Preview: UFC on ESPN 41 Prelims

Tom FeelyAug 10, 2022

Flyweights

Ode Osbourne (11-4, 3-2 UFC) vs. Tyson Nam (20-12-1, 2-3 UFC)

ODDS: Osbourne (-230), Nam (+195)

Osbourne came to the UFC as a fascinating but flawed bantamweight. “The Jamaican Sensation” was capable of some impressive finishes but found them on the back of a low-percentage style that relied on his considerable physical gifts to suddenly turn around tough situations. After an inconsistent start to his UFC career, it appears a November win over C.J. Vergara was the start of Osbourne figuring some things out. While he had a considerable reach advantage with which to work, it was nice to see Osbourne put together three rounds of control and coast to a steady decision win for the first time in his UFC career. After a blistering knockout of Zarrukh Adashev in June, Osbourne turns around to take on a tough veteran in Nam. A well-regarded performer for over a decade, Nam getting the UFC call in 2019 was a bit of a shock. The Hawaiian was certainly worthy of the shot, but at 36 years old, it seemed like the window for the opportunity had passed. Nam has made good on the chance, racking up two wins and otherwise being a tough out behind his typical style. It goes against the customary flyweight approach, but Nam is a low-output, high-power counterstriker who is prone to stretches of inactivity but can often pounce into action for a knockout blow. The dynamic is clear. Osbourne should be able to set a range and pick Nam apart, but the Hawaiian only needs one opportunity to end his night in sudden fashion. This is a coinflip, but the bet is that Osbourne is not quite at the point where he can stay out of trouble for 15 minutes against someone as well-honed as Nam. The pick is Nam via second-round knockout.



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