The UFC is returning to Brazil this Saturday Night with a UFC Fight Night card that features plenty of Brazil’s top MMA stars in action. The event will be headlined by a women’s catchweight division fight as Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino takes on Lina Lansberg. Also, former bantamweight champion Renan Barao faces Philippe Nover and a big heavyweight division clash is taking place.
Main Card (10pm EST., Fox Sports 1)
Main Event
UFC Women’s Catchweight Division Fight
Cristiane Justino (15-1-0) vs. Lina Lansberg (6-1-0)
Justino will be making her second UFC appearance, her first was a technical knockout win over Leslie Smith at UFC 198 earlier this year. Lansberg will be making her UFC debut in this fight and she will be doing so while on a six fight winning streak. Justino is the current Invicta FC Featherweight Champion, having successfully defended the belt against Charmaine Tweet, Faith Van Duin and Daria Ibragimova. Lansberg will be competing in her first ever main event fight and she is also a veteran of the Cage Warriors promotion.
Prediction: Lansberg has more balls than a lot of women to step into the cage with Justino and she does have a punchers chance, but the likely outcome is Justino swarming Lansberg with punches and this fight is over in less than two minutes.
Co-Main Event
UFC Featherweight Division Fight
Renan Barao (31-4-0) vs. Philippe Nover (11-6-0)
Barao is the former UFC bantamweight Champion, he lost the title via TKO to TJ Dillashaw at UFC 173 in May 2014. Nover has won just one of two fights in his second UFC run, with that lone win coming over Yui Chul Nam at UFC Fight Night 66. Barao is also winless thus far as a featherweight in the UFC, dropping a fight to Jeremy Stephens at UFC Fight Night 80. Nover will be returning to action for the first time in nearly a year, as his last bout was a loss to Zubaira Tukhugov at UFC Fight Night 80.
Prediction: Barao is at his best when keeping foes at a distance, Nover is best known for trying to engage opponents in a slugfest, there will be an upset here as Nover’s style causes Barao to wear out and eventually lose a decision.
UFC Heavyweight Division Fight
Roy Nelson (21-13-0) vs. Antonio Silva (19-9-0)
Nelson has only won just one of his last five fights under the UFC banner, with that lone win coming over Jared Rosholt at UFC Fight Night 82. Silva has only won just one of his last seven in UFC competition, his lone win came over Soa Palelei at UFC 190. Nelson got into the UFC after winning the UFC Ultimate Fighter 10, where he defeated Brendan Schaub in the finals. Silva has not put a winning streak together now in nearly three years, his last winning streak was a two fight win streak that lasted from 2012 to 2013.
Prediction: Silva’s chin is like wet toilet paper at this point in that everything that touches it will break it, Nelson throws and lands early for the first round knockout.
UFC Lightweight Division Fight
Paul Felder (12-2-0) vs. Francisco Trinaldo (20-4-0)
Felder will be entering the fight on a two fight winning streak, defeating both Josh Burkman and Daron Cruickshank. Trinaldo has not suffered a defeat in over two years and he will be riding a six fight winning streak in this fight. Felder will be making his first UFC appearance outside of North America, as all of his previous UFC bouts took place in the United States or Canada. Trinaldo will be making his eighth UFC appearance in Brazil, his record is 6-1-0 in UFC fights that take place in Brazil.
Prediction: Felder has incredible striking and he needs to use it wisely to stay off the ground, but Trinaldo eats some shots before grounding Felder to get a decision win.
UFC Middleweight Division Fight
Thiago Santos (14-4-0) vs. Eric Spicely (8-1-0)
Santos has won four of his last five fights in the UFC, that lone loss was a short notice fight against Gegard Mousasi at UFC 200. Spicely is currently winless under the UFC banner, dropping a bout to Sam Alvey via submission at UFC Fight Night 91. Santos has previously fought three times for the UFC in Brazil, garnering a record of 2-1-0 in those fights. Spicely made it to the semi-finals of the UFC Ultimate Fighter 23, losing to Andrew Sanchez in the semi-finals.
Prediction: Santos is one of the hottest prospects coming out of Brazil right now and Spicely is subservient to him in every way possible when the bell sounds, Santos finishes him with strikes in the first round.
UFC Featherweight Division Fight
Mike De La Torre (11-5-0) vs. Godofedo Pepey (7-4-0)
De La Torre has won two of his last three under the UFC banner, with those wins coming over both Yui Chul Nam and Tiago Trator. Pepey has won three of his last four in the UFC, with all three of those wins coming by first round finishes. De La Torre has only fought once before for the UFC in Brazil, which was a win over the aforementioned Tiago Trator at UFC Fight Night 61. Pepey has only seen one of his last six fights go past the opening round, that fight was a loss to Darren Elkins by decision at UFC On Fox 20.
Prediction: Pepey just goes balls to the wall with his offense against opponents and De la Torre is a little bit more controlled, Pepey will eventually catch his foe with one of those wild striking combinations for the first round finish.
Preliminary Card Quick Picks (8pm EST., Fox Sports 1)
Gilbert Burns over Michel Prazeres
Rani Yahya over Michinori Tanaka
Jussier Formiga over Dustin Ortiz
Erick Silva over Luan Chagas
Preliminary Card Quick Picks (6:30pm EST., UFC Fight Pass)
Alan Patrick over Steven Ray
Vincente Luque over Hector Urbina
Glaico Franca over Gregor Gillespie
