UFC Fight Night main card preview & best bets – Song v Simon

With three Brazilians competing on the main card of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas, grappling fans should be in for a treat as the submission specialists go to work. Read on to see if we are expecting a clean sweep for the BJJ army.

Song Yadong vs Ricky Simon

Song Yadong vs Ricky Simon

Caio Borralho v Michal Oleksiejczuk

Caio Barralho vs Michal Oleksiejczuk

Brazilian Caio Borralho (13-1-0) looks like a readymade MMA athlete and is one of the shortest-priced combatants on this card. He entered the UFC in April 2022 following two successful contests on Dana White’s Contender Series and has since won three straight, all via decision. He combines technical striking with an excellent ground game and will be looking to make his presence felt in the middleweight division with another win at 185 pounds.

Poland’s Michal Oleksiejczuk (18-5-0) will be looking to derail the ambitious plans of his opponent and enters with a solid recent record of his own. He has won four of his last five bouts, arguably over stiffer competition than Borralho has faced. The concern for the Pole is his ground game, as he has been submitted four times during his professional career. The Brazilian looks to have a clear advantage in that department, but if Oleksiejczuk can keep the fight standing, he is in with an upset chance.

Rodolfo Vieira v Cody Brundage

Rodolfo Vieira vs Cody Brundage

Rodolfo Vieira (8-2-0) is another Brazilian on this card with a world-class grappling pedigree. His UFC record stands at three wins and two losses, but seven of his professional wins have come via submission. He can struggle for endurance as a fight enters the latter rounds given his physique and fast-twitch muscle capabilities, so he will be hunting for a round one takedown before fatigue can take hold.

Recommended!

Live Betting Odds

Claim a 50% deposit bonus up to the value of USD $250

Visit Bovada

Cody Brundage (8-3-0) was signed to the UFC in September 2021 and has recorded two wins and two losses since making his debut. His last fight resulted in a knockout loss to Michal Oleksiejczuk, who also competes on this card. This fight appears a very even matchup given that Brundage is also a submission fighter with three wins coming in that manner. He should have a slight edge in the standup, so it will be interesting to see if Brundage is willing to grapple with Vieira or maintain an upright fighting stance.

Julian Erosa v Fernando Padilla

Julian Erosa vs Fernando Padilla

Julian Erosa (28-11-0) is an MMA veteran who was surprisingly beaten at his last outing when knocked out by Alex Carceres in the opening round. Erosa was building a strong contender’s run with six victories and one loss before the shock stoppage. He has taken time off from training to recover from the defeat and if he can rediscover his previous form, he should be ready to climb back into the winners’ column.

Fernando Padilla (14-4-0) makes his UFC debut in this bout after a solid run in the provincial promotions. He has won four out his last five contests, with a mixture of submission, knockout, and decision victories. Padilla has never been finished as a professional and looks a naturally gifted athlete based on his efforts in the lower grades. That said, we are sticking with the proven commodity that is Erosa in this matchup.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta v Marcos Rogerio de Lima

Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs Marcos Rogerio de Lima

Waldo Cortes-Acosta (9-0-0) is an unbeaten heavyweight with two wins at the UFC level, both coming via decision. He is yet to be tested against top-tier competition, but winning form is good form. The Phoenix native can look a little sloppy with his attack, leaving the occasional opening, but his chin is solid and he has the cardio to fight for a solid 15 minutes. His knockout victories have come late in fights when his opponent is beginning to tire, which is a sound strategy in the 265-pound division. His chances will, therefore, improve the longer this contest continues.

Marcos Rogerio de Lima (20-9-1) is a hulking Brazilian who has shared the octagon with some of the UFC’s best heavyweights. He finished Andrei Arlovski via rear naked choke in October 2022, knocked out Ben Rothwell in 2021, and scored a points win over Maurice Greene in the same year. He packs a bigger punch than Cortes-Acosta, has 14 knockout wins to his credit, and will be hopeful of another early stoppage here to avoid the deep waters.

More sports betting picks