UFC 238 Main Card Preview
4. Jimmie Rivera (22-3) Vs. Petr Yan (12-1)
It was around this time last year that Jimmie "El Terror" Rivera had his 20-fight win streak snapped by Marlon Moraes. In fact, the 29-year-old is 1-2 in his last three fights, following his recent loss to Aljamain Sterling. This is a pivotal fight for Rivera; if he wins, he remains a title contender. However, if "El Terror" comes up short against Petr Yan, UFC may decide to book him as more of a gatekeeper going forward — at the very least, his road to a title shot will be considerably longer.
26-year-old Petr "No Mercy" Yan is a former Olympic boxing hopeful whose striking is a thing of beauty. He has a perfect 4-0 record in the UFC and recently defeated former title challenger John Dodson. An impressive win here could earn Yan a shot at the bantamweight strap.
Yan has looked amazing since arriving in UFC, but Rivera is by far his toughest test to date. It's possible that"El Terror" is able to neutralize Yan with his solid wrestling game. However, if the fight stays standing, Yan should be able to pick his opponent apart with his world-class boxing.
The Pick: Petr Yan via unanimous decision.