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We have a bantamweight fight to finish off the prelims and it is Brad Katona who meets the unbeaten Jean Matsumoto
BRAD KATONA VS JEAN MATSUMOTO FACTS
When is UFC Fight Night 245? UK – the preliminary card starts at 9:00pm on Saturday October 19th, 2024, followed by the main card at 12:00am (Sunday) / USA – 4:00pm/7:00pm ET and 1:00pm/4:00pm PT
Where is UFC Fight Night 245? UFC Apex, Las Vegas, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 245? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 245
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night 245 on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 245? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
For viewers in the United States, UFC Fight Night 245 will be shown live on ESPN+ and you can sign up for access as part of a Disney Bundle here!
What time are Brad Katona and Jean Matsumoto expected to walk out? 11:15pm UK / 6:15pm / 3:15pm US PT
UFC Fight Night 245 MAIN CARD EVENT
Anthony Hernandez vs Michel Pereira (Middleweight)
Rob Font vs Kyler Phillips (Bantamweight)
Charles Johnson vs Su Mudaerji (Flyweight)
Brady Hiestand vs Jake Hadley (Bantamweight)
Darren Elkins vs Daniel Pineda (Featherweight)
Matheus Nicolau vs Asu Almabayev (Flyweight)
UFC Fight Night 245 Prelims
Brad Katona vs Jean Matsumoto (Bantamweight)
Joselyne Edwards vs Tamires Vidal (Women’s Bantamweight)
Jessica Penne vs Elise Reed (Women’s Strawweight)
Melissa Martinez vs Alice Ardelean (Women’s Strawweight)
Austen Lane vs Robelis Despaigne (Heavyweight)
BRAD KATONA: TUF 31 WINNER LOOKING TO BUILD ON VICTORY LAST TIME OUT
Brad Katona (14-3) is coming from a unanimous decision victory over Jesse Butler last time out in June and he will look to get some momentum going again. After winning five fights in a row to become BRAVE CF champion, he won the Ultimate Fighter beating Cody Gibson on the scorecards. He lost his next bout at UFC 297 by unanimous decision to Garrett Armfield and then rebounded with the win over Butler. His record has largely been built outside of the UFC, but now he is looking for his third win in four in the promotion.
JEAN MATSUMOTO: CONTENDER SERIES VICTOR SEEKS TO MAINTAIN 100% RECORD
Brazilian Jean Matsumoto (15-0) is in a similar position to Katona in that he has built his formidable-looking record outside of the UFC so it can be a little misleading without further analysis. His 14th fight saw him win in Dana White’s Contender Series to earn his shot in the UFC and he won on debut in April by submitting Dan Argueta. He is a slick muay thai technician who has some knockout power, but is arguably more dangerous on the ground.
BRAD KATONA VS JEAN MATSUMOTO PREDICTION
Both Brad Katona and Jean Matsumoto could really benefit from a statement win in this fight. They both have impressive records but very few of those wins have come in the Octagon. They will now be tested at the highest level and it will be interesting to see which one can kick on.
The duo are really well rounded but we just prefer Matsumoto’s skillset and his greater routes to victory. 10 of Katona’s 14 wins have come on the scorecards and while he is not as one-dimensional as that appears, his style is very much based on relentless pressure and sublime stamina.
Matsumoto has really good submission skills and arguably has the edge in power too. It would be quite a statement if he could stop Katona, but nobody has managed to do that yet. We like Matsumoto, but he may have to go the distance to win this one.
PREDICTION: JEAN MATSUMOTO TO WIN BY SUBMISSION OR DECISION