Lightweights
Jai Herbert (12-5-1, 2-4-1 UFC) vs. Rolando Bedoya (14-3, 0-2 UFC)It’s a bit of a surprise to see Herbert get passed over for a slot on a card in his native England, but “The Black Country Banger” gets the call a week later for a compelling matchup. Herbert gained some hype on the regional circuit ahead of his UFC debut in 2020 but had a rough transition to taking on better competition. Herbert is a tall and long lightweight who’s typically been a slick and effective striker from range, but his tendency to crash into his opponents and fight in the clinch led him to some losing battles early on. It’s hard to say that Herbert has worked past those issues—particularly after losing an ugly grind of a fight against Fares Ziam in 2023—but he has found his floor on the UFC roster, landing enough sharp offense to stay ahead of the bottom half of the lightweight division. Herbert welcomes Bedoya to the UFC’s 155-pound ranks, as the Peruvian looks to get back in the win column after two losses at welterweight. Bedoya’s main strength thus far in his UFC career has been his durability. He nearly swiped a win from Kalinn Williams in his UFC debut just by absorbing offense and being willing to trade back, though he did tire out while trying the same approach against Kenan Song. Bedoya’s cut down in weight might help him become more of a bully, but it doesn’t seem likely to help him here. The UFC matched him against a large lightweight who still figures to be faster, so even if Bedoya’s usual durability holds up, Herbert figures to drown him in offense. The pick is Herbert via decision.
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