Preview: UFC Fight Night 238 Prelims

Lightweights

Ludovit Klein (20-4-1, 4-2-1 UFC) vs. A.J. Cunningham (11-3, 0-0 UFC)

ODDS: Klein (-835), Cunningham (+575)

Given his last performance, it is nice to see Klein back in action. The UFC’s first fighter out of Slovakia, Klein made an excellent impression in his promotional debut back in 2020, using his signature head kick to quickly dispatch Shane Young. From there, Klein proved to be a fighter that was dangerous in moments and frustrating in the aggregate. Michael Trizano and Nate Landwehr each marched Klein down while showing him little respect, a strategy that seemed to throw him completely out of his game and result in some disheartening losses. Since his move up to lightweight in 2022, Klein has done a solid job of retooling and sharpening his game, adding in a respectable level of wrestling and definitely getting more comfortable under pressure. His last fight, an August win over Ignacio Bahamondes, saw Klein put all of those improvements on display, shutting down an opponent who would have been a nightmare matchup just two years prior. Klein figures to get a showcase here against a UFC newcomer in Cunningham, a natural featherweight who steps in on extremely late notice. Cunningham continues the trend of Dana White’s Contender Series alums quickly making their way to the UFC roster, as “The Savage” lost to Steven Nguyen in September before scoring a bounce-back win on the regional scene. Cunningham is tough as nails and has a decent amount of skill, but he tends to rely on that durability rather than any defense—an issue that sank him as he traded blows with Nguyen. Between the late notice, the fact that this is up a weight class and Klein’s massive knockout power, this figures to be one-way traffic for the UFC veteran, though Cunningham might wind up absorbing an extended beating before he gets finished. The pick is Klein via second-round stoppage.

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