UFC 328 Prelims Set Stage With Veterans, Title Hopefuls in Newark
Saturday's UFC 328 prelims at the Prudential Center in Newark feature a four-fight slate stacked with division-shifting matchups, headlined by lightweight veteran Jim Miller's latest octagon walk.
Saturday's UFC 328 preliminary card from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ runs a four fight slate beginning at 7 PM ET on Paramount+ with each contest offering a unique storyline as the card wraps around a crucial lightweight showdown.
UFC 328 Prelims at a Glance
| Fight | Weight Class | Storyline |
|---|---|---|
| Jim Miller vs Jared Gordon | Lightweight | Miller's 47th UFC walk |
| Grant Dawson vs Mateusz Rebecki | Lightweight | 155-lb fight with title implications |
| Yaroslav Amosov vs Joel Alvarez | Welterweight | Ex-Bellator champ vs six-fight finishing streak |
| Ateba Gautier vs Ozzy Diaz | Middleweight | 185-lb prospect knockout-or-be-knocked-out clash |
Jim Miller Continues To Build UFC Resume
Lightweight veteran Jim Miller (41) is set to face Jared Gordon in what will be his 47th UFC fight. Miller is the lightest heavyweight fighter in promotional history and has made his career based upon volume, endurance and accepting late notice fights. However, despite being a battle-tested opponent, Jared Gordon (31), is not considered to be in the top 15 or an elite lightweight contender. Therefore, if either man is able to win via finish it will serve as added value to their resume; however, I believe a clean decision victory by Jim Miller is more probable than a finish due to Jared Gordon's recent performances fighting predominantly on the back foot.
- Jim Miller: 41 years old, 47th UFC appearance, built on volume, endurance and short-notice fights.
- Jared Gordon: 31 years old, battle-tested but outside the lightweight top 15.
- Most likely outcome: a clean decision win for Miller given Gordon's recent back-foot tendencies.
Grant Dawson And Mateusz Rebecki Compete For Lightweight Position
The most important fight of the evening comes down to Grant Dawson facing off against Mateusz Rebecki in a 155 pound match-up with potential title implications. Dawson uses an aggressive wrestling-and-controlling-the-center-of-the-octagon style of fighting which should provide him some significant advantages over Rebecki. On the other hand, Mateusz Rebecki is known for his knockout punch and ability to end fights early. Regardless of who wins they both enter into the second half of the year and have an opportunity to earn themselves a spot on the main card.
- Grant Dawson: aggressive wrestling, controls the center of the octagon.
- Mateusz Rebecki: knockout power, ends fights early.
- What's at stake: a main-card spot for the winner heading into the second half of the year.
Ukrainian Welterweight Makes UFC Debut Against Joel Alvarez
Bellator Welterweight Champion Yaroslav Amosov will make his second UFC appearance against Joel Alvarez. In his first UFC appearance Yaroslav Amosov submitted Neil Magny in the opening round which demonstrated how effective his ground game can be at 170 pounds. As for Alvarez, he is currently riding a six-fight winning streak with all of those victories coming via finishes; therefore, Alvarez will need to find a way to keep this fight on the feet in order to minimize Yaroslav's grappling threat.
- Yaroslav Amosov: Bellator welterweight champion, second UFC bout, submitted Neil Magny in round one of his debut.
- Joel Alvarez: riding a six-fight winning streak, every victory via finish.
- X-factor: Alvarez must keep this fight standing to neutralize Amosov's grappling threat at 170 pounds.
The prelims kick off with rising middleweight prospect Ateba Gautier facing Ozzy Diaz, a knockout-or-be-knocked-out matchup between two 185-pound up-and-comers looking to leave a mark before the cameras shift to the main card.
