly improved during his time in the UFC, though he has yet to have what feels like a true breakout performance. Initially a straight-ahead wrestler, Johns has become a more willing striker over the years, often at the expense of said wrestling—even if he has put in some solid performances on the feet. However, those showings came against opponents willing to give Johns the time and space to work on the feet, which made his victory—later overturned to a no contest—against Dan Argueta in September a clear positive sign. Argueta is a fighter who thrives on moving forward, and Johns was able to consistently stay ahead and get his hand raised at the end. Gibson is a bit of a different proposition, as he is similarly pressure-focused but brings a lot more striking volume and size to the table. That style could make it difficult for Johns to stay composed. At the same time, if Johns can steel himself and time things right, Gibson is also there to get blasted with a counter, if not just outwrestled should the Marathon MMA product ever decide to return to that part of his game. The read is that Gibson gets his type of fight and can get this over the finish line, but there should be some intrigue along the way. The pick is Gibson via decision.

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