Bantamweights
Qileng Aori (22-9, 1-2 UFC) vs. Jay Perrin (10-5, 0-1 UFC)As with all Aori fights to date in the UFC, this should be engaging. The “Mongolian Murderer” came to the UFC in early 2021 as a flyweight but struggled to find much success at 125 pounds; his approach works almost entirely due to aggression, and his complete lack of regard for defense let Jeff Molina and Cody Durden find enough openings to win fights over the course of 15 minutes. A move up to bantamweight in April worked much better. Faced with a typical glass cannon in Cameron Else, Aori quickly took care of business and scored a knockout in under three minutes. He will look to build on the first momentum of his UFC career against Perrin, who is hunting his first UFC win in his second try. The New Englander lost in somewhat controversial fashion on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2019 but eventually got the late-notice call from the UFC in February. Coming from a boxing family, Perrin is a solid enough striker, but he is typically at his best when he can get his wrestling and grappling going, as he is much more reliable as a submission threat. Aori’s recklessness should provide some openings for Perrin to take things to the mat, making this a bit of a coinflip. However, Aori reads as a better athlete with stronger cardio and should be able to take this fight over down the stretch, even if this should be entertaining while it lasts. The pick is Aori via decision.
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Santos vs. Gordon
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Fletcher vs. Loosa
Albazi vs. Figueiredo
Aori vs. Perrin
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