Preview: UFC on ESPN 26 Prelims

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream UFC 264 live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Advertisement

Bantamweights

Khalid Taha (13-3, 1 N/C) vs. Sergey Morozov (16-5)
Odds: Taha (-165), Morozov (+145)

This could be a mess, but at least a talented bantamweight figures to walk away with a win either way. Kazakhstan's Morozov is a hard fighter to peg; while he's had a ton of regional success and definitely earned his UFC shot, his fights can often be a bit of an adventure. If Morozov tests his opponent out early and finds an advantage, he can get the ball rolling and wind up fine. Otherwise, he tends to take a more cautious approach that leads to some ugly and middling affairs, even if Morozov's natural talent usually allows him to find a win in the end. His January debut against Umar Nurmagomedov was the worst of both worlds; Nurmagomedov not only took the initiative early, but is a talented enough prospect that he was able to finish Morozov in the second round.

Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC, PFL and “The Ultimate Fighter” live on your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app.

Morozov looks to rebound here against Germany's Taha, who's still looking to coalesce his physical ability into something that works at a UFC level. Taha can obviously crack, but thus far he's needed a clear athletic advantage to be effective in the UFC; Taha knocked Boston Salmon out in 25 seconds, while Bruno Silva had his moments before eventually hitting a physical wall. Against any sort of physical parity, Taha's lack of defensive wrestling has mostly been his undoing. His UFC debut was a featherweight bout in which he accomplished little against Nad Narimani, and he had the poor luck of having Raoni Barcelos step in as a late-notice opponent this past November. There's a chance Taha is physical enough to scare Morozov early and force the Kazakh fighter into a less effective gameplan, but Morozov still figures to get his wrestling going at some point. The pick is for Morozov to grind out a decision win.

Continue Reading » Johns vs. dos Santos