Featherweights
Bryce Mitchell (10-0) vs. Bobby Moffett (14-3): An intriguing battle between featherweight prospects headlines the prelims. Moffett scored an impressive win in his UFC debut, even if it came in controversial fashion. Much like the recent Ben Askren-Robbie Lawler tilt, Moffett earned a submission over Chas Skelly that seemed like a bad call as soon as it was made, as Skelly immediately popped up and protested the stoppage. Still, given that Skelly was expected to a better version of the same wrestling-centric fighter, it was a solid performance for “The Wolfman.” Moffett looks to get a much clearer win this time around against Mitchell, an Arkansas native who has emerged as an interesting talent. Mitchell has some impressive submission skills, but he is too aggressive for his own good. He is a wild, single-shot striker and his grappling game is a clear example of hunting for the finish over a strong position. He has still managed to win every one of his pro fights. It is a well-made fight, but given Moffett’s powerful top game and Mitchell’s tendency to hunt for submissions, Moffett should be able to control the terms of this bout. Mitchell’s wild striking might actually be his path to victory. Moffett has a fundamentally sound striking game that leads into his wrestling, but quicker-fisted fighters have managed to tag him as he stalks forward. Still, the pick is Moffett via decision. ODDS: Moffett (-165), Mitchell (+145)Advertisement
Bantamweights
Frankie Saenz (13-5) vs. Marlon Vera (12-5-1): A promising bout that was scrapped from UFC 235 thankfully was moved to this card. This marks the latest breakthrough chance for Ecuador’s Vera. He was a sentimental favorite on the inaugural season of “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America,” as he fought to raise money for his daughter’s surgery, but inside the cage, he has been a frustrating prospect. Vera has a style based off winning moments rather than rounds, so while he has been capable of busting out some impressive finishes, he often struggles making an impact on fights otherwise. He will try to string together three wins in a row against Saenz, who has been a pleasant surprise during his UFC tenure, given that he debuted at age 34. Saenz is a fairly straight-ahead grinder with some well-rounded supplementary skills who looks to make fights ugly, and he has managed to hang around as a solid gatekeeper in a deep bantamweight division. Vera is always dangerous and could easily score a sudden finish here, but Saenz’s steady approach and wrestling should be enough to control this fight and take a decision. ODDS: Vera (-165), Saenz (+145)Women’s Flyweights
Alexis Davis (19-8) vs. Jennifer Maia (15-5-1): When the UFC started putting together its flyweight division, Maia, an Invicta Fighting Championships titleholder, was an obvious addition for the promotion to make. Unfortunately, her debut did not go quite as expected. Maia is a jack of all trades, master of none type of fighter and did not have much of an answer for Liz Carmouche repeatedly pinning her to the mat. She will look to rebound against a constant overachiever in Davis. The Canadian’s game never looks all that impressive and she is not much of an athlete, but she is constantly forcing activity and looking to outwork her opponents. That might pay off here, as Maia is neither an amazing athlete nor quick enough to pick apart Davis from range like Katlyn Chookagian did. However, the Brazilian’s skills should be enough to take the nod. Davis is not particularly sound with her defense, so Maia’s practiced power shots should afford her the opportunity to tag the grappler; and Maia still seems like she will be the stronger fighter in the clinch -- a position on which she is known to rely. The pick is Maia via decision. ODDS: Davis (-175), Maia (+155)Women’s Strawweights
Randa Markos (8-6-1) vs. Angela Hill (8-5): This should be an interesting fight to help flesh out the middle of the UFC’s strawweight division, as both of these women have been alternating wins and losses throughout their tenures. Markos was the breakout star of “The Ultimate Fighter” season that launched this division, both in terms of personality and performance, but she has been frustratingly inconsistent since. When everything works, she is capable of wins like her narrow decision over Carla Esparza, but her game often looks disjointed, and even her wrestling -- the theoretical base of her game -- comes and goes. She will take on Hill, who washed out of the UFC as a raw prospect but quickly earned her way back with a strong run in Invicta, only to plateau in short order back in the Octagon. Hill is a talented kickboxer but finds herself stuck between approaches. Early on, she uses a movement-heavy volume approach that does not make much of an impact, but once she tires and sits down on her power, she becomes slow enough to beat to the punch. If Markos has a particularly good night, this is a winnable fight, but Hill should be able to win this on the feet; and her muay Thai background should serve her well if Markos tries to take this into the clinch. The pick is Hill via decision. ODDS: Hill (-150), Markos (+130)Bantamweights
Ryan MacDonald (10-0) vs. Chris Gutierrez (12-4-1): Gutierrez put together a solid regional record, but there was some concern that his well-rounded style would just leave him without a standout skill against better competition; and getting blown out by Raoni Barcelos in his UFC debut did not really alleviate those concerns. Hopefully for Gutierrez things go better this time around against a debuting Nebraskan in MacDonald, who is at his best as a submission artist but has mostly overwhelmed a particularly weak slate of competition on his local scene. A scrambling match here would be interesting, but this looks like a fight where both men could be content with a slow-paced kickboxing match. At any rate, Gutierrez is proven at a much higher level and MacDonald does not impress, so the pick is Gutierrez via decision. ODDS: Gutierrez (-170), MacDonald (+150)Flyweights
Eric Shelton (12-5) vs. Jordan Espinosa (13-5): UFC Fight Nigh 148 opens up with a good scrap, even if the impending death of the flyweight division casts a pall over the proceedings. Shelton raised his stock more than anyone on the all-flyweight season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” As a raw Midwestern prospect, Shelton was not highly regarded, but he made it to the season semifinals and nearly beat eventual winner Tim Elliott. On the main roster, Shelton has improved from fight to fight, but he has been inconsistent in terms of results. His bouts have essentially come down to whether or not Shelton can rely on a wrestling advantage as a fallback when things get tough. He will take on Espinosa, who finally makes his proper UFC debut. It has taken him two seasons of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series and an injury layoff to make it here, and he has shown enough skill in terms of striking power and slick grappling to make it worth the wait. The axiom about Shelton’s wrestling dictating the winner will probably hold true again, and Espinosa has looked good enough on the mat that the newcomer should be able to shut that down and win it on the feet. The pick is Espinosa via third-round stoppage. ODDS: Shelton (-190), Espinosa (+165)Related Articles
