Bantamweights
Jimmie Rivera (22-3) vs. Petr Yan (12-1)Advertisement
Given that the Aljamain Sterling-Pedro Munhoz fight on this card will likely determine bantamweight’s next No. 1 contender, it seems a bit odd that this pairing is the one on the main card. Such is the push behind Yan, one of the most impressive young fighters in the entire sport. Yan made his Octagon debut about a year ago amid a ton of hype, and while most prospects experience some sort of stumble or disappointment along the way, Yan has overachieved at every step. He announced his arrival with an obliteration of Teruto Ishihara, and after a win over late-notice replacement Jin Soo Son, it was off to the races. Yan came out toe-to-toe against Douglas Silva de Andrade and proved to be the better man, then showed off the depth of his skill with a win over John Dodson. When it was announced, the Dodson fight seemed like both a tricky matchup and one that could break Yan’s streak of fun fights, but he did an excellent job of pressuring Dodson effectively, as he brought volume and turned the scrap into an entertaining affair. Yan has impressed every time out and brought the violence along with him, so there is nothing left to do except see how far his skills take him. After the Dodson win, Yan called out Rivera, which was a bit of an odd move -- Rivera is ranked higher but does not have a ton of momentum at the moment -- but that is indeed the fight that Yan gets.
Rivera is another fighter who hit the ground running, as he was basically a finished product once the UFC finally signed him. Everything worked out nicely for “El Terror” in the grand scheme of things. He unsuccessfully tried to make it onto the cast for “The Ultimate Fighter 14,” and his reputation as a decision machine on the regional scene kept anyone from signing him too soon, allowing him to develop an effective and well-rounded game. Within five UFC fights, Rivera’s counter-heavy striking game had gotten him firmly into the mix of top contenders, but since getting sparked by Marlon Moraes in just 33 seconds -- his first loss in nearly a decade -- Rivera has foundered a bit. He rebounded well with his own win against Dodson, but a February loss to Sterling put yet another fighter in front of him in the bantamweight pecking order. If the bantamweight title picture had not been gummed up for most of 2017 and 2018, Rivera easily could have gotten a title shot, but another setback here might suddenly close his championship window for good.
If nothing else, it will be a fun fight between Yan’s precise pressure and Rivera’s willingness to fight back and counter whatever comes his way. However, if this is a pure striking match, then Yan has all the advantages. He fights longer, throws more volume and should be able to hit harder in individual exchanges. Rivera figures to hang tough throughout and have his moments, but the pick is Yan by clear decision.
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