Bantamweights
Timur Valiev (16-2) vs. Mark Striegl (18-2)Valiev was slated to make his debut three weeks ago—before he was one of many late scratches on a snakebitten card. Even so, given that Valiev’s UFC debut has been overdue for years, what is 21 more days? An injury took Valiev out of the PFL’s featherweight bracket in 2018, so he has spent the past year-plus in his native Russia racking up wins at bantamweight and waiting for this call to finally come. Valiev is obviously an elite athlete and has a well-rounded skill set, but despite a gaudy record against strong competition, there is some cause for concern. He is not the type of fighter who puts his foot on the gas to score a dominant win. He will take on a fellow newcomer in Striegl. An American of Filipino heritage, Striefgl has put together a strong resume of his own, primarily in Asia, that includes a three-fight stint in One Championship. Striegl has some regional grappling accolades and could give Valiev a go in that aspect of the fight, but the Russian is the much quicker fighter, particularly on the feet. For Striegl to have much success, Valiev is probably going to be the one to have to put himself in danger. The pick is Valiev via decision.
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