The undefeated Punahele Soriano wasn’t expecting an upgraded opponent in Brendan Allen, but that’s exactly what he is going to get.

The bout is the co-main event of the July 24 UFC Fight Night, and we have the preview and pick you’ll need before the throwdown.

Allen is a step up for Soriano

Soriano has blitzed through his competition, but Allen is a seasoned fighter, whose ground game alone makes him a threat. In his last performance, Allen scored his ninth submission win, when he trapped Karl Robinson in the dreaded ankle lock.

Allen is also a solid striker. Of his 16 wins, only two have gone the distance, and he has faced better opposition than Soriano, by a country mile. He is dangerous in all aspects of his game, but he’ll need to rely on his smarts to win.

Soriano can close the show

Soriano has laid waste to his meandering competition. The hard-hitting Hawaiian is coming off a first-round stoppage of Dusko Todorovic, in his first fight in two years. He has won all but one of his fights by stoppage and is a tremendous striker.

Soriano was supposed to face an easier opponent, Anthony Hernandez, but with Allen, Soriano has found a tougher test that will establish him as a rising force or send him back to the drawing board.

The experienced Allen will tame Soriano

Though Allen was stopped two fights ago, that came in an ill-advised trip to light heavyweight. Soriano can hurt him, but Allen’s chin and capable striking, along with his ground game, makes him the more complete fighter. We’ve yet to see Soriano on the ground against a submission specialist like Allen, and Allen is the kind of substitute fighters hate to face.

Because Allen enjoys a slight advantage in both height and reach, he can fight on the outside while he looks for a takedown. Frustrating Soriano, by cutting off the ring and working him over in the clinch, might be all he’ll need to rack up points, all while being defensively responsible against Soriano’s power.

Allen should use his guile, along with a few takedowns along the way, to stifle Soriano and impress the judges. It’ll be close, but Allen should come out with the decision win.

MMA free pick: Allen