UFC News & FeaturesWomen’s Flyweights
J.J. Aldrich (13-7, 9-6 UFC) vs. Andrea Lee (13-10, 5-8 UFC)ODDS: Aldrich (-205), Lee (+170)
Lee remains a decent fighter, but it’s a surprise to see her back for another appearance in the UFC given her current five-fight losing streak. Lee was a hot prospect about a decade ago. Advertised as a standout kickboxer, “KGB” leaned towards the stronger and slower side, actually making her most effective as a grinding clinch artist who could overpower her opponents. Upon hitting the UFC in 2018, it seemed like Lee would settle into a clear niche just outside of title contention. There was just enough of a speed and skill deficit that she would fall short of the contender class, but she was practiced and enough of a powerhouse that she could turn back most rising contenders. She looked quite sharp in her 2021 wins over Antonina Shevchenko and Cynthia Calvillo, which led to the hope that Lee might have found enough of a new level for a potential renaissance. Instead, the division seems to have caught up with her, with either faster or stronger athletes able to outmaneuver her without much trouble. Whether it’s mental or just an athleticism issue, that also seems to have resulted in Lee becoming a bit of a frontrunner. Her fights start off well enough, but once her opponents figure her out, she usually stays figured out without many major adjustments coming Lee’s way. A loss to Montana De La Rosa in June—a rematch of a Lee win in 2019—seemed to have been the death knell for her figuring things out in the short term, so again, it's a bit of a surprise to see her back against Aldrich. With that said, Aldrich could be a winnable matchup for Lee, given that her lack of athleticism has stood out as the major issue over the course of her career. Underpowered but still effective as a strawweight, Aldrich has bulked up since moving up to flyweight in 2019, but she’s still quite slow for the division, leaving her in a bit of the same spot as Lee, losing streaks aside. All of Aldrich’s losses show a clear dynamic of being unable to deal with either powerhouse wrestlers or effective range strikers. Aldrich can also be a bit aimless, leaving open the possibility that she and Lee just wind up having a toss-up fight for three rounds. However, Lee is in such a bad spot at the moment that the lean has to be that Aldrich somehow finds a turning point to coast to a win. The pick is Aldrich via decision.
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