UFC 297 predictions: Early ‘Prelims’ undercard preview | Strickland vs. Du Plessis

Scotiabank Area in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, hosts the primary Final Combating Championship (UFC) pay-per-view present of 2024 this Saturday (Jan. 20, 2024) when Middleweight kingpin, Sean Strickland, seems to be to settle his unhealthy blood feud with Dricus Du Plessis atop UFC 297. The night’s different title battle sees Mayra Bueno Silva battle veteran Raquel Pennington for Amanda Nunes’ vacated ladies’s Bantamweight belt, whereas Ontario’s personal Mike Malott chases his largest win so far in opposition to Neil Magny at Welterweight.

Seven “Prelims” will set UFC 297’s PPV predominant card stage this time round, three on ESPN+ and the remaining on ESPNN. Let’s take a gander on the first batch …

170 lbs.: Yohan Lainesse vs. Sam Patterson

4 months after knocking out Evan Cutts to say CFFC gold, Yohan Lainesse (9-2) dispatched Justin Burlinson 97 seconds into their Contender Collection bout to earn a UFC berth. He now finds himself 1-2 on this planet’s largest blended martial arts (MMA) promotion, a break up choice over Gabe Inexperienced sandwiched between stoppage losses to Gabe Inexperienced and Mike Malott.

He offers up two inches of top and attain to Sam Patterson (10-2-1).

Patterson — driving a nine-fight unbeaten streak — survived a disastrous begin to choke out Vinicius Cenci on Contender Collection and declare a UFC contract. His debut pitted him in opposition to Yanal Ashmouz, who slept “The Future” with punches simply 75 seconds into the primary spherical (watch highlights).

He’s scored 5 knockouts and 4 submissions as an expert.

There are two potential outcomes right here. The primary is that Lainesse simply bulldozes Patterson within three minutes. Forgoing the minimize to 155 kilos ought to assist shore up Patterson’s sturdiness, however he’s there to be hit and Lainesse does pack some real pop.

The second — and the one I’m going with — is that Patterson survives lengthy sufficient for Lainesse’s gasoline tank to fail him once more. “White Lion” simply can’t preserve his hanging output for greater than a spherical; for instance, he landed a complete of 10 vital strikes within the final 10 minutes of the Weeks battle. I do know it’s been a tough time of late for lanky Brits, however count on Patterson to keep away from the kill shot and take over down the stretch.

Prediction: Patterson by way of third spherical submission

125 lbs.: Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Priscila Cachoeira

Undeterred by a loss to then-unknown Natalia Silva, Jasmine Jasudavicius (9-3) scored back-to-back upsets of Gabriella Fernandes and Miranda Maverick. Her third effort of 2023 resulted in a bloody battle in opposition to Tracy Cortez, who in the end walked away with a aggressive choice victory.

She’ll get pleasure from a three-inch attain benefit.

Priscila Cachoeira (12-5) battled her technique to a 4-1 run after dropping her first three UFC fights, incomes two post-fight bonuses alongside the way in which. Then got here an 11-month keep on the sidelines, which led right into a submission loss to Miranda Maverick at UFC 291.

All seven of the “Zombie Woman” stoppage wins have come by way of knockout.

The excellent news for Cachoeira is that Jasudavicius can be a straightforward goal. Certainly, Jasudavicius will get hit with alarming frequency, consuming round 200 mixed vital strikes from Silva and Cortez.

The unhealthy information is that Jasudavicius takes an amazing shot and isn’t shy about abusing a wrestling benefit. She racked up greater than 10 minutes of high management in opposition to Fernandes, whom I’d tab as a extra harmful striker than Cachoeira … and has the means to do the identical to “Zombie Woman.” In the long run, Jasudavicius shrugs off a haymaker or two to repeatedly drag Cachoeira to the mat and spoil her day.

Prediction: Jasudavicius by way of unanimous choice

125 lbs.: Malcolm Gordon vs. Jimmy Flick

Following two straight defeats in his first two UFC appearances, Malcom Gordon (14-7) evened up his Octagon document by beating Francisco Figueiredo and Denys Bondar. Muhammad Mokaev dragged him again under .500, although, ending him with a 3rd spherical armbar, after which Jake Hadley punished Gordon’s weight miss by stopping him in 61 seconds (watch highlights).

He sports activities three inches of attain on “The Brick.”

Jimmy Flick (16-7) capped off a four-fight win streak by hitting a flying triangle in his UFC debut, solely to announce his retirement quickly after. His momentum did not observe him in his comeback, which has seen him endure back-to-back (technical) knockout losses to Charles Johnson and Alessandro Costa.

He’s scored 14 submissions as an expert.

Athletic sprawl-and-brawlers seem to be a Kryptonite that Flick can’t overcome. That mentioned, his floor recreation stays among the many greatest within the division and Gordon strikes me as a way more prepared dance associate than Johnson or Costa. All indicators level to a high-octane Brazilian jiu-jitsu battle that Flick is extraordinarily well-equipped to win.

The important thing issue right here is Flick’s wrestling. Although it wasn’t ample to floor his final two opponents, it needs to be greater than sufficient to punch via Gordon’s single-digit takedown protection. With the flexibility to dictate when and the way the battle hits the bottom and the scrambling expertise to remain one step forward of Gordon as soon as there, I like Flick to re-enter the win column together with his fifteenth submission.

Prediction: Flick by way of second spherical submission

4 extra UFC 297 “Prelims” bouts stay to preview and predict, together with a Featherweight shootout within the making between Charles Jourdain vs. Sean Woodson. Similar time tomorrow, Maniacs.

Do not forget that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of the complete UFC 297 battle card proper right here, beginning with the early ESPN+ “Prelims” matches on-line, that are scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. ET (simulcast on ESPNEWS at 8 p.m. ET), earlier than the pay-per-view (PPV) predominant card begin time at 10 p.m. ET (additionally on ESPN+).

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