Preview: UFC Vegas 103 ‘Kape vs. Almabayev’

Welterweights

Danny Barlow (9-0, 2-0 UFC) vs. Sam Patterson (12-2-1, 2-1 UFC)

ODDS: Barlow (-290), Patterson (+235)

Barlow is going to be a terror once everything clicks, but his career figures to be frustrating up until that point. Barlow is blessed with a long frame for a welterweight and some brutal knockout power, which allowed him to fight inefficiently while still running through competition on the regional scene. While Barlow has continued his undefeated streak since making it to the UFC, there are clear signs that his margins are getting a bit thinner in terms of his ability to find a knockout. Josh Quinlan made it to the third round before Barlow got going, and his most recent fight was an uninspiring split decision win over Nikolay Veretennikov where neither man forced the issue.

Patterson makes for an interesting next matchup, as his combination of size and approach figures to make this a quick and violent affair. England’s Patterson came to the UFC as an absolutely massive lightweight who quickly ran into a ceiling, after which he stopped draining himself and moved up to welterweight, where he remains massive. Patterson is fairly dedicated to pressure, which can cut both ways. He’s slow enough that he can get hit hard, but once he gets going, opponents have had problems dealing with his size, particularly if he can get to a crafty and finish-focused submission game. There’s the chance that Patterson marches the American down and does some good work, but the combination of Barlow’s speed and reach does make it likelier that he hits “The Future” hard in short order. The pick is Barlow via first-round knockout.

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Kape vs. Almabayev
Brundage vs. Marquez
Ribovics vs. Haqparast
Pinto vs. Lane
Gomis vs. Amil
Barlow vs. Patterson
The Prelims