UFC 300 predictions: Early ‘Prelims’ undercard preview | Pereira vs. Hill

Almost eight years after UFC 200 lit up Las Vegas, Nevada, practically eight years in the past, the Octagon heads to T-Cell Area this weekend (Sat., April 13, 2024) for the star-studded pay-per-view (PPV), UFC 300.

The night’s primary course sees two-division champion, Alex Pereira, defend his Mild Heavyweight belt in opposition to former division kingpin, Jamahal Hill, whereas Strawweight queen, Zhang Weili, battles countrywoman, Yan Xiaonan, within the co-feature and Justin Gaethje dukes it out with Max Holloway in what guarantees to be a hellacious five-round warfare.

Eight “Prelims” undercard bouts set UFC 300’s PPV stage, all of them on ESPN+/ESPN. Let’s take a look at the primary 4 …

155 lbs.: Jalin Turner vs. Renato Moicano

The five-fight UFC win streak for Jalin Turner (14-7) gave technique to two consecutive cut up determination losses in opposition to Mateusz Gamrot and Dan Hooker. His third struggle of 2023 pitted him in opposition to Bobby Inexperienced, who “The Tarantula” violently knocked out in lower than three minutes to say his second post-fight bonus (watch it).

Ten of his 14 skilled finishes have come by knockout.

Undeterred by a 3-4 skid that featured three knockout losses and a mauling by the hands of Rafael dos Anjos, Renato Moicano (18-5-1) proved he was nonetheless a menace by choking out Brad Riddell within the first spherical. After greater than a yr on the sidelines, he returned in Feb. 2024 to grit out a unanimous determination over Drew Dober.

He faces a four-inch top drawback and five-inch attain drawback.

Strain is the important thing to beating Turner, whether or not within the type of aggressive putting like Hooker or fixed takedowns like Gamrot or Matt Frevola. It’s a unique story when he can set the tempo, as he ought to in opposition to the extra measured Moicano. Moicano could have a helluva time matching the lengthier, extra highly effective Turner at distance, particularly with Turner’s stout takedown protection taking Moicano’s deadly floor sport off the desk.

Except Moicano can reinvent himself for this struggle and push a ferocious tempo, it appears inevitable that Turner will maintain him on the surface till one among his energy punches turns off the lights. Ultimately, Turner starches him inside of 5 minutes.

Prediction: Turner through first spherical technical knockout

115 lbs.: Jessica Andrade vs. Marina Rodriguez

Beforehand getting ready to one other title shot, Jessica Andrade (25-12) struggled her technique to three stoppage losses within the span of six months. She entered her subsequent conflict with Mackenzie Dern because the underdog, however returned to kind to batter Dern into submission halfway via the second spherical (see it).

The win marked her tenth skilled knockout and eighteenth end general.

A four-fight win streak put Marina Rodriguez (17-3-2) close to the highest of the Strawweight pack, just for Amanda Lemos and Virna Jandiroba to knock her proper again down. She confirmed that she nonetheless had one thing left within the tank in her subsequent bout, an absolute demolition of Michelle Waterson-Gomez that earned Rodriguez her second UFC bonus.

She is the taller lady by 4 inches and boasts a three-inch attain benefit.

This actually boils down as to whether Andrade is genuinely in peak kind once more — the model of her who out-classed Amanda Lemos, Lauren Murphy and the aforementioned Dern eats Rodriguez for breakfast. Rodriguez has been overwhelmed by uncooked aggression earlier than, as seen in her struggles with Yan Xioanan and Amanda Lemos. And the Jandiroba struggle confirmed that her backside sport remains to be an enormous legal responsibility. If Andrade simply sprints at her like she did in her personal run-in with Yan, although, Rodriguez’s proper hand will finish issues in a rush.

All issues thought of, Andrade’s win over Dern was dominant sufficient to make me an optimist, particularly contemplating what number of points Rodriguez has had with the weapons at “Bate Estaca’s” disposal. Certainly, she overwhelms Rodriguez for a end within the first half.

Prediction: Andrade through second spherical technical knockout

155 lbs.: Bobby Inexperienced vs. Jim Miller

Reeling from a 2-4 (1 NC) hunch, Bobby Inexperienced (31-15-1) put himself proper again on the map by choking out Tony Ferguson and subsequently stunning Grant Dawson with a 33-second knockout. He signed on to face Dan Hooker two months later, solely to as a substitute face Jalin Turner, who put “King” to sleep halfway via the primary.

He stands two inches taller than Jim Miller (37-17) at 5’10.”

Again in 2021, “A-10” put collectively his first three-fight win streak since 2016, solely to fall quick in opposition to Alexander Hernandez his subsequent day out. That may not spell the top for Miller, nevertheless, as he went on to cease Jesse Butler and Gabriel Benitez in back-to-back bouts.

He’s ended 27 professional bouts inside the gap, 20 of them through submission.

As a lot as I need to see Miller pull off the three-peat, I don’t see it taking place. He’ll have all types of hassle getting previous Inexperienced’s jab and his takedowns don’t look adequate to place “King” on his again with any consistency, particularly since Inexperienced’s distance administration makes getting shut sufficient to shoot a frightening job.

Inexperienced did admittedly get slept by one other southpaw slugger in Drew Dober, however Dober needed to climate a ton of injury and throw a ton of quantity to make that occur. I’m not satisfied the present Miller can do the identical, particularly after seeing him battle with a lesser boxer than Inexperienced in Hernandez. Briefly, Inexperienced spoils the enjoyable by sharp-shooting his technique to a snug determination win.

Prediction: Inexperienced through unanimous determination

135 lbs.: Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Cody Garbrandt

The practically six-year run for Deiveson Figueiredo (22-3-1) as a UFC Flyweight got here to an finish when Brandon Moreno stopped him within the fourth bout of their two-year rivalry. A transfer to 135 kilos proved simply what the physician ordered, out-slugging Rob Font to say a unanimous determination in his divisional debut.

He sports activities a 2.5-inch attain benefit over Garbrandt regardless of standing three inches shorter.

The sterling UFC begin for Cody Garbrandt (14-5) got here crashing to a halt thanks to 5 losses in six bouts, culminating in a disastrous Flyweight debut that noticed Kai Kara-France cease him halfway via the primary. He broke an almost three-year winless streak in March 2023 with a call over Trevin Jones, then returned to his ending methods by knocking out Brian Kelleher 9 months later (watch it).

All 11 of his skilled finishes have come through knockout.

Right here’s the factor: even for those who imagine Garbrandt is again to the shape that noticed him snap Dominick Cruz’s win streak, Figueiredo is a nightmare matchup for him. Functionally indestructible, too good a wrestler for Garbrandt to grind out, and boasting the form of devastating proper hand that’s lengthy been Garbrandt’s Kryptonite.

The one means Garbrandt wins right here is that if he can put Figueiredo to sleep, which isn’t unimaginable contemplating the quantity of mileage on “Deus da Guerra.” If I needed to decide one man to fall to strikes, although, it’d be the one with 4 knockout losses on his document. When the mud settles, Figueiredo melts him in an change earlier than the second bell.

Prediction: Figueiredo through first spherical technical knockout

4 extra UFC 300 “Prelims” undercard bouts stay to preview and predict, together with Kayla Harrison’s long-awaited Octagon debut, Aljamain Sterling’s Featherweight debut, and the newest from former Mild Heavyweight champion, Jiri Prochazka. Similar time tomorrow, Maniacs.

Keep in mind that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of all the UFC 300 struggle card proper right here, beginning with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches on-line, that are scheduled to start at 6 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPN at 8 p.m. ET), earlier than the pay-per-view (PPV) primary card begin time at 10 p.m. ET (additionally on ESPN+).

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