Prediction: Marquel Moderos via Decision
Mederos’ footwork, feints, and overall movement should be the key to victory. Hubbard is a relentless pressure fighter who thrives on breaking opponents down with constant forward movement, high volume, and a workmanlike approach. However, this plays directly into Mederos’ strengths, as he is excellent at managing distance, using active feints, and transitioning between defense and offense seamlessly.
Mederos’ footwork is his best weapon. He covers a lot of distance quickly, both defensively and offensively, making it difficult for opponents to trap him against the cage or slow him down. His ability to feint constantly forces opponents to react, which will be crucial against someone like Hubbard, who relies on rhythm and forward momentum. By disrupting Hubbard’s timing with feints and lateral movement, Mederos can force Hubbard to make mistakes and overextend, creating openings for counterattacks.
Another key element of Mederos’ game is his ability to stand his ground when necessary. While he primarily uses movement to frustrate opponents, he also understands when to plant his feet and fire back under heavy pressure. This is a crucial skill against Hubbard, who will be looking to push the pace and overwhelm him with volume. If Mederos can mix in moments where he stops and counters sharply, he can force Hubbard to hesitate in his approach and slow down his relentless pressure.
Defensively, everything Hubbard excels at, Mederos is equipped to handle. Hubbard’s game revolves around grinding opponents down with pressure, but Mederos thrives against aggressive fighters because of how well he moves and controls distance. Hubbard isn’t particularly tricky with his setups—he wins fights by keeping a high pace and outworking opponents—but Mederos is the type of fighter who can make that style ineffective by constantly changing angles, resetting exchanges, and never being a stationary target.