Preview: UFC 254 Prelims

Welterweights

Alex Oliveira (22-8-1) vs. Shavkat Rakhmonov (12-0)

ODDS: Oliveira (-135), Rakhmonov (+115)

This one should be a banger. After his 2016 loss to Donald Cerrone, Oliveira easily could have become a footnote. The UFC essentially rushed Oliveira into a main event solely so it could advertise “Cowboy” versus “Cowboy,” and as a raw prospect, the Brazilian was unsurprisingly outclassed. However, he rebounded in successful fashion, though he was a bit hard to figure out even as he racked up victory after victory. Oliveira flashed different weapons and different wrinkles from fight to fight, and at some point, it became apparent that, while he is awash in natural talent, he can be a bit of an inconsistent flake who has to rely on his physical strength over any depth of skill. That still got him enough wins to be a relevant welterweight, and after a three-fight losing streak threatened his standing, Oliveira has looked sharp in wins over Max Griffin and Peter Sobotta. He will be a tough first challenge for Rakhmonov, a UFC newcomer who figures to bring some excitement if nothing else. Rakhmonov has some finishing ability, but it has usually been an adventure for the Kazakh fighter to get there. A lot of his regional fights have seen his opponents control the bout and lay on offense until they wear themselves out, at which point the “Nomad” can turn things around and end the fight. Oliveira certainly has a tendency to flag against opponents who stick around, so Rakhmonov could easily repeat that trick in his first UFC appearance, but the Brazilian is enough of a physical force that he seems likely to end the fight outright before the comeback ever comes. The pick is Oliveira via second-round stoppage.

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