Preview: UFC Fight Night 228 Prelims

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday will return to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas with a six-bout undercard that does offer a few points of interest. In the featured slot at UFC Fight Night 228, Dan Argueta looks to build on a strong performance when he takes on Miles Johns in a bantamweight affair. However, the tag for best fight of the bunch likely goes to the welterweight scrap between Tim Means and Andre Fialho. Beyond that, Mohammed Usman continues to try to prove himself as a heavyweight prospect to watch, and Mizuki Inoue makes her long-overdue comeback from a three-year layoff to meet Hannah Goldy.

Now to the preview for the UFC Fight Night “Fiziev vs. Gamrot” prelims.

Bantamweights

Dan Argueta (9-1, 1-1 UFC) vs. Miles Johns (13-2, 4-2 UFC)

ODDS: Argueta (-185), Johns (+154)

This should be a fun encounter between two bantamweights who each have some cause for optimism. Argueta’s last fight ended in disappointing fashion—it was ruled a no contest due to a premature stoppage—but it was still a solid sign of progress for “The Determined.” Up until that fight, Argueta essentially got by on durability and cardio and figured to hit a ceiling without some much-needed finishing ability, so even though he did not officially get the submission on Ronnie Lawrence, the fact that things were going that way makes for something to build on. Argueta’s relentless approach should also serve him well against Johns, who still has yet to see his game fully click. Johns has slowly pivoted from a straight-ahead wrestler to a much more willing striker but may have focused on the latter at the expense of the former, and he has generally struggled to marry the two ideas. Johns’ wrestling has not been a factor in a lot of his recent fights, and his best wins have relied on his opponents staying patient and allowing him to work through his ideas on the feet. Argueta may not dominate the wrestling exchanges given Johns’ own chops on the mat, which could make this a bit of a stalemate. However, the general read is that Argueta’s constant pressure should do enough to force Johns into a less active fight and let him stay ahead on the scorecards. The pick is Argueta via decision.

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Argueta vs. Johns
Fialho vs. Means
Malkoun vs. Brundage
Usman vs. Collier
Inoue vs. Goldy
Vidal vs. Rendon