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Bantamweights

NR | Louis Smolka (17-7, 8-7 UFC) vs. NR | Vince Morales (10-5, 2-3 UFC)

ODDS: Smolka (-145), Morales (+125)

It has been nice to see Smolka find a second life inside the UFC. Smolka was on the fringes of flyweight title contention before suffering an upset loss to Brandon Moreno in 2016—a result that touched off a four-fight losing streak that led to “Da Last Samurai” sliding out of the promotion. After overcoming some issues with alcohol and moving up to bantamweight, Smolka eventually earned his way back onto the roster and has put together a solid run at 135 pounds. Smolka was not particularly physical at flyweight, so while he can be overwhelmed at bantamweight, he has found success by doubling down on his aggression, scoring an impressive comeback win against Jose Quinonez in his most recent bout. Smolka looks to put together the first winning streak of his second UFC tenure against Morales, who is also looking for his second straight victory. Morales is a solid but limited fighter, focusing his efforts around a counter-heavy boxing game that is often too patient for his own good. Against straightforward opponents like Drako Rodriguez, “Vandetta” can hold his own and look quite sharp, though other fights have shown that he struggles to adapt against opponents who can vary their offense or apply consistent power and aggression. Smolka should give the Syndicate MMA rep a lot of opportunities to hit him in return, but the bet is that the Hawaiian presses his offense with enough speed that he can clip Morales and send things rolling towards a finish. The pick is Smolka via second-round submission.