UFC on ESPN+ 19: Welterweight beauty Max Griffin looks to enter title picture

UFC on ESPN+ 19, otherwise known as UFC Fight Night 161 or UFC Fight Night: Jedrzejczyk vs. Waterson, is an absolutely stacked card. But perhaps the most intriguing fight of the night is the welterweight scrap pitting Max Griffin (15-6) against Alex Morono (17-5).

The winner could very well emerge a top-five contender at 170 pounds, especially if the match lives up to the “Fight of the Year” hype that UFC fans are chirping about.

Griffin was last in action earlier this year, wiping away a two-fight losing skid with a decision win against Zelim Imadaev.

Officially winning just once in his past three starts isn’t a true indicator of his success inside the Octagon, as many experts believe Griffin actually defeated Thiago Alves in a razor-thin decision loss decided by a panel of judges.

As for Morono, he heads into Tampa with a ton of momentum, on the heels of a two-fight win streak.

The Texas fighter recently picked up wins over world-class strikers such as Zak Ottow and Kenan Song. With that said, Griffin would make a giant leap up the rankings with a win over him.

Griffin vs. Morono is slated for the preliminary card of the Oct. 12 bill, which goes down live from Tampa’s Amalie Arena.