The celebrities are aligning at UFC Mexico City for not one, however two attainable title eliminators.
When Brandon Moreno and Yair Rodriguez step into the octagon reverse Brandon Royval and Brian Ortega on Saturday, they’ll face acquainted foes over whom they maintain previous victories, each with slight caveats.
Moreno defeated Royval at UFC 255 to place himself on the trail to finally successful the flyweight title, whereas Rodriguez beat Ortega at UFC Long Island earlier than occurring to win an interim featherweight title in his subsequent combat. In each cases, a shoulder harm to the dropping fighter contributed to their downfall. Now, not solely do Royval and Ortega get an opportunity to avenge these losses, a powerful efficiency might vault them into the thick of the title image with flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja needing a dance associate for UFC 301 in Rio and new featherweight champion Ilia Topuria needing a challenger for what could possibly be a blockbuster occasion in Spain within the close to future.
In different primary card motion, light-weight prospects Daniel Zellhuber and Francisco Prado put their glowing information on the road, 19-year-old bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. fights The Final Fighter 29 alum Ricky Turcios, Yazmin Jauregui appears to be like to bounce again from her first loss when she faces Sam Hughes in a strawweight contest, and light-weight finishers Manuel Torres and Chris Duncan go toe-to-toe.
What: UFC Mexico Metropolis
The place: Enviornment Ciudad de México in Mexico Metropolis
When: Saturday, Feb. 25. Your complete occasion airs reside on ESPN+ starting with a seven-fight preliminary portion at 7 p.m. ET, adopted by a six-fight primary card that begins at 10 p.m. ET.
Brandon Moreno vs. Brandon Royval
I can’t lie, I used to be heartbroken to see Brandon Royval fall flat towards Alexandre Pantoja. I’m an unabashed fan of each fighters, however had actually come to imagine that it was The Yr of the Uncooked Dawg. To see him lose a one-sided choice in lower than memorable vogue was discouraging. Royval was my decide to finish 2023 as flyweight champion and stepping in on quick discover for Amir Albazi, he can get again on observe earlier than anticipated, he simply has to beat Brandon Moreno.
I’m able to be damage once more, as a result of I don’t assume Royval passes this check. Nothing in Moreno’s cut up choice loss to Pantoja ought to make anybody assume that he’s misplaced a step; if something, Moreno placed on an unbelievable efficiency that was solely barely bettered by the present champ and, frankly, nobody would have been shocked if it went the opposite method. We’re witnessing Moreno on the peak of his powers.
A classic reckless Royval efficiency might steal the day right here, however as he’s admitted himself, he struggled with the slower tempo that Pantoja used to foil him at UFC 296. We all know that Moreno can change speeds and discover success. We are able to’t say the identical for Royval.
I’m anticipating an exhilarating opening two rounds earlier than Moreno pulls away in Spherical 3 and finishes by way of submission.
Decide: Moreno
Yair Rodriguez vs. Brian Ortega
Mexico Metropolis goes to have a lot to rejoice Saturday.
Earlier than Moreno beats Royval, I’ve Yair Rodriguez warding off Brian Ortega as soon as once more. “El Pantera” is only a notch beneath the elite of the division (a tier that at present consists of Ilia Topuria, Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Movsar Evloev), however a notch beneath that group remains to be greater than adequate to beat the vast majority of featherweights. That features Ortega in my estimation.
I’ve picked Ortega to return out on prime in a few of his greatest fights, together with when he fought Max Holloway for the title at UFC 231 and when he fought Rodriguez over a yr and a half in the past. Each occasions, useless fallacious. It looks as if simply yesterday that Ortega was that dude destined to turn out to be champion, however you then keep in mind that the Holloway combat happened in 2018 and it’s a must to marvel if that ship has sailed.
Inactivity is usually a killer on this enterprise and Ortega wasn’t essentially the most energetic fighter earlier than he was injured within the first Rodriguez combat. How can we anticipate him to be at his sharpest after they face off once more? Rodriguez can cling with Ortega on the bottom even when he can’t outright beat him there and on the ft Ortega doesn’t have the pace nor the approach to maintain up with the previous interim champ.
It is a uncommon five-round combat that’s neither a title bout nor a primary occasion and whereas I see Ortega having the toughness to go the space and to offer Rodriguez a couple of scares, this ought to be a win on the scorecards for Rodriguez.
Decide: Rodriguez
Daniel Zellhuber vs. Francisco Prado
The rangy Daniel Zellhuber has bodily instruments that give him a bonus over many fighters within the light-weight division, however can he put all of it collectively? He might not have to seek out out towards Francisco Prado, a finisher who’s going to have a tough time getting previous Zellhuber’s lengthy limbs.
Prado leads along with his head and follows with heavy palms, a method that appears ill-advised towards Zellhuber. If he leaves that chin out on a tee, Zellhuber will make the most of his expert boxing to crack it with jabs and straights time and again. Issues might get thrilling if Prado is keen to take dangers within the hanging, which Zellhuber and his Xtreme Couture coaches have to pay attention to. Even when he’s down on the playing cards, Prado can be harmful for quarter-hour.
Each fighters are younger of their careers and I’ve Zellhuber a step forward skill-wise, so alongside along with his quickly maturing psychological sport, I like his probabilities of not simply beating Prado, however handing him his first loss inside the space.
Decide: Zellhuber
Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Ricky Turcios
I actually don’t know if that is good matchmaking or an extremely dangerous concept on paper. Ricky Turcios is without doubt one of the true wild playing cards on the UFC roster and whereas Raul Rosas Jr. ought to have him beat ability for ability, I’m unsure Turcios is the type of man you throw within the cage with the hopes of increase a prospect.
Rosas—19 now! The place does the time go?—can appear to be a world-beater early in fights and in addition late so long as he’s dictating the offense. In his loss to Christian Rodriguez, we noticed how pissed off and exhausted he can turn out to be when introduced with a sturdy protection that he can’t simply rush by means of. The flexibility to unravel these sorts of issues will include expertise.
How a lot he’ll be taught within the Turcios combat might inform us loads about how Rosas’ 2024 marketing campaign goes. Turcios just isn’t essentially the most defensively accountable fighter, however he’s terribly sturdy and he’s not going to decelerate within the third spherical. If Rosas has any hassle with Turcios in Spherical 2, the final 5 minutes could possibly be a wrestle to get by means of.
I’m a believer in Rosas’ stress sport and potential, so he ought to have sufficient within the tank to outlast Turcios.
Decide: Rosas Jr.
Yazmin Jauregui vs. Sam Hughes
Let’s not take an excessive amount of away from Yazmin Jauregui’s disappointing loss to Denise Gomes. Typically, you simply get caught and rolled over and also you’ve bought to return to the lab. In addition to, the lopsided odds in Jauregui’s favor stated extra in regards to the oddsmakers overlooking Gomes than a practical gauge of how developed Jauregui is 11 fights into her professional profession.
She’s as soon as once more an enormous favourite as she takes on the scrappy Sam Hughes and once more I might preach warning when choosing Jauregui to only run by means of Hughes. Hughes has been the underdog in every certainly one of her UFC fights and she or he’s received three of her final 4, so she’s both fortunate or good a little bit of each. Both method, not somebody that Jauregui ought to underestimate beneath any circumstances.
All that stated, if Jauregui sticks to the sport plan, retains this on the ft, and makes use of her pace to batter Hughes, she ought to be nice. There are clear defensive deficiencies that Jauregui must work on, which isn’t shocking provided that she’s only some days shy of her twenty fifth birthday, however Hughes doesn’t have sufficient pop in her standup to threaten Jauregui. This ought to be a showcase combat for Jauregui, who will look to complete and finally accept a choice nod.
Decide: Jauregui
Manuel Torres vs. Chris Duncan
We’ve bought a superb one to open the primary card right here as Manuel Torres and Chris Duncan each have a nice nostril for the end.
It’s Torres who has compiled the warmer spotlight reel lately along with his previous 9 fights all ending within the first spherical (together with a pair of submission losses). He’s proven extra persistence since incomes his UFC contract, however he nonetheless strikes like a coiled spring, able to explode with a knockout flurry at any second. He has a quickly bettering jab and if he can resist standing and banging with Duncan, he ought to discover the opening for a KO blow.
He needs to be cautious with Duncan although. The Scotsman packs energy in each palms, so if he closes the space early and pressures Torres, it might change the entire complexion of the combat. The onus is on Duncan to make this ugly, which he’s proven he can do. He’ll take one to land one if the scenario requires it.
I simply don’t know if Duncan ought to eat that many clear pictures from Torres. All it takes is one correct strike from Torres to place Duncan down and I’m guessing he finds it.
Decide: Torres
Preliminaries
Raoni Barcelos def. Cristian Quinonez
Jesus Aguilar def. Mateus Mendonca
Edgar Chairez def. Daniel Lacerda
Claudio Puelles def. Fares Ziam
Ronaldo Rodriguez def. Denys Bondar
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