UFC Fight Night 119 features a strong card.
The UFC returns to free TV on Saturday night with a main event featuring the return of a former UFC 205lb Champion against a Top 10 contender at Middleweight. The UFC will be live from Sao Paulo, Brazil for the 2nd time in the last 12 months and it will feature a ton of Brazilian fighters on the card. There are some serious matchups at the top of the card including a main event that features the return from suspension of former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (22-7) to take on Top 10 Middleweight Derek Brunson (17-5 #7 Ranked Middleweight). In the Co-Main event, Colby “Chaos” Covington (12-1 #8 Ranked Welterweight) looks to cement himself as a top 5 Welterweight as he takes on former Middleweight and Welterweight Title challenger Demian Maia (25-7 #3 Ranked Welterweight). The card has some really great matchups on it and is the 2nd event in a 9 weekend 10 event stretch for the UFC. Let’s get into the 12 fight card.
The Heavyweight division kicks off the night on UFC Fight Pass with Christian “Godzilla” Colombo (8-2-1) taking on the debuting Marcelo Golm (5-0). Christian Colombo has had some bad luck trying to get back inside the UFC Octagon with 2 fights being scratched due to injuries, and then at the last minute for this card, his previous opponent was flagged by USADA. Instead, he will get a late replacement and look to get his first UFC win. The Danish Heavyweight is 0-1-1 in the UFC, but he is a heavy-handed fighter with 6 career knockouts. He will need to make sure he can get his striking game in their early and often to try and get a quick victory. Marcelo Golm is a 25-year-old undefeated Brazilian who will make the walk to the UFC Octagon for the first time. Golm is 5-0 in his short UFC career with 5 first round knockouts. He will be taking on a much more veteran striker. This will be a chance to make a real impression in his debut with the UFC. There is a real sense in this one that we don’t even come close to the judges having to decide. Prediction: Marcelo Golm via TKO.
The UFC Fight Pass Featured Prelim has 2 undefeated Flyweights looking to break into the Top 15 as Deiveson Figueiredo (12-0) takes on Jarred “The Monkey God” Brooks (13-0). The Jungle Fight veteran Deiveson Figueiredo made an impressive UFC debut forcing a corner stoppage after just 2 rounds back in June. Figueiredo is an extremely talented striker who has dispatched 6 opponents via knockout. You can’t sleep on his submission game, however, because his 5 submissions are also looming. Deiveson Figueiredo could be one of the scariest up and coming prospects in the UFC and this win could go a long way to a top 15 opponent being in his future. Jarred Brooks is no slouch either, and the undefeated Indiana native will be looking to build upon his first UFC victory. Brooks had a hard-fought split decision in his UFC debut and he showed a serious chin in that fight. He will need to stay out of the striking distance of Figueiredo in this one for sure. Brooks has an excellent wrestling background and his 5 submissions have gotten him to this point. He showed some alright knockout power in his past as well with 2 career knockouts. A win here over Figueiredo would cement him as a real deal Flyweight contender. There is a serious shot that performance bonus’s come from this matchup. Prediction: Deiveson Figueiredo via TKO.
Kicking off the FS2 Prelims Elizeu “Capoeira” Zaleski dos Santos (17-5) will take on Max “Pain” Griffin (13-3) in the Welterweight Division. After dropping his UFC debut Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos has rattled off 3 straight victories since April of 2016. Zaleski dos Santos has seen the 3rd round in all three of his wins and has looked good in each of his wins. The Brazilian will be looking to go after the finish early and often. He has knocked out 12 opponents in his career, and if his first UFC win was any proof, his power stays throughout the full 3 rounds. His decision win over highly touted former Bellator standout and Cage Fighting Fury Championships Title holder Lyman “Cyborg” Good (19-4 1NC) was really the eye-opener. If Zaleski dos Santos can get past Griffin we could see a top 15 opponent for him. For Max Griffin, a 54-second knockout made a loss in his UFC debut a little bit easier to swallow. Griffin has held titles in a slew of other regional promotions, and his knockout power cannot be questioned. If he can get his hands going early in this fight he could make quick work of Zaleski dos Santos. These are two guys who are always out there looking for the knockout, and it will be interesting to see this one ends up. Prediction Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos via Decision.
Longtime UFC Veteran Hacran Dias (23-5-1) will get a chance to take down a rising prospect Jared “Flash” Gordon (13-1) at 155lbs. Hacran Dias has dropped 2 straight fights in the UFC over the past year and a half. It is not the first time since he joined the UFC in 2012 that this has happened, however. He responded to it previously by getting a 2 fight win streak of his own including a decision victory over Darren “The Damage” Elkins (24-5 #9 Ranked Featherweight). Dias is a submission machine who also has seen the judges’ score cards in 11 of his 23 career victories. IF he can get this fight to the mat we may see a submission victory for the Nova Uniao fighter. Jared Gordon was discovered on Dana White Looking for a Fight television show and was able to transition that into a UFC debut that ended in a 2nd round TKO victory. Gordon looked impressive not only on that show but in his debut creating an interesting story lien leading up to his second matchup in the UFC. Hacran Dias is pretty solid veteran to have to enter the cage against in your 2nd UFC fight, but Gordon has been up for the task so far. This should be another really fun fight on the card. Prediction: Jared Gordon via Decision.
It is hard not to sound cliché when previewing the next matchup, but it is a very obvious striker vs. grappler matchup as Antonio “Cara de Sapato” Carlos Junior (9-2 1NC) will take on Jack “The Hammer” Marshman (22-6). The Ultimate Fighter Brazil Season 3 Heavyweight Winner Antonio Carlos Junior finds himself on a 3 fight winning streak. In his 4 UFC wins he has finished off 3 opponents via rear naked choke. At 185lbs he is a huge Middleweight who uses his size to get his opponent to the ground and take control of the fight. His 6 career submissions are where his focus lies, and if he gets the win it will most likely be on the mat. Jack Marshman has had absolute wars in his 3 fights in the UFC. From his comeback knockout victory in his UFC debut to suffering a brutal Spinning wheel kick knockout in February, and he hard-fought decision victory in July. Marshman’s fights have all been very entertaining and his power has been on display in each one. The 27-year-old Welshmen will be in enemy territory in Sao Paulo, but he is 1 punch away from his 14th career knockout from the second the fight starts. Marshman’s submission defense will most certainly be tested in this one, and if it is not up to snuff this one could end early. Prediction: Antonio Carlos Junior via Submission.
The Featured FS2 Prelim features a quickly rising prospect in the undefeated Niko “The Hybrid” Price (10-0 1NC) and Vicente “The Silent Assassin” Luque (11-6-1). Niko Price has made the most of his UFC experience with 3 straight victories since his debut in December of 2016. His last appearance at UFC Fight Night 114 in August was an impressive first-round knockout of longtime UFC veteran Alan “Brahma” Jouban (15-6). Niko Price has serious knockout power, and he has shown that in all 3 of his UFC fights. A victory here could get him serious consideration for a top 15 opponent in his next time out. Vicente Luque had a 4 fight winning streak broken his last time out in March of 2017. Luque is a talented well-rounded fighter who has finished 5 fighter via TKO and 5 by submission. Luque will be looking to silence the hype train behind Niko price, and getting this fight to the ground could be the answer. Now that will be much easier said than done but it could be a sound strategy despite Price debuting with a submission victory. Niko Price could be on the verge of emerging as a real deal contender, and Luque is standing in his way. Prediction: Niko Price via TKO.
Top 5 Bantamweight John “Hands of Stone” Lineker (29-8 #5 Ranked Bantamweight) will look to keep his spot in the top of the division as he takes on Marlon “Chito” Vera (10-3-1). John Lineker is one of the scariest bantamweights in the UFC. Despite being thoroughly outclassed by former Champion TJ Dillashaw (15-3 #2 Ranked Bantamweight) in his last outing, that takes nothing away from Lineker’s toughness, chin, and power. It just showed that at this time he is not on the elite tier of the Bantamweight Division. That loss broke his 6 fight winning streak and knocked him out of immediate title contention. Lineker’s wins seem to go one of 2 ways either TKO or decision, and every fight has crazy fireworks because he only moves forward. There is one thing you can always say about Lineker’s fights and it’s that they are never boring. Marlon Vera is 24 years old and has quietly put together a 3 fight win streak. A head kick ended the retirement fight for Brad “One Punch” Pickett (25-14) and a slick first-round submission over Brian “Boom” Kelleher (18-8) has added some serious intrigue to Vera. The Ecuadorian native has been much more known for his submission work in his MMA career with 6 career victories via tap out. If he can utilize the grappling and takedown game plan that Dillashaw employed we could see a big upset in Sao Paulo. Prediction: Marlon Vera via Submission.
Two absolutely bruising Middleweights will lock horns next as Thiago “de Lima Marreta” Santos (15-5 #15 Ranked Middleweight) will take on Jack “The Joker” Hermansson (16-3). Every time Thiago Santos steps into the cage he does so with such bad intentions. Every punch that he throws has the absolute full power behind it. Punches though are not his only weapon. His highlight real spinning wheel kick of Jack Marshman comes to mind when you think of well-rounded striking. 6 of his 10 career knockouts have come in the UFC and he only has 1 UFC win that was not a KO/TKO. Santos has been caught before like his loss to longtime top 10 fighter Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2) and his shocking submission loss to Eric “Zebrinha” Spicely (10-2), so staying on his game will be very important with Hermansson. Jack Hermansson has looked like a different fighter in his last two UFC matchups. He has strung together 2 straight 1st round TKO victories since May of 2017. Hermansson is a powerful puncher who has great transitions on the mat as well to get him in position to pound out his opponents. This is one of those fights where if you blink you may miss the ending. Prediction: Jack Hermansson via TKO.
In a matchup of real UFC veterans at Lightweight, we get Francisco “Massaranduba” Trinaldo (21-5) taking on Jim Miller (28-10 1NC). Francisco Trinaldo had a 7 fight win streak broken in March that may have cost him a legit shot at the 155lb title. He is looking to return to the win column over another long time UFC vet. Trinaldo has seen it all in the UFC since he joined in 2012, and the well-rounded Brazilian will be looking to make a statement that even at 39 he can still be a contender in the division. Jim Miller has been one of the most durable fighters in UFC history. He joined the UFC in 2008 and has been a stalwart in the 155lb division ever since. He has fallen on a rough patch however with a 2 fight losing streak. This is not anything different for Miller, who has been here before. After his last 2 fight losing streak, he rattled off three straight victories with wins over Takanori “The Fireball Kid” Gomi (35-14-1), Joe Lauzon (27-14) and former Welterweight Title Challenger Thiago “Pitbull” Alves (26-11). The ground skills of Miller and his grappling are some of the best the UFC has to offer. Miller will grind out victories time and time again and this fight just feels like one of those. Prediction: Jim Miller via Decision.
A top 15 matchup in the Bantamweight division is up next as Pedro “The Young Punisher” Munhoz (14-2 1NC #12 Ranked Bantamweight) takes on Rob Font (14-2 #13 Ranked Bantamweight). Pedro Munhoz is riding a 3 fight win streak that includes 2 submission victories. He has shown the ability to finish the fight from the mat and that has been his primary tools to get victories in his career. Munhoz has dropped fights to some of the upper echelons of talent in the Bantamweight division but has really hit his stride in this current 3 fight win streak. Rob Font has won 4 of his 5 fights under the UFC banner and has shown an array of skills. All 4 of his fights have been finishes including 3 knockouts. His only loss was to the aforementioned John Lineker in a hard fought 3 round decision. Font’s punching power could make all the difference in this matchup. If he can keep this fight standing we could see him getting a key victory at 135lbs. This is one of the most intriguing fights on the card, and it is between two guys who could find themselves in the top 10 with a victory here. Prediction: Rob Font via Decision.
The Co-Main event is up next and it features a potential passing of the guard moment as Demian Maia (25-7 #3 Ranked Welterweight) steps into the cage to take on fast-rising Colby “Chaos” Covington (12-1 #8 Ranked Welterweight). Demian Maia suffered a tough loss to current champion Tyron “The Chosen One” Woodley (18-3-1 Welterweight Champion). Woodley was able to use his wrestling to neutralize the takedown and Jiu-Jitsu from Maia. Demian Maia may be the best Jiu Jitsu practitioner in UFC history, and the way he imposes his will on his opponents and gets the fight to the ground has to be commended. People come in to fight Maia and know that his one goal is to get it to the ground and submit them. Opponents have game planned and game planned for this and he still manages to take the fight to the ground and get the job done. This fight will be no different. Maia is in need of a bounce back after the loss in his second shot at a title in the UFC. He needs to stay out of striking range and take this fight to where he wants it. Colby Covington has sort of burst into the top 10 on the strength of a 4 fight win streak. The last 2 were very tough decision victories, but this has got him to the place where he has a chance to make a name for himself. A win over Maia would put Covington in legitimate title conversation. With a Welterweight division that seems to be a tad in flux this could be the perfect opportunity for Covington to win convincingly both in the ring and on the microphone and find himself in a title matchup next. Covington was a collegiate wrestler which will really help him when it comes to the takedowns from Maia, and if he can stay off the mat he may find himself with the biggest win of his career. Colby Covington via Decision.
Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida (22-7) is making his return to the Octagon after 18 months away from the Octagon, while Derek Brunson (17-5 #7 Ranked Middleweight) is looking to remain a top 10 contender. Lyoto Machida has been missing from the UFC for a long period of time due to a USADA suspension, but now he is set to return. The question will become with all that time off will it be that started 3-1 when he moved down to 185lbs, or will he be the 185lb version of Machida that dropped 2 straight fights before being suspended. The former 205lb Champion is at a major crossroads in his fighting career with this matchup. When Machida is at his best he is counter punching and picking apart his opponent to get to the winners circle. The karate stylings of Machida were mystifying in his run to the 205lb title back in 2009. He has been up and down since then and was sort of reborn when he first moved to 185lbs. However the losses that preceded the suspension to Luke Rockhold (16-3 # 2 Ranked Middleweight) and Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero (12-2 #3 Ranked Middleweight) derailed that train. Machida is well past his prime, but his striking will always keep him in these fights. Derek Brunson rebounded from a controversial decision loss to Anderson “The Spider” Silva (34-8 1NC #6 Ranked Middleweight) to knockout Daniel Kelly (13-2) in the very first round in June. Brunson is a power puncher who at one point rattled off 4 straight 1st round knockouts in the UFC. Brunson is such a dangerous unorthodox striker that he can cause problems for anyone he faces. He struggled in a title challenger eliminator versus Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker (20-4 Interim Middleweight Champion) where he was knocked out in the first round, but outside of that he has been very impressive. Brunson has a tough task on his hands with Machida’s striking style, but he has proved that he can knock anyone out at any time. There could be a good amount of Fireworks in this one. Prediction: Derek Brunson via TKO.
The UFC had a mediocre card last week on UFC Fight Pass outside of the emergence of future standout Darren Till (16-0-1#8 Ranked Welterweight). They really need a bounce back card leading into UFC 217 and this could be it. The main event features a name fans know making a return after almost 2 years off. The matchups are filled with intrigue and could honestly be the best card in the last few months if things break the right way. Only time will tell, but it is nice to have the UFC back on free TV after some time away.
