Bantamweight
Tom Duquesnoy (15-2) vs. Terrion Ware (17-7)
ODDS: Duquesnoy (-290), Ware (+245)
ANALYSIS: Here we have a pairing of two dudes who have lost in the Octagon to MMA’s newest “Mr. Wonderful,” Cody Stamann.
Prior to his loss to Stamann at UFC 216, France’s Duquesnoy was the hottest prospect in the entire game, picking up titles at both 135 and 145 pounds under the British Association of Mixed Martial Arts banner before tearing through Patrick Williams with elbows in his UFC debut in April. He is a versatile, attacking eight-point striker who glides forward with fantastic footwork to create angles on a wide array of punches and kicks or step into the clinch to rock adversaries with punches, elbows and knees. He is an equal opportunity attacker of the head and body in all positions and ranges. He has even developed a serviceable submission game he can use to put away opponents after compromising them on the feet.
However, there is a bugaboo here and it is largely what Stamann exploited: Duquesnoy has defensive wrestling well below par in relation to his other skills and the level necessary to excel against the best fighters in the world. Once Stamann got him down, it set up the American’s jab, made the “Fire Kid” far less fiery and more or less extinguished his normal activity and creativity. We need not abandon all hope yet, though. He is still only 24 years old, and his training with Jackson-Wink MMA should help flesh out his skills. Not to mention we have since found out that Stamann is pretty good.
Ware largely presents as a straightforward, pressuring boxer-puncher, marching down his foes, pumping a lovely jab and looking for his power shots on the counter. Traditionally, his weakness has been getting taken down, scrambled on and submitted, which probably is not going to happen here. Nevertheless, the “Flash” has improved his defensive wrestling. He is a tough nut to crack, having never been knocked out in his pro or amateur career, all while demonstrating a great chin and fearlessness to throw counters to opponents’ counters in heavy swinging exchanges.
Ware is hittable, though, especially when it comes to more wild and unpredictable salvos of strikes, as shown in his loss to Sean O’Malley in December; and Duquesnoy’s striking is far more sophisticated. “Fire Kid” reignites his flame here and becomes the first man to knock out Ware in the first half of the bout.
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