Preview: UFC Fight Night 129 ‘Maia vs. Usman’

Light Heavyweights
Jared Cannonier vs. Dominick Reyes
Odds: Reyes (-255), Cannonier (+215)

Reyes gets a massive step up in competition in his third UFC fight, squaring off with the extremely durable and hard-punching Cannonier. “The Devastator” is undefeated at 8-0 and blew through his first two Octagon opponents - Joachim Christensen and Jeremy Kimball - in less than a round combined. A long, tall, powerful southpaw with a thunderous left cross and left round kick, Reyes is an offensive dynamo. Thus far in his career, which only began three and a half years ago, he has physically outmatched and overwhelmed everyone set before him. The Joe Stevenson protégé is only a BJJ blue belt, but he showed off a knack for the ground game in submitting Kimball. After wall-walking back to his feet following a Kimball takedown, Reyes reversed position on the cage, got his own double-leg and jumped on the back when Kimball tried scrambling away. A body triangle, nasty elbows, and the rear-naked choke soon followed.

Christensen and Kimball are tough and hit hard, but they are no one’s idea of high-level fighters or plus athletes. “The Killa Gorilla” pairs his own stupid durability - this man once walked, hands at his sides, right at Ion Cutelaba - with the best boxing Reyes has ever faced. Cannonier punches in combination like few at light heavyweight can, and he can strike from either stance. He has had a bad habit in the past of getting tall and leaving his head in the same place in the pocket, but his head movement is good at range and improving. He does tend to duck and roll his head down far, which could leave him open to knees or head kicks. Defensive issues aside, his cardio is already very good for the upper weight classes, so he can maintain a pace for all 15 minutes with no problem. Cannonier is 33 and has been fighting for seven years, so he is right in his prime as a light heavyweight. He recently moved his family from Alaska to Arizona to train full time at MMA Lab, which will only help his development and round out his game. At 205 he should have some time.

Cannonier’s Achilles’ heel has been his takedown defense, but he has had the wherewithal to fend off advances and submissions from decorated grapplers. He was able to reverse the fiercely strong long-time Greco-Roman wrestler Cutelaba on several occasions and won a decision in a fight in which he was taken down six times. I don’t see Reyes having better success than Cutelaba; his wrestling isn’t on the level of Glover Teixeira or Jan Blachowicz. Reyes could always starch him as they trade heavy leather, but I like the Alaskan’s more developed boxing and his chin to carry him in the standup exchanges. Cannonier pressures, weaves his way inside Reyes’ most dangerous weapons, and puts hands and deceptively quick kicks on him to spring a mild upset with a decision victory.

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