Final Preventing Championship (UFC) Light-weight skills Gregor Gillespie and Brad Riddell will collide this weekend (Sat., March 20, 2021) at UFC Vegas 22 inside UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Man, what has “The Present” been as much as? The ultra-decorated wrestler racked up six spectacular wins to begin his UFC profession, however an enormous step up in competitors reverse Kevin Lee show too much, too soon. It’s been effectively over a yr since that loss, and now Gillespie is able to soar again into the combo. UFC just isn’t lobbing Gillespie a softball for his tried rebound. Riddell has 10 years of professional kickboxing beneath his belt, and he’s undefeated in three journeys to the Octagon. The New Zealand native appears to be like like a critical risk to the title already, and he’s simply 29 years previous regardless of his expertise.
Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at the keys to victory for every man:
Gregor Gillespie
Document: 13-1
Key Wins: Yancy Medeiros (UFC Combat Night time 143), Vinc Pichel (UFC Combat Night time 131), Jason Gonzalez (UFC Combat Night time 116), Glaico Franca (UFC Combat Night time 95)
Key Losses: Kevin Lee (UFC 244)
Keys to Victory: Gillespie may simply be essentially the most adorned wrestler on UFC’s roster proper now. A four-time All-American and collegiate nationwide champion, Gillespie fights at an unbelievable tempo, throwing mixtures with stable energy and looking for chokes from high place.
He’s merely relentless.
On the identical time, fixed exercise bears danger. Gillespie might land loads, however he’s additionally in vary to get cracked fairly a bit. His lack of defensive focus didn’t price him till he ran right into a top-tier Light-weight in Lee, who took benefit with a superbly setup excessive kick. Riddell has each the smarts and explosive energy to capitalize in comparable style, so we’ll see if Gillespie has discovered his lesson.
Using the takedown straight away is the sensible transfer right here. Riddell is a critical athlete, one who will show troublesome to carry down early. Happily, that’s the place Gillespie’s conditioning can actually come into play. It’s exhausting to blow up from backside place, and Gillespie has the method to maintain him trapped in that kind of trade.
After 5 minutes of wrestling with “The Present,” Riddell ought to show far much less harmful.
Brad Riddell
Document: 9-1
Key Wins: Magomed Mustafaev (UFC Combat Night time 168), Alex da Silva (UFC 253), Jamie Malarkey (UFC 243)
Key Losses: Abel Brites (Hex Combat Collection 15)
Keys To Victory: Riddell is a scary athlete. He throws his mixtures with critical energy, which tends to persuade opponents that wrestling is a good suggestion. They shortly notice, nonetheless, that the Kiwi has each the power and method to make that a very troublesome technique.
Matching Mustafaev’s athleticism is a critical feat.
The best way Gillespie fights, it’s nearly obligatory to knock him out (or a minimum of severely injury him) to win. In any other case, he simply throws too many punches, works for too many takedowns. If Riddell tries to win on small margins, he’s prone to fall behind. The knockout is the way in which. Gillespie throws himself into the fireplace at each alternative, and Riddell has the expertise and energy to capitalize on such alternatives.
After all, that received’t matter if Riddell is persistently placed on his again. With the intention to assist alleviate the takedown risk, Riddell could be smart to tear physique pictures and keep away from the fence. That’s primary sufficient counter wrestling, however each further second that Riddell spends buying and selling with Gillespie on the toes is a chance to land a fight-changing shot.
Backside Line
It’s a combat over a High 15 spot at 155 kilos.
Light-weight is a type of tough divisions the place anybody within the top-half of the division may give elite expertise a scrap, which makes advancing up the ladder reasonably troublesome. For Gillespie, this bout is a crucial protection of his present place after being sidelined since Nov. 2019. In the meantime, Riddell has impressed in his first three UFC wins, so he’s earned a possibility to make his personal title run extra official.
Regardless of this being a ranked vs. unranked match up, the stakes are comparable for both man. The victorious fighter ought to hopefully be capable of look forward within the rankings and proceed climbing the ladder. Sadly for the defeated man, he’s again within the crowded Light-weight combine, the unofficial 16-25 space that’s extremely talent-rich.
Keep in mind that MMAmania.com will ship LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow protection of the complete UFC Vegas 22 combat card this weekend, beginning with the ESPN+/ESPN2 “Prelims” matches, that are scheduled to start at 7 p.m. ET, then the remaining important card stability on ESPN/ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET.
To take a look at the most recent and best UFC Vegas 22: “Brunson vs. Holland” information and notes make sure to hit up our complete occasion archive right here.
At UFC Vegas 22, Gregor Gillespie and Brad Riddell will go to conflict. Which man earns the victory?
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