Heavyweights
Juan Espino (9-1) vs. Jeff Hughes (10-3)The final season of “The Ultimate Fighter” was marketed with the tagline “Heavy Hitters,” so it was a bit amusing that the heavyweight bracket was won by a Spanish grappling specialist in Espino, who is somehow older than Season 1 winner Diego Sanchez. “El Guapo” finally gets his first fight since he emerged from the show, and even as he closes in on his 40th birthday, there is a chance for him to cause some damage in the heavyweight division. He is aggressive and sticks to what he is good at, which is enough to overwhelm a solid amount of this roster. Espino draws Hughes, who is still in search of his first UFC win. Hughes has a well-put-together game that made him a regional champion, but he has struggled to make an impact against the giants in the UFC. As an undersized and not particularly athletic heavyweight, Hughes has simply been outgunned by his last few opponents. Add in what appears to be a lack of urgency from Hughes in his fights, and nothing appears to be clicking at the moment. Espino should be able to overpower Hughes and get this to the mat in short order. The pick is Espino via first-round submission.
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