Welterweights
Jeremiah Wells (12-3-1, 4-1 UFC) vs. Max Griffin (19-10, 7-8 UFC)Wells was already in his mid-30s when he made his UFC debut in 2021, but the Philadelphian still has the game of a much younger man. A ball of muscle with explosive athleticism, Wells fights behind a combination of wild striking blitzes and power grappling, looking to quickly run over his opponent on either the feet or the mat. It is a reckless approach for someone with so much experience, but it has also been hard to argue with the results, particularly since Wells has enough physicality to usually grind out a win if needed. Wells hit the ground running with four straight wins and looked headed for number five against Carlston Harris in August. Then disaster struck, as Wells charged directly into an anaconda choke that suddenly gave Harris the submission win. At 37 years old, Wells cannot afford many setbacks if he wants to make a true charge up the welterweight ladder, so a rebound win against Griffin is hugely important, if not necessarily guaranteed. Griffin also hit the UFC on the older side back in 2016, and after barely sticking on the roster for a few years, “Max Pain” finally hit his stride around 2020. He has always been durable and physically powerful, but Griffin finally found enough technical depth to fight behind a consistent game plan and string together three consistent rounds. That well-roundedness leaves Griffin without one standout skill to hang his hat on, which has given him a clear ceiling as a result, but it usually takes either an elite athlete or focused specialist to turn him back at this point. It is a coinflip as to whether or not Wells meets those criteria, but he gets the benefit of the doubt. He might look messy at times, but Wells does often appear to know what he is doing, and while he seems unlikely to take Griffin entirely out of the fight, he should be the one landing the much more effective offense in each round. The pick is Wells via decision.
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