UFC Louisville Preview And Predictions

UFC Louisville Preview And Predictions

The UFC octagon will be in Louisville, Kentucky for the weekend. The promotion is bringing a big-time middleweight matchup for the main event. The remainder of the card is not filled with big names, but the match-making creates interesting fights that should result in violence.

Join Vendetta Sports Media as we preview and predict the UFC Louisville main card. You can find our prediction records below.

James: 62-40

Garrett: 56-46

Anthony: 60-42

Jerry: 52-39

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano- Welterweight Bout

James: The UFC Louisville main card opens with a welterweight bout between Miguel Baeza and Punahele Soriano. Baeza is 3-3 in the UFC. It has been a story of two careers. In his first three UFC fights, he picked up three finish wins and became a noteworthy prospect. That rise was followed by three consecutive knockout losses. Soriano has struggled recently as well. In his last five fights, he is 1-4.

Baeza has a lot of impressive skills. On the feet, he stays technical and has solid footwork. This allows him to strike from the outside or get inside and land strikes. This is paired with solid hands and respectable kicks. In the grappling realm, Baeza is a good wrestler, but his BJJ is his best skill. This all comes together to give him finish upside in the striking and grappling realm. The issue is that his striking defense needs improvement and his chin is terrible.

Soriano brings a mix of boxing and wrestling to the octagon. For the most part, he throws big shots that deal serious damage. It is mostly just big swings, but he has landed them on various occasions. The biggest issue with Soriano is that his skills are regressing. In recent fights, his striking offense has been less efficient and he is not offensively wrestling. Plus, his cardio is poor.

The UFC Louisville main card opener is a wild fight to preview. Baeza has the skills to look sensational in this fight. At the same time, Soriano has the power to crack Baeza’s suspect chin. I lean toward Baeza’s side coming through. That is mainly because Soriano’s shot selection is quite predictable. That should help Baeza stay safe. The cardio and grappling edge for Baeza is quality too. I will take Baeza by second-round submission .

Garrett: Baeza via decision

Jerry: Baeza via decision

Anthony: Baeza via decision

Julian Marquez vs. Zachary Reese- Middleweight Bout

James : At UFC Louisville, Julian Marquez will fight Zachary Reese. Marquez has gone 3-3 in the UFC. That run has not been a sensational streak, but he has shown the willingness to brawl and entertain fans. Reese earned a UFC contract with a win on Dana White’s Contender Series . As a prospect, he was projected as a raw fighter with limited experience. That was evident as he dropped his UFC debut.

Marquez is always down for a scrap. In the pocket, he will throw heavy hands and rip big leg kicks. At times he will add knees or head kicks. This can all be damaging because of his physicality. Similarly, his strength helps him find success in the grappling realm. Marquez is willing to grapple and can land submissions from various positions.

Reese is six-foot-three. That length allows him to throw kicks from the outside. It also gives him submission upside in grappling exchanges. The issue is that his skills are raw. If a fighter can get inside they can land big strikes. Plus, his submission upside will not be as potent in the UFC as it was on the regional scene.

This UFC Louisville bout is a difficult fight to preview. It is hard to trust either fighter because they both have durability concerns and flaws in their skills. I side with Marquez, however. I expect him to land big shots once he closes the distance. Plus, he should be able to stay safe while grappling. I will take Marquez by second-round knockout .

Garrett: Reese via TKO

Jerry: Reese via decision

Anthony: Marquez via KO/TKO

Brunno Ferreira vs. Dustin Stoltzfus- Middleweight Bout

James: At UFC Louisville, Brunno Ferreira will fight Dustin Stoltzfus. Ferreria has done solid work in his short UFC tenure. At 2-1, he has picked up wins over Gregory Rodrigues and Phil Hawes. That is respectable for a fresh face in the UFC. Stoltzfus has gone 2-4 in the promotion and desperately needs this win to hold his UFC roster spot.

Ferreira is a shorts and stocky striker. The goal for him is to get inside and land big strikes. This is usually accomplished with forward pressure that puts him in his opponent’s face. In the pocket, he will sit and trade punches. This generally works well because he hits hard and throws in combinations

Stoltzfus does not bring anything impressive to the UFC octagon. At 2-4 that should not be a surprise. I will not say he is exceptional at anything; however, he throws leg kicks, lets his hands go, and occasionally wrestles. It is nothing special.

This UFC Louisville previews Ferreira. In simplest terms, he is the more skilled fighter. In the pocket, he will be comfortable while having the better skills. If he grapples, he will likely be better in the realm too. The one realm where Stoltzfus holds an advantage is cardio. That is the most realistic path to victory for him. I would not pick that outcome, however. Instead, I will take Ferreira by first-round knockout.

Garrett: Ferreira via TKO

Jerry: Ferreira via KO/TKO

Anthony: Ferreira via decision

Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Ricky Turcios- Bantamweight Bout

James: The UFC Louisville feature bout is a bantamweight matchup between Raul Rosas Jr. and Ricky Turcios. Rosas, 19, became the youngest fighter in UFC history when the UFC signed him at just 17 years old. In the UFC, he was rushed into a tough fight against Christian Rodriguez that stalled his progress. Still, he has a 2-1 record in the promotion and is skilled for his age. Turcios was the winner of The Ultimate Fighter Season 29, but his hype has fizzled out. At 2-1, his UFC run has not been bad and he is only 30. That gives him time to make a run.

Rosas is a very raw fighter. That is fair considering his age. The peak of his skill set is his submission ability. Rosas has shown solid takedowns and can transition to strong positions once he lands takedowns. The flaws in his game can largely be seen in his striking and cardio. On the feet, he can land shots, but he is not efficient or clean. What’s more concerning is that his only loss came after gassing out early in the fight.

Turcios is a chaotic fighter that grapples at a high rate. It is not clean grappling, but it comes early and often. Plus, he does not defend takedowns well which allows his opponent to find grappling success. On the feet, he is just as chaotic and he throws a ton of strikes.

This UFC Louisville preview favors Rosas. It seems like he is being put in a position to find success. Turcios’ lack of takedown defense and chaotic grappling should allow Rosas to land takedowns and advance position. I expect Rosas to take Turcios’ back and land a rear naked choke. The only concern is Rosas’ highly suspect cardio. I will take Rosas by first-round submission.

Garrett: Rosas via submission

Jerry: Rosas via submission

Anthony: Rosas via submission

No. 15 Dominick Reyes vs. Dustin Jacoby- Light Heavyweight Bout

James: The UFC Louisville co-main event is a light heavyweight matchup between Dominick Reyes and Dustin Jacoby. Reyes has lost four consecutive fights. The first loss was a close fight against Jon Jones, but he proceeded to lose his next three fights by knockout. Before that, he was 6-0 in the promotion and was a serious prospect. Jacoby has been a solid UFC light heavyweight. In his current UFC run, he is 7-3-1. That has not pushed him to the top of the division, but he is solid.

The most important aspects of Reyes’ current form are his chin and confidence. In his three-fight losing streak, he has taken a serious amount of damage. That could be enough to result in a loss in this fight. If those concerns do not come to fruition, he has serious power, will be the more athletic fighter, and likely has the grappling edge.

Jacoby is a former kickboxer. That can be seen in his fighting style. The game plan for Jacoby is to fight from the outside, land straight shots, and throw leg kicks. That has produced solid results, but he has also struggled at points in his career.

The UFC Louisville co-main event is a tough fight to confidently preview. It is hard to be overly confident in either of these fighters. Reyes is dealing with serious chin issues while Jacoby has been quite inconsistent. Stylistically, Jacoby’s outside-striking approach should limit the risk for Reyes. Plus, Reyes holds far more finish upside and is the better grappler. Still, I simply do not trust Reyes’ chin. I will take Jacoby by first-round knockout .

Garrett: Reyes via decision

Jerry: Jacoby via KO/TKO

Anthony: Reyes KO/TKO

No. 4 Jared Cannonier vs. No. 7 Nassourdine Imavov- Middleweight Bout

James: The UFC Louisville features a middleweight bout between Jared Cannonier and Nassourdine Imavov. The middleweight division currently has several high-profile fights booked and this matchup is flying under the radar. Cannonier is 7-2 in the UFC middleweight division with his only losses coming against Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker. In recent outings, Cannonier has won consecutive fights against Marvin Vettori and Sean Strickland. In the Vettori bout, he broke the record for significant strikes landed in a middleweight fight. Imavov is a serious prospect who deserves a big opportunity at middleweight. In the UFC, he is 5-2 with a no-contest. That includes a handful of impressive performances.

Cannonier is often advertised as a power striker, but his game is much more based on technique. In his fights, he has feints and good footwork. This helps him land powerful shots. Cannonier’s kicking game is not elite, but he can throw heavy kicks with his back leg. In the grappling, he is fine. If he lands a takedown, he throws aggressive ground and pound. If taken down, he works back to his feet. The issue with Cannonier is that he is 40 years old. This raises questions about his chin and speed. Furthermore, it is always a possibility that he has a steep performance decline at any moment.

Imavov is a technical fighter with a good combination of speed and length. This allows him to throw a lot of straight weapons and have success. Imavov will unload with punches, find the target quickly, and get out of range efficiently. This allows him to win rounds at a respectable rate. At the same time, he does hold the ability to hurt opponents.

The UFC Louisville main event previews to be a close fight. Regardless of who wins, they should get a massive opportunity. This fight is hard to call. The two biggest advantages will be Imavov’s speed and Cannonier’s cardio. Imavov should be the quicker fighter which should allow him to establish his jab and land counters. In the later rounds, Cannonier should be able to push the pace once Imavov begins to slow down. In those periods, each fighter will have a chance to land a finish. Lastly, despite neither fighter being an elite wrestler, grappling could be a useful tool to win close rounds. It should be a part of each fighter’s strategy. Ultimately, I prefer Cannonier because of his cardio and experience against elite competition. Although, picking a 40-year-old always comes with serious risks. I will take Cannonier by fourth-round knockout .

Garrett: Imavov via submission

Jerry: Cannonier via decision

Anthony: Cannonier via decision

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