Fili vs Almeida
(7 PM EST/4 PM PST)
One of the sneakiest of prelim card bangers on paper, Andre Fili and Lucas Almeida have potential to put on a ‘Fight of the Night’-level action fight. Fili’s been known for his flow-based style of striking which has seen him compete with some of the best fighters at featherweight, and led to Max Holloway saying, “My toughest opponent to date was probably, I would say, Andre Fili.” This comment came after Holloway had fought fighters like Dustin Poirier and Jose Aldo multiple times.
When Andre Fili went full super saiyan pic.twitter.com/viHqdg5pTX
— 🌴ᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛᴏꜰᴡᴀʀ🌴 (@TheArtOfWar6) October 27, 2021
Fili was in two-round wars in his last two fights and he has been in the UFC for ten years. Almeida has not faced anyone of his caliber yet, but he has shown to be a heavy-handed, smart, and aggressive striker, proven by his performances in one of the best fights in Dana White Contender Series’ history and his UFC debut knockout win in a ‘Fight of the Night’ against ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ tournament winner Michael Trizano. This fight between he and Fili should have consistent striking action between two assassins to satisfy most fans who tune in, and their flawed defenses usually ensure they eat some big blows from capable opponents.
Menifield vs Jacoby
(7:30 PM EST/4:30 PST)
Alonzo Menifield has stepped into a new version of himself, one which appears ready to take on the top-15 of the UFC light-heavyweight division. After an up-and-down start to his UFC career, Menifield has begun using that intimidating frame to really hurt opponents, earning knockouts three of the last four times out, including two knockouts of former ranked contenders. Jacoby may just be his toughest test to date though; the former GLORY kickboxer possesses skillful and damaging kickboxing but has also rounded out his game to include solid takedown defense.
Jacoby has also begun turning up the violence lately, with one all-out war against Khalil Rountree and two first round knockouts. His loss to Azamat Murzakanov is the only major blemish on his recent resume, and his only loss on this current UFC run that is without controversy. However, Murzakanov does things similarly to Alonzo in that he is a shorter 205-lber and his punches travel up, which Jacoby appeared to have a hard time seeing the punches coming when Azamat continually rocked him with them. The difference is, Menifield does not have the same wrestling threat, so this fight should just be a stand-up affair which is decided by who hurts who first. An early knockout or long battle seem likely.
Dustin Jacoby with the beautiful counter right KO #UFCNashville pic.twitter.com/W55b0gBEqU
— The Octagon Obsessed (@octagonobsessed) August 6, 2023
Covington vs Edwards
(Midnight EST/9 PM PST)
Although the main event has the highest stakes, this match-up seems prone to plenty of circling to avoid pressure from Edwards, who likes to pick his spots and avoid constant engagements. If Covington has success, it will likely be with a lot of takedowns or cage clinching, and he is not exactly a finishing threat in either area, nor on the feet with his pace-over-power mechanics. Still, Covington’s pace could force Edwards into action, and Leon does push the action when he feels the confidence to do so, usually after landing a good shot.
The kicks of Edwards present a famously dangerous threat, and his elbows violently punish those who clinch with him. He is likely a good enough wrestler to scramble with Covington’s dogged chain wrestling and avoid being stuck on his back. The MMA skills of both fighters are good enough to compete in all realms, in fact, which should make for a multi-faceted contest for the MMA fan who enjoys seeing varied skill but may disappoint the fan looking for ‘Just Bleed’-style action.
