UFC Fight Night ‘Hunt vs. Nelson’ Preview

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Flyweights

Kyoji Horiguchi (13-1, 2-0 UFC) vs. Jon delos Reyes (7-3, 0-1 UFC)

The Matchup: Horiguchi is stylistically similar to John Dodson, combining great explosiveness with technical punching mechanics to create tremendous power in his shots. He moves well and loves to step in with shift punches, where the rear leg travels forward along with the punch to put him in the opposite stance; that accentuates his ability to cover distance quickly.

Like Dodson, however, he is also prone to long periods of inactivity that aggressive and more volume-oriented opponents can exploit. Horiguchi’s takedown defense is not ideal, and while he is adept at scrambling back to his feet, it remains a weakness. His offensive wrestling, on the other hand, is excellent and includes high-amplitude throws along with more standard singles, doubles and trips. If Horiguchi can get top position, he packs real power in his ground striking, and his base makes him hard to shake off.

Delos Reyes is a physical specimen with great quickness, explosiveness and power, but his skills lack polish. He gets all of his weight behind his hard punching combinations, with a particularly nasty left hook; he has a distinct tendency toward wildness, however, and he often leaves his feet out of position after throwing a combination. While he is not a particularly technical wrestler, his strength makes his takedowns powerful and violent, and from top position, he throws massive bombs but leaves himself open to submissions and sweeps.

Betting Odds: N/A

The Pick: With a bit more seasoning, delos Reyes could turn into an interesting fighter in the flyweight division. At present, however, he lacks the technical skill to compete with a fighter who can match or exceed his physical tools, as Horiguchi can. I expect Horiguchi to work his slow-paced movement game in the first round, landing shots while avoiding those from Reyes, before turning it up in the second with strikes and takedowns. Horiguchi wins by knockout via ground strikes in round two.

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