Preview: UFC 250 ‘Nunes vs. Spencer’

Flyweights

Alex Perez (23-5, -140) vs. Jussier Formiga (23-7, +120): One of the top flyweights in the world ever since the UFC introduced the division, Formiga has eternally been one win away from a title shot. Save for his last loss to Brandon Moreno, every opponent that has beaten Formiga in the UFC has fought for the title in his next fight. Given that he is a grappling specialist without a dynamic personality, Formiga always figured to have an uphill battle towards his long-awaited title shot, but coming off back-to-back losses to Moreno and Joseph Benavidez, a win here against Perez is crucial. Perez has hopped in between bantamweight and flyweight while the latter division’s future has been up in the air, but he has been successful wherever he has plied his trade. Outside of a loss to Benavidez in which he was surprisingly passive, Perez’s aggressive pressure game and physicality have been enough to easily overwhelm his other UFC opponents and allowed him to score a few finishes in the process. He will probably run into a wall here against Formiga. Perez is a fine enough grappler, but Formiga has proven himself at a much higher level and should be able to take over whenever the Team Oyama stalwart chooses to pursue things in close quarters. There is a chance that Formiga’s loss to Moreno portended a lost step when it comes to facing younger athletes, but the pick is still for the Brazilian to control most of this fight and earn a decision.

Light Heavyweights

Alonzo Menifield (9-0, -230) vs. Devin Clark (11-4, +190): In a light heavyweight division always in need of new talent, Menifield is an interesting prospect who could make an impact in the next few years. He has certainly looked good under the Zuffa banner thus far. After a flat win via doctor stoppage on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017, Menifield returned the next year and scored a first-round knockout. While he has missed some stretches due to injury, Menifield managed to deliver stirring finishes of Vinicius Moreira Castro and Paul Craig once he has stepped inside of the Octagon. Menifield is still quite unproven and does not seem to have much of a plan beyond knocking out whoever is in front of him, so it will be interesting to see if Clark can provide his first real test. Clark is a physical specimen in his own right and a strong wrestler, but he is often a victim of his own success. He is typically a slow and grinding fighter, but whenever he manages to get his opponent in trouble, Clark often loses all sense of composure in going for the kill. As a result, he has gotten himself finished multiple times. That lack of durability is a liability here against a hard hitter like Menifield, but if Clark can survive the first round, things get really interesting. Menifield has never gone past the first minute of the second round. The pick is Menifield via first-round knockout.

Lightweights

Herbert Burns (10-2, -260) vs. Evan Dunham (18-8-1, +200): Ahead of his 2018 bout with Francisco Trinaldo, Dunham announced that the fight would be his last. In retrospect, the timing seemed right. Dunham had recently enjoyed a five-fight undefeated streak, but after losing quickly to Olivier Aubin-Mercier and dropping a second-round knockout to Trinaldo, his durability was fading enough that the point of diminishing returns was soon on its way. Naturally, Dunham was slated to make his unexpected return during an April card that was cancelled due to the pandemic. He instead makes it back to the Octagon here, cutting an additional five pounds to a 150-pound catchweight. He will face Herbert Burns, an elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu artist. Burns knows his specialty and constantly looks to take things to the ground, but he managed to score his first UFC win via knockout, when Nate Landwehr survived some trouble on the ground, only to charge directly into a knee from Burns. If Burns had ever shown any sort of knockout ability beforehand, this would be a much easier pick. Dunham is fairly glacial and, his durability was fading before his retirement. Burns looking to grapple makes it a much more interesting fight, since Dunham has a better chance at controlling the fight in that area, but Burns’ aggression on the mat should be enough to win rounds if not find a finish. The pick is Burns via second-round submission.