Preview: UFC on ESPN 56 ‘Lewis vs. Nascimento’

Featherweights

Sean Woodson (11-1-1, 5-1-1 UFC) vs. Alex Caceres (21-14, 16-12 UFC)

ODDS: Woodson (-198), Caceres (+164)

Woodson’s quietly strung together a five-fight undefeated streak, and the St. Louis native gets a big shot here in his hometown. Woodson’s been a fascinating prospect ever since he appeared on the scene, if only due to his physical frame. As a 6-foot-2 featherweight, he’s a unique challenge for his opponents. It’s always a mixed bag as to whether or not Woodson can take advantage of those gifts, however. A former boxer, Woodson often attempts a level of slickness slightly beyond his grasp, often leaving him open defensively at a range that’s closer than optimal. Despite those issues, he’s still a sneakily tough challenge. He’s a better wrestler and grappler than his reedy frame would suggest, and sometimes, opponents like Charles Jourdain—Woodson’s latest conquest in a fight in January—just seem cowed by Woodson’s immense size. Woodson hasn’t stayed particularly active, but he’s been successful since a 2020 loss to Julian Erosa, so he’s earned this shot at a big-name veteran in Caceres.

Caceres is a developmental success story from a bygone era. “Bruce Leeroy” has shown charisma since he appeared on “The Ultimate Fighter” all the way back in 2010, and the UFC did well to stick by him as he took his lumps at the beginning of his UFC career. A decade and a half later, the result is a finely honed fighter who’s perennially at the fringes of the UFC’s featherweight rankings, even if the same overall issues have persisted throughout Caceres’ career. He can hold his own anywhere and is quite the underrated grappler given his martial arts trappings, but he’s always willing to consent to whatever fight his opponent is trying to have rather than dictating things himself. That should wind up with this being a relatively even striking match that could go either way. The read is that Caceres can stay fast and flowy enough to avoid getting hit hard and land the biggest shots of the fight. The pick is Caceres via decision.

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Lewis vs. Nascimento
Buckley vs. Ruziboev
Ulberg vs. Menifield
Rebecki vs. Ferreira
Woodson vs. Caceres
Despaigne vs. Cortes-Acosta
The Prelims