Morgan Charriere and Nathaniel Wood meet Saturday in the main card opener of UFC Fight Night 255 at The O2 in London. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Morgan Charriere vs. Nathaniel Wood UFC London preview
Charriere (20-10-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC), a 29-year-old from across the English Channel in France, is a former Cage Warriors featherweight champion who has bonuses in all three of his UFC fights. His knockout wins were fights in which he was a big favorite; his loss to Chepe Mariscal was expected to be much closer – just like his fight against Wood on Saturday. … Wood (20-6 MMA, 8-3 UFC), like Charriere, was a Cage Warriors titleholder back in the day – but at bantamweight. After a run of 10 straight fights with finishes, Wood has been involved in seven straight decisions.
Morgan Charriere vs. Nathaniel Wood UFC London expert pick, prediction
Kicking off the main card in proper style is a fantastic featherweight matchup between Nathaniel Wood and Morgan Charriere.
This is honestly the most exciting fight for myself and many from a style perspective.
Both men are incredibly well-rounded and are seldom lost for ideas in transition, giving this all the makings for an action fight that pleases hardcores and casuals alike.
I’m a big fan of Wood’s game when working to and from the clinch, but part of me wonders when he’ll start hitting those hard, size-related roadblocks up at 145 pounds.
Charriere will certainly have the size and athleticism edge, but the French fighter also tends to find himself in close fights (as that, along with the fact that he faced tough fighters on the regional circuit, is a common thread in Charriere’s defeats).
It’s hard to be too confident in one side or the other here, but I’ll semi-reluctantly side with Wood to edge a decision that I see being split amongst the judges.
Morgan Charriere vs. Nathaniel Wood UFC London odds
The oddsmakers and the public are slightly favoring the French fighter, listing Charriere (-138) and Wood (+110) via FanDuel.
Morgan Charriere vs. Nathaniel Wood UFC London start time, how to watch
Charriere and Wood are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 4:15 p.m. ET. The fight will stream on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 255.
