Preview: UFC on ESPN 18 Prelims

Featherweights

Kai Kamaka III (8-2) vs. Jonathan Pearce (9-4)

ODDS: Kamaka (-330), Pearce (+270)

Pearce’s UFC debut certainly did not go as planned. An entertaining scrapper, Pearce figured to have a soft entry into the UFC against a past-his-prime Joe Lauzon in late 2019. However, Lauzon found one last great performance in front of the Boston faithful and finished Pearce in just 93 seconds. On the plus side, he should have a much better showing here, as he moves down to featherweight to face a late replacement. Kamaka’s signing came out of nowhere—a bout with Tony Kelley was added to UFC 252 days before the event—but he looks like a shockingly well-put-together prospect. He got to show off all of those skills in an absolute war against Kelley, getting the better of wrestling exchanges in the times where the two were not just teeing off on each other. This should be a similar affair. While Pearce is willing and able to push the pace and make Kamaka work, the Hawaiian should be able to land the cleaner punches and take over in the wrestling department whenever the situation gets hairy. The pick is Kamaka via decision.

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