Welterweights
Rinat Fakhretdinov (22-1-1, 4-0-1 UFC) vs. Carlos Leal Miranda (21-5, 0-0 UFC)UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway Saturday at 2 PM ET on ESPN+. Order Now!
This serves as a well-matched striker-versus-wrestler matchup. Fakhretdinov would be the “wrestler” side of that coin, since the Russian has found his most success in the UFC turning things into a grind. Fakhretdinov has some finishing ability, as he swings quite hard to set his takedowns up and can hop on a submission as needed, but with few exceptions at the UFC level, his endgame has been to take down his opponents and bank as much control time as possible. Fakhretdinov has remained undefeated in the UFC as he has moved up the ladder, but some cracks are starting to show, namely in terms of his cardio. That became a particular issue in his 2023 win over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, which saw the Brazilian stage a comeback and earn a draw while nearly finishing Fakhretdinov in the third round.
Miranda steps up on about a week’s notice for his UFC debut against Fakhretdinov, and while this is a tough first test for the newcomer, he has had the type of career that suggests he’s ready to get thrown into the fire. Miranda is a dedicated striker, applying pressure while throwing some hard shots, and while he can be outmaneuvered or slowed down, it has taken a high level of fighter to do so. He was a standout of the 2022 and 2023 Professional Fighters League seasons, only losing to Sadibou Sy twice, and those marked his first losses in nearly a decade. Fakhretdinov should be able to find some wrestling success and slow Miranda down, so he’s the rightful favorite here. Still, Miranda should be able to land some effective offense during the times this is on the feet, and there’s a solid chance he breaks this fight open late. The pick is Fakhretdinov via decision.
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