UFC 179 ‘Aldo vs. Mendes 2’ Preview

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LIGHTWEIGHTS

Carlos Diego Ferreira (11-0, 2-0 UFC) vs. Beneil Dariush (8-1, 2-1 UFC)

THE MATCHUP: A pairing of two talented, up-and-coming Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts opens the PPV card in a fight that promises solid action. Ferreira has come out of nowhere to notch a pair of finishes in his first four months with the UFC. Dariush signed with the promotion earlier this year and owns a knockout loss to Ramsey Nijem sandwiched between submission victories over Charlie Brenneman and Tony Martin.

Dariush is one of the protégés of former Chute Boxe and current Kings MMA muay Thai guru Rafael Cordeiro. The Assyrian-American has a well-rounded game with finishing skills in each phase, all of it powered by above-average athleticism. A southpaw, Dariush is more advanced offensively than defensively as a striker, throwing cracking kicks at all levels and fundamentally sound punches, but he eats far too many flush punches as a result of his underdeveloped head movement and lack of control of the range and angles. An excellent clinch fighter with a strong double-collar tie and proficient striking at close range, Dariush’s wrestling is also solid and steadily improving. The ground, however, is where he really shines. The black belt scrambles beautifully, maintains a heavy base from the top and owns a slick, deep arsenal of submissions and guard passes.

Ferreira leaped onto the scene with a first-round submission over “Ultimate Fighter” winner Colton Smith and has not looked back. A high-level grappler, the rest of Ferreira’s skills are coming along nicely. He throws rangy side and front kicks at range and boasts a developing boxing game with an emphasis on counter combinations when his opponent tries to pressure. Unfortunately, his defense is lacking, and he can be hit cleanly when he bites down and exchanges. Ferreira is only an average takedown artist, featuring solid trips and throws from the clinch and subpar shot takedowns, but if he can get the fight to the ground, he is almost impossible to stop. His guard is venomous, his top game is exceptionally slick and he is a lethal scrambler with the ability to grab his opponent’s back in a flash.

BETTING ODDS: Ferreira (-170), Dariush (+140)

THE PICK: It is difficult to predict the outcome of a bout between fighters who are improving as drastically as Ferreira and Dariush, but the line seems to be tilted a bit too far in favor of the Brazilian. Dariush can likely hang with him on the ground, is a better wrestler and owns a more diverse and polished striking game. I like the Assyrian-American to drag Ferreira into the second and third rounds and outwork him in a somewhat sloppy fight that consists mostly of striking exchanges. Dariush by decision is the pick.

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