Preview: UFC Fight Night 219 Prelims

Tom FeelyFeb 15, 2023

Flyweights

Clayton Carpenter (6-0, 0-0 UFC) vs. Juancamilo Ronderos (4-1, 0-1 UFC)

ODDS: Carpenter (-280), Ronderos (+235)

The UFC continues to replenish its flyweight division, and Carpenter looks to be a promising addition. A raw prospect at just 26 years old, “Concrete” got to Dana White’s Contender Series on the back of some quick knockouts but impressed in the face of a tough test to earn a UFC contract. Carpenter may not have the quick-twitch athleticism and speed typical of a flyweight prospect, but he is a well-rounded and hard-nosed fighter who was able to turn things into a grind in order to clinch a win. There are plenty of pitfalls for Carpenter at 125 pounds, but he draws a potentially soft entry into the UFC against Colombia’s Ronderos. An inexperienced prospect in his own right, Ronderos stepped in on about 24 hours’ notice for his UFC debut against David Dvorak in 2021 and did not get the opportunity to show much. Ronderos can be a solid grinder and neutralizer, but he quickly got knocked down and tapped out by Dvorak. It has been nearly two years since that showing, so Ronderos could show some new wrinkles, but given that Carpenter looks to be the stronger wrestler, this looks like a tough fight for the Colombian to find any sort of safety valve. The pick is Carpenter via first-round submission.



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Carpenter vs. Ronderos