Preview: UFC Fight Night 203 Prelims

The UFC getting the bout order right means this undercard doesn't have the usual highlight of some Fight Night prelim slates, but there's still a lot of interesting action among these eight fights. The featured prelim should be a banger, as Matthew Semelsberger looks to continue an exciting run at welterweight against recent Dana White's Contender Series standout A.J. Fletcher. Two more top talents from this last Contender Series season are also in action, with Javid Basharat facing Trevin Jones and Azamat Murzakanov meeting Tafon Nchukwi in a surprisingly strong opener. It's also a big night for women's flyweight: J.J. Aldrich and Gillian Robertson each look to keep their momentum going, while Sabina Mazo and Miranda Maverick look to keep their status as top prospects.

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Welterweights

NR | Matthew Semelsberger (9-3) vs. NR | A.J. Fletcher (9-0)
Odds: Semelsberger (-240), Fletcher (+195)

This should be a banger of a bout between welterweight prospects. Matthew Semelsberger figured to be a bit too raw to hang on the UFC roster when the UFC picked him up in 2020, but so far so good for "Semi the Jedi;" after a bit of a soft debut against Carlton Minus, Semelsberger's two UFC wins in 2021 lasted a combined 31 seconds. And even in Semelsberger's lone UFC loss to date against Khaos Williams, Semelsberger showed the combination of athleticism, durability and aggression that should serve him well as he continues to round into form. Here, the Marylander looks to spoil the debut of one of the standouts of this most recent edition of the Contender Series in A.J. Fletcher. Fletcher looks to have the tools to live up to his hype as the next great prospect out of Louisiana, as he's established a solid wrestling and grappling game backed up by some powerful striking, as demonstrated by the flying knee knockout he scored to earn his UFC contract. And like Semelsberger, Fletcher appears to have the athleticism to hang at the UFC level; though unlike the long and lean Semelsberger, "The Ghost" is a stocky fireplug of an athlete. This feels like a coin flip, and it'll be interesting to see how Semelsberger reacts to someone who appears capable of both pressing the issue and absorbing his offense. But while there's a decent chance that Fletcher could lean on his wrestling enough to score a submission or grind out a decision, Semelsberger's shown enough in terms of power and physical tools to give him the nod here, even if he could be fighting back to his feet a bunch when he's not landing strikes. The pick is Semelsberger via decision.

Continue Reading » Aldrich vs. Robertson