Preview: UFC on ESPN 60 ‘Lemos vs. Jandiroba’

Flyweights

Cody Durden (16-5-1) vs. Bruno Silva (13-5-2, 1 N/C)
Odds: Durden (-122), Silva (+102)

It's been a long process for the UFC's flyweight division to gain some depth, but there's now enough 125-pounders on the roster that someone like Cody Durden can chug along, separating the wheat from the chaff. A 2020 signing, Durden still has the hallmarks of a fighter that ran through a weak level of competition on the regional scene; constantly aggressive, particularly with his wrestling, Durden's also struggled to smooth out the defensive liabilities that have cost him when he steps up against ranked competition. But when faced with someone who isn't a clear submission threat - or, in the case of Jake Hadley, doesn't have the athleticism to hang with Durden - his doggedness is usually enough to swamp his opponents for the better part of three rounds. After a loss to Tagir Ulanbekov to cap off 2023, Durden attempts a rebound here against the underrated Silva. Silva had a rough start to his UFC career with three straight losses, but has righted the ship with three wins where he's looked impressively solid, both as a knockout and submission threat. It does look like "Bulldog" will essentially wind up in the same gatekeeper role as Durden -- though in Silva's case it's more athleticism than technical depth that's holding him back -- but for now it's nice to just see him back in the cage; injuries have limited the Brazilian to just one fight in the last three years, to the point that he's no longer even the most prominent Bruno Silva on the UFC roster. The read is that Durden can lean on his wrestling to gut this one out, but that's far from a sure bet given Silva's tendency to impress; the pick is Durden via decision.

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Lemos vs. Jandiroba
Tavares vs. Park
Garcia vs. Choi
Holobaugh vs. Kruschewsky
Durden vs. Silva
Choi vs. Algeo
The Prelims