Welterweights
Jeremiah Wells (12-2-1, 4-0 UFC) vs. Carlston Harris (18-5, 3-1 UFC)It remains hard to call Wells a prospect, given that the Philadelphian is closing in on 37 years of age, but he remains an interesting talent who has earned a shot at climbing the ladder. Wells falls into a familiar archetype at first glance as a ball of muscle who quickly hunts for the knockout in wild fashion, but there are a few additional wrinkles to his game that make everything click. Wells also has an effective power wrestling and grappling game to provide a bit of a switch-up, and he can maintain his approach for about half of a 15-minute fight rather than imploding instantly. That has earned him four wins in four trips to the Octagon, all of which have been exciting fights, which should theoretically earn Wells an opportunity for a true breakout win. Instead, he gets a tough test in Harris. The UFC’s first Guyanese fighter, Harris had nearly a decade of pro experience under his belt upon making his promotional debut in 2021. Like Wells, “Mocambique” has a game that is not technically pretty but is focused and effective. Harris is a pure swing-and-cling fighter, throwing wild hooks before closing in on his opponents in the name of latching onto them and making fights an absolute grind. There is a solid chance Wells gets the jump on his counterpart early and obliterates him immediately, but this does look like a fight where once Harris gets things going, he will clearly take over from there. There is a massive size disparity between the lanky Harris and the squat Wells. That should allow Harris to slink his way to some advantageous positions in clinch exchanges and make him hard to control on the mat if he finds himself in a bad position. The pick is Harris via decision.
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