The MMA Daily

The curtain jerker comes in the Bantamweight division, as UFC newcomer Chad Anheliger takes on Jesse Strader. Not many fighters earn contracts from Dana White’s Contender series after a split decision victory. However, Anheliger did. In fight where he showcased well rounded abilities and a will to win, Anheliger pulled off an upset and earned himself a contract. With nine consecutive wins, Anheliger heads into his UFC debut with excellent momentum. Meanwhile, Strader will look to put his unsuccessful UFC debut behind him, as he makes his second appearance inside the octagon. With only seven professional fights, Strader is relatively green. However, he has proven to be a finisher, as he has finished four of his five victories.

As for a prediction, I have Anheliger winning. As the second biggest favorite on the card, I’d have to agree that this is his fight to lose. Strader is inexperienced and hasn’t defeated anyone notable. In fact, his five wins have come against opponents with a combined 10-8 record. While Strader’s UFC debut seemed like an impossible task, he landed some excellent leg kicks and body strikes. The problem is his chin and durability. Having previously been dropped twice and finished by Marcelo Rojo, only to have the same done in his UFC debut by Montel Jackson, there seems to be an issue with withstanding punishment. Given Anheliger has a knack for finishing fights, winning six by knockout and three submissions, I’d say Strader is in trouble. The other thing I’ll say, Anheliger has only been stopped by submission and not since his last defeat nearly eight years ago. So with that said, I predict that Anheliger will win by TKO.