Preview: UFC Houston Prelims

Men’s Flyweights

Alden Coria vs. Luis Gurule

BETTING ODDS: Coria (-275); Gurule (+225)

Coria (11-3, 1 NC; 1-0 UFC) is a prospect who may not fly under the radar for much longer. His 10-3 pre-UFC record includes some early losses that do not accurately reflect the fighter he is in 2026: a big, powerful boxer, with excellent power especially for the division, and underrated offensive as well as defensive grappling. While he might not have quite the otherworldly athleticism and je ne sai quoi of his younger teammate and training partner, current divisional champ Joshua Van, he is very much from the same mold. Coria throws an accurate, educated jab at a variety of speeds and targets, and has an excellent right cross as well. He can mix in kicks but does his best work with his hands. Coria’s submission game is very dangerous as well; while his four career subs have come largely at the expense of fighters he had already hurt on the feet, the skills and instincts are all there.

Gurule (10-2; 0-2 UFC) is a much better fighter than his UFC record implies, and if things go as expected on Saturday, he will be one of the best 0-3 fighters in UFC history. “Grim” isn’t a huge flyweight, but he’s a decent athlete with well-rounded skills and the smarts to use them properly. He is a solid striker, transitioning smoothly from exchanging low kicks at range to boxing in the pocket. As a wrestler, he doesn’t have the most explosive entries, but chains techniques well and can make hay out of scrambles as well as clean takedowns.

This should be a whole lot of fun for however long it lasts. Ultimately, both men gravitate towards the same kind of fight—a close-to-midrange boxing match—but one of them happens to be better at it. Gurule could make this interesting if he tests Coria’s takedown defense, especially if he does it early, but in the pocket, Coria’s superior size, speed and power make this a daunting matchup for Gurule. The pick is Coria by second-round knockout.

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