UFC Chile and Liverpool lacked in the action department. However, it is unlikely that this fight would lack entertainment as both contenders are amongst the pro league of bantamweight division.
Main Card Event Jimmie Rivera vs. Marlon Moraes
Two bantamweight strikers will lock horns at Friday night to claim a slot for title after Cody Garbrandt and TJ Dillashaw face off in August. Regardless of the race for the title, the winner of Utica’s fight will be clearly a number one contender against Dominick Cruz.
Rivera is known to possess a technical expertise with lots of variations in his moves in bantamweight category. Unlike his counterparts Cruz and Dillashaw, he doesn’t totally rely on wrestling to get his way past, neither is he a constant puncher like Garbrandt. With a nearly perfect defence, El Terror knows how to stand apart with moves that are second to none. Although he has experienced some serious blows in his fights, 28-year-old American artist has some lethal strikes that can take deadliest opponents by surprise. El Terror mostly uses his hands for a best attacks to the head and body and is capable of combining them with leg and switch kicks. His takedown defence is currently 100{317a7769e272dec17b69bda26c6a5a4c5e6799efcd8a85f72cb552b76862c2b9} and on average exhibits more than one takedown in every fight.
Friday night, he is set to fight against Marlon Moraes – a lesser skilled but more aggressive striker. Under the tutelage of Mark Henry, Magic is all set for a bantamweight title with his lightning hand and foot speed. The Brazilian fighter usually opts to stay at a longer range unleashing lethal whips of punches or head and leg kicks. The 30-year-old often changes his stance in fight and prefers executing a killing left high kick in a southpaw. Whilst keeping his poise intact, Moraes augments his Muay Thai skills with variations of spinning attacks. However, it is not right to say that is defence is impermeable.
Prediction
Rivera, despite having airtight defence is vulnerable to strikes since he keeps at a closer range throwing fiery, quicker shots. On the contrary Moraes ability to strike when the iron is hot is what makes the differences between these same-division players. Rivera will trounce upon Moraes with his aggressive, naked shots but his close-range will make him receptive to flying kicks. El Terror will be causing terror round after round, until the Brazilian gives his defining shot as a final nail in the coffin.
RDX Prediction: Moraes by TKO in R3
