UFC 292 Preview: Here’s What To Expect In Two Boston Title Fights
UFC 292 takes place Saturday night in Boston, with a pair of title bouts to headline the company’s first pay-per-view event at TD Garden since UFC 220 in 2018.
With plenty of talent on the card, Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley meet for the men’s bantamweight title, while Zhang Weili and Amanda Lemos clash for the women’s strawweight title.
In the days leading up to the event, UFC play-by-play broadcaster Jon Anik shared some insight into the two championship fights, beginning with context to Sterling’s title defense.
“The main event itself is incredible,” Anik told NESN.com in an interview Tuesday. “Aljamain Sterling, the long-reigning undisputed UFC bantamweight champion, is making his fourth title defense here. It’s amazing to hear his training partners talk about how much of a problem he is. Certainly, what most MMA fans know is that if this human being is anywhere near your leg and is able to transition to your back, it’s usually game over if he has time in the round. At the very least, he’s going to control you and lock you up. Even worse for you, he’s going to submit you.”
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The broadcaster shared that O’Malley presents an interesting challenge if he can defend the opposing grappling.
“Sean O’Malley is the B-side to no one, at least in terms of his star power and superstar potential,” Anik explained. “If he becomes the undisputed UFC bantamweight champion, he has the chance to become an other-worldly superstar. I’m talking top 10 world’s most famous athlete type stuff for Sean O’Malley if he can actually get there. I do believe that as a striker, he’s unlike anything Aljamain Sterling has seen. The backdrop is that it’s a fascinating stylistic main event.”
As for the co-main event, Lemos challenges for the strawweight belt relying on finishing ability.
“Lemos has power in both hands,” Anik said. “She has submissions. She’s got a lot of skills. Hopefully, Lemos can extend her a little bit, but sometimes her aggressiveness comes back to bite her.
With Weili, the 34-year-old two-time champion defends her title as one of the sport’s most athletic fighters.
“A lot of people believe she is not just a superior athlete but one of the best athletes that a lot of us have ever seen,” Anik shared. “We’ll see what happens in that fight. I think it will be competitive.”
With these two titles on the line, UFC 292 is set for an entertaining end to an intriguing card.