As with most bantamweight fights, this should be an engaging watch.
Henry figured to be ready for success when he got the UFC call at
the tail end of 2021, but it was still a shock to see exactly how
well the decade-plus vet hit the ground running. It figured to be a
rough first test against Raoni
Barcelos, but “La Mangosta” poured on a ridiculous amount of
volume to clearly walk away with a decision win. The UFC did not
waste time and immediately moved Henry up the ladder against
divisional stalwart Raphael
Assuncao, but it was a bit of a rude awakening. The Brazilian
turned back the clock for a classic neutralizing performance that
essentially saw Henry give up the gains he showed in beating
Barcelos. He will look to rebound against Gravely, who is still
looking for a signature win inside the UFC. Gravely packed a strong
resume—in terms of both quantity and quality—into the four years
prior to his UFC debut, and he also figured to find some early
success as a standout wrestler who could hold his own on the feet.
While Gravely has shown off his wares in easily handling the lower
reaches of the UFC roster, things have not quite coalesced enough
to get him over the hump. He can still get caught as a striker, and
while he is typically successful with his takedowns, he has not
shown much of an ability to consistently control his opponents in a
grind. Gravely’s offensive options make this an interesting fight,
but this does look like Henry’s bout to lose. As a high-paced
striker and an aggressively grappler, he will likely have to
overcome some early trouble but should be able to wear out Gravely
and take this fight over in the later rounds. The pick is Henry via
decision.
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