Loughran mostly gains notice through his brashness, but the
Irishman backs that up inside the cage with an aggressive and
focused style. “The Don” looks to march forward, throw power and
eventually get to his wrestling game, at which point he can hunt
for a submission. It’s a solid process, even if Loughran’s short
and squat frame figures to lead to some limitations in his
effectiveness. That was the case in his UFC debut, where the much
longer Taylor
Lapilus was content to peck away at Loughran and keep him at
bay for the better part of three rounds. Loughran was much better
able to show off his wares in an entertaining three-round win over
Angel
Pacheco in March, and after a few late shuffles, he looks to
keep that momentum going against a late replacement in Hadley. This
pairing should be interesting, if only because it’s unclear how the
physicality at play will shake out—Loughran is an undersized
bantamweight, while Hadley has spent his UFC career as an oversized
flyweight—and the fact that both men look to implement similar
games. On the regional scene and the Contender Series, England’s
“White Kong” got by through playing an effective bully and
leveraging his grappling game, but his five trips to the Octagon
have been a mixed bag. He has looked sharper than expected as a
striker but also gotten stalled out handily when asked to face
better athletes. This is a coinflip, especially with Hadley moving
up in weight, but Loughran looks more powerful and more dedicated
in his aggression, so the Irishman gets the nod here. The pick is
Loughran via decision.
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