Preview: UFC on ESPN 31 Prelims

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Lightweights

NR | Claudio Puelles (10-2, 3-1 UFC) vs. NR | Chris Gruetzemacher (15-4, 3-3 UFC)

ODDS: Puelles (-110), Gruetzemacher (-110)

He flies completely under the radar in a deep lightweight division, but Puelles is developing into something interesting. “El Nino” got blasted by Martin Bravo in the final of “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America” Season 3, then basically became an afterthought. The Peruvian missed nearly two years due to injury and likely only kept his spot on the roster thanks to a miracle third-round kneebar against Felipe Silva in his comeback fight. Puelles still has not gotten the chance to show much besides his grappling in his two fights since, but his last outing over Jordan Leavitt resulted in an impressive performance that showed he could hold his own against someone also well-regarded on the mat. Gruetzemacher provides a stern next test for Puelles, as “Gritz” has consistently been able to maximize his limited physical gifts. Gruetzemacher can still clearly be outgunned against the better athletes he faces. However, his win over Rafa Garcia in July showed that, on a relatively even playing field, Gruetzemacher is durable and dogged enough to get a lot done and put his opponent in for a hellish time. That well-rounded pressure alone may be enough to get Puelles to fold, as the Peruvian did have some issues against aggression earlier in his career. With that said, he seems to have improved enough that he should be able to use his wrestling and grappling as an escape hatch whenever Gruetzemacher makes him uncomfortable. The pick is Puelles via decision.

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