Veteran welterweights round out the prelims Saturday night, as Chidi Njokuani takes on Joel Alvarez at UFC 330: Makhachev vs. Machado Garry in Philadelphia.

Njokuani (25–12, 5–5 UFC) has dropped back-to-back bouts, capped by a unanimous decision loss to Carlos Leal in February. Alvarez (23–4, 8–3 UFC) steps in on short notice following his second-round submission loss to Yaroslav Amosov in May, which snapped a four-fight winning streak.

Alvarez enters as a heavy -310 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook. Njokuani is a +250 underdog, with the fight total set at O/U 1.5 rounds.

Njokuani vs. Alvarez Preview

Chidi Njokuani

8–0 (2–0 UFC)
6–0 (T)KO
1–0 SUB

Not long after tailoring a three-fight win streak, Chidi Njokuani enters Saturday night at risk of losing his third fight in a row. The Dallas native got submitted by Jake Matthews in 69 seconds before dropping a unanimous decision to Carlos Leal earlier this year.

Still, “Bang Bang” heads into Philadelphia with a clear pathway to victory. He’s a polished Muay Thai striker with sturdy takedown defense (75 percent), and he holds a three-inch reach advantage over his upcoming opponent. But at 37, his durability has become a cause for concern; nine of his 12 losses, including three of his last five, have come inside the distance.

Joel Alvarez

23–4 (8–3 UFC)
5–2 (T)KO
17–1 SUB

Joel Alvarez jumped at the chance to avenge his first welterweight loss in May, stepping in on short notice to replace Geoff Neal at UFC 330. He was already in fighting condition, having joined Islam Makhachev’s camp ahead of his title defense against Ian Machado Garry.

“El Fenomeno,” 33, has gone 1–1 since bulking up to welterweight, though he has emerged victorious in eight of his last 10 bouts overall. His only losses during that stretch included his most recent defeat against Yaroslav Amosov — who boasts a 30–1 professional record — and a 2022 clash with Arman Tsarukyan.

The Spanish jiu-jitsu specialist enters with a 96 percent finish rate, highlighted by 17 submission victories. But he also heads into Saturday night without a stoppage win at welterweight, raising at least a sliver of doubt whether his dominance has followed him to 170 pounds.

Njokuani vs. Alvarez Pick, Best Bet

Alvarez is still looking to establish himself at welterweight, and he has a strong chance to do exactly that at UFC 330. While Njokuani has shown strong takedown defense throughout his career, he has still been taken down at least once in seven of his 10 UFC bouts. Considering how dangerous Alvarez is on the ground — coupled with Njokuani’s struggles to defend submissions — it seems likely that “El Fenomeno” will put the division on notice by making his opponent tap out.