The UFC continues to replenish its flyweight division, and
Carpenter looks to be a promising addition. A raw prospect at just
26 years old, “Concrete” got to Dana White’s Contender Series on
the back of some quick knockouts but impressed in the face of a
tough test to earn a UFC contract. Carpenter may not have the
quick-twitch athleticism and speed typical of a flyweight prospect,
but he is a well-rounded and hard-nosed fighter who was able to
turn things into a grind in order to clinch a win. There are plenty
of pitfalls for Carpenter at 125 pounds, but he draws a potentially
soft entry into the UFC against Colombia’s Ronderos. An
inexperienced prospect in his own right, Ronderos stepped in on
about 24 hours’ notice for his UFC debut against David
Dvorak in 2021 and did not get the opportunity to show much.
Ronderos can be a solid grinder and neutralizer, but he quickly got
knocked down and tapped out by Dvorak. It has been nearly two years
since that showing, so Ronderos could show some new wrinkles, but
given that Carpenter looks to be the stronger wrestler, this looks
like a tough fight for the Colombian to find any sort of safety
valve. The pick is Carpenter via first-round submission.
UFC News & Features
