UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs Pyfer main card preview & picks

The main card for UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs Pyfer at the Apex in Las Vegas combines a mixture of exciting new arrivals and veterans who have thrilled fans for decades. Ranked featherweight Dan Ige takes on Andre Fili in the co-main event, wild strikers Robert Bryczek and Ihor Potieria square off in a bout that seems unlikely to progress beyond the opening round, and the seasoned Michael Johnson takes on the hard-hitting Darrius Flowers in a match of contrasting styles. Read on for our full tips and analysis.

Jack Hermansson v Joe Pyfer

Jack Hermansson vs Joe Pyfer

Middleweight up-and-comer Joe Pyfer takes on the experienced Jack Hermansson in Saturday’s main event. See our in-depth Hermansson vs Pyfer fight preview here.

Dan Ige v Andre Fili

Dan Ige vs Andre Fili

Dan Ige (17-7-0) has endured a rough road since 2021 with four wins and two losses and will be looking to bounce back to form. Remarkably, the 32-year-old has never been finished throughout his lengthy career, with all seven losses coming via the scorecard. Ige’s most recent effort was a frustrating defeat to Bryce Mitchell, halting a much-needed two-fight win streak. The American has a well-rounded skillset that includes wrestling, BJJ, and judo, but a lack of consistent volume has long proven his Achilles heel.

Andre Fili (23-10-0) brings a similar recent pedigree into this contest with two wins, three losses, and one no-contest since 2020. The 33-year-old has also struggled to earn the nod of judges, with half of his career losses coming via decision. Fili will enjoy a sizeable height and reach advantage in Vegas, and the effectiveness of his jab might determine the outcome of this well-matched contest. If he can win the range war, Fili looks a solid chance of emerging with the spoils at underdog odds.

Robert Bryczek v Ihor Potieria

Robert Bryczek vs Ihor Potieria

Robert Bryczek (17-5-0) makes his UFC debut and enters a largely unknown commodity. The Pole boasts a strong winning record on the European provincial circuit with five successive first-round knockouts since 2022. The longest of these fights lasted a mere two minutes, and we can expect the newcomer to throw heavy leather from the opening bell. If Bryczek can overcome his nerves and his form in lesser grades holds up, he might make an auspicious start to his UFC career.

Ihor Potieria (19-5-0) has fought four times under the UFC banner for a record of one win and three losses. The Ukrainian employs a comparable style to Bryczek, and his last seven bouts have finished within the distance. The 27-year-old can appear a little upright and stiff in the octagon, which makes his chin susceptible to clean, straight punches. That appears the danger against a proven finisher in a contest that is almost certain to climax early.

Brad Tavares v Gregory Rodrigues

Brad Tavares vs Gregory Rodrigues

Brad Tavares (20-9-0) brings some interesting form into this contest. Three fights back, the 36-year-old went the distance with Dricus du Plessis, who has subsequently been crowned UFC middleweight champion. Since that narrow loss, Tavares was knocked out by Bruno Silva and beat fading former champ Chris Weidman via points. The American’s recent wins have all come via the scorecards, and he has not landed a stoppage victory since 2018. Against a more powerful striker, Tavares’s best hope will be to survive an early storm and grind out another decision result.

Gregory Rodrigues (14-5-0) is a hard-hitting knockout artist, with nine of his career wins coming via that method. His recent form is solid enough with three wins and a loss from his last four appearances, with all contests ending before the final bell. He can appear reckless at times in pursuit of heavy strikes and tends to run out of gas in the latter rounds due to his muscled physique, but the Brazilian is favoured to emerge with the win.

Michael Johnson v Darrius Flowers

Michael Johnson vs Darrius Flowers

Michael Johnson (22-19-0) has just two wins from his last eight contests and must be close to calling the MMA game quits. The 37-year-old is as tough as teak and has only been knocked out thrice during a professional career that started in 2008. He has proved susceptible to submissions, however, with nine losses coming via tap-out. Johnson is coming off a second-round TKO loss to Diego Ferreira and might be one clean punch away from hanging up the gloves.

Darrius Flowers (12-6-1) has the tools to land the blow that might end Johnson’s career, with eight knockouts on his record — including his last three victories. The 29-year-old has only appeared once at UFC level, losing via submission to Jake Matthews. If he can keep this fight upright, the American will be looking to show off his striking skills and chalk up his first win under the bright lights. But if Flowers cannot find his range, he risks being picked apart by the veteran opposite.

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