Adam Williams presents his prediction for the UFC Fight Night 255 fight.
Nathan Fletcher
Nathan Fletcher will approach this bout with his usual high-tempo, level-changing style, aiming to disrupt Caolan Loughran’s rhythm and create openings. After probing with straight punches, Fletcher will look to close the distance and uncork a powerful hook. If he’s allowed to step in, he’ll likely shoot for a single-leg or a quick double-leg takedown. Once on the mat, Fletcher thrives in creating space to unleash heavy ground-and-pound. His goal will be to keep Loughran scrambling and eventually force him to expose his back, opening the door for a rear-naked choke. Fletcher’s grappling is slick and threatening, and he’ll want to keep the fight off the feet for as long as possible.
Caolan Loughran
Loughran, meanwhile, will start with plenty of overhands, using pendulum slips to disguise his entries. Once he lands a clean combination, he’ll mix in uppercuts and dig into the body with hooks. As the fight wears on, expect him to add low kicks to disrupt Fletcher’s timing and balance. The Irishman isn’t just dangerous in striking — he’s also capable of stuffing early takedowns and then exploding with his own double-leg entries. If he gets top control, he’ll aim to lock Fletcher down with tight positional grappling and nullify his opponent’s movement with strong leg control.
Betting Odds
Bookmakers view this as a close contest. Fletcher is slightly favoured at 4/5 due to his submission threat and advantage on the ground, while Loughran, available at 1/1, is seen as the more well-rounded fighter with a technical edge in striking.
Nathan Fletcher vs Caolan Loughran Prediction
Fletcher may struggle to assert himself on the feet, where Loughran’s variety and volume give him the advantage. But if the fight hits the ground, the Englishman’s slick jiu-jitsu could turn the tide. Still, Loughran’s strength and positional awareness might be enough to keep him safe from submission threats and to control large stretches of the fight. Given their stylistic clash and defensive strengths in key areas, this bout is likely to go the distance, especially if neither man can dominate the grappling exchanges long enough to lock in a finish.
