Preview: UFC 259 Prelims

3 FIGHTS AND 3 SUBMISSIONS!! @seanbradymma keeps the subs rolling at #UFCVegas8! pic.twitter.com/j41QLDuutE

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) August 29, 2020

Welterweights

NR | Sean Brady (13-0, 3-0 UFC) vs. NR | Jake Matthews (17-4, 10-4 UFC)

ODDS: Brady (-210), Matthews (+175)

It speaks to the depth of this card that a fight this good is flying completely under the radar. There was some concern about how Brady would fare at a UFC level. While he had nothing but success and was clearly a well-rounded fighter, he was also someone who started slow and needed to read his opponent before taking over a fight. Against better competition, the worry was that Brady would turn fights around a bit too late to get the victory—or not at all. However, the Philadelphia native has passed every test put in front of him with flying colors. While Brady still needs some time to read his opponents, his weapons have all proven effective—especially his wrestling—once everything fully clicks. Up next for Brady is Matthews, who should be his toughest test to date. The Australian was once thought to be the UFC’s best hopes for a star Down Under, as “The Celtic Kid” was already an effective grappler when he made his UFC debut at just 19 years old. Matthews never quite reached those heights, but he has turned into a well-rounded fighter in his own right, as well as a physical specimen since he moved up to 170 pounds. That physicality is what makes this fight interesting, as it figures to hinge on which fighter can bully around the other in the clinch and on the mat. That is a bit of a coin flip, but even if Matthews can stall out his counterpart’s wrestling, Brady figures to be the much more effective fighter on the whole. Beyond Brady setting a faster pace, the American’s style reads as having a lot more building and problem solving over the course of his fights, while Matthews feels a lot more formless and aimless. As such, Brady is much more likely to find something that breaks this fight open. The pick is Brady via decision.

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