Michel Pereira and Anthony Hernandez may not be the primary names that come to thoughts whenever you assume “future title challenger,” however that’s precisely what the UFC Vegas 99 principal occasion winner could possibly be after Saturday.
“Demolidor”—presently holding on to the No. 15 spot at 185 kilos within the MMA Fighting Global Rankings—has developed right into a respectable contender after starting his UFC profession as an oddity. Following a run at welterweight that was foiled extra by the size than his opposition, Pereira made the shrewd choice to maneuver to middleweight the place he’s racked up three straight finishes. He faces his hardest problem within the division but, although, with Hernandez having gained 5 straight fights.
Since a disappointing knockout loss to Kevin Holland, Hernandez has racked up a collection of robust performances, together with a surprising submission of grappling ace Rodolfo Vieira, and a streak-busting win over Roman Kopylov in his most up-to-date look. “Fluffy” has been saying all the fitting issues about wanting to take on a champion someday and he’s working his approach to that chance one win at a time.
Not solely is Pereira vs. Hernandez unlikely to disappoint from an motion standpoint, however we’ll additionally learn how shut both man is to becoming a member of the middleweight elite.
In different principal card motion, Rob Font appears to be like to snap a skid and the three-fight win streak of Kyler Phillips, Charles Johnson is out to show he’s a participant at 125 kilos as he fights Sumudaerji, Jake Hadley takes on short-notice alternative Cameron Smotherman, and Darren Elkins meets Daniel Pineda in a battle of featherweight veterans.
What: UFC Vegas 99
The place: UFC APEX in Las Vegas
When: Saturday, Oct. 19. The six-fight preliminary card begins at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+, adopted by a five-fight principal card at 7 p.m. ET additionally on ESPN+.
(Numbers in parentheses point out standing in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings)
Michel Pereira (15) vs. Anthony Hernandez
Michel Pereira’s plans for world domination are going swimmingly.
First, he dialed again his one-of-a-kind combating type, going from full-on jazz odyssey each time he went on the market to a extra technical and, sure, successful method.
Second, he saved himself an additional 15 kilos of weight slicing by shifting to middleweight, which is the place he belongs at this stage of his profession. Dude is very large.
Third, and most significantly, convey again a number of the craziness whereas nonetheless adhering to the extra mature techniques which have put you on a career-best eight-fight win streak.
It’s virtually too easy.
Anthony Hernandez has the type wanted to damage Pereira’s unlikely championship cost, with a deep reserve of wrestling and grappling methods in his arsenal. He is aware of he has to take Pereira right down to win, it’s only a matter of executing. We’ve got seen Pereira fall prey to a wrestling-heavy assault earlier than, however that was a weird battle towards Tristan Connelly during which we clearly didn’t get the very best model of “Demolidor,” so I wouldn’t use that as a robust level of comparability.
If Hernandez can take this battle to the championship rounds, Pereira’s cardio may not be as much as snuff, in order that’s one other issue to think about. However I like Pereira’s probabilities of protecting the battle standing and scoring a knockout earlier than Spherical 4.
Choose: Pereira
Rob Font (14) vs. Kyler Phillips
Saturday’s principal occasion isn’t the one battle with title contender implications.
Kyler Phillips has been a sleeper at 135 kilos for a while now, his rise to the highest solely hindered by inactivity and a slender choice loss. In any other case, Phillips simply wants extra high quality wins to proceed constructing his résumé. Pedro Munhoz and Song Yadong have been good ones, and Rob Font could possibly be a very powerful victory but.
That’s to not say Font is a walk-over for Phillips. If Font is a gatekeeper, he’s among the best, as evidenced by his having gone 5 rounds with names like Jose Aldo, Cory Sandhagen, and Marlon Vera. All losses, however all fights during which Font’s opponent needed to work onerous to get by.
The identical can be true of Phillips, who has to place forth a career-best effort to keep away from shedding momentum. Each of those fighters are excellent technical strikers, with Phillips having the slight edge in exercise, velocity, and agility. He can’t let up for a second, as a result of all it takes is a few errors for Font to steal rounds and trigger Phillips’ night time to finish in disappointment.
Phillips retains it collectively and wins a call.
Choose: Phillips
Charles Johnson vs. Sumudaerji
Charles Johnson has proven some nice palms throughout this sudden three-fight win streak, nevertheless it’s his versatility that could possibly be the distinction towards Sumudaerji. “The Tibetan Eagle” has confirmed inclined to submissions all through his profession and if Johnson needs to make it 4 in a row, he ought to make sure you embody takedowns in his sport plan.
Sumudaerji is a menace on the toes and if he hurts Johnson early, it could possibly be an extended—and even worse, quick—night time for “InnerG.” The size of Sumudaerji is one in all his strengths and if he controls distance, he’ll work his approach to a call win.
However his defensive shortcomings are too important to disregard, so I’m truly choosing Johnson to catch him on the toes someday after the opening 5 minutes. From there, Johnson will discover a gap to grapple, both wrestling Sumudaerji down or scrambling to take his again. A choke and a faucet are quickly to observe.
Choose: Johnson
Jake Hadley vs. Cameron Smotherman
In the event you’ve by no means seen Cameron Smotherman battle earlier than, the technique to foil him is fairly clear to date: Take this dude down.
That’s to not say that Smotherman isn’t succesful on the bottom—actually, he’s tough to assault even when placed on his again—however you’re a lot better off wrestling with him there than buying and selling photographs on the toes. “The Child-Confronted Killer” is a speedy and correct striker, at all times searching for a gap and a menace to complete for all quarter-hour. He might have Jake Hadley on skates early if Hadley isn’t cautious.
Happily for Hadley, he’s bought good palms, too, and Smotherman isn’t at all times essentially the most defensively accountable fighter. Add in Hadley’s potential to take Smotherman down and he has a transparent path to victory as long as he doesn’t freelance an excessive amount of on the toes.
I’ve Hadley successful a call after a tense three rounds, however Smotherman is an thrilling addition to the roster and I look ahead to his subsequent battle when he has a full coaching camp.
Choose: Hadley
Darren Elkins vs. Daniel Pineda
Mixed, Darren Elkins and Daniel Pineda have 41 UFC appearances and 86 professional bouts general. To place it frivolously, they’ve been by it.
It was solely a matter of time till these two confronted off and the one grievance one can have is that it’s going down on the APEX versus being witnessed stay by hundreds of appreciative followers. It’s simply bizarre to consider how Elkins and Pineda clawed their means up from combating in native bars to competing at packed venues and now again to an empty constructing.
Sigh.
None of that issues as soon as the cage door shuts and these fighters rush headfirst right into a scrap. How does one even start to interrupt this one down? It’s not as if Elkins and Pineda are devoid of method, it’s simply that they’re fast to throw it out the window as soon as the poop hits the fan. And it positively will.
I see the grappling sport being lifeless even right here, in order that they’re going to must slug it out, and in that situation I favor “The Harm.” He may not put Pineda down for the depend, however he’ll do sufficient to win a call in a bout that can probably see each warriors bloody and battered by the tip.
Choose: Elkins
Preliminaries
Asu Almabayev (15) def. Matheus Nicolau (13)
Brad Katona def. Jean Matsumoto
Tamires Vidal def. Joselyne Edwards
Jessica Penne def. Elise Reed
Melissa Martinez def. Alice Ardelean
