Preview: UFC 322 Prelims

Bantamweights

Malcolm Wellmaker (10-0, 2-0 UFC) vs. Cody Haddon (8-1, 1-0 UFC)

BETTING ODDS: Wellmaker (-162), Haddon (+136)

This has been a breakout year for Wellmaker, and he looks to end it on a high note. Wellmaker didn’t look like a slam dunk to make an impact ahead of his 2024 showing on the Contender Series. There was some obvious athleticism at play, but he was older than his youthful appearance might suggest and struggled at points to pick up the pace or create his own openings. In his Contender Series win and two UFC fights to date, Wellmaker’s opposition has fallen in the sweet spot of being willing to test him and unable to handle what he has to offer. In short order, Adam Bramhald, Cameron Saaiman and Kris Moutinho all fell into eating Wellmaker’s right hook—a lightning-fast weapon that has resulted in some brutal knockouts. Up next for Wellmaker is an Australian prospect in Haddon, and while the American is clearly the intended A-side here, this should be an interesting test for both men.

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Haddon’s lone professional loss might have come in his best performance, as he faced eventual flyweight title contender Steve Erceg long before he was ready and still managed to survive for a hard-fought three rounds. Haddon’s approach is still fairly generic and centered around well-rounded pressure, but he does seem to have more to offer than a standard-issue bantamweight prospect. He’s a strong athlete and balances everything well enough to have finishing ability and effective cardio. The result should answer some questions about the winner. Haddon is probably the most capable Wellmaker opponent when it comes to absorbing his offense and potentially laying on a beating. However, Haddon has yet to face someone with Wellmaker’s reflexes and power. This could easily be Wellmaker’s first professional loss, but that counter right hook still looks like the surest bet against an opponent who doesn’t have much in the way of defense. The pick is Wellmaker via first-round knockout.

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