Fight fans are still enjoying the return of MMA from the festive break, and the year’s fight cards are coming together nicely. For example, Holly Holm vs. Ketlen Vieira has been confirmed for the UFC Fight Night on May 21st card. Continuing on from UFC 270, the UFC is back with another fight night, and the card is stacked. The preliminary card itself is filled with several newcomers and unfamiliar names that will be looking to make a statement but the main card is not short of some fights that promise hard-hitting action too. The second fight on the main card is one that has been long-awaited, and it is one that has the potential of claiming the Fight of the Night accolade. Tresean Gore and Bryan Battle were both a part of The Ultimate Fighter’s season 29 roster, and the pair were even slated to have their first meeting in the middleweight tournament finals.
Destiny Fulfilled
Tresean Gore (3-0-0) has been on the MMA scene for a while, having a career that dates back to 2014. In his debut TUF fight, Gore managed to get the unanimous decision victory over Ryder Newman before going on to defeat Gilbert Urbina via KO in the semi-finals. As he was preparing for the finals, he suffered a knee injury that saw him forced out of competition. This weekend, Gore finally gets to make his UFC debut and prove that he belongs in the conversation of the best middleweights in the world.
Gore can put up an offense that will ensure him the victor of his fights. The versatility in his offense will certainly be beneficial to his UFC career. Gore possesses a well-rounded skillset and that will certainly be something that he looks to showcase in his debut and solidify himself as a mainstay in the promotion, all whilst keeping his undefeated streak going.
Recurring Underdog Status
Bryan Battle (6-1-0) had quite a run on the amateur circuit where he got eight wins and one loss. Battle began his pro career soon after that and it was not too long before he found himself in the UFC. Battle became known to many fight fans when he joined the TUF 29 roster and went on to win the entire tournament. That feat, in itself, is quite impressive and might even promise a great future for the winner. Past winners have gone on to become some of the most prominent and dominant names in the entire sport’s history. Battle is able to get the judges on his side and has proven to be able to get the KO finish but, for the most part, he applies himself as a submission specialist. In TUF, Battle was Volkanovski’s final pick but he went on to win the entire tournament. Now, coming into this fight, he is the slight underdog but fans would know better than to count him out. That underdog status could be what pushes Battle to actually shock many once again. Battle knows that he needs to continue to prove his worth, and will certainly be looking to follow in the footsteps of the TUF winners that came before him and have gone on to achieve great things.
The True TUF 29 Finale?
[pickup_prop id=”19825″]
Many fight fans are viewing this fight as the true final to the middleweight bracket of TUF season 29, the fight that could have (and should have) been. Gore and Battle are similar in many ways. Both fight out of South Carolina, both are 27-years-old, and only have a 1-inch height difference between them. The two are evenly matched and this will certainly make for an exciting match-up. Expect this fight to be extremely volatile and put on a possible fight of the night contender.
Featured Image
Embed from Getty Images
