Dana White’s Contender Series 80: Eduardo Henrique vs An Tuan Ho Preview & Prediction
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Eduardo Henrique and An Tuan Ho square off in what is likely to be a lightning fast flyweight contest that could end at any given second.
Eduardo Henrique vs An Tuan Ho facts
What time are Eduardo Henrique and An Tuan Ho expected to walk out?
Where is Dana White’s Contender Series 80? UFC Apex, Las Vegas, USA
What TV channel is Dana White’s Contender Series 80 on? UK – Not televised / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream Dana White’s Contender Series 80? UK – UFC Fight Pass / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
Dana White’s Contender Series 80 card
Jack Congdon vs Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (Welterweight)
Cezary Oleksiejczuk vs Theo Haig (Middleweight)
Samuel Silva vs Mandel Nallo (Lightweight)
Eduardo Henrique vs An Tuan Ho (Flyweight)
David Mgoyan vs Tommy McMillen (Featherweight)
Eduardo Henrique: "Chapolin" arrives on DWCS looking to prove that his recent poor showing on TUF was just a minor blip
Former LFA flyweight kingpin Eduardo Henrique (14-2) finds himself on deck for his DWCS debut as a late notice replacement, looking to score his fifth successive victory and a shot at the MMA big leagues to boot. With eleven professional stoppages to his name, the Brazilian is a bona fide finisher and brings a considerable edge in experience to this match up with An Tuan Ho. An aggressive striker who likes to bang things out on the feet, Henrique was most recently seen as part of the TUF 33 lineup. "Chapolin" was Team Cormier's first pick in the reality show's latest iteration, only for the 29 year old to come up short in the quarter finals, losing to eventual winner, Joseph Morales, by first round rear-naked choke.
An Tuan Ho: "The Highlight" returns to DWCS looking to banish the demons associated with his last appearance on the series
MMA Lab representative An Tuan Ho (7-1) is a dynamic striker with serious power in his hands, a state of affairs evidenced by four highlight reel KOs in just eight professional fights. Returning for his second attempt at a UFC contract, the Vietnamese born flyweight makes his sophomore appearance on the Contender Series with a point to prove. "The Highlight" was touted by many as the favorite entering his Season 8 matchup with Lone'er Kavanagh, only for the English prospect to play spoiler in the most brutal manner imaginable. Kavanagh sent Ho to the shadow realm in less than a round, scoring one of the nastiest one-punch finishes in recent memory. However, Ho has since rebounded with a sensational 16 second KO over Jimi Natividad to earn a shot at redemption.
Eduardo Henrique vs An Tuan Ho prediction
In many ways, the younger Ho arguably feels more like the blue chip prospect in this match up.
Outside of his recent pasting at the hands of Charles Johnson, Lone'er Kavanagh's impressive early UFC form means that "The Highlight's" sole career defeat has already aged well - let us not forget that the last man to get KO'd by "Inner G" during the early stages of his UFC career is now set to fight for flyweight gold against Alexandre Pantoja. By contrast, Henrique has looked stellar on the regional scene against the likes of Devon Lozej and Cody Davis, but looked decidedly less impressive during his run on TUF. The mental demons associated with his submission defeat to Joseph Morales may well play a part in his mindset going into this one.
However, "Chapolin" has a significant edge in experience, has never been knocked out, and is an extremely dangerous finisher in his own right. It's hard to escape the fact that Henrique is a defending LFA champion who has finished top level regional competition, taking on a fighter who never even fought for gold in the aforementioned promotion. Ho has yet to beat a fighter on Henrique's level, and the Vietnamese prospect arguably possesses similar experience to the last three opponents that "Chapolin" has dispatched in violent fashion. Furthermore, "The Highlight" isn't going to try and outgrapple Henrique, he's going to engage him in a stand up war.
Don't be surprised if the coin lands in favor of the slight underdog in the ensuing firefight, but the tentative pick is for Henrique's power, aggression, and experience to ultimately win through.
Prediction: Eduardo Henrique to win
