3 fights to look forward to and 2 fights that will likely disappoint at UFC Vegas 34

UFC Vegas 34: Jared Cannonier vs Kelvin Gastelum
UFC Vegas 34: Jared Cannonier vs Kelvin Gastelum

A fight that will likely disappoint at UFC Vegas 34: Brian Kelleher vs Domingo Pilarte

Brian Kelleher is set to make his second appearance of the year as he eyes a much-needed rebound against Domingo Pilarte on the preliminary card of UFC Vegas 34.

The bantamweight stalwart had a successful 2020, going 3-1 with his only loss coming against ranked contender Cody Stamann. However, Kelleher recently suffered a setback, dropping a unanimous decision to Ricky Simon at UFC 258.

Meanwhile, Pilarte made his way to the octagon by securing a UFC contract at Dana White's Contender Series. Before that, he handed bantamweight standout Adrian Yanez a split decision loss at regional promotion Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA).

However, Pilarte did not have an ideal start to his UFC career after making the promotional jump. 'Son of Fire' dropped a split decision to Felipe Dias Colares before incurring a no-contest in his recent fight against Journey Newson.

Both men are capable strikers and are hungry for a win. However, Pilarte's defensive issues will likely result in Kelleher winning an uncompetitive matchup. In that sense, this fight might disappoint.

Fight to look forward to at UFC Vegas 34: Clay Guida vs Mark Madsen

UFC Vegas 34: Guida vs Madsen [Photo via @marktheolympianmadsen on Instagram]
UFC Vegas 34: Guida vs Madsen [Photo via @marktheolympianmadsen on Instagram]

The co-main event of UFC Vegas 34 will feature the return of the iconic Clay Guida. Now in his late 30s, Guida has proven that he should never be counted out. Guida's cardio has always been his best attribute, and it appears that he's still in good condition.

After taking back-to-back losses against fellow cage veterans Jim Miller and Bobby Green, 'The Carpenter' roared back with an impressive unanimous decision win over Michael Johnson at UFC Fight Night 184.

A silver medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Mark Madsen made a successful transition into the world of mixed martial arts in 2018. The former Olympian is undefeated in 10 fights, two of which came inside the octagon.

It will be an interesting matchup as Guida has always relied on his wrestling to neutralize his opponents. But against a former Olympic medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling, it would be fun to see if the 39-year-old can hold his own at UFC Vegas 34.

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