Preview: UFC London Prelims

Flyweights

Lone'er Kavanagh (8-0) vs. Felipe dos Santos (8-2, 1 N/C)
Odds: Kavanagh (-305), dos Santos (+245)

His UFC debut was a bit tougher than expected, but Kavanagh remains a blue-chip prospect. A Londoner of Irish and Chinese heritage, Kavanagh was one of the best prospects on the regional scene ahead of his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series last year -- and he cashed in on that hype, knocking out a fellow top prospect in a shade over two and a half minutes. Kavanagh's an elite athlete that can do a bit of everything, and if there's any criticism of him thus far, it's that he can be a bit choosy in terms of picking his spots or picking up the pace. That came to bear in his UFC debut against fellow newcomer Jose Ochoa, who dragged Kavanagh into a close fight, and the Englishman gets a similar assignment here in Ochoa teammate Felipe dos Santos.

Dos Santos -- along with most of the Chute Boxe Diego Lima team -- is all gas and no brakes, with "Lipe Detona" being one of the more extreme of the bunch; the Brazilian's focused almost entirely on pressure and offense at the expense of other ideas. That allowed him to hang tough while in way over his head against Manel Kape in his UFC debut, but didn't translate into much subsequent success; he eked out a win over Victor Altamirano and lost to Andre Lima, in part because of his lack of mindfulness when it comes to his wrestling. Dos Santos should have his moments, but Kavanagh should be able to land a lot in return along with having some takedowns in his back pocket if things ever get too hairy; the pick is Kavanagh via decision.

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