Preview: UFC Fight Night 182 Prelims

Bantamweights

Tony Gravely (19-6) vs. Geraldo de Freitas Jr. (12-5)

ODDS: Gravely (-150), de Freitas (+130)

Despite some success on the Brazilian scene, de Freitas did not look like a particularly impressive pickup when the UFC signed him early in 2019. However, “Espartano” has overachieved in his two UFC bouts to date, earning a clear win over fellow newcomer Felipe Colares in his UFC debut before dropping a narrow decision to Chris Gutierrez. De Freitas can do a little bit of everything, but the main concern is that he is not a particularly overwhelming athlete. Add in that he is at his best when his wrestling game is clicking, and it results in a tough matchup against Gravely. A former collegiate wrestler and a powerful athlete, Gravely has typically been able to rely on that part of his game while showing potential as a rapidly improving striker. His lack of defense made his UFC debut against Brett Johns a wild back-and-forth affair that eventually ended in a Johns submission, but given the gap in physicality here, it is difficult to see how de Freitas can exploit those openings to any real extent. Gravely should be able to take the advantage early and often. The pick is Gravely via second-round stoppage.

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