UFC Vegas 30 sees the promotion back at the UFC Apex. The card is headlined by Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov is a heavyweight contender fight. In a welterweight feature Warlley Alves (14-4 MMA, 8-4 UFC) was supposed to fight Ramazan Emeev but Emeev is now out. Jeremiah Wells, who was supposed to make his UFC debut back in September, will now step in on short notice against Alves.
Jeremiah Wells
5’9″
Welterweight
34-years-old
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
Renzo Gracie Philly
8-2-1
3 KO/TKO
3 Submissions
How will Wells fare in the UFC:
Wells is a bit old to be labeled as a prospect but he’s always fought good competition. He’s never fought anyone with a losing record and has beaten a combined record of 48-17. He’s basically earned his way to the UFC octagon.
Wells on the feet is all about explosiveness and power. You will frequently see him throw superman punches. He likes to throw spinning attacks and flying knees as well. Wells fights mainly in bursts as he’ll barrage forward with output. Wells will usually end flurries in takedowns from the body lock. He’s such a powerhouse he can just force guys to the mat. There will be a lot of opponents in the UFC that won’t go down from a simple body lock however. And with Wells only being 5’9″ it’s going to be hard to close the distance rushing forward the way he does.
When Wells completes takedowns his control is usually rock solid. He will at times ride out a position too long but his jiu-jitsu is pretty good. When he gets a dominant position like the mount his ground and pound are good and he has a dangerous RNC. His takedown defense needs improvement and off his back, he struggles. Wells does show good knowledge off his back but struggles to get out from underneath of good wrestlers.
There are some fighters in the UFC Wells can beat, but his style will either win him fights or (more so) hold him back. Just being a blitzer with power and strength will only get you so far against top-notch fighters. Being already 34 will be an issue as well. The UFC welterweight he resembles in my opinion is Dwight Grant.
- Striking: B-
- Kickboxing: C+
- Clinch: B
- Wrestling: B-
- Grappling: B-
- Striking Defense: B-
- Takedown Defense: C
- Cardio: C+
- Biggest Strength: Knockout power
- Biggest Weakness: Off his back
How he matches up with Alves:
Fighting against a veteran like Warlley Alves on short notice is a tough go. Alves has a clear advantage on the mat so Wells will definitely have to stop Alves with strikes. Alves isn’t the best striker but can very well hold his own. He’s only been finished by strikes by James Krause. Krause is a far different striker than Wells. I can’t see Wells exploding on a guy like Alves who has fought opponents like Krause, Randy Brown, Colby Covington, Alan Jouban, Mounir Lazzez, Bryan Barberena, and Kamaru Usman. This is just a good match up for Alves who can just use his jiu-jitsu and keep the distance controlled.
