UFC on ESPN: Barboza vs. Gaethje - Predictions and Picks

#7 The Prelims: ESPN card

Longtime UFC veteran Ross Pearson headlines the prelim card

As with the previous ESPN show, the top half of the preliminary fights will be shown on ESPN before the main card. Headlining the prelims is a Lightweight fight between veterans Ross Pearson and Desmond Green.

England’s Pearson has been in the UFC now for almost a decade, but he’s fallen on hard times recently – losing 5 of his last 6 fights – and his durability appears to be on the wane.

Green meanwhile probably has his back to the wall too after going 1-3 in his last 4 fights. This one is tricky to call as Pearson hasn’t done as badly against grapplers as he has done against strikers recently, but I think Green has more mileage left in the tank so I’ll take him by decision.

At Featherweight, TUF: Latin America 2 winner Enrique Barzola faces off with Kevin Aguilar. Aguilar has a gaudy record – 16-1 – and he won his UFC debut last year, but Barzola is one of the more underrated fighters in the division in my opinion, chaining his takedowns and wild striking together ala Diego Sanchez in his early days. I like Barzola to grind out another victory here, putting him on a 5-fight win streak.

In the Middleweight division, Kevin Holland returns to face tough veteran Gerald Meerschaert. Holland bounced back from his loss to Thiago Santos to choke out John Phillips in November, and remains one of the toughest men on the roster.

Meerschaert should be a tough match for him – he’s finished all of his Octagon victories and is well-rounded, but I’m not sure he can put enough offense together to take out Holland, who I think can outwork him on the stretch for a decision.

At Strawweight, former top-ranked fighter Jessica Aguilar takes on Marina Rodriguez. Five years ago this likely would’ve been a gimme for Aguilar, but it does appear that she’s past her best now as evidenced in her losses to the likes of Weili Zhang and Cortney Casey.

Rodriguez on the other hand looked excellent in her UFC debut against Randa Markos, coming away with a draw. Aguilar could perhaps outgrapple her but I simply don’t think she has too much left; I’ll take Rodriguez via second-round stoppage.