Preview: UFC Atlanta ‘Usman vs. Buckley’

Light Heavyweights
Alonzo Menifield (16-5-1) vs. Oumar Sy (11-0)

Odds: Sy (-700), Menifield (+500)

With the light heavyweight division always in need of new blood, France's Sy stands out as a particularly interesting prospect. Sy clearly has the high-level athleticism historically needed for success at 205 pounds, but while most top prospects are usually some form of slugger, Sy breaks that mold as a dedicated wrestler and grappler. Sy's still in need of some seasoning, as there isn't much to his striking game and he's not even a guarantee to run over most opponents when given his type of fight; he quickly submitted George Tokkos in his UFC debut, but his sophomore effort against Da Woon Jung was a much more static grind. But with the state of the division being what it is, it's understandable that the UFC would rush Sy up the ladder -- so it's time to see if a matchup against Menifield is too much too soon.

Menifield seemed to be hitting his peak near the end of 2023; a former football player turned late convert to mixed martial arts, "Atomic" slowly went from offensively-focused brute to someone that could effectively pick his spots to take a decision win off of Dustin Jacoby. As a result, Menifield was riding a five-fight unbeaten streak heading into 2024, at which point things clearly went south; he charged directly into a Carlos Ulberg knockout in what was a baffling performance, then came out the losing end of what devolved into another brawl against Azamat Murzakanov. Menifield did thankfully get back in the win column against UFC newcomer Julius Walker this past February, but it's hard to call that fight a particularly promising performance, as Menifield leaned on his physicality in a sloppy affair where neither man looked overwhelmingly sharp. Menifield still could stop the Sy hype train here, given that he's the lone Sy opponent thus far with both the physicality to stall the Frenchman out and the knockout power to make him pay if that happens, but his last few performances suggest that Sy might just be able to skate by in an ugly grind. The pick is Sy via decision.

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Usman vs. Buckley
Namajunas vs. Maverick
Shahbazyan vs. Petroski
Garbrandt vs. Barcelos
Abdul-Malik vs. Brundage
Menifield vs. Sy
The Prelims