Preview: UFC Fight Night 223 Prelims

Bantamweights

Brian Kelleher (24-14) vs. Journey Newson (10-4, 1 NC)

ODDS: Kelleher (-140), Newson (+120)

Seemingly eternally on prospect-testing duty, Kelleher could use a win here to bounce back from a rough 2022. The Long Islander came to the UFC essentially as a finished product and immediately announced himself with a quick win over Iuri Alcantara in his promotional debut, though he then turned around and quickly fell victim to Marlon Vera in short order himself. That's essentially been the story for most of Kelleher's UFC career; "Boom" is both consistently dangerous and prone to some cold starts, leading to some quick fights in both directions. Given some time to work, Kelleher can typically find a path towards a winning fight over the course of fifteen minutes, resulting in an overall package that makes him the perfect fighter to separate the wheat from the chaff in what might be the UFC's deepest division. But 2022 was a bit tough; a win over Kevin Croom to kick off the year was unexpectedly tough, and rising talents Umar Nurmagomedov and Mario Bautista each ran through Kelleher without much issue. Admittedly, Nurmagomedov and Bautista have both looked excellent in the time since, but Kelleher looks to prove he hasn't suffered any slippage here against Newson. An inactive schedule has kept Newson from finding much momentum under the UFC banner, and if not for that he might have found himself with a similar rep as Kelleher; a fellow slow starter, Newson has done well to develop a more diverse striking game and generally become a well-rounded fighter during his four years on the roster. Newson's own combination of knockout power and questionable durability can lead him to the same kill-or-be-killed proposition as Kelleher, so there's clearly a chance for either man to end this in short order before their opponent finds a groove. Kelleher seems more aggressive from the jump and in general seems to be dealing with a deeper bag of tricks; it wouldn't be a surprise to see him take over this fight with some wrestling. The pick is Kelleher via decision.

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Buday vs. Collier
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Kelleher vs. Newson
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