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Fight By Fight Preview | UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs Blanchfield
The third week in the UFC’s current eight-week run of Saturdays featuring an event brings a return to the UFC APEX, and a fight card headlined by a crucial and compelling flyweight matchup.
Here’s a detailed look at what’s on tap this weekend.
Main Event: Jessica Andrade vs Erin Blanchfield
Former title challenger and strawweight champion Jessica Andrade steps in to square off with surging prospect Erin Blanchfield in this fascinating five-round main event.
Andrade tags in for her countrywoman Taila Santos, making her second trip into the Octagon already this year after dominating Lauren Murphy last month at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro. An established contender across two divisions, Andrade brings a different level of power and aggression to the cage than most flyweight competitors, and looks to secure a fourth straight win — and second in 2023 — this weekend.
Blanchfield has posted two victories in each of her first two years on the UFC roster, following up her solid rookie campaign with tandem finishes in her sophomore season. In June, the 23-year-old submitted veteran JJ Aldrich with an opportunistic guillotine choke, and in November at Madison Square Garden, “Cold Blooded” dominated Molly McCann, making the beloved British fighter submit to a kimura midway through the opening round.
With champ Valentina Shevchenko set to defend her title early next month, this weekend’s main event could potentially determine the next fighter to challenge for the flyweight title, depending on how and when Manon Fiorot recovers from the surgical procedure she had following her win at UFC 280 in October. An emphatic victory for either woman would cement their standing as potential opponents for Shevchenko, and provide some further clarification to the hierarchy in the 125-pound weight class.
Other UFC Fight Night Main Card Fights
Jordan Wright vs Zac Pauga
Fighters moving in different directions meet at light heavyweight, as Jordan Wright faces off with recent TUF finalist Zac Pauga in Saturday’s co-main event.
Wright moves up to the 205-pound ranks following a three-fight slide and rough 1-4 run at middleweight. He won his promotional debut against Ike Villanueva at light heavyweight and sees the change in divisions as an opportunity to once again showcase the skills and technical ability that resulted in his earning stoppage wins in each of his 12 career victories.
Pauga competed on Season 30 of The Ultimate Fighter in the heavyweight division, reaching the finals, where he was felled by Mohammed Usman. A former NFL running back, the Elevation Fight Team member was always expected to return to the 205-pound division, where he went 5-0 prior to his stint on the long-running reality TV series.
Saturday’s bout is a chance for each man to shift the perceptions fans may have about them given their recent results and hopefully kickstart a run of success inside the Octagon. Wright and Pauga are diametrically opposed in terms of their styles, so it will be interesting to see which man is able to dictate the terms of engagement and control how this one plays out.
Josh Parisian vs Jamal Pogues
Fighters that each earned a pair of DWCS triumphs clash in the heavyweight division, as Josh Parisian welcomes Jamal Pogues to the Octagon for the first time.
Parisian scored wins on Season 2 and Season 4, with an appearance on The Ultimate Fighter tucked in between, building a 13-3 record prior to arriving in the UFC. He’s alternated losses and wins since debuting towards the tail end of 2020, but enters Saturday’s contest off a come-from-behind finish of Alan Baudot last time out.
The newcomer Pogues claimed victories in Season 3 and Season 6, punching his ticket to the biggest stage in the sport with a unanimous decision win over Paulo Renato Jr. last fall. The Las Vegan was a well-regarded prospect early in his career and his only losses have come against quality competition, and he’s still only 27 years old, which makes him a baby in the heavyweight ranks.
This is an important matchup for both men, as Parisian looks to build some sustained momentum and Pogues aims to make a splash in his first UFC appearance. Parisian is the physically more imposing man, but Pogues will have an edge in athleticism, and whomever can make that advantage work best for them on Saturday should come away with a victory.
William Knight vs Marcin Prachnio
William Knight and Marcin Prachnio collide in a meeting of light heavyweight finishers looking to start 2023 on a positive note.
After winning three of his first four appearances following his second successful appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, Knight has faltered in each of his last two starts at heavyweight. He dropped a unanimous decision in a fight against Maxim Grishin that was initially ticketed for the 205-pound ranks, and then was stopped in the third by Devin Clark in a scheduled heavyweight showing two months later.
It took Prachnio four tries to register his first UFC win, but then the Polish veteran followed up his decision win over Khalil Rountree Jr. with a stoppage victory over Ike Villanueva that had things trending in the right direction. That momentum was halted by Philipe Lins last time out, leaving the 34-year-old looking to start another win streak on Saturday.
Can Knight bounce back by returning to the light heavyweight ranks or will Prachnio hand him a third consecutive defeat while getting himself back into the win column?
Jim Miller vs Alexander Hernandez
Jim Miller makes the walk for the 41st time in his UFC career this weekend, striding to the Octagon to welcome Alexander Hernandez back to the lightweight division.
The 39-year-old Miller holds the record for both the most appearances and most victories in UFC history, and enters Saturday’s contest on a three-fight winning streak. He earned finishes in each of his 2022 starts, and remains focused on continuing to compete while landing a place on the UFC 300 fight card.
A loss to Renato Moicano in the first quarter of 2022 prompted Hernandez to explore a move to the featherweight ranks, but a second-round stoppage loss to Billy Quarantillo has him returning to the 155-pound weight class here. A fast starter who has struggled to maintain his pace and be mindful defensively, Hernandez has shown flashes of upside, but hasn’t found the consistency needed to turn it into anything more than sporadic strong efforts.
While Miller has been in fine form and shown no signs of slowing down, Hernandez has struggled, leading to questions about his place within the division. It’s going to be fascinating to see how this one plays out and what it means for each man going forward.
Prelim Fights
Lina Lansberg vs Mayra Bueno Silva
It’s a meeting of ranked bantamweights to close out the prelims, as veteran Lina Lansberg faces off with ascending Mayra Bueno Silva.
The 40-year-old Lansberg has been a fixture in the Top 15 since debuting in the UFC opposite Cris Cyborg in the fall of 2016. While she’s earned just four wins in 10 starts, The “Elbow Queen” has established herself as a consistently tough out and strong test for anyone looking to climb the ranks in the 135-pound weight class.
Bueno Silva debuted in the UFC bantamweight division in 2022 and quickly earned a number next to her name. After outworking Wu Yanan in a competitive bout that garnered Fight of the Night honors in April, “Sheetara” returned in August and quickly submitted Swiss judoka Stephanie Egger to push her record to 4-2-1 inside the Octagon and 9-2-1 overall.
The bantamweight division is in flux at the moment, with a vast collection of ranked competitors jockeying for position in the championship chase. A dynamic effort by either woman here would be a great way to start their respective 2023 campaigns and position either of them for an even more high-profile assignment next time out.
Jamall Emmers vs Khusein Askhabov
Jamall Emmers and Khusein Askhabov meet in this matchup of featherweights looking to shake off the rust following longer than normal stays on the sidelines.
Saturday’s marks Emmers’ first appearance since his August 2021 clash with Pat Sabatini, which started with the veteran “Pretty Boy” dropping the Philadelphia product and ended with him tapping in agony to a nasty heel hook. The 33-year-old has fought solid competition through his regional run and first three UFC appearances, and it will be interesting to see if he can parlay that and his comfort inside the Octagon into avenues for success against Askhabov this weekend.
t’s been nearly three years since the 27-year-old Askhabov stepped into the cage, which brings an even greater amount of intrigue to the Chechen fighter’s debut. He sports a perfect 23-0 record and has trained with quality teams and elite talent periodically over the years, but it will be curious to see what impact the layoff and graduating to the big stage has on the promising prospect this weekend.
Will Emmers hand Askhabov his first career loss or can the streaking newcomer collect a victory in his promotional debut?
Ovince Saint Preux vs Philipe Lins
Twice ticketed to meet in the past to no avail, Ovince Saint Preux and Philipe Lins will once again try to make their way into the Octagon opposite one another this weekend.
The 39-year-old Saint Preux has spent the last couple years splitting time between heavyweight and light heavyweight, struggling against the big fellas, but winning three of his last four in the 205-pound weight class, with his lone setback coming against new champ Jamahal Hill. He remains an awkward stylistic matchup and an opportune finisher with good power, which continues to make him a much-needed member of the light heavyweight ecosystem.
Lins dropped his first two UFC appearances at heavyweight, but finally broke into the win column with a move to the 205-pound ranks last spring when he outworked Prachnio to win on the cards. The 37-year-old Brazilian looked far better down a division, though it remains to be seen if that was a one-off or the start of something bigger.
Saint Preux and Lins were penciled in opposite one another in 2019 and again at UFC 282 last December, with neither bout getting to the finish line, so hopefully we’ll finally get to see these veterans share the cage on Saturday night in Las Vegas.
Nazim Sadykhov vs Evan Elder
Nazim Sadykhov makes the walk to the Octagon for the first time this weekend, squaring off against sophomore starter Evan Elder.
A member of the Serra-Longo Fight Team, the 28-year-old Sadykhov landed a UFC opportunity with a third-round stoppage win over Ahmad Hassandzada last season on Dana White’s Contender Series. Sporting a 7-1 record overall, the “Black Wolf” has rattled off seven consecutive victories since dropping his professional debut, with all but one of those fights ending inside the distance.
Elder got a short notice call up last spring to fight up a division against Preston Parsons, landing on the wrong side of the results. It was the first career loss for the Kill Cliff FC representative, but a decent showing nonetheless, and makes him an intriguing figure to track on Saturday as he returns to his natural weight class.
Can Sadykhov keep rolling and claim a victory in his UFC debut or will Elder get back in the win column and hand the New York native a second career loss?
AJ Fletcher vs Themba Gorimbo
Following a rocky rookie campaign, AJ Fletcher looks to start his sophomore year on the UFC roster with a victory as he welcomes newcomer Themba Gorimbo to the Octagon for the first time.
“The Ghost” kicked off Season 5 of Dana White’s Contender Series with a first-round, flying knee knockout win over Leonardo Damiani, but his transition to the big stage hasn’t gone as well. After dropping a competitive decision to Matt Semelsberger in his debut, Fletcher landed on the wrong side of the cards again in a battle of attrition against Ange Loosa in August.
The 32-year-old Gorimbo arrives in the UFC off a decision win over Julio Rodriguez last summer at Fury FC 65, having won four of his last five starts overall. A native of Zimbabwe and fighting out of Johannesburg, South Africa, “The Answer” will look to make a splash in his promotional debut by handing Fletcher a third straight defeat.
It’s going to be interesting to see how things play out between these two as they are opposites in terms of stature and reach. Fletcher is a compact bundle of explosive athleticism, standing 5-foot-10 with a 67-inch reach, while Gorimbo is all length, measuring out at 6-feet, but brandishing a 76-inch reach. Whomever can tap into their physical advantage will stand a good chance of getting their hand raised in this one.
Clayton Carpenter vs Juancamilo Ronderos
Flyweights open the show as DWCS grad Clayton Carpenter faces off with Juancamilo Ronderos.
The 26-year-old Carpenter turned in a gutsy effort to garner his UFC contract in the fall, surviving an early onslaught from Mexican veteran Edgar Chairez before steadying himself and rallying back to win a decision. Fighting out of The MMA Lab, Carpenter is 6-0 as a professional after going 6-1 as an amateur, and looks to join the long list of young talents from the Glendale, Arizona outfit to have success in the UFC.
Ronderos started his career with four straight wins, including a unanimous decision victory over UFC alum Eric Shelton, before getting a short notice call to the Octagon in May 2021. He lost that fight to David Dvorak quickly, served a nine-month suspension, and was sidelined throughout 2022, resulting in this weekend being his first appearance in 21 months.
Carpenter displayed the focus and tenacity of a seasoned veteran in his Contender Series win, while Ronderos faces questions after a long layoff, but all of that can change if he halts the newcomer’s unbeaten run this weekend.
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