UFC Fight Night: Tommy McMillen vs Alberto Montes Preview & Prediction
Two rising featherweight prospects yet to be truly tested open up the main card, undefeated pressure fighter Tommy McMillen meets front choke specialist Alberto Montes.
Tommy McMillen vs Alberto Montes facts
What time are Tommy McMillen and Alberto Montes expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman? Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 281
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and HBO Max / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman main card
Dricus du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman (Middleweight)
Jared Cannonier vs Christian Leroy Duncan (Middleweight)
Chase Hooper vs Mitch Ramirez (Lightweight)
Tommy McMillen vs Alberto Montes (Featherweight)
UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman prelims
Tabatha Ricci vs Fatima Kline (Women's Strawweight)
Austin Bashi vs Jose Miguel Delgado (Featherweight)
Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani vs Ko Seok-hyeon (Welterweight)
Levi Rodrigues Jr. vs Felipe Franco (Light Heavyweight)
Alden Coria vs Stewart Nicoll (Flyweight)
RJ Harris vs Alvin Hines (Heavyweight)
Anna Melisano vs Dione Barbosa (Women's Flyweight)
Marc-Andre Barriault vs TBC (Middleweight)
Tommy McMillen: “Gun” brings relentless pace, a granite chin, and an underrated wrestling base
Tommy McMillen (10-0) has a perfect record as a pro, with nine finishes split between KO and submissions all coming in the first round. The Montana native and multiple-time state wrestling champion trains alongside Tim Welch and Sean O’Malley, and it shows in his striking form. He earned his contract by outlasting unbeaten David Mgoyan on the Contender Series, surviving a deep guillotine and a bad opening round before taking over late, then stopped Manolo Zecchini inside a round on his official debut. Heart, cardio, durability, and an absurd chin are his calling cards.
Alberto Montes: “The Promise”, front choke specialist who wants the night to end early
Alberto Montes (11-1) is a Venezuelan submission artist with black belts in BJJ and taekwondo, and a resume that tells a clear story – his last five wins have all come by anaconda or darce chokes. He announced himself with an anaconda finish over Ricky Turcios inside two rounds on his delayed debut. On the feet he’s calculated and patient, flicking up fast head kicks and stringing together clean, fundamental boxing behind a defensively sound countering approach. His lone career loss came on the feet down at bantamweight.
Tommy McMillen vs Alberto Montes prediction
Neither man has been truly tested at this level yet, so this comes down to styles and intangibles. Montes will likely start the stronger of the two, and his danger is obvious and immediate – if he catches McMillen early and hurts him, one of those front chokes could end the night.
Here’s the counter argument against Montes, the man he wants to front choke happens to be live in that exact position himself. McMillen is very good in that position, so he understands the front chokes on both sides, and he’s already proven he can survive from deep trouble there. The submission that has finished everyone else is far less likely to happen to someone comfortable there.
Take that early threat away and the intangibles all tilt one way. McMillen is bigger, rangier, tougher, and pushes a crazy pace, and he simply won’t give Montes the luxury of a patient, calculated fight he wants. Montes’ finishes have all come early, we’ve never really seen him dragged into deep waters, whereas McMillen has the chin to walk through counters and the cardio to drown him late as we saw in his Contender Series bout. If Montes survives the first round, an exhausted fighter is exactly the kind of prey McMillen feasts on, and even if the finish doesn’t come for him, the relentless pace should hand him the victory on the scorecards. Don’t be surprised to see Gun win in the second or third.
Prediction: Tommy McMillen to win inside the distance
