In the co-main event of UFC Vegas 22, we will see a very intriguing matchup in the lightweight division. The 15th ranked contender at lightweight, Gregor Gillespie (13-1), will be taking on rising contender, Brad Riddell (9-1).
Gregor Gillespie is making his UFC return after being off for the last year and a half. The last time we saw Gillespie, he had his first big challenge at lightweight in the form of Kevin Lee. Gillespie had looked dominant, but taking on a former UFC title challenger was a big step up in competition.
In the end, Gillespie was flatlined by a headkick and Lee handed him his first loss. Prior to that loss, Gillespie had been 6-0 in the UFC with five of those wins coming via stoppage. Gillespie hasn’t been hurt, but he’s taken some much needed time off to improve on some things for his next run.
Standing across from him is the City Kickboxing product, Brad Riddell. Riddell is one of the best pure strikers to come out of City Kickboxing. He’s incredibly entertaining to watch and so far he’s only stumbled once in his professional career.
So far, Riddell is 3-0 with three decisions in the UFC. He’s going to be looking for his seventh straight win overall tomorrow night. If Riddell is able to win tomorrow, expect a ranking to be by his name next week.
UFC Vegas 22 Prediction
Tomorrow night at UFC Vegas 22 we are going to see that classic striker versus grappler matchup. In reality, it’s not that difficult of a fight to break down. It’s ultimately going to come down to who can execute their game plan.
Gregor Gillespie is a Division 1 national champion wrestler. He is suffocating when he gets his hands on you and it’s incredibly difficult to get him. For Gillespie, he’s going to be trying for takedowns right away tomorrow night.
On the flip side, you have Riddell. Riddell is one of the best strikers from a gym that producers sensational strikers. For him to be successful tomorrow, he’s got to keep the fight standing. If this fight is contested on the feet, Riddell should be in good shape.
Usually when you look at these matchups, they favor the wrestler. I don’t believe that UFC Vegas 22 is going to be any different. Would I be shocked to see Riddell pull off a slick KO? No, but at the end of the day, I don’t see him keeping Gillespie off of him. This fight is going to Gregor Gillespie tomorrow night.