7. Jeremy Kennedy
A UFC veteran who sports an impressive 13-1 record, Kennedy’s only loss came at the hands of top featherweight Alexander Volkanovski. During his tenure with the UFC, “JBC” compiled a 3-1 record with wins over Alessandro Ricci, Rony Mariano Bezerra and Kyle Bochniak. Since leaving the UFC, the Canadian has strung together back-to-back victories. Kennedy is a long and lengthy featherweight, but he does not use his reach well, instead electing to close the distance and battle in close quarters. He works behind a busy jab and left hook while waiting for the moment to get in tight on his opponent. The Xtreme Couture representative transitions well between his striking and heavily emphasized wrestling game. The 26-year-old has great level changes, which help him secure takedowns in the center of the cage. The Canadian also thrives in the clinch, where he batters the body with knees. Once he grabs a leg, Kennedy is relentless at pursing the takedown. From on top, he patiently grinds on his opponents until he tires them out, then explodes with some devastating ground-and-pound. Kennedy sticks to a game plan and has an endless gas tank that helps him get stronger throughout the bout. While many view Kennedy as one of the favorites to win the million-dollar purse, he might need to show some new skills, as his wrestling-centric approach might not work with so many decorated wrestlers in the field of featherweights.
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