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Featherweights
NR | Andre Fili (21-8, 9-7 UFC) vs. NR | Daniel Pineda (27-14, 4-5 UFC)Advertisement
This should be a compelling bout between featherweight vets. Somehow just freshly 31 years of age, it feels like it has been ages since Fili came into the UFC hyped as the next great Team Alpha Male prospect. Despite some early UFC success, Fili’s lack of mindfulness generally came back to bite him whenever he was matched against his fellow blue-chip peers, though in retrospect, there is no shame in losing to Max Holloway and Yair Rodriguez. Beginning with his late 2016 win over Hacran Dias, Fili started to show some technical acumen and became a going concern at 145 pounds, eventually settling in as a crafty and well-rounded vet who could serve as a tough test for prospects marked for the Top 15. Fili could still wind up putting together a late-career run towards something great, but for now, he will meet Pineda, who is looking to rebound from the first loss of his second UFC stint.
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A 14-year veteran who has found success nearly everywhere he has gone, Pineda’s first UFC tour saw him score quick wins over some prospects but eventually slide out of the promotion when faced with tougher competition. Over the ensuing six years, “The Pit” developed a style clearly born out of frequent violence. Rather than go in with any sort of clear game plan, Pineda just brings aggression and relies on his experience to sort out the rest, eventually finding an opening for a finish wherever his opponent’s defenses are lacking. Pineda’s most recent fight against Cub Swanson suggests that may be a tough road to hoe against the more well-seasoned opponents that he faces, and Fili figures to fit in that category. Even if this is a close fight, Pineda is the fighter much more reliant on hunting for a finish. The pick is Fili via decision.
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