Preview: UFC Vegas 105 ‘Emmett vs. Murphy’

Middleweights

Torrez Finney (10-0, 0-0 UFC) vs. Robert Valentin (10-4, 0-1 UFC)

ODDS: Finney (-238), Valentin (+195)

Finney finally makes his UFC debut. At a time when almost everyone gets signed with a win on the Contender Series, the UFC seemed to have it out for Finney, who needed three wins over two years to get a contract. That even included two finishes, though admittedly it was the last win that was the best of the bunch—a quick stoppage via ground-and-pound that showed an extra bit of aggression compared to Finney's previous fights. Finney is a bit of an odd prospect, a converted college football fullback built like a bowling ball but with long arms. He focuses on using his physicality to outwrestle and bully his opponents. It has worked thus far, and Valentin makes for an interesting first test now that Finney has made his way onto the UFC roster.

The runner-up on “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2024, Switzerland’s Valentin was the standout over the course of the show, both in terms of personality and results. “Robzilla” successfully found a quick finish in both of his fights, continuing in the spirit of a regional career that featured a lot of blood-and-guts affairs. However, when it was time to compete for the season crown against Ryan Loder, Valentin’s weaknesses became apparent. There were some fun wrestling exchanges, but Valentin eventually tired himself out and found himself getting pounded out for a finish. This could go either way, as Finney has the more consistent game but has faced a lower level of competition and has a massive size disadvantage. The lean is that he can survive Valentin’s attempts at a finish and coast this out, even if Valentin might be too massive for Finney to do much with. The pick is Finney via decision.

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Emmett vs. Murphy
Brito vs. Sabatini
Lee vs. Romious
Nzechukwu vs. Buday
Tavares vs. Meerschaert
Finney vs. Valentin
The Prelims