Preview: UFC 234 ‘Whittaker vs. Gastelum’

Lightweights
Lando Vannata (9-3-2) vs. Marcos Rosa Mariano (6-4)

Odds: Vannata (-340), Rosa (+280)

It's been a strange UFC tenure for Lando Vannata. Coming out of 2016, he looked like a top prospect and a future contender; his debut saw him hang tough with Tony Ferguson and even get Ferguson in trouble, then Vannata followed it up with a brutal knockout of John Makdessi. But that's wound up as Vannata's lone UFC win to date, even if he's somehow managed to pull off two draws in his last four bouts. Essentially, Vannata's problem is that he basically lives in the flow state, trying to throw flashy offense and hunting for knockouts without much of a regard for defense, winning rounds, or his own gas tank. He's tried to adapt a more fundamental style in recent bouts, but Vannata often winds up reverting back to form and trying to win a war. He'll take on the debuting Marcos Rosa, who doesn't have a lot of footage out there; based off of what is, Rosa's gigantic for a lightweight and a flashy striker in his own right, but hasn't been particularly imposing or successful, even against a middling level of competition. Rosa's size may give Vannata some issues, but the UFC vet is going to get the fight he wants against an opponent who just doesn't seem to be at his level; and if all else fails, if Vannata ever wants to rely on his wrestling, that part of Rosa's game seems particularly poor. The pick is Vannata via first-round knockout.

Lightweights
Callan Potter (17-7) vs. Jalin Turner (7-4)

Odds: Turner (-255), Potter (+215)

Jalin Turner's another fighter in your standard Dana White reality show mold; he's notably gigantic for the division -- he even dwarfed Vicente Luque during his UFC debut up a class at welterweight -- but Turner's your typical recent UFC prospect, athletic, projectable and without much of a plan if he can't finish his opponent early. Turner debuting up a weight class against a rising contender like Luque was an odd mismatch that Turner unsurprisingly lost, but he looks to start his UFC career in earnest with a win over late replacement Callan Potter. It's good to see Potter get a shot, as he's a longtime vet of the Australian scene, but he's also emblematic of the type of fighter that this region is starting to evolve past; Potter's best skill is a grappling game that, while effective on his home circuit, probably won't translate up a level. Add in that he's not much of an athlete, and this appears to be easy work for Turner; the pick is Turner via first-round knockout.

Bantamweights
Wuliji Buren (9-5) vs. Jonathan Martinez (9-2)

Odds: Martinez (-185), Buren (+160)

Two bantamweights badly in need of a win open up the card. Chinese MMA has improved to the point that it can produce unremarkably competent fighters, which describes Wuliji Buren; he has some solid wrestling for his regional scene, and his striking has been surprisingly decent, but he's still found himself overmatched in his two UFC bouts despite some flashes of productivity. He'll look for his first UFC win against Texas's Jonathan Martinez, who debuted in a loss to Andre Soukhamthath this past October; like Buren, Martinez's best skill is his grappling, but he's also the type of wild submission artist that has had trouble finding success at this level. Martinez has traditionally not looked to press his grappling advantages, instead capitalizing once an opponent decides to take him down, and there's certainly a chance of that here. But Buren should be able to win this fight when it's on the feet, and even on the mat, he seems to be physically strong enough that he can still control the fight. The pick is Buren via decision.