It wasn’t too long ago, Gregor Gillespie was the talk of the town as the dark horse of the lightweight division.
That narrative was swiftly put to bed for the time being after “The Gift” was short-circuited by a Kevin Lee head kick in front of a massive crowd at Madison Square Garden. Gillespie, 13-1, looks to put his chips back onto the table when he returns to action after a 16-month layoff to face City Kickboxing’s heavy-hitting Brad Riddell, 9-1, at UFC Vegas 22.
To say that Gregor Gillespie’s wrestling pedigree is impressive is an understatement. Division 1 National Champion as a sophomore out of Edinboro University. Four-time All-American. The grind and chain wrestling translated seamlessly as he made the move to MMA after much success in the gym on Long Island. We bore witness to “The Gift” rendering opponents helpless once executing a well-timed entry and successfully landed takedown. The top pressure and cardio are virtually unmatched. Gillespie’s lone kryptonite has been his reckless-abandon style when exchanging in the pocket.
That’s what makes this matchup vs Riddell so captivating. It is a tremendous clash of styles. Accomplished kickboxer vs decorated wrestler. Brad Riddell is a legitimate threat on the feet, yet he has been taken down seemingly at will at times throughout his professional MMA career. Who will be able to implement their game first? Will the sniper land his head shot, or will he be drowned by relentless wrestling and pace. That is the question.
The stage is set for UFC Vegas 22. How will Gregor Gillespie respond now that his unblemished record has been tainted by loss? This question will be answered when “The Gift” returns on Saturday night.
