Preview: UFC 278 Prelims

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday descends on Salt Lake City with an eight-bout preliminary slate that should be high on action despite being low on stakes. The featured pairing follows that ethos. Leonardo Santos and Jared Gordon are lightweights who are both looking to rebound from losses, but they should combine for an entertaining affair with some interesting dynamics. In terms of prospects to watch, the two highlights come at 125 pounds. Amir Albazi returns from a long layoff to continue his promising career against Francisco Figueiredo, while Miranda Maverick tries to keep her recent momentum going against Shanna Young.

Now to the preview for the UFC 278 “Usman vs. Edwards 2” prelims:

Lightweights

Leonardo Santos (18-5-1, 7-2-1 UFC) vs. Jared Gordon (18-5, 6-4 UFC)

ODDS: Gordon (-305), Santos (+255)

Santos appears to have hit the skids, so this might be the end of one of the more weirdly successful UFC careers in recent memory. A standout Brazilian jiu-jitsu player, Santos was far from the typical reality show winner when he won the second season of “The Ultimate Fighter Brazil.” Rather than the usual raw prospect, Santos was already a well-traveled veteran who had made his pro debut over a decade beforehand. From there, whenever Santos stepped into the cage, he was quite successful—2015, in particular, was a big year with impressive wins over Anthony Rocco Martin and Kevin Lee—but actually making it to fight day was an issue. The Brazilian rarely fought more than once in a calendar year and missed all of 2017 and 2018. By the time of Santos’ 2020 win over Roman Bogatov—his first fight in his 40s—Santos had obviously slowed, and he has not found a victory in the two years since. Santos’ normal approach involves using powerful range striking to try and goad his opponents into grappling exchanges, and he can still be effective at moments. However, he tired badly against Grant Dawson and gassed himself out attempting to finish Clay Guida multiple times in the first round. Even with his recent slippage, he still represents a solid test for Jared Gordon, who has carved out a niche as a fun fighter who has struggled to get over the hump to contention. Gordon came to the UFC with a strong strength of schedule, and “Flash” seemed to have the right style to quickly make an impact at the highest level, combining a relentless pressure-heavy attack with seemingly unbreakable cardio. However, things just have not clicked for Gordon at a certain point. The hardest hitters he has faced have been able to crack his chin and score a knockout, and after multiple failed attempts to make featherweight, he is not a standout physical force at 155 pounds. With all that said, Gordon’s absolute doggedness lets him get a lot done with any sort of parity, and he figures to outlast Santos here, though this is clearly one of those fights where he is at an immense risk of being caught cold before he ever gets out of the gates. The pick is Gordon via decision.

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Pudilova vs. Wu
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Maverick vs. Young
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Albazi vs. Figueiredo
Aori vs. Perrin
Altamirano vs. Lacerda