Preview: UFC on ESPN 35 Prelims

The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s latest show is not a particularly deep one, and that is reflected in a set of prelims that lean more toward action than any sort of immediate relevance. A flyweight clash between Daniel Lacerda and Francisco Figueiredo seems like a confusing choice for the featured slot at UFC on ESPN 35 this Saturday in Las Vegas, given that the two highlights of this six-fight slate—Alexander Romanov vs. Chase Sherman and Gabriel Green vs. Yohan Lainesse—sit right below it on the bill. With that said, the promotional debut of top Japanese flyweight prospect Tatsuro Taira lends some intrigue in what should at least be a breezy watch.

Now to the preview for the UFC on ESPN 35 “Font vs. Vera” prelims:

Flyweights

NR | Daniel Lacerda (11-2, 0-1 UFC) vs. NR | Francisco Figueiredo (12-4-1, 1-1 UFC)

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BETUS ODDS: Lacerda (-135), Figueiredo (+105)

Brazilian flyweights each look to get back in the win column here. Like a lot of lesser siblings in MMA over the years, Figueiredo shows flashes of what makes his brother—flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo—so great, but he does not have the natural athleticism or instincts that make his brother so successful. That is especially damaging with a style like the Figueiredos. While Deiveson can get away with a patient approach that gets by on huge moments of offense, Francisco’s fights tend to devolve into slow-paced affairs that see a lot of clinch work at the UFC level. There is still some power and physicality to him that is mostly wasted due to his refusal to pull the trigger, but maybe a surprising loss to Malcolm Gordon can help motivate him into a better approach against Lacerda. There was not much pre-UFC tape available on “Miojo,” but he has been a fun and fast-paced fighter for most of his career, for better and for worse. Lacerda mostly looks to swarm his opponents with power punches that lead into his wrestling and grappling, but he is unproven past a certain point. His regional opposition was not particularly overwhelming, and his UFC debut marked only the second time he has gone past the first round; and he got knocked out by Jeff Molina after a hot start. Lacerda looked discouraged but not tired after Molina survived the early going, so maybe he can steel himself for a better performance against such a low-out opponent. That is still a more promising performance than Figueiredo’s against Gordon, who seemingly had the combination of weak chin and middling athleticism that the Brazilian should typically overwhelm. Each fighter needs to prove a great deal, but it at least seems more certain that Lacerda is going to keep trying things. The pick is Lacerda via decision in an ugly affair.

Continue Reading » Romanov vs. Sherman