Preview: ‘The Ultimate Fighter 20’ Finale

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WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHTS

Jessica Penne (11-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. Randa Markos (4-1, 0-0 UFC)

THE MATCHUP: Veteran Penne takes on relative newcomer Markos in “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 20’s third-place matchup. Penne, the former Invicta Fighting Championships atomweight titleholder, has lost only to the very cream of the crop and beaten many more. Markos is much more raw, having lost a decision to fellow “Ultimate Fighter” competitor Justine Kish in January, but the Canadian has a great deal of upside.

Markos is tough, aggressive, big for the weight class and a plus athlete. Her approach revolves around her well-honed wrestling and her aforementioned physicality -- think a cross between a young Diego Sanchez and a not-as-good Kelvin Gastelum -- combined with her constant pressure and aggression. Markos chains together her attempts nicely and likes to finish with authoritative slams and trips. She has a solid submission repertoire on the ground and mixes it with heavy strikes and good control from the top. Although she is not much of a technical striker, Markos is totally down to sling leather in the pocket if her opponent gets in her face, and she uses her athleticism to good effect as she blitzes with punching combinations and pushes her opponent to the fence.

Penne is an experienced, well-rounded veteran with a full technical arsenal. She throws crisp hand combinations and works behind a rangy jab, and she complements her punches with solid round kicks to the legs and body. Wrestling, in the sense of shot takedowns and defending shots, is not Penne’s strong point, and numerous opponents have been able to take her to the mat without too much trouble. In the clinch, however, Penne owns a fantastic array of trips and throws and works solid control along with sharp knees. On the mat, Penne really shines. She has insane flexibility and incredibly strong hips to go along with a polished, technical game both on top and from her back. She works crisp chains of attacks and sweeps from her guard; on top, her passing game melds well with her topside submission attempts and positional advances. Few opponents can survive with her for long on the ground.

THE PICK: The unknown here is how much Markos has improved during her time away from “The Ultimate Fighter,” especially given her rapid development during her time on the show. The Canadian should have a massive advantage in size and likely edges in speed and athleticism, as well, and I could see her bullying Penne around and beating her up from top position for a decision. I think it is more likely, however, that Penne gets touched up a little but uses her experience and slick submission game to catch Markos in a trap. Penne by submission in the second round is the pick.

Last Fights » The Prelims