Preview: UFC on ESPN 32 ‘Kattar vs. Chikadze’

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Lightweights

NR | Viacheslav Borshchev (5-1, 0-0 UFC) vs. NR | Dakota Bush (8-3, 0-1 UFC)

ODDS: Borshchev (-180), Bush (+155)

Borshchev was one of the standouts of this most recent season of Dana White’s Contender Series. “Slava Claus” showed off his skill as a speedy striker in October, knocking out highly touted prospect Chris Duncan with a brutal left hook to score a second-round knockout. Thus far, that has mostly been the story for Borshchev as a professional mixed martial artist. Opponents may find some early success frustrating him or taking him down, but he has consistently been able to regroup and find some impressive moments afterwards. For his first challenge in the UFC proper, Borshchev meets Bush, a well-regarded prospect in his own right who is looking to rebound from an unsuccessful UFC debut.

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When Bush wins, he typically does so in impressive fashion, showing both knockout power and a strong wrestling game—skills that have led him to quickly overwhelm many of his opponents. However, if Bush cannot find the early finish, things have typically gone quite south. While he is willing to fight through exhaustion, as he did in that UFC debut opposite Austin Hubbard in April, Bush is clearly much less potent past the first round. Bush has enough strength and athleticism to make this interesting in the early going, but Borshchev has made his career thus far on outlasting stronger opponents, and this seems set up to follow that template. The pick is Borshchev via third-round knockout.

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