Preview: UFC Macau Prelims

Flyweights

Carlos Hernandez (9-4, 2-3 UFC) vs. Nyamjargal Tumendemberel (8-0, 0-0 UFC)

ODDS: Hernandez (-192), Tumendemberel (+160)

Hernandez finds himself on prospect-testing duty once again. He has been solid if unspectacular since getting signed off the Contender Series in 2021, with his wrestling serving as the best part of his game. That makes it a bit cruel that the UFC keeps matching him against standout grapplers. After getting in the win column against Denys Bondar, he has been paired with Japanese standouts Tatsuro Taira and Rei Tsuruya. Hernandez put in credible showings in fights that mostly went against him. Up next: a Mongolian newcomer in Tumendemberel, who isn’t quite that level of terror on the mat but provides his own set of problems for Hernandez to solve. Tumendemberel’s game is all about sheer force, as he swings for the fences with an eye towards mixing things up with a strength-heavy wrestling game and a submission-focused ground attack. That focus on offense and aggression should provide a lot of gaps for Hernandez to counter and survive, and Tumendemberel’s willingness to throw all of his strength into everything he does usually leads to him flagging if fights make it to the later rounds. With that said, the worry is that even if Hernandez hangs tough and the Mongolian fades, Tumendemberel might have built up too much of a lead for him to overcome, likely in the form of landing some hard strikes. The pick is Tumendemberel via decision.

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