Welterweights
Alex Morono (17-6) vs. Rhys McKee (10-3-1)Morono means guaranteed entertainment, and this fight looks to be no exception. Despite coming from a grappling background, Morono’s first plan of attack is typically to throw down. While that sometimes just gets him sparked by better athletes—his February loss to Kalinn Williams was the latest example—Morono’s combination of striking aggression and submission chops has usually been enough to keep his opponents on their toes. He should have a war here against Northern Ireland’s McKee, who looks to rebound from a forgettable UFC debut. When the UFC looked to give Khamzat Chimaev a second fight in 10 days in July, McKee got the call as a sacrificial lamb of sorts. McKee deserved better than to be a complete afterthought in the Chimaev fight—he was one of Europe’s best prospects outside of a major promotion—but it was a ridiculously tough stylistic matchup that played out in one-sided fashion. Chimaev took down the lanky striker and laid down a beating. McKee should be able to better show his wares here, given that Morono is more than willing to engage in a standup war. Of the two, McKee likely has the better chance of scoring a knockout, but Morono is typically quite durable despite his last result. Add in that Morono can rely on his wrestling if things get tough—even prior to the Chimaev fight, McKee was not particularly exceptional as a defensive wrestler—and the Texan should take this if he does not run into a finish. The pick is Morono via decision in what should be an all-action fight.
Continue Reading » Smolka vs. Quinonez