VSiN’s MMA expert takes an early look at a couple of the bouts on Saturday night’s UFC Vegas 30 card.

This is a very unusual setup, as Saint Preux is really a light heavyweight, but will take this fight in the heavyweight division on short notice. His scheduled light heavyweight opponent for Saturday had visa problems and was unable to make it to the U.S.

The UFC also managed to get Boser to step in on short notice. The issue is that Boser fought just a couple of weeks ago and is a heavyweight. Saint Preux agreed to take the fight up a weight class, as he has been preparing for six weeks and wanted to ensure he had a fight and the income that goes with it. Running a fight camp is expensive.

Saint Preux at one point was a threat for the light-heavyweight title, but in his last several appearances he has displayed an inconsistency that forces me to regard him as a fighter whose agility, speed, quickness and strike evasion are eroding. He is, after all, 38.

Since his loss to Dominick Reyes in 2018, Saint Preux is 2-4 in the UFC, and one of those losses was to Ben Rothwell in Saint Preux’s first heavyweight bout. In that fight, Saint Preux weighed 241 pounds. He looked sluggish, puffy and lethargic against Rothwell, who is nearing 40 and is as slow as a glacier.

Boser’s short notice for this bout is odd. The Canadian was under COVID-19 protocol and was released only to take this bout. Not only was Boser not training, but also he has been able to do only calisthenics, situps and light lifting in his condo while quarantined.

Boser said he felt like he let himself, his fans and his gym down with a loss to Ilir Latifi in his most recent bout, on June 5. I believe the young man is psyching himself into retribution for that bout because he battered Latifi and should have won. It seems he took this bout to get right back into the cage and correct that showing.

Boser is risking a lot. On top of no real camp and a short-notice opponent, he’ll be without his usual handlers for the fight. Boser’s decision shows me he’s very confident in this matchup or he’s half-crazy and overly impatient.

I believe Boser’s ability to compete naturally at 242 pounds (his weight in his last bout) and his footwork, quickness and power will more than make up for the fact that he’s not had a camp. That also might allow Boser to enter this bout refreshed and with more freedom mentally than if he had crammed in a couple of days of hard training.

Nzechukwu is a tall, large left-hander whose skills are based on striking. He’s a one-dimensional fighter, but has great heart and packs profuse power.

Marques is taller than Nzechukwu, with a more well-rounded skill set. He comes to battle with enough stand-up competence to work his way into the opponent, then against the fence, before dragging the victim to the mat for a maul. I believe Marques is the more complete mixed martial artist, and if he can manage this monster to the mat, he’ll hold the advantage as long as it’s on the floor.