Preview: UFC 234 ‘Whittaker vs. Gastelum’

Lightweights
Devonte Smith (9-1) vs. Dong Hyun Ma (16-8-3)

Odds: Smith (-235), Ma (+195)

Dana White certainly has a type when it comes to who he's signing off his various reality shows, and Devonte Smith is one of the better fighters in that mold. Smith has a solid boxing game with a long reach and some brutal power, which "King Cage" showed off in his UFC debut, knocking Julian Erosa out in under a minute. Smith looks to follow that performance up with a win here over Dong Hyun Ma -- the re-christened "Maestro" Dong Hyun Kim, in the rare instance of a fighter changing his name and making things less confusing. Ma followed in the South Korean tradition of making his name as an action fighter, but after losing a brutal war against Polo Reyes in 2016, Ma's quietly put together a three-fight win streak using a much more conservative and patient style. His defense still isn't great, so Smith could easily connect with some hard shots -- and may even break Ma's excellent chin -- but Ma has a ton more options, particularly on the mat, that should serve him well here. And even if he reverts to his more aggressive ways, Smith's also traditionally had trouble with pressure, so that could be yet another avenue for Ma to get the win. The pick is Ma via decision.

Featherweights
Shane Young (12-4) vs. Austin Arnett (16-5)

Odds: Young (-280), Arnett (+240)

Shane Young didn't have the most memorable UFC debut - he stepped in on late notice against Alexander Volkanovski and did little but survive -- but the New Zealander rebounded with a fun win over Rolando Dy last June to gain some prospect shine. He'll look to follow up with another win against Austin Arnett, who's apparently decided to make his name fighting in enemy territory; Arnett's last two fights have seen him head to Canada to face Calgary native Hakeem Dawodu and take on Peru's Humberto Bandenay in South America. Young doesn't really have one skill to hang his hat on at this level, as he's a well-rounded fighter who gets by on aggression, but that should still be enough to win rounds against the defensively porous Arnett. Arnett's ridiculously tough and throws heat, so this should be a fun scrap, but constant pressure should lead Young to a clear decision victory.

Flyweights
Kai Kara-France (18-7, 1 N/C) vs. Raulian Paiva Frazao (18-1)

Odds: Kara-France (-300), Paiva (+250)

The UFC oddly didn't sign Kai Kara-France coming off 2016's all-flyweight season of TUF, but they did eventually make good by picking up the New Zealander late last year, even if it was just as the promotion started contemplating closing the division. Kara-France's debut was a hell of a scrap, as his combination of power striking and strong ground-and-pound made for a crazy bout against the aggression of Elias Garcia, and "Don't Blink" comes back on a quick turnaround to welcome Raulian Paiva to the Octagon. It'll be a bittersweet debut for Paiva; he won a contract on the Brazilian version of "Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series," but contemplated retirement shortly thereafter, after his girlfriend died in a motorcycle accident. But Paiva's decided to fight on, and he's a fun talent who's well-rounded and keeps a rapid pace. He'll likely be overmatched here, as Kara-France appears to be both the stouter grappler and the harder puncher, but this could easily be a repeat of Kara-France's fight against Garcia and take home "Fight of the Night" honors. The pick is Kara-France via decision.

Bantamweights
Teruto Ishihara (10-6-2) vs. Kyung Ho Kang (14-8, 1 N/C)

Odds: Kang (-410), Ishihara (+330)

The prospect shine is officially off of Teruto Ishihara. Ishihara has a ton of natural charisma, and after kicking off 2016 with two knockout wins, he looked like a talent to watch. But Artem Lobov, of all people, was able to expose Ishihara's lack of ideas beyond hunting for the knockout, and a loss set off a run that has seen "Yashabo" only win one of his last five fights. He'll look to score a much-needed victory against Kyung Ho Kang, who returned from his mandatory military service last year to pick up right where he left off. Kang follows in the tradition of his Korean countrymen, prioritizing offense over defense at all costs, which does give Ishihara a chance at hitting a knockout punch here. But Kang's long frame should keep Ishihara at bay on the feet, and given that Ishihara has looked relatively clueless on the ground, things probably won't get much better if Kang can take the fight to the mat. The pick is Kang via decision.

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