Preview: UFC 279 Prelims

Heavyweights

Jake Collier (13-7, 5-6 UFC) vs. Chris Barnett (22-8, 1-2 UFC)

ODDS: Collier (-360), Barnett (+295)

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This should be an engaging fight for a few reasons, most notably because the UFC decided to match up two of its roundest combatants. A former middleweight and light heavyweight, it came as a bit of a shock when Collier resurfaced as a heavyweight after nearly a three-year layoff in 2020. Despite his much heavier frame, he has surprisingly picked up where he left off at 185 and 205 pounds, throwing out diverse offense while maintaining a lot of the nimbleness and speed of a lighter man. Collier’s heavyweight debut saw him quickly get knocked out by Tom Aspinall—a loss that aged well—but he has been effective since. Even his losses to Carlos Felipe and Andrei Arlovski were narrow affairs that could have easily gone Collier’s way, particularly in the latter case. Collier looks to rebound from the Arlovski result against Barnett, one of the UFC’s more unexpected pandemic-era signings. At 5-foot-9 and often skirting the 265-pound heavyweight limit, Barnett cuts a unique figure, and his tendency to favor entertainment as a fighter above all else did not seem to make him a fit for the UFC’s typical approach. However, “Beastboy” got the call, and while his three-fight UFC tenure has resulted in some down moments, it also provided an all-time highlight in November, as Barnett uncorked a spinning wheel kick that managed to knock out Gian Villante. Barnett’s offense does not typically work to that degree, so this should be a winnable fight for Collier. While Collier lacks the requisite level of heavyweight durability to find a lot of success, his ability to set a fast pace and keep it up for 15 minutes should pay dividends. The pick is Collier via decision.

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