Preview: UFC Macau Prelims

Flyweights

Lone’er Kavanagh (7-0, 0-0 UFC) vs. Jose Ochoa (7-0, 0-0 UFC)

ODDS: Kavanagh (-380), Ochoa (+300)

Debuting flyweights clash in this confrontation, and the level of hype is rightfully high for Kavanagh’s arrival. An Englishman of Irish and Chinese heritage, Kavanagh is at the point where he has essentially checked every box outside of experience. An obviously elite athlete, Kavanagh can wrestle as needed, but he is at his best as a quick striker; and while his kicking game might contain his best weapons, his brutal knockout of fellow top prospect An Tuan Ho on the Contender Series showed he can also get things done with his fists. If there’s any criticism of Kavanagh thus far, it’s that he’s at his most comfortable dictating range in a slow-paced fight, which, when combined with his lack of experience, might cause him some discomfort in the chaos a division as fast-paced as flyweight could provide. To that end, Ochoa makes for a strong first test, as he seeks to make a statement in his own UFC debut. A Peruvian fighting out of the Chute Boxe team fronted by Diego Lima, Ochoa fits right in with his teammates as a fighter focused on aggression, even if it’s not quite as pathological for him as it is for some of his peers. Ochoa has shown the willingness to get after it, particularly once he gets his opponents in trouble, and he has also shown enough flashes of grappling that he might be able to jump on a finish there once it presents itself. However, this also marks a huge step up in competition for Ochoa, particularly given Kavanagh’s physical prowess, which makes it likely that the endpoint of that aggression will just see him marching himself into trouble. The pick is Kavanagh via first-round knockout.

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