Preview: UFC on ESPN 34 Prelims

Heavyweights

NR | Martin Buday (9-1, 0-0 UFC) vs. NR | Chris Barnett (22-7, 1-1 UFC)

BETUS ODDS: Buday (-230), Barnett (+180)

If UFC 268 winds up as Barnett’s only win inside the Octagon, he surely made it count. The chaotic nature of the UFC’s booking during the pandemic has led to a lot of fighters getting their shots on the big stage, and Barnett probably leads the pack as far as most unexpected signing. At 5-foot-9 and 265 or so pounds, “Beast Boy” is emblematic of mixed martial arts as entertainment above all else, particularly when he uncorks some surprisingly dynamic and flashy offense despite his square frame. In his UFC debut against Ben Rothwell in May, Barnett eventually got overwhelmed and finished, but late-career Gian Villante proved to be exactly the right opponent. After a round and a half without much action, Barnett blasted Villante with a spinning wheel kick before launching into a memorable post-fight celebration. Barnett was one of the stars of the night on a loaded card from Madison Square Garden. Given those circumstance, it was a bit disappointing to see him paired with such a normal opponent in newcomer Martin Buday. Part of the first wave of Slovakian fighters to come into the UFC, Buday looks like a relatively standard heavyweight prospect with some solid skills in close quarters. He is at his best when pressuring, whether it is taking his opponents to the mat and implementing his grappling skills or just blasting then in the clinch, as he did to Lorenzo Hood to earn a UFC contract in October. Between his size and deceptive athleticism, Barnett is certainly a new challenge for Buday and likely his toughest to date. However, without one of those huge moments of offense, this seems like a fight where the Octagon rookie can make things a grind and slowly outwork Barnett over time. The pick is Buday via third-round stoppage.

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