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#Preliminary Card (FOX Sports 1)
#1 Sergio Moraes vs. Tim Means
Tim Means is a fighter who, despite possessing excellent Muay Thai skills, never seems to break that glass ceiling.
Means has consistently underperformed in big fights, however, Moraes has a porous striking defense. And against a striker as dangerous as Means, that’s bad news.
Means can be expected to tag Moraes and light up the latter on the feet. While Moraes is tough, his defense leaves a ton to be desired, and Means is likely to overwhelm him with a barrage of strikes in the second or third round.
Prediction: Tim Means def. Sergio Moraes via TKO
#2 Alan Patrick vs. Damir Hadzovic
Both Alan Patrick and Damir Hadzovic have decently well-rounded MMA games.
Patrick seems to have a slight advantage on the feet, while Hadzovic possesses a small edge on the mat. This fight may not feature a ton of action, as both fighters have the tendency to freeze up in the standup.
Patrick is likely to walk away the victor in this one, as Hadzovic may not be able to secure the takedown if he shoots from long range. Patrick is smart enough to keep his foe at bay and jab his way to a clear-cut decision victory.
Prediction: Alan Patrick def. Damir Hadzovic via Decision
#3 Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Marlon Vera
De Andrade’s overall MMA game may be taking a huge hit owing to his apparent lack of technique on the striking front.
While Marlon Vera isn’t a world-class striker either, De Andrade has a dangerous tendency of planting his feet and swinging for the fences in almost every exchange. Nevertheless, De Andrade has good grappling, which is likely to help him befuddle Vera.
De Andrade’s rhythm may be off-putting as well, and Vera may have trouble reading the former’s patterns. De Andrade is likely to out-point Vera in a grinding performance en route to a decision victory.
Prediction: Douglas Silva de Andrade def. Marlon Vera via Decision
#4 Iuri Alcantara vs. Joe Soto
Iuri Alcantara went from highly regarded prospect to a fading veteran over the past few years.
Regardless, against Joe Soto, Alcantara may not have as much trouble. The latter is likely to wade into range with overhands throughout the matchup, however, Soto is tough enough to eat the shots.
Soto has been finished on more than one occasion owing to defensive lapses in his striking, however, against Alcantara he’s likely to be knocked down rather than going out completely. Alcantara can be expected to rock, drop, and submit Soto in the second or third stanzas of this matchup.
Prediction: Iuri Alcantara def. Joe Soto via Submission
