UFC Seattle Preview And Predictions

UFC Seattle Preview And Predictions

The UFC octagon will be in Seattle, Washington for a great fight night event. The card was hit will multiple fight cancellations and pullouts, but the fight card remains solid. The event has two highly ranked matchups atop the card. In addition to that, the remainder of the card features proven UFC talent. 

Join Vendetta Sports Media as we preview and predict the UFC Seattle main card. You can find our prediction records below.

James: 12-13-1

Garrett: 13-12-1

Anthony: 11-14-1

Jerry: 14-11-1

No. 15 Alonzo Menifield vs. Julius Walker- Light Heavyweight Bout

James: The UFC Seattle main card opens with a light heavyweight bout between Alonzo Menifield and Julius Walker. This bout came together on short notice after Menifield’s original opponent, Oumar Sy, pulled out of the fight. That gave Walker the chance to sign with the UFC and get a debut against a ranked opponent. At 25-years-old, a victory would kickstart his UFC career. That will be a tough task, however. Menifield is an established UFC talent with an 8-5-1 record in the promotion.

Menifield is a dangerous fighter with serious knockout power. It does not come in a highly technical manner, but his aggressiveness and willingness to throw makes him a threat. Plus, he is a solid grappler. It is not world-class, but he has used offensive grappling and submissions to win fights. 

Walker is a competent grappler. The ability to land takedowns is not elite, but he is solid once the fight is on the ground. He is good at setting up submissions and getting to positions to land strikes. It will be interesting to see how these skills translate to the UFC level. 

This UFC Seattle bout is a challenge to preview. That is largely because it is hard to project how Walker will fare in the UFC. I do think he has a chance to find success in this fight. That is especially true if he can land early takedowns or survive Menifield’s early aggressiveness. As far as a prediction goes, it is much more likely the UFC veteran lands big strikes in the first round. I will take Menifield by first-round knockout.

Garrett: Menifield via TKO

Anthony: Menifield via KO/TKO

Jerry: Menifield via KO/TKO

Jean Silva vs. Melsik Baghdasaryan- Featherweight Bout 

James: UFC Seattle features a featherweight bout between Jean Silva and Melsik Baghdasaryan. Silva has made a remarkable impact in just three UFC fights. The 28-year-old is undefeated in the promotion with knockout wins over Drew Dober, Charles Jourdain, and Westin Wilson. That is a great start to a UFC career. On the flip side, Baghdasaryan has a chance to steal that hype. At 3-1, he has also shown upside, but his stock would reach a new high with a victory in this bout. 

Silva is a dangerous striker with the capability to fight while moving forward or backward. On the front foot, Silva pressures with combinations and body kicks. Off the back foot, he sits down on counter shots. It should also be noted that he can switch between these styles at the drop of a hat. These skills are paired with top-tier size and physicality for the featherweight division. 

Baghdasaryan is a long southpaw who uses his range management to pick opponents apart from the outside. The most important attacks in his game are his jab, body jab, straight, and rear body kick. Those weapons deal enough damage to win him fights. That is partially because he is defensively sound and does not eat a ton of strikes. 

This UFC Seattle preview favors Silva. Baghdasaryan can win, but it’s unlikely. The path to victory would require him to dance around Silva from range while touching him with straights and kicks. It is simply difficult to accomplish considering Silva’s ability to pressure opponents with volume. I expect Silva to get inside and land big punches. I will take Silva by second-round knockout.  

Garrett: Silva via TKO

Anthony: Silva via KO/TKO

Jerry: Silva via KO/TKO

No. 9 Rob Font vs. Jean Matsumoto- 140-Pound Catchweight Bout 

James: At UFC Seattle, Rob Font will fight Jean Matsumoto in a 140-pound catchweight fight. This bout came together after Dominick Cruz was forced out of the original matchup with an injury. That gave Matsumoto a chance to get a fight against a ranked opponent. The Dana White’s Contender Series signee is 2-0 in the UFC. That comes with a perfect 16-0 record in professional MMA. Meanwhile, this bout carries a new dynamic for Font. Instead of getting to fight a legend, he has to take on an impressive 25-year-old prospect. 

Font is one of the best pure boxers in the bantamweight division because of his skills and size. At his best, Font establishes his jab. This weapon does damage, as he can slowly pour on volume while adding big punches behind his jab. One massive concern with Font is that he is aging, and his durability is slipping. Plus, his defensive grappling has been a serious issue. 

Matsumoto is an interesting young prospect with some serious skills. The most potent striking skills in his arsenal are his boxing combinations and leg kicks. These are basic skills, but they have helped him find success. In the grappling realm, most of his skills are used defensively. Although, he showed the ability to win scrambles and land his own takedowns in his UFC debut against Dan Argueta. It will be worth watching how much he can incorporate offensive grappling into his skills. The cherry on top of Matsumoto’s skills is that he has shown great cardio thus far in his career. 

This UFC Seattle bout is an interesting fight to preview. The level of striking on display will provide answers about where Matsumoto sits at this point in his career. Despite showing a lot of positives, he has never fought a striker close to Font’s pedigree. Thankfully for him, he has a few backup options if he cannot box with Font. On the feet, he could use leg kicks to help reduce the effectiveness of Font’s jab while stifling his movement. In a worst-case scenario, he should be able to out-grapple Font. Overall, he is the younger fighter and has more paths to victory. I will take Matsumoto by decision. 

Garrett: Matsumoto by decision

Anthony: Font via decision

Jerry: Font via decision

No. 9 Brendan Allen vs. No. 12 Anthony Hernandez- Middleweight Bout 

James: The UFC Seattle co-main event features a middleweight rematch between Brendan Allen and Anthony Hernandez. The pair first fought on the regional scene in 2018 when Hernandez won by decision. Now, the pair will fight with much higher stakes as they jockey for position in the middleweight ranking. 

Allen’s primary skill is his grappling. The best aspect of his grappling is his ability to win scrambles, get to the top position, and hold it. This allows him to begin throwing strikes or working on submissions. He is not a great striker but has shown respectable progression for a fighter who is a grappler. The best weapons in his game are his jab and rear-kick. It should also be noted that he is not a hesitant striker despite his flaws. 

Hernandez is a great grappler with outstanding cardio. These two traits are used to create a relentless grappling pace. The first step in his game plan is to land the takedown. At that point, he begins to drown opponents with scrambles, and mat returns. If his opponents stop moving while he is on top, he will attack with strikes or submission. This is done from any position and he never takes his foot off the gas. His willingness to never stop fighting forces his opponents to do the same. That works perfectly as his opponents always gas out before he begins to fatigue. At that point, he lands the finish. The major red flag in his skills is his striking defense. In every fight, he eats big shots before he gets his grappling going. 

The UFC Seattle co-main event previews to be a bout filled with grappling. Hernandez and Allen are both fighters who proactively grapple. If either looks to wrestle, I expect the other to counter by attempting to land a reversal. In that type of fight, I want the fighter with a clear cardio edge who will relentlessly push the pace. The initial grappling exchanges should be competitive, but Hernandez will slowly take over before landing the finish. I will take Hernandez by round-three submission. 

Garrett: Hernandez via TKO

Anthony: Hernandez via submission

Jerry: Hernandez via submission

Ilia Topuria Vacates UFC Featherweight Title, Will Move Up To Lightweight

No. 7 Henry Cejudo vs. No. 8 Song Yadong- Bantamweight Bout

James: The UFC Seattle main event features a bantamweight bout between Henry Cejudo and Song Yadong. Cejudo, 38, is looking to prove that he can still compete at the top of the bantamweight division. The former two-division champion is 0-2 since returning from retirement in 2023. Nevertheless, those losses came against Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling. Still, he cannot afford to drop a third fight in a row. Meanwhile, Yadong, 27, is looking to add a former champion to his resume. Currently, he sits at 10-3-1 in the UFC, but he suffered defeat when he stepped up in competition to fight Cory Sandhagen and Petr Yan. Now, he is looking to prove he deserves another shot against the highest-ranked bantamweights. 

Cejudo is a gold medalist in freestyle wrestling, and those skills can be seen in his MMA game. He has a mix of takedowns that allow him to get opponents from the ground with lower-body entries and clinch trips. He also pairs his clinch grappling with dangerous striking. At a distance, he uses a karate-style stance to pick opponents apart with a variety of strikes. All of these skills are present alongside outstanding fight IQ. 

Yadong is an athletic fighter who uses his physical advantages to have success in striking exchanges. The most potent ability in his game is his speed. Yadong is lightning quick which allows him to land a plethora of massive shots. If he pressures his opponent and strikes first, he can land damaging strikes to all three levels. This includes kicks to all three levels as well as boxing combinations that feature head and body shots. In the fight, he will not discriminate and will mix his target. This results in causing serious amounts of damage. In the grappling realm, he is not perfect. It is possible to take Yadong down, however, it is never easy and he usually does not stay down long. Occasionally, he will attempt to grapple offensively as well. 

The UFC Seattle bout is an interesting fight to preview. The biggest factor to watch will be Cejudo’s offensive wrestling. I expect Yadong to defend takedowns; however, that could change. Yadong’s worst defensive grappling moments arise when opponents have success striking before attempting to grapple. Furthermore, he may slow down if forced into high-pace grappling exchanges. It will be interesting to see if Cejudo creates those scenarios. In his prime, his cardio and chin could have made that a possibility. At 38 years old, a dip in those attributes could cause serious issues. That is especially true considering Yadong’s speed. 

Ultimately, my prediction will favor Yadong. I expect him to land impactful leg kicks and body shots in the early stages of this fight. If Cejudo crowds those weapons, it will become a shootout. In that type of fight, Yadong’s quick and powerful counterstriking will be on full display. I expect the young and hungry fighter to do a lot of damage while the fight is standing. If he can do damage, Cejudo’s grappling should become more predictable and labored which will only make it easier for Yadong to defend takedowns. I will take Yadong by third-round knockout. 

Garrett: Yadong via decision

Anthony: Yadong via decision

Jerry: Yadong via decison

***

CLICK HERE for more of our UFC/MMA content

Check out the Vendetta Shop

Subscribe to Vendetta’s YouTube

Check out Vendetta Fantasy Contests