Preview: UFC Fight Night 239 Prelims

Bantamweights

Charalampos Grigoriou (8-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. Chad Anheliger (12-7, 1-2 UFC)

ODDS: Grigoriou (-162), Anheliger (+136)

Dana White’s Contender Series alumni square off to sort out their places in the bantamweight division. Anheliger is a pleasant change of pace from the usual hard-charging young prospects that get signed off DWCS. The Canadian was a battle-tested vet firmly in his mid-30s when he was able to outlast the much more highly touted Muin Gafurov and find his way onto the roster. Anheliger’s experience means he has rounded out his game to be solid just about anywhere, and his confidence in his skills has resulted in his being a counter-heavy fighter. He has been able to take over grimy wrestling-heavy fights against Gafurov and Jesse Strader, but Heili Alateng and Jose Johnson each brought too much size and firepower to the table for Anheliger to find a path to victory. Here, he takes on the debuting Grigoriou, a Cypriot prospect who earned his contract with a quick knockout on DWCS in August. “The Ferocious” does generally have the right idea, fighting behind constant pressure and volume to keep his opponents on their toes, but it is rare that things work out as cleanly as they did for Grigoriou in his last fight. A lot of his previous bouts are a bit meandering, with the Cypriot tending to favor power and creativity over consistently efficient offense. It is a combination that makes for a close fight, but Anheliger does seem to have more of a sense for what wins rounds in the absence of a finish and should have the chops to survive Grigoriou’s offense. The pick is Anheliger via decision.

Jump To »
Moises vs. Ramirez
Davis vs. Levy
Nunes vs. Chandler
Filho vs. Osbourne
Culibao vs. Silva
McKenna vs. Amorim
Grigoriou vs. Anheliger