Preview: UFC on ESPN 34 Prelims

Lightweights

NR | Rafa Garcia (12-2, 1-2 UFC) vs. NR | Jesse Ronson (21-10, 0-3 UFC)

BETUS ODDS: Garcia (-115), Ronson (-115)

One of the top prospects in Canada upon signing with the UFC in 2013, Ronson’s first stint with the promotion did not go particularly well. Ontario’s “Body Snatcher” went 0-for-3 against Michel Prazeres, Francisco Trinaldo and Kevin Lee, though all those losses aged quite well in retrospect. After his release, Ronson eventually earned his way back to the UFC in 2020 and made it count, scoring an unexpected club-and-sub finish of Nicolas Dalby in just a shade under two minutes. The result was eventually overturned due to a failed drug test—a tainted supplement was the reported culprit—but Ronson now has his foot back in the door with more momentum than he ever carried during his first UFC tenure. He will take on Mexico’s Garcia, who is looking to follow up on the first win of his UFC career. Upon his late-notice signing with the promotion in early 2021, Garcia figured to maintain his status as a well-rounded and exciting fighter—something he lived up to in his debut against Nasrat Haqparast. It was a difficult matchup for Garcia from the jump, but he still managed to plow forward and give Haqparast 15 tough minutes. That made his next performance against Chris Gruetzemacher a massive disappointment. Faced with a lesser athlete, Garcia got off to a hot start and faded badly, showing none of the consistency that marked his earlier fights. Garcia looked more like his old self in his November win against Natan Levy, and that sets up a fun matchup that should be full of collisions. Garcia is the slightly more durable fighter in a war of attrition, but Ronson does appear to be the cleaner hitter and also has the greater potential to pivot to his wrestling when needed. This should be an entertainingly close affair, but the pick is Ronson via decision.

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