Preview: UFC Fight Night 187 Prelims

Women’s Strawweight

NR | Gloria de Paula (5-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. NR | Jinh Yu Frey (9-6, 0-2 UFC)

ODDS: de Paula (-190), Frey (+165)

Frey’s UFC career has not quite gone according to plan. A longtime successful atomweight in Invicta and abroad, Frey has walked a fine line between success and failure thanks to her fighting style. Reminiscent of Tyron Woodley, she is content to fight at a glacially slow pace in the hopes that she can win fights with bursts of offense or by bullying around opponents with her muscular frame. Her move to the UFC necessitated a move up to 115 pounds, but her approach has been more of an issue than the weight change. She was winning her UFC debut against Kay Hansen until a third-round submission, and fellow former atomweight Konklak Suphisara mostly pieced her up on the feet. Frey looks for her first UFC win against Brazil’s de Paula, who earned a contract via the most recent season of Dana White’s Contender Series. Despite a middling record prior to her DWCS shot, de Paula put on an impressive performance against Pauline Macias in November, showing effective pressure striking and holding her own on the ground. De Paula has some concerning losses on her record, but those have mostly come against a level of pressure that Frey simply does not bring to the table. Frey’s physicality may still allow her to neutralize de Paula, but it is difficult to pick her against an opponent with both size and an ability to bring consistent offense. The pick is de Paula via decision.

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