Preview: UFC Vegas 108 ‘Taira vs. Park’

Welterweights

Neil Magny (29-13, 22-12 UFC) vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos (25-9-1)

Odds: Zaleski dos Santos (-200); Magny (+170)

Grizzled welterweight action heroes meet here, as the 38-year-old “Elizeu Capoeira” faces off against Magny, who will turn 38 the day after UFC Vegas 108. Magny’s run as one of the welterweight division’s most prolific overachievers appears finally to be winding down. “The Haitian Sensation” came out of Season 16 of “The Ultimate Fighter” over a dozen years ago relatively unheralded, then made his bones as an exciting, tough and extremely busy fighter, the first UFC competitor of the modern era to win five fights in a calendar year.

Most of the traits Magny rode to success are still there, including high-volume boxing, sneakily effective wrestling, cardio and durability, but the cracks have long since begun to show. As a classic jack of all trades, Magny has always been vulnerable to specialists who could press their advantages in that area—see his early losses to Demian Maia and Lorenz Larkin—but recent years have seen more and more opponents either blitz him on the feet or drag him to the ground against his will. Where he once made a habit of weathering storms and then taking over late, as he did against Hector Lombard, he seems less able to take that kind of punishment.

Zaleski dos Santos is aging as well, but it has not shown quite as glaringly, possibly because unlike Magny, “Capoeira” was a bit inconsistent even in his prime, even in the middle of winning streaks. At 38, the Brazilian remains surprisingly explosive, his formerly acrobatic namesake striking having aged into a more conventional, yet still effective approach. His takedown defense has always been decent at best, partly due to his kick-heavy approach, but he defends himself well on the ground and has always been good at getting back up. Whether that remains the case is an open question, as most of the fighters who have beaten him in recent years have done so on the feet.

This matchup favors Zaleski dos Santos. While both men’s chins seem to be flagging, Magny has never been known for his one-shot power, while Zaleski dos Santos always had it and still does. Magny could make this interesting—or more competitive, at least—by pursuing the takedown, but it seems unlikely, given his recent performances. The pick is Zaleski dos Santos by decision in a fight where he delivers a ton of punishment; a late TKO would not be that surprising.



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Taira vs. Park
Rebecki vs. Duncan
Brener vs. Ribovics
Rosa vs. Cornolle
Magny vs. Zaleski dos Santos
Vallejos vs. Silva
The Prelims