Preview: UFC on ESPN 14 ‘Whittaker vs. Till’ Prelims

VICIOUS! @BulldozerBoser with a BRUTAL combo to end the night!

Action continues on @ESPN. #UFCVegas4 pic.twitter.com/Y6uCSOhCMN

— UFC (@ufc) June 27, 2020

Heavyweights

Tanner Boser (18-6-1) vs. Raphael Pessoa (10-1)
Odds: Boser (-250), Pessoa (+210)

Boser suddenly got a lot more interesting after his knockout of Philipe Lins last month. Prior to that, the read on Boser seemed pretty clear: he favored a low-output range kicking game that often frustrated his opponents, and while he's certainly showed a heavyweight chin, his complete lack of finishing ability figured to hold him back in a division that relies on the knockout. But Boser looked shockingly sharp in that win against Lins, and the Canadian suddenly found some potential in what was shaping up to be a solid gatekeeper career.

Boser steps in on short notice less than a month after that victory, and he takes on Brazil's Raphael Pessoa, who's looking to build off his first UFC win. Despite his considerable size, Pessoa typically employs a blitzing striking game in quick bursts. That could make this an ugly fight during the times where Pessoa waits to engage, but the exchanges themselves should be fun, particularly if Boser retains his newfound power. That knockout ability isn't worth relying on just yet, but Boser figures to be quicker and have better cardio for as long as this lasts, so this is still the Canadian's fight to lose if it goes all 15 minutes. To that end, the pick is Boser via decision.

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