Preview: UFC 241 ‘Cormier vs. Miocic 2’

Women’s Strawweights

Hannah Cifers (9-3, -255) vs. Jodie Esquibel (6-5, +215): Esquibel getting a fourth UFC bout is a bit surprising. She was a decent enough competitor in Invicta Fighting Championships but was seemingly brought in solely to lose to Karolina Kowalkiewicz in Poland and has hung around since despite losing all three of her bouts inside the Octagon. On the plus side, she at least showed more of a willingness to get after it in her last appearance against Angela Hill, which turned into a fun scrap and perhaps earned her another chance. Cifers is not a particularly quick or explosive athlete, but she has gotten by quite well on toughness and strength, which was enough to earn her a win against Polyana Viana in March. This is a close enough fight, particularly since Cifers’ approach tends to be rather aimless, but the North Carolina native should still be physically stronger in the clinch and the harder hitter when the two exchange. The pick is Cifers via decision.

Bantamweights

Kyung Ho Kang (15-8, -175) vs. Brandon Davis (10-5, +155): This fight is basically guaranteed to be a war and could be the best bet for “Fight of the Night.” Davis is quickly making a name for himself as a pure action fighter, thanks to his constant willingness to move forward and press the issue, for better or for worse. He has also earned some points simply by staying active, as he fought four times in 2018, including late-notice assignments against Steven Peterson and Zabit Magomedsharipov. Davis made a surprising cut down to 135 pounds for his April bout against Randy Costa, and after a fun victory there, he looks to keep the momentum going against Kang. “Mr. Perfect” missed all of 2015, 2016 and 2017 due to his Korean military service but picked up right where he left off upon his return, fighting like an absolute maniac in his last three bouts. Both men make the commitment to offense at the expense of defense, so there is going to be a ton of shots landed. Kang should have the advantage as both the quicker and more varied fighter on the feet. The pick is Kang via decision.

Women’s Flyweights

Shana Dobson (3-2, -130) vs. Sabina Mazo (6-1, +110): Mazo’s UFC debut did not go quite as expected. The “Colombian Queen” came in with some highlight-reel knockouts and some hype as a result, but she ran into a much-improved Maryna Moroz, who enjoyed a ton of success wrestling and throwing Mazo off her kick-heavy game. A sophomore effort here against “The Ultimate Fighter” alum Shana Dobson should be a bit more forgiving, though Dobson is a decent prospect in her own right, possessing a solid power boxing game and a willingness to work the body that has paid some dividends in her previous fights. Dobson is coming off a long layoff, and given that she is a raw prospect, there is a chance she has made a huge jump, but in general, she should be willing to play a game with which Mazo is comfortable. If Dobson just looks to box, Mazo should be able to dictate range with her kicks; and even if Dobson has some early success, Dobson has had some cardio issues that could be a factor late. The pick is Mazo via decision, though both women are interesting talents.