Bryan Battle is the UFC Vegas 88 fighter to watch
The UFC is back in Las Vegas after one of the year's best cards with ranked heavyweights Tai Tuivasa and Marcin Tybura taking the spotlight.
UFC Vegas 88 will be co-headlined by welterweights Bryan Battle and Ange Loosa, with both fighters looking for their third straight. Battle is a finisher looking to make his mark in the division since his debut three years ago.
Battle went 8-2 as an amateur before going pro in 2019 and went 5-1 before competing on season 29 of The Ultimate Fighter. Battle advanced to the final after taking out current UFC middleweight Andre Petroski and was set to face Tresean Gore, but an injury replaced him with Gilbert Urbina. Battle beat Urbina to become the TUF 29 middleweight winner and would go on to beat Gore in his next bout. Battle has gone 3-1 since while also moving down to welterweight, including finishes of Gabe Green and AJ Fletcher, most recently at UFC Vegas 79.
Bryan Battle is looking to keep his winning streak alive against Ange Loosa, who is trying to do the same
Loosa, who fights out of Switzerland, is on a two-fight win streak after losing his UFC debut. Loosa is coming off a win over Rhys McKee at UFC Paris. Loosa was 6-0 before fighting for organizations like LFA and would go 2-2 before joining the UFC, including a loss to welterweight contender Jack Della Maddalena on Dana White's Contender Series. Loosa would step in on short notice for his debut at UFC Vegas 51.
Battle is a finisher, with eight stoppages in 10 wins, and will want to continue that trend against Loosa, who has never been finished in his career. Battle, who is the bigger fighter, will also hold the reach and height advantage over the smaller Loosa. Battle is versed in all areas, but keeping this fight on the feet and using his reach will benefit him. An impressive win can give Battle a ranked fighter in his next bout.