The UFC bandwagon rolls on to Brazil again this weekend, with MMA’s leading promotion returning to the samba nation for the first time in 2014.
Headlining one of the stronger cards that the UFC have put together for the Brazilian audience in quite a while is a middleweight bout with very real title implications as former UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion, Lyoto Machida and former Strikeforce Light-Heavyweight Champion, Gegard Mousasi lock horns. Serving as the co-main event of the evening is another 185lbs matchup, as Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza takes on Francis Carmont. Elsewhere on the card is a pair of welterweight showdowns as Erick Silva and Takenori Sato do battle, with Viscardi Andrade and Nicholas Musoke also sharing an Octagon. Closing out the main card is a clash of featherweight proportions as Charles Oliveira and Andy Ogle square off.
Now, as ever I am here to hold your hand through the evening’s prelims. So let’s get going…
Cristiano Marcello vs. Joe Proctor – 155lbs.
Headlining the night’s prelim action after the Ogle/Oliveira fight received a bump in rankings, Cristiano Marcello will be looking to impress in what will be the fourth fight of a so far uneventful UFC career. Having lost out in his promotional debut to Sam Sicilia via strikes, Marcello rebounded with a split decision victory over Reza Madadi, but was unable to capitalise on any potential momentum from this victory as Marcello would go on to drop a decision to Kazuki Tokudome in his most recent bout back in March 2013.
While Marcello hasn’t competed since early 2013, Joe Proctor hasn’t set foot in an Octagon for well over a year, having last fought in December 2012 back at UFC on Fox 5. That bout came against Ramsey Nijem, with Proctor on the receiving end of a decision loss to the TUF vet after three rounds of closely contested action. Prior to this setback, Proctor had begun his career with the UFC in successful fashion, triumphing in his debut fight with a KO victory over Jeremy Larsen.
Both men are likely to be rusty considering the length of their layoffs, so the time off shouldn’t be a deciding factor as both men will be in the same boat. Proctor is handy on his feet, but failed to show significant takedown defence in his last fight. This prompts me to plump for Marcello in this one, as if Marcello is able to secure a takedown, his superior BJJ should be enough to see him through.
Prediction – Marcello via submission in the 2nd round.
Iuri Alcantara vs. Wilson Reis – 135lbs.
Having competed in Zuffa since 2010, Iuri Alcantara was given his first real crack at the big time in his most recent fight. After collecting wins over Ricardo Lamas, Michihiro Omigawa and Illiarde Santos during his time in both the WEC and UFC, Alcantara was paired off with Urijah Faber to see if he was ready to make the transition to the elite bantamweight level. He wasn’t. Although Alcantara troubled Faber in the early going, as the fight went on Faber assumed dominance en route to a unanimous decision victory leaving Alcantara to make his name off of someone else.
The former EliteXC Bantamweight Champion, Wilson Reis will be making his second UFC appearance when he takes on Alcantara this Saturday. Having competed for various MMA fight promotions in his career such as Bellator, Cage Warriors and EliteXC, Reis was handed his shot in the UFC as a late replacement for the injured Norifumi Yamamoto at UFC 165 back in September, squaring off with Ivan Menjivar. Reis would go on to have a successful debut with the promotion, besting Menjivar over three rounds to take home the judges’ decision.
While Reis looked impressive in his UFC debut last time out, I feel that Alcantara will prove to be too much for him. Reis will have his opportunities if he can secure takedowns and control his fellow Brazilian on the ground with his solid grappling and strength; however, Alcantara has impressed me of late with his powerful striking and serviceable BJJ. This one could really go either way and should be a fun fight, to be honest I’m kind of surprised it’s been placed on the undercard.
Prediction – Alcantara via unanimous decision.
Felipe Arantes vs. Maximo Blanco – 145lbs.
I think it’s fair to say that Felipe Arantes has had somewhat of a mixed career within the confines of the Octagon. Since debuting with the promotion in August 2011, the Brazilian featherweight has competed five times compiling a 2-2-1 record, failing to string two wins together so far. Arantes most recently competed back in September, where he would go on to lose a split decision to Kevin Souza at UFC Fight Night 28.
Maximo Blanco has hardly blazed a trail of glory in his time with the UFC either. A former Lightweight King of Pancrase and Sengoku standout, Blanco has really struggled on the North American MMA scene having only won the once in his last four contests, and that’s including his unsuccessful one fight stint in Strikeforce. Blanco most recently competed back in November where the Venezuelan lost out to Akira Corassani following a disqualification for the use of an illegal knee.
Arantes has a fairly well rounded set of skills but favours the ground game to striking, whereas Blanco is an aggressive little powerhouse that will look to end the fight by any means necessary. Blanco of late seems to be able to lose fights he should really be winning and again I feel that this is a fight that Blanco should triumph in. Here’s hoping he proves me right this time.
Prediction – Blanco via KO/TKO in the 1st round.
Ildemar Alcantara vs. Albert Tumenov – 170lbs.
Ildemar Alcantara suffered a setback in his last UFC bout with Igor Araujo back in October, as the lengthy Brazilian lost out to Araujo via unanimous decision which put paid to the perfect start to his UFC career. Alcantara previously registered wins in the Octagon over Wagner Prado and Leandro Silva.
Albert Tumenov is the latest in what seems like a long line of Russian fighters that seem to have migrated over to the UFC in recent times. Tumenov is just 22 years old, but already 12-1 in his career with an eight fight win streak on the go heading in to his Octagon debut.
Alcantara will be wanting to get this one to the ground fast to utilize his BJJ against the superior and more powerful striker that is Tumenov. I’m going to go for Alcantara here based purely off of an experience standpoint. Tumenov has by far the greater upside of the two fighters and could very well prove me wrong, but I’m a tad suspicious about the competition he has faced so far in his career.
Prediction – Alcantara via unanimous decision.
