Preview: UFC on ESPN 31 Prelims

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Welterweights

NR | Jake Matthews (17-5, 10-5 UFC) vs. NR | Jeremiah Wells (9-2-1, 1-0 UFC)

ODDS: Matthews (-170), Wells (+150)

Hopes were high when Matthews made his UFC debut in 2014. The promotion was actively looking for a potential Australian star, and the fresh-faced 19-year-old was as good a choice as any. While “The Celtic Kid” has progressed a great deal from those early days, it is hard not to be a bit disappointed with how his game has evolved. Matthews is well-rounded but not in a particularly inspiring fashion; his wrestling and grappling skills remain his primary strengths, but without being able to leverage them into a clear advantage, Matthews is left to settle for a solid but low-output striking game. Matthews has impressively filled out his welterweight frame and he is quite durable, so it still takes a good fighter to beat him. All of his losses are to accomplished opponents, save for a 2016 to loss to Andrew Holbrook during which Matthews suffered an injury. However, for someone who came to the UFC with such a high ceiling, it leaves one wanting more. Following a loss to Sean Brady in March, Matthews gets a tricky fight against Wells, who had an impressive UFC debut over Warlley Alves in June. Wells’ approach is all about power. His regional film was filled with wild striking blitzes that led to his bullying opponents in close quarters, and while he looked a bit more measured against Alves, it was still a willingness to throw bombs that scored him the second-round knockout. Wells’ physique is essentially that of a bowling ball of muscle, and that strength parity makes the margins somewhat thin for Matthews, given that his counterpart is the more impactful striker. However, the bet is that Matthews has the durability to survive early trouble and grind out a win, given that Wells is not particularly proven as more than a one-round fighter. The pick is Matthews via decision.

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