UFC Fight Night: Ion Cutelaba vs Navajo Stirling Preview & Prediction
The co-main event sees unbeaten City Kickboxing prospect Navajo Stirling against grizzled veteran Ion Cutelaba in a light heavyweight clash of opposing eras.
Ion Cutelaba vs Navajo Stirling facts
What time are Ion Cutelaba and Navajo Stirling expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi? Meta Apex, Enterprise, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 279
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi main card
Manel Kape vs Kyoji Horiguchi (Flyweight)
Ion Cutelaba vs Navajo Stirling (Light Heavyweight)
Hyder Amil vs Christian Rodriguez (Featherweight)
Melsik Baghdasaryan vs Murtazali Magomedov (Featherweight)
Andre Fili vs Vinicius Oliveira (Featherweight)
UFC Fight Night: Kape vs Horiguchi prelims
Andre Lima vs Kevin Borjas (Flyweight)
Beatriz Mesquita vs Melissa Mullins (Women's Bantamweight)
Allan Nascimento vs Mitch Raposo (Flyweight)
Gaston Bolanos vs Michael Aswell Jr. (Featherweight)
Leon Shahbazyan vs Levan Chokheli (Welterweight)
Karol Rosa vs Luana Santos (Women's Bantamweight)
Shane Collins vs Otari Tanzilovi (Featherweight)
Ion Cutelaba: “The Hulk” looks to spoil another prospect’s party
Ion Cutelaba (20-11-1, 1NC) is the ultimate light heavyweight journeyman, a decade-deep veteran with a habit of producing fireworks. His resume carries decent names – an early KO of Khalil Rountree before he became elite, plus wins over Tanner Boser, Ivan Erslan, Ibo Aslan, and most recently a first-round submission of the prospect Oumar Sy. He’s lost to both good and bad fighters, and his suspect chin has been cracked more than once. These days he starts more measured, picking at range with leg kicks and changing levels, and he’s good in the clinch and on top, but his finishing nearly always comes early.
Navajo Stirling: Unbeaten Kiwi prospect ready to keep climbing
Navajo Stirling (9-0) is one of the brightest light heavyweight prospects on the roster, a City Kickboxing product riding the division’s second longest win streak behind only teammate Carlos Ulberg. The New Zealander built his name on a kickboxing base and is a technically tidy, defensively responsible striker who mixes well to the body and head, and throws switch kicks with real conviction. After three straight decisions, he landed his first UFC stoppage last time against Bruno Lopes. He’s shown the strength to reverse clinch positions against bigger and stronger men.
Ion Cutelaba vs Navajo Stirling prediction
The pair share a common opponent, both have beaten Ivan Erslan on the cards, Cutelaba by split decision and Stirling more clearly. The trajectories of their careers, however, does show more difference – one is an ageing finisher whose best days are behind him, and the other a surging prospect still on the climb, yet to reach his ceiling.
Cutelaba’s only realistic path is the early knockout. Nearly every one of his UFC finishes have come in the first, and his power and pace fall off a cliff after that. The trouble is that Stirling has shown he can take big shots and stay composed, and he’s far too well rounded on the mat to be submitted by a grappler of Cutelaba’s level. Even Cutelaba’s weapons of trips from the clinch and top control on the ground run into Stirling’s proven ability to reverse position and work back up.
If “The Hulk” can’t land the bomb in the opening round, this becomes a long night for him. Stirling’s length, volume, and composure should see him outstrike Cutelaba comfortably and bank rounds, with the veteran’s chin and gas tank both fading as the fight wears on. Stirling may lack the one-shot finish, but the volume is there to break down a worn veteran in the second half. Give me the Kiwi to get the stoppage in the final two rounds. Stirling to win is a lock.
Prediction: Navajo Stirling to win by KO/TKO
