Preview: UFC Fight Night 135 ‘Gaethje vs. Vick’

MORAGAAAAAA!!!!!@ChicanoJohn DESTROYS Bibulatov in round 1 w/ a NASTY left hook!! #UFC216 pic.twitter.com/XazCDNltcs

— UFC (@ufc) October 7, 2017

Flyweights
John Moraga (19-6) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (14-0)
Odds: Figueiredo (-165), Moraga (+145)

John Moraga's been a perennial fringe contender at flyweight ever since losing to Demetrious Johnson in 2013, but the Arizona native might be on the best run of his UFC career thus far. A well-rounded opportunist who often relies on the opening his opponent provides, Moraga's served as a gatekeeper to the divisional elite, but a three-fight losing streak from 2015 to 2017 raised some concern that his best days might be behind him. A win over Ashkan Mokhtarian was an easy fight to get him off the schneid, but while a quick knockout of Magomed Bibulatov felt a bit fluky, Moraga's coming off an excellent, well-rounded performance beating Wilson Reis this past April. His overall game hasn't changed a ton, still relying on powerful striking and an opportunistic scrambling game, but it was a nice reminder that Moraga's still capable of fighting at a high level in a tough division. With Johnson's loss to Henry Cejudo opening the division up a bit, a win here against Deiveson Figueiredo would go a long way towards putting Moraga on the shortlist for flyweight title contention.

A cousin and training partner of the Alcantara brothers, Figueiredo has a style that reflects just that, relying on athleticism and power to carry him through a fight. Figueiredo's striking style is all wild power shots, but the best part of his game is when he's able to get his opponent to the mat, where the Brazilian can unleash some vicious ground and pound in a division where fighters sometimes have trouble controlling their opponents. Defensively, Figueiredo's a bit more of a mixed bag; again, his striking is wild, and in a controversial split decision win over Jarred Brooks, Figueiredo was often content to throw up offense from his back, which was apparently enough to impress the Brazilian judges. It's a unique style, and this fight against Moraga serves as a big test to see if Figueiredo can become a contender, or is more of a gatekeeper like his cousin further down the card.

This is an odd fight between two guys who don't necessarily have round-winning styles; Moraga tends to rely on what his opponent gives him, while Figueiredo mostly seeks a brutal finish. This may just come down to who can do better in the scrambles, which feels like a fifty-fifty proposition between Figueiredo's power and Moraga's opportunism. I'll favor Moraga, if only because Figueiredo feels more willing to give away rounds if the grappling doesn't go his way; plus, for as long as this fight is on the feet, Figueiredo is wild enough that Moraga should be able to take advantage and hit the Brazilian with some hard shots. It's not a confident pick, but I'll take Moraga via decision.

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