Flyweights Allan Nascimento and Jafel Filho were the featured fight on a truncated preliminary card at UFC Vegas 107 on Saturday, with just four fights on the docket prior to the main card.
Nascimento was coming off a layoff of nearly two and a half years; he’d missed weight ahead of the fight. Filho meanwhile was entering off back-to-back wins over Daniel Barez and Ode Osbourne.
Early on, it was Filho looking for a trip along the fence, though Nascimento proved to have excellent balance and even briefly managed to reverse. That didn’t last however and after an impressive back-and-forth it was Filho getting the fight to the mat. Filho managed to trap Nascimento’s legs with his own, nearly sitting in mount, though he couldn’t hold the position. Instead, Nascimento managed to reclaim half-guard, and eventually, he’d make it back to the feet— with Jafel Filho still all over him.
In the dying seconds of the round, Filho would go after a mounted guillotine, but didn’t have it and ran out of time.
It was Nascimento getting some top time of his own in round two. Well away from the fence, the Contender Series and RIZIN vet had Filho stuck. Filho had tired, and was unable to break free. Nascimento would hunt a finish and close out the round with a smashing elbow, though he was unable to put the fight away.
Round three found Filho taking the momentum back early, getting things down and taking the back. The finish wasn’t to be had and eventually it was Nascimento getting back in the driver’s seat and taking the back himself. Towards the end of the frame, Nascimento had Filho stretched out and close to helpless, arm under the chin, but he ran out of time and instead took a unanimous decision win on the scorecards.
Official Result: Allan Nascimento def. Jafel Filho by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
