Preview: UFC on ABC 2 Prelims

Lightweights

John Makdessi (17-7 | 10-7 UFC) vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (11-3 | 0-0 UFC)
Odds: Bahamondes (-190), Makdessi (+165)

It's unclear exactly how "UFC-ready" he is, but Bahamondes was one of the more interesting fliers that the promotion took from the last season of the Contender Series. The first thing that stands out about the Chilean newcomer is his massive frame for a lightweight, as he stands at 6-foot-3. He can sometimes use that to great effect, as he did in that Contender Series bout, but thus far in his career he's much more likely to just move forward and scrap with his opponent. That makes for a strange dynamic on the feet here against Canadian veteran Makdessi. Makdessi came into the UFC as a flashy knockout artist, but has settled in as a much slower-paced fighter at this point in his career, even if his 2018 win over Ross Pearson showed that he can still win a war when needed. Makdessi's inactivity in recent years - 2016 was the last time he fought more than once in a calendar year - has masked some relative success, particularly given that Makdessi's approach doesn't exactly mesh with his physical attributes: "The Bull" is a dedicated range striker despite having a short and stocky frame. So that makes things a bit backwards here, with the much shorter Makdessi looking to stay at range while the lanky Bahamondes marches forward. That also makes it a bit hard to call, as while Makdessi is probably still the sharper striker at this point, this fight should be contested on Bahamondes's terms - particularly since Makdessi won't offer much of the wrestling threat that has troubled Bahamondes in the past. This could go either way and should hopefully be a fun banger of a bout; the pick is for Bahamondes to take a decision based on pressure and volume.

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