Preview: UFC 282 Prelims

Featherweights

T.J. Brown (16-9, 2-3 UFC) vs. Erik Silva (9-1, 0-0 UFC)

ODDS: Brown (-110), Silva (-110)

Silva’s UFC career could go any number of ways. Born in Venezuela and based out of Costa Rica, Silva has shown a simple but effective approach thus far. A thickly built athlete, Silva uses a power striking game as a means to get to his wrestling and grappling, where he has shown a knack for grabbing a rear-naked choke. However, it is difficult to tell just how far that will take “The King” at this level. Most of his success took place on a Mexican regional scene that is forgiving for grapplers, and his contract-earning win on Dana White’s Contender Series came against a decorated kickboxer without much of a game on the mat. Silva could either find some consistent success in the UFC or quickly wash out, and neither outcome would be surprising. At 35 years old, there is not much point in his waiting around, so it is good to see him get a solid litmus test off the bat in Brown. A 2019 DWCS alum, Brown looked set for a UFC career that would be high on entertainment but provide little success, which held true with “Downtown” losing his first two UFC bouts. However, the Arkansas native rebounded with wins over Kai Kamaka III and Charles Rosa, proving himself to be a well-rounded fighter with plenty of toughness, if not any particular standout skill. Brown looks to rebound from a June loss to Nuerdanbieke Shayilan, and Silva’s lack of a strong resume makes this a coinflip. If Silva cannot get things done quickly, Brown is certainly the type of opponent to keep up the pace and drown the UFC newcomer in deep waters. The bet is that Silva has enough athleticism to quickly run through Brown’s defenses and end this early. The pick is Silva via first-round submission.

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