Preview: UFC on ESPN 62 ‘Cannonier vs. Borralho’

‘The Ultimate Fighter 32’ Middleweight Final

Robert Valentin (10-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. Ryan Loder (6-1, 0-0 UFC)

ODDS: N/A

Two solid talents square off for the “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 32 middleweight crown here. Switzerland’s Valentin was one of the highlights of the season, both inside and outside the cage. Beyond being a standout personality, “Robzilla” also brought the violence whenever the opportunity called for it. That’s consistent with Valentin’s pre-reality show career, which included a lot of blood being spilled in some all-offense, no-defense affairs. Valentin’s disregard for defense figures to come back and bite him at some point, but it hasn’t proven to be much of an issue thus far, particularly since he’s dangerous in every phase. While he comes off as a bit of a rudimentary slugger, Valentin’s ace in the hole is a surprisingly crafty and vicious grappling game that he gets to break out from time to time. Valentin will look to put those skills to good use against California’s Loder, who leans towards a more neutralizing approach.

A former collegiate wrestling standout, Loder has about the game you’d expect from a prospect with that background who’s only a few years into his career. He has shown some solid ideas on the feet and has some knockout power, but it’s mostly in the name of keeping things safe until he can take opponents to the mat. There’s a lot to work with for Loder, particularly given his long frame, but there is the worry that his upside might be a bit limited as a 33-year-old who came into mixed martial arts on the later side. Loder might succeed at turning this into a grind given his adversary’s openness for takedowns, but the read is that Valentin’s sheer commitment to activity will eventually wear the American out and result in a finish. The pick is Valentin via second-round submission.

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Cannonier vs. Borralho
Ricci vs. Hill
Valentin vs. Loder
Ofli vs. Alves
Morales vs. Magny
Shahbazyan vs. Meerschaert
The Prelims