Preview: UFC Fight Night 189 Prelims

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The UFC Fight Night 189 prelims on Saturday in Las Vegas are not anything particularly special, but in many ways, they provide a more appetizing slate than the main card. The featured prelim should bring some entertainment, as Ariane Lipski always brings aggression to the cage—an endearing trait which may or may not pay off against Montana De La Rosa. Beyond that, there are some recognizable veterans like Ilir Latifi and Francisco Trinaldo, plus some legitimately fun and interesting fights deeper down lineup. Manon Fiorot had the look of a future contender in her Ultimate Fighting Championship debut, while Sean Woodson’s frame makes him a perennially intriguing prospect at 145 pounds.

Now to the preview for the UFC Fight Night “Rozenstruik vs. Sakai” prelims:

Women’s Flyweights

NR | Montana De La Rosa (11-6-1, 4-2-1 UFC) vs. NR | Ariane Lipski (13-6, 2-3 UFC)

ODDS: De La Rosa (-255), Lipski (+215)

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It will be interesting to see if De La Rosa can eventually turn a corner. One of the better long-term prospects on Season 26 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” De La Rosa came into the UFC as a talented grappler who had the misfortune of facing Mackenzie Dern and Cynthia Calvillo prior to entering the promotion. As that submission-heavy approach found its ceiling in the UFC, De La Rosa had obviously put in the work to become a better striker, though she remains a work in progress. While she has a lot of right ideas, her lack of quick-twitch athleticism leads to a lot of gaps that allow her opponents to return fire and hit her hard. That makes for some intrigue against Lipski, who if nothing else has lived up to her “Queen of Violence” nickname during her UFC run. Lipski was tabbed for immediate success upon entering the UFC—she was a betting favorite against Joanne Calderwood in her 2019 promotional debut—and in terms of wins and losses, her Octagon career has been a disappointment. However, she has been a consistent action fighter, often to her own detriment. While she is capable of impressive bursts, she has usually been undone by a complete lack of defensive awareness that allows her opponents to turn around her fights. De La Rosa figures to once again get hit hard, and while that could lead to a finish, she has proven durable enough that she should be able to survive and find whatever openings Lipski will surely present to her; in particular, Lipski’s willingness to wrestle should open her up to De La Rosa’s potent ground game. The pick is De La Rosa via second-round submission.

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