Preview: UFC Vegas 108 Prelims

Featherweights

John Yannis (9-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. Austin Bashi (13-1, 0-1 UFC)

Odds: Bashi (-550); Yannis (+400)

In yet another last-minute substitution, Yannis is set to make his UFC debut on a week’s notice, replacing the injured Francis Marshall against Bashi. Yannis would probably have been on the Contender Series later this year anyway, so even though it will be up a weight class from his ideal division, this is a decent signing.

The 31-year-old from the Texas panhandle is a southpaw boxer with fast hands and good natural power, and while his takedown defense was a liability early on, he has improved significantly in that department during his current three-fight win streak, culminating in a Fury Fighting Championship bantamweight title win in May.

Bashi was already set to enter this fight with something to prove and now gets to wear the added expectations that come with being the biggest favorite on the card. He came out of last year’s Contender Series as a highly touted undefeated prospect and was matched immediately with a fringe contender in Christian Rodriguez. It proved to be too much too soon, as Bashi dropped the unanimous decision to “CeeRod,” but he remained competitive throughout the fight and was coming on at the end.

Bashi is an excellent offensive wrestler who can secure a clean takedown and take top position but thrives equally when he can simply create chaos and look for opportunities in the ensuing scrambles. His striking, which will always need to overcome a height and reach disadvantage against most featherweight foes, is a work in progress, but he is blessed with natural athleticism and, most importantly, has developed his standup without showing any signs of abandoning his wrestling.

Yannis’ takedown defense, as noted, has been improving quickly, but it is about to be tested by fire. While the compact Bashi will actually be about the same height as Yannis, he is the habitual featherweight and naturally bigger man and should be able to get takedowns early and often. If Yannis can stay upright in Round 1, or at least return to his feet quickly without taking too much damage, this fight might get very interesting, but that seems unlikely. Look for Bashi to take Yannis down and overwhelm him with ground strikes to set up a first-round submission.



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Yannis vs. Bashi
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