Bantamweights
Nathaniel Wood (14-3) vs. Andre Ewell (14-4): This should be a fun bout between bantamweight prospects. Ewell had a surprisingly successful UFC debut, earning a win over former champion Renan Barao, and while that has more to do with the Brazilian’s decline than anything, Ewell still showed himself to be an interesting athletic talent. He steps in for an injured Tom Duquesnoy to take on a Brad Pickett protege in Wood, who looks to be a fun striker at the very least. Wood’s ceiling is in question, given that he struggled with Johnny Eduardo in his UFC debut before the latter went for an ill-advised takedown, but he has the speed and durability to cause some problems and, at age 25, should keep improving. This should be Wood’s fight to lose. Ewell can be scared off by more aggressive fighters -- a bill that Wood certainly fits -- and Wood should be able to overwhelm the former CES MMA champion with volume and power. The pick is Wood via second-round knockout. ODDS: Wood (-115), Ewell (-105)Advertisement
Middleweights
Uriah Hall (13-9) vs. Bevon Lewis (6-0): Hall remains an interesting figure, even if any intrigue about him becoming a contender is long gone. Hall will probably go down as the last great hyped prospect that “The Ultimate Fighter” produced, given his frightening run through the house in 2013. It gave way to a disappointing UFC career that saw “Prime Time” struggle to stay out of his own head. Hall’s alternately uncomfortable both bullying and being bullied, which leads to inconsistent performances that have seen him combine spectacular individual moments with long stretches of nothing. Hall’s last fight, a loss to Paulo Henrique Costa, did finally show some improvement in terms of being a consistent fighter, but as always with the two-time Ring of Combat champion, it is unclear what is going to stick and show up in the next fight. Oddly, Hall goes from Costa to facing the debuting Lewis -- a prospect worth getting behind, even if Jon Jones comparisons are getting way ahead of themselves. This looks like yet another spot where a Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series alum is getting thrown into the deep end. Lewis is a talented athlete and powerful striker who is often too patient for his own good, and at this point, Hall has enough edges in technique and experience that the veteran deserves to be favored. It is always difficult to trust “The Ultimate Fighter 17” finalist, but the pick is Hall via second-round knockout. ODDS: Hall (-115), Lewis (-105)Welterweights
Curtis Millender (16-3) vs. Siyar Bahadurzada (24-6-1): Expectations were not particularly high for Millender given that he put together a middling run in Bellator MMA, but the Anaheim, California, native has enjoyed a banner 2018 with the UFC, debuting with a brutal knockout of Thiago Alves before beating Max Griffin. Millender is a somewhat one-dimensional fighter, relying on an impressive range striking game, but thus far, nobody has entirely cracked the code, allowing him to carve out a niche as an exciting fighter and a potential contender. He should have a fun scrap against Afghanistan’s Bahadurzada, who is finally on a regular schedule after injuries limited him to one fight between 2013 and 2017. Despite his unassuming appearance, Bahadurzada is a quick and powerful knockout artist who has looked great in his recent fights, scoring brutal knockouts of Rob Wilkinson and Luan Chagas. Millender’s reach and sense of distance should cause some problems for Bahadurzada, but the latter is the faster athlete and should hit harder in exchanges. Plus, he also has a surprisingly solid wrestling game in his back pocket, which could come in handy against Millender’s iffy takedown defense. The pick is Bahadurzada via decision. ODDS: Millender (-145), Bahadurzada (+125)Bantamweights
Brian Kelleher (19-9) vs. Montel Jackson (6-1): Kelleher immediately established himself as a solid mid-tier bantamweight with a win over Iuri Alcantara in his UFC debut, but the Long Islander has been inconsistent since. Kelleher is aggressive to a fault, willing to chase whatever opening presents itself, which in turn has left him open for whatever his opponent brings. That is all well and good against the likes of Damian Stasiak and the shopworn version of Renan Barao, but it has also gotten him smoked by John Lineker and shockingly tapped out by Marlon Vera. This time around, Kelleher faces Milwaukee’s Jackson, who is one of the more unpolished fighters on the UFC roster; he is only about a year and a half into his pro MMA career. Jackson is a talent, as he is a long athlete with some knockout power, but he just has not faced a high level of competition and Kelleher is probably even a step up from his last opponent. Kelleher should give Jackson some openings, but this feels like the UFC rushing yet another prospect, as the veteran’s varied attacks and wrestling game should carry him here. The pick is Kelleher via decision. ODDS: Jackson (-155), Kelleher (+135)We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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