‘The Ultimate Fighter Latin America’ 3 Finale main card analysis: capsules and betting preview
“THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER LATIN AMERICA” SEASON 3 FINALE MATCHUPS
A breakdown of the fights on the main card of Saturday’s ‘TUF Latin America 3’ event in Mexico City:
Rafael dos Anjos (25-8) vs. Tony Ferguson (22-3)
· CLASS: Lightweight
· LINE: dos Anjos -145
· STORYLINE: Dos Anjos will be eager to get back in the win column after losing his belt to Eddie Alvarez in July. He is a pressure fighter who will try to put Ferguson on the defensive. This is a big spot for Ferguson, who has won eight in a row and can all but guarantee himself a title shot with a win. While dos Anjos had been on a tear, his last nine months have been marred by an injury followed by the disappointing performance in the loss to Alvarez. Dos Anjos may have been exposed. Ferguson may have to weather an early storm, but he is dangerous all over the cage and will find a way to continue the winning streak.
· PICK: Ferguson by third-round submission
Diego Sanchez (28-9) vs. Marcin Held (22-4)
· CLASS: Lightweight
· LINE: Held -270
· STORYLINE: There has never been any question about the toughness of Sanchez. He has showcased fierce resilience and incredible heart at every step of the way in his lengthy career. It actually may be a detriment at this point. Sanchez has ignored calls for his retirement and continues to push on. He remains a big draw as fans have embraced his perseverance through some of the most wild brawls in UFC history. He’s just not the same fighter he once was and Held will be in search of adding a big-name victory to his growing resume at just 24 years old. Held will look to take the fight to the ground and should find an opportunity to tap Sanchez out at some point.
· PICK: Held by second-round submission
Ricardo Lamas (16-5) vs. Charles Oliveira (21-6, 1 No Contest)
· CLASS: Featherweight
· LINE: Lamas -120
· STORYLINE: The fight will actually be a catchweight bout after Oliveira missed the featherweight limit by a whopping nine pounds on Friday. Oliveira did accept the fight on short notice and his team blamed the altitude for the blunder. The fight is still a go, however, and Lamas will have to deal with one of the more aggressive and exciting featherweights in the organization. Even though Oliveira may very well be forced to move up after missing weight for the third time, this is a huge matchup in the division. Both fighters have only lost to the elites of the division, so a loss would be a resume killer. Lamas is tough and excellent at pressuring his opponents, but Oliveira may just have too much athleticism.
· PICK: Oliveira by first-round submission
Martin Bravo (11-0) vs. Claudio Puelles (8-1)
· CLASS: Lightweight
· LINE: Bravo -115
· STORYLINE: This fight will provide an interesting clash of styles. Puelles is incredibly smooth and always seems to be under control in the cage. Bravo would prefer a wild brawl. He actually may have an advantage as both fighters get their first taste of the big spotlight of a live audience. Puelles may have a hard time keeping his poise under such circumstances and may play right into Bravo’s hands.
· PICK: Bravo by second-round knockout
Beneil Dariush (13-2) vs. Rashid Magomedov (19-1)
· CLASS: Lightweight
· LINE: Magomedov -140
· STORYLINE: Magomedov’s excellent counter-striking sets up perfectly to deal with the aggressive nature of Dariush. He’s also got strong wrestling skills that will be utilized even if he doesn’t want to take the fight down to the ground where Dariush is a dangerous grappler. Magomedov can simply use his wrestling to fend off Daiush’s takedowns and keep the fight standing. Both fighters have bright futures and can be contenders in the division, but the style matchup really seems to favor Magomedov .
· PICK: Magomedov by decision
Alexa Grasso (8-0) vs. Heather Jo Clark (7-5)
· CLASS: Women’s strawweight
· LINE: Grasso -500
· STORYLINE: This really isn’t much more than a showcase fight for Grasso, who will make her anticipated UFC debut in her native Mexico. Grasso is a fantastic prospect who will look to impress the home crowd against the tough veteran Clark. Aside from resilience and experience, there’s not much Clark can offer to stop Grasso from a victory. That could prove enough against a young fighter who may feel a lot of pressure, but on pure skillset, this is a mismatch.
· PICK: Grasso by decision
ADAM HILL/LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
