Preview: UFC on ESPN 17 ‘Santos vs. Teixeira’

Agree w/ the stoppage? @RaoniBarcelos stops Huachin at #UFC237! pic.twitter.com/43w6Gi23Um

— UFC (@ufc) May 11, 2019

Bantamweights

Raoni Barcelos (15-1) vs. Khalid Taha (13-2)

ODDS: Barcelos (-350), Taha (+290)

Barcelos is one of the most underrated fighters in the UFC, so it is good to see him back in action. Despite coming from a Brazilian jiu-jitsu background, Barcelos is more than willing to engage in a war on the feet, as evidenced by the majority of his UFC career. Barcelos is an adaptive striker who adjusts to what his opponent brings to the table, but while most other fighters with that approach tend to take things slowly, Barcelos can be an absolute maniac, preferring to get his reads by charging in on his opponents and seeing what they have to offer. That can get the Brazilian in some early trouble, but by the time the second round rolls around, Barcelos is usually able to start blending takedowns in with his striking barrages, at which point it becomes a rough time for his opponent. At 35 years old, Barcelos needs to move up the ranks quickly, and it seems like the UFC wants to do so, as he was slated to face Cody Stamann prior to the pandemic. With that bout falling through and nobody else stepping up to the plate to put their ranking on the line against Barcelos, he steps in on late notice here against Taha. Germany’s Taha is an entertaining and dangerous fighter, owing to his fast hands. The highlight of his UFC career thus far is a 25-second knockout of Boston Salmon in April 2019. However, “The Warrior” tends to need a physical advantage in order to truly shine against his opponents, particularly since he is not much of a defensive wrestler. While Taha could cause some issues for Barcelos early, particularly in striking exchanges, the Brazilian should be able to take over once everything starts to click. The pick is Barcelos via second-round submission.

Continue Reading » Heinisch vs. Allen