The UFC 273 prelim card features seven bouts, the final three of which will be previewed in this post. It features a pivotal bantamweight matchup between contenders Aspen Ladd (pictured above left) and Raquel Pennington (pictured above right). All win probabilities are based on a fighter’s CC Rating and their place in the CC Rankings.

You can find the previews for the first set of prelim bouts HERE.

Mickey Gall vs. Mike Malott (Men’s Welterweight)

Mickey Gall

• Record: 7-4-0
• Division Ranking: 55/79 welterweights
• Vegas Odds: +170 (Underdog)

Mike Malott

• Record: 7-1-1
• Division Ranking: 68/79 welterweights
• Vegas Odds: -200 (Favorite)

Gall has had a very up and down career since joining the UFC. He made his UFC debut in February 2016, after registering only one professional fight prior. He rattled off three straight wins, including one over former WWE (yes, that WWE) champion, CM Punk. He is a disappointing 3-4 since, alternating wins and losses over that stretch. When Gall is on, it’s because of his grappling prowess. All but one of his career wins have come via submission.

Malott comes in with a good amount of hype behind him. He secured a win on Dana White’s Contender Series in just 39 seconds, immediately earning him a UFC contract. The only blemish on his record is a loss back in 2014 to Hakeem Dawodu, back when Malott fought at featherweight. Malott has since made the jump all the way to welterweight and has a perfect 100 percent finishing rate (three KOs, four submissions) through his career. Malott is not a very active fighter, having fought only five times since 2014.

Subjective Spin on Objective Reality: Both men present dangers in the ground game, where Gall is the more pure grappler. Malott should have the advantage in the standup game. Look for Gall to get the fight to the ground and chase a submission early. Given his experience and need for a win, don’t bet against him to do it.

Editor’s Pick: Gall

[8] Aspen Ladd vs. [4] Raquel Pennington (Women’s Bantamweight)

Aspen Ladd

• Record: 9-2-0
• Division Ranking: 9/28 bantamweights
• Vegas Odds: +160 (Underdog)

Raquel Pennington

• Record: 13-9-0
• Division Ranking: 5/29 bantamweights
• Vegas Odds: -190 (Favorite)

Ladd (#8 CC, #4 UFC) is back at bantamweight after successfully making weight, something she’s struggled mightily with in the past. In her return from injury, she was soundly defeated in a lopsided battle with Norma Dumont (#2 CC/fw, #15 UFC). Ladd looked very defeated throughout the fight and had previously missed weight at bantamweight a couple weeks earlier. When Ladd is on her game and is right-minded, few are better. She looked decent on the scales at 136 pounds. We’ll see if the mauler of old comes back for this one.

Pennington (#4 CC, #7 UFC) is one of the longest tenured fighters in the UFC women’s conference. She’s riding a three-fight win streak and looking to make one more run at the title. Her most recent bout took place at featherweight and saw her get a submission win over Macy Chiasson (#12 CC, #10 UFC). That marked Pennington’s first finish since 2015. A win here would vault her into the UFC’s top 5 and put her squarely in the title conversation.

Subjective Spin on Objective Reality: A focused Aspen Ladd on weight is a scary opponent. Ladd is a proven finisher and will be the fresher fighter both in terms of age and preparation. Pennington is filling in on short notice for this bout. Ladd has shown no signs of the mental issues that plagued her in the run-up to the Dumont fight. Expect a rejuvenated Ladd in the octagon.

Editor’s Pick: Ladd

Ian Garry vs. Darian Weeks (Men’s Welterweight)

Ian Garry

• Record: 8-0-0
• Division Ranking: 52/79 welterweights
• Vegas Odds: -400 (Favorite)

Darian Weeks

• Record: 5-1-0
• Division Ranking: 72/79 welterweights
• Vegas Odds: +310 (Underdog)

The Irishman Garry is one of the more exciting prospects in the UFC. He lived up to the hype in his debut at UFC 268 in November, scoring a first round KO with one second left in the round. Garry has heavy hands and has scored five KOs in just eight pro bouts. Garry is promising he is ushering in the second Irish takeover of the UFC and, at 24, looks to be part of an exciting new generation of welterweights. He’ll have another opportunity to showcase his skill in this one.

Weeks made his UFC debut on short notice against Bryan Barberena. He was dealt his first pro loss, but did manage to go the distance with the 13-year veteran. Prior to that, Weeks had five pro wins, all coming by stoppage. Barberena will feel at home in a striking battle, having a good amount of boxing experience to his name. Weeks also put together an extensive 15-4 record as an amateur, so he is not as inexperienced as his record might suggest.

Subjective Spin on Objective Reality: This fight is bound to be a barnburner. If not for the stacked main card, it might be a contender for fight of the night. That said, the raw talent coming from Garry is far above Weeks at this stage.

Editor’s Pick: Garry

Photo Credit: Jason Hagholm Twitter