Preview: UFC Vegas 105 Prelims

Welterweights

Daniel Frunza (9-2, 0-0 UFC) vs. Rhys McKee (13-6-1, 0-4 UFC)

ODDS: Frunza (-166), McKee (+140)

McKee once again looks for his first UFC win. He was a top European prospect ahead of his late-notice signing in 2020, and after only lasting a few months, he went back to beating regional competition until the UFC came calling a second time in 2023. Over four fights in the UFC, “Skeletor” remains winless, partly due to his level of competition—his UFC debut came against Khamzat Chimaev—and partly due to the flaws in his own game. As his nickname would suggest, McKee is on the taller and skinnier side, resulting in a lack of physicality that has become clear in most of his UFC fights. To his credit, McKee has proven ridiculously tough even when often getting overwhelmed, but even at the points where he can turn his fights around, it’s usually too little too late for the Irishman. McKee gets his best chance at a UFC win here against a promotional newcomer in Frunza, who earned a contract through the Contender Series in September. Romania’s Frunza has had a slow but solid rise, upending his life a few different times in pursuit of better training and improving as a result, to the point that he’s a hard puncher with a decent level of physicality. It’s unclear where his ceiling lies, however, as he’s still a fairly slow-paced fighter who could struggle to win rounds if he can’t score a knockout. For now, his power has persisted, and he might just continue to keep honing his craft. This is a definite proof of concept for Frunza, as McKee’s best attribute thus far is his toughness. While the lean is that McKee can survive, it’s also hard to see the UFC veteran pouring things on enough to outweigh Frunza’s big moments of offense on the scorecards. The pick is Frunza via decision.

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