Preview: UFC London Prelims

Bantamweights

Nathan Fletcher (9-1) vs. Caolan Loughran (9-2)
Odds: Fletcher (-125), Loughran (+105)

Fletcher could get his second straight post-“TUF” win here, which was far from a guarantee coming off last year's season. A full-time bantamweight, the Englishman didn't show much in attempting to work his way through the featherweight bracket. But Fletcher got the call to face castmate Zygimantas Ramaska after the season was over, at which point he got back to business, fighting with his usual focus on wrestling and grappling to earn a second-round submission. He'll look to repeat that result on home soil against Ireland's Loughran, who's stood out as a personality despite some middling results.

In his lone UFC win over Angel Pacheco, Loughran showed that he can pour on a ton of offense at all levels when he's able to play an effective bully -- but his two UFC losses have shown that Loughran, short and stocky for the division, might need just the right matchup to do so. Taylor Lapilus and Jake Hadley, each larger and better athletes than Pacheco, had little trouble keeping Loughran at bay for three rounds. This should be a fairly straight-ahead affair and Fletcher seems like the more dogged opponent in terms of trying to get to his best spots; the pick is Fletcher via second-round submission.

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