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Middleweights
NR | Alen Amedovski (8-2, 0-2 UFC) vs. NR | Yaozong Hu (3-2, 0-2 UFC)ODDS: Amedovski (-135), Hu (+115)
Two middleweights search for their first UFC win in this opener. A Montenegrin-Italian, Amedovski came to the UFC following two quick knockout wins in Bellator MMA, which more or less sums up his approach. For better or for worse, Amedovski is committed to a fast-handed power boxing game. That has not worked out in the UFC thus far, as Krzysztof Jotko exploited his questionable defensive wrestling before John Phillips took the invitation to brawl and knocked out Amedovski in just 14 seconds. He will try to turn things around against China’s Hu, who continues his pattern of dropping down a weight class with each of his UFC fights.
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Signed as a last-minute replacement for a 2017 card in Shanghai, Hu showed little in his promotional debut at heavyweight, getting outwrestled and tapped out by Cyril Asker in a one-sided fight. “Totoro” returned a year later for a light heavyweight bout against Rashad Coulter, and while he looked in much better shape and controlled the fight early, he flagged after about a round and got hit with most of what Coulter had to offer. There is a chance the cut to middleweight unlocks something for Hu given his wrestling background and the fact that outwrestling Amedovski is clearing a low bar. However, between his cardio issues and willingness to throw down, Amedovski should get the fight he wants sooner rather than later. The pick is Amedovski via second-round knockout.