Preview: UFC on ESPN 51 Prelims

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday will return to the UFC Apex with a worthwhile slate of prelims. While bantamweight Marcus McGhee looks to follow up on a successful promotional debut with a win over J.P. Buys in the featured slot on the UFC on ESPN 51 undercard, the next two bouts are quite interesting: Terrance McKinney looks to stop a recent skid against Mike Breeden, and featherweight prospect Isaac Dulgarian makes his long-awaited Octagon debut opposite another promising talent in Francis Marshall. Beyond that, we find the usual mix of prospects and Dana White’s Contender Series alumni trying to carve out a niche on a stacked UFC roster.

Now to the preview for the UFC on ESPN 51 prelims:

Bantamweights

Marcus McGhee (7-1, 1-0 UFC) vs. J.P. Buys (9-5, 0-3 UFC)

ODDS: McGhee (-350), Buys (+280)

McGhee certainly made good on his late-notice UFC debut in April. “The Maniac” stepped in with just three days’ notice but looked like the type of striker who could cause some damage at the UFC level, particularly against an opponent who would also look to trade in Journey Newson. Indeed, McGhee walked away with the second-round victory in a sharp performance, even if it surprisingly came via submission. At 33 years old, the time is now for McGhee to make a run through a deep bantamweight division, and it should at least be a fun ride, starting with a potentially tough fight against Buys. The 27-year-old Buys in 2020 finally earned a UFC contract after years of hard work, which included relocating from South Africa to the United States and competing multiple times on DWCS. However, “Young Savage” has had a frustrating career in the UFC thus far. There are some flashes of brilliance, as Buys is a well-practiced wrestler and grappler, but some clear athletic disadvantages and questionable durability have made each of his fights uphill battles where most of his best work just gets negated. Buys’ wrestling could result in some success here as he looks to get his first UFC win in his fourth attempt, but it seems likelier that McGhee is another opponent who can find a finish at some point. The pick is McGhee via second-round knockout.

Jump To »
Buys vs. McGhee
McKinney vs. Breeden
Marshall vs. Dulgarian
Buday vs. Parisian
Amorim vs. Ruiz
Blackshear vs. Johnson
Santos vs. Miller