Bantamweights
Domingo Pilarte (8-2, -125) vs. Journey Newson (9-2, +105): As a 6-foot bantamweight, Pilarte will always remain an interesting prospect, but he could badly use a win here. After earning a contract via Dana White’s Contender Series and missing a year due to injury, the “Son of Fire” had a flat UFC debut, as he was mostly controlled by Felipe Dias Colares on his way to a clear decision loss. He will attempt to right the ship against Newson, who is also looking to bounce back from a debut defeat, though his was much more of a moral victory. Not much was expected of Newson against Ricardo Ramos, but he managed to hold his own and impress in a losing effort. The physical difference is stark, as the short-and-stocky Newson meets the reedy Pilarte. It will be interesting to see what Newson can accomplish as a result. Pilarte is at his best when his opponent respects his striking range, but his aggressive grappling might be his most reliable skill. If this winds up against the fence or on the mat, this should be Pilarte’s fight to lose. However, Newson showed some sharp striking and Pilarte is often there to be hit, making the underdog a worthy flier. The pick is Newson via second-round knockout.Bantamweights
Andre Ewell (15-6, -125) vs. Jonathan Martinez (11-2, +105): Ewell is an entertaining fighter, but his four UFC appearances have shown a consistent pattern. If an opponent respects his striking, Ewell can uncork some impressive stuff from range, but things get sketchier against opponents who are willing to pressure him or take him down, even if his grappling defense does slowly seem to be improving. It remains unclear if that will be a concern against Martinez. He can hold his own about anywhere but has not shown much ability to dictate the terms of his UFC bouts, even if he has won two of the three. If Martinez presses his wrestling, this fight is there for the taking, but the pick is for Ewell to cruise to a decision win.Featherweights
Austin Lingo (7-0, -220) vs. Youssef Zalal (7-2, +180): This late-notice addition to the card pits two former Legacy Fighting Alliance standouts against each other. There is not much in the way of useful footage on Lingo, mostly since he finishes his fights so quickly—his last three bouts have lasted a combined 63 seconds. He will take on Zalal, who has shown some interesting tools. “The Moroccan Devil” has a long frame and an aggressive mindset, even if he favors offense at the expense of his defense. If this goes any length of time, it will get interesting in a hurry, but Zalal seems hittable and Lingo has legitimate power. The pick is for Lingo to score another first-round knockout.Related Articles
