UFC Vegas 27 Prelims Fighters to Watch: Silva, McGee, and Dvorak Rose to the Occasion

Although the fight card lacked major star power, the prelims featured a one-arm rear-naked choke, a UFC veteran looking better than ever, a KO worth $50k, and more! As the dust now settles from Saturday, three fighters from the UFC Vegas 27 prelims deserve special recognition for their winning performances.

Court McGee Returns to the Win Column

Court McGee came into the UFC Vegas 27 prelims with 17 UFC fights under his belt. McGee signed with the UFC in 2010 when he won The Ultimate Fighter Season 11. Since joining the UFC, McGee has put together a 9-9 record against some of the best fighters at 170 pounds. After losing three straight fights, McGee needed a win now more than ever.

Luckily for McGee, he showed up to the UFC Vegas 27 prelims with one of his best performances yet. McGee took on Claudio Silva in a bout between two fighters ready to do whatever it took to win. Although Silva began to run out of energy quickly, he never gave up and continued to give McGee a tough fight. McGee stayed composed and stuck to his game plan as he managed to land points throughout all three rounds.

After going the distance, McGee was awarded the unanimous decision win with scorecards of 29-27, 30-26, and 30-26. Not only did McGee get the win, but he also looked extremely healthy and nowhere near retirement. The 36-year old now finds himself ready to ride this momentum into a winning streak.

Bruno Silva Gets a KO Worth $50k

Bruno Silva has had one of the greatest turnarounds in recent UFC history. After making his UFC debut in 2019, Silva’s first three fights featured one no contest and two decision losses. With his back against the wall, Silva knew he was not performing to the best of his abilities. Silva bounced back and got his first UFC win with a KO against JP Buys worth $50k in performance bonuses. After making a statement in March, Silva found himself looking to make it two straight wins against Victor Rodriguez at the UFC Vegas 27 prelims.

Silva followed up his show-stopping KO against Buys with another $50k performance on Saturday. Not only did Silva win an extra $50k, but he took no damage after getting the win in only one minute. Silva came out aggressive and put his display on power quickly. He landed a beautiful right cross and ended the fight by following up with brutal ground and pound.

Silva now finds himself with a second straight win and a $50k performance bonus. With little damage taken this time around, Silva will most likely look to turn this fight around quickly on his journey to getting ranked.

David Dvorak Continues His Rise to the Top

David Dvorak has been a force to be reckoned with at 125 pounds. Since joining the UFC in early 2021, Dvorak has beaten all three of the opponents put in front of him. His latest victim came on Saturday when Dvorak made quick work of a late notice opponent. Dvorak has continued to separate himself as a potential future champion with few title contenders in the flyweight division.

Unfortunately, Dvorak had to make last-second adjustments to his game plan after Raulian Paiva was forced to withdraw from the UFC Vegas 27 prelims. Juancamilo Ronderos stepped in on a one-day notice to try and make his dreams come true. Despite the game plan switch, Dvorak looked ready to continue his dominance. Dvorak found his way to Ronderos’s back early and began to look for the rear-naked choke. Ronderos tried to put up a fight but found himself in his UFC debut against one of the best flyweights. Dvorak sunk in the one-arm rear-naked choke and finished the fight in two minutes and eighteen seconds.

After winning all three of his UFC fights, Dvorak now finds himself ready for a step up in competition. Dvorak has continued to dominate his opponents with improvements from every fight. Only time will tell who Dvorak will fight next, but several opponents ahead of him in the rankings are looking for a fight.

What did you think of the UFC Vegas 27 prelims card? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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