Preview: UFC on ESPN 29 Prelims

Bantamweights

NR | Brian Kelleher (22-12, 6-5 UFC) vs. NR | Domingo Pilarte (8-2, 0-1 UFC)

ODDS: Kelleher (-170), Pilarte (+150)

Kelleher has managed to carve out a nice niche for himself at this point in his career. Already a decorated regional vet by the time he made his UFC debut in 2017, Kelleher’s first two fights inside the Octagon basically told the story. The Long Islander managed to shock Iuri Alcantara in a shade under two minutes with a guillotine choke, only to turn around and suffer a first-round submission loss to Marlon Vera. Kelleher is a talented finisher who can take advantage of any defensive opening his opponent provides, but he has rarely been consistent enough to win a decision and is prone to cold starts in which his opponents can finish him quickly. That overall package has made him an exciting fighter that the UFC has been glad to use as a test for rising prospects—a role in which Kelleher has often thrived, as evidenced by quick submissions of Ode Osbourne and Ray Rodriguez, as well as a knockout of Hunter Azure. After Kelleher’s loss to Ricky Simon in February, the UFC has decided to revisit a scrapped 2018 pairing against Pilarte, which seems like an odd move. At the time, Pilarte was slated to make his UFC debut after an impressive showing on Dana White’s Contender Series. An absolutely massive bantamweight, the “Son of Fire” fought back from trouble against Vince Morales to score a second-round submission. However, in his two fights since, Pilarte’s defensive issues have prevented him from finding much success inside the Octagon. Felipe Colares outwrestled Pilarte handily, while Journey Newson blasted him for a knockout in just 38 seconds. Pilarte’s willingness to focus on offense and his ability in scrambles could make this fun for as long as it lasts, but his being so open defensively seems like a recipe for Kelleher to find a huge moment of success early. The pick is Kelleher via first-round knockout.

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