Preview: UFC Fight Night 180 Prelims

14 seconds!!@JohnPhillipsMMA comes out swinging and puts Amedovski away in the first round! #UFCCopenhagen pic.twitter.com/hZERFbh4wf

— UFC (@ufc) September 28, 2019

Middleweights

Jun Yong Park (11-4) vs. John Phillips (22-10)

ODDS: Park (-255), Phillips (+215)

This has the potential to be an entertaining mess, which is true of most Phillips fights. Phillips put together a solid enough run in Europe that his stint in the UFC was earned, but he might be the least skilled fighter on the roster. The Welshman simply does not have much of a game plan besides attempting to punch his opponent as hard as possible. Alen Amedovski tried to test Phillips on the feet and got slept in 14 seconds, but his other UFC appearances have seen Phillips get cautiously picked apart by Jack Marshman and outwrestled otherwise. Korea’s Park should make for an interesting opponent. “The Iron Turtle” is a talented and dedicated counterstriker, which is a style that always produces a thin margin for error, as Park has to rely on consistently avoiding his opponent’s shots while not getting drowned in volume. Anthony Hernandez’s wrestling was enough to throw Park out of his rhythm, but he recovered with a win against Marc-Andre Barriault in December. Park should be favored, if only because of the massive skill deficit, but he will be in danger throughout. He has not shown much proclivity for taking things to the mat, and Phillips is durable enough that Park will have to avoid knockout shots for 15 minutes. While a Phillips knockout would not be a shock, the pick is Park via decision.

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