Preview: UFC Fight Night 222 Prelims

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday will return to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas with another decent slate of prelims. Seasoned lightweights get the featured spot on the UFC Fight Night 222 undercard, as Ricky Glenn and Christos Giagos should combine for some intrigue and entertainment, but the most intriguing bout of the batch falls one slot below, where Rani Yahya takes on Montel Jackson in an interesting veteran-versus-prospect pairing. The most relevant matchup might be found at 145 pounds, though Karol Rosa-Norma Dumont comes with the usual caveats about the women’s featherweight division being in constant flux. Beyond that, there are a few well-made fights with the usual level of prospects.

Now to the preview for the UFC Fight Night 222 prelims:

Lightweights

Ricky Glenn (22-6-2, 4-3-1 UFC) vs. Christos Giagos (19-10, 5-6 UFC)

ODDS: Glenn (-165), Giagos (+140)

This should be an engaging encounter between two consistent vets. It is a surprise that Glenn is still only 34 years old, if only because “The Gladiator” was a seasoned pro long before his 2016 UFC debut; having gotten his start as a teenager, Glenn has now spent roughly half his life as a professional fighter. Glenn is the type of scrappy veteran who marks the sport’s deepest divisions. He is not the best athlete, but his combination of grit and experience means he is always in the fight trying to make something happen, even if his UFC career has seen him run into a physical ceiling that did not exist at the regional level. Injuries have kept Glenn out of action for the better part of the last four and a half years—they also necessitated a full-time move up to lightweight—but he has made those rare trips to the Octagon count. Glenn blasted Joaquim Silva for a 37-second knockout and staged a massive third-round comeback against Grant Dawson to earn a draw in 2021. After another 18-month layoff, Glenn looks to keep his unbeaten streak going against Giagos. A two-time UFC signee, Giagos has remained mostly the same fighter since debuting with the promotion nearly a decade ago. A solid athlete who can do a little bit of everything, Giagos looks to pressure his opponent and then take the fight as it comes. When Giagos can safely outwrestle his opponent, everything clicks and “The Spartan” looks excellent. However, he is just as capable of wading directly into danger, particularly given the rough matchmaking the UFC has presented him over the years, setting him up for failure against the likes of talents like Gilbert Burns, Charles Oliveira and Arman Tsarukyan. Glenn is not the type of talent who can make Giagos immediately pay, but he is definitely the craftier fighter and should find a moment to turn the fight around given his counterpart’s historical lack of finishing ability. If nothing else, Glenn has proven active enough to win fights from his back in the past, meaning even a straight-ahead grind might not be enough to get a decision win for Giagos. The pick is Glenn via decision.

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Glenn vs. Giagos
Jackson vs. Yahya
Dumont vs. Rosa
Tafa vs. Usman
Marshall vs. Gomis
Silva vs. Cachoeira
Danaa vs. Hiestand