Preview: UFC 294 Prelims

Lightweights

Trevor Peek (8-1, 1-1 UFC) vs. Mohammad Yahya (12-3, 0-0 UFC)

ODDS: Peek (-135), Yahya (+114)

Like most Peek fights, this should be entertaining. Peek’s approach is fairly simple—swing hard and let the rest sort itself out—and he has enough power and durability to find a surprising amount of success despite his wildness. Peek earned a contract via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022 after winning a back-and-forth war, and he finished Erick Gonzalez early in his UFC debut. Peek’s sophomore trip to the Octagon was a setback in terms of result but lived up to the hype in terms of entertainment. Peek gassed himself out terribly after he was unable to finish Jose Mariscal, but the two still combined for 15 minutes of must-watch action. Peek looks to rebound against a UFC newcomer in Yahya, the first Emirati fighter to step into the Octagon and a man who is firmly on the other side of the spectrum as a solid but unspectacular fighter. Yahya’s lack of physicality has prevented him from finding easy wins even on the regional scene, but he has reliably been able to stay consistent and outlast flawed opposition for some decision wins and late finishes. That makes this dynamic fairly simple, with either Peek scoring a quick win or likely finding himself a sitting duck past the first round; and it is essentially a coinflip. Given that Peek is a much more dangerous fighter than anyone Yahya has faced to date, he gets the nod. The pick is Peek via first-round knockout.

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