Get the scoop on the main card action from Greenville, featuring two of the hardest hitting bantamweights colliding in KO specialist John Lineker and the lanky Rob Font.
The narrative of the main card is similar to the prelims: not much name value, but these should be some fun fights. To be fair, there is more name value on the main card, and I’m not referring to the main event between the Korean Zombie and Renato Moicano. John Lineker has headlined cards before. Bryan Barberena has developed a cult following as a near-indestructible action-fighter. And many believe Andrea Lee is going to be fighting for the women’s flyweight title soon. Hmm…maybe there is more name value than I initially gave it credit for – or maybe I pay too close of attention to know who casuals actually know. Regardless, this is a fun card.
The main card begins at 7:00 PM ET/4:00 PM PT on Saturday on ESPN+.
John Lineker (31-9) vs. Rob Font (16-4), Bantamweight – Fight cancelled
If there is one thing I can guarantee, it’s that very little of this contest – if any part of it – will take place on the ground as these two love to stand and bang. So this one is for all you fans that love a good ol’ fashioned slobber knocker.
Originally scheduled to meet Cody Stamann, Font lucked out when Lineker agreed to step in on short notice when Stamann pulled out with an injury. Well…saying that Font lucked out might be going light on the KO power of Lineker, something Font tasted three years ago. Normally an aggressive pressure fighter who has been expanding on his hook-heavy offense, Font found himself retreating under the pressure and power of Lineker frequently in their first meeting. Font isn’t the same fighter he was at that time – I did say he’s expanded on his hook-heavy offense – doing a better job of utilizing his long reach and attacking the body. He has also said the right things leading up to the fight, but I don’t need to tell y’all there is a difference between saying and doing.
What may be in Font’s favor is the belief by some that Lineker may be slowing down. The hard-hitting Brazilian known for his KO power is not only coming off an upset loss to Cody Sandhagen, but hasn’t been quite the same fighter since having his jaw broken at the hands of TJ Dillashaw late in 2016. That doesn’t mean Lineker isn’t aggressive anymore, but he doesn’t have the same lust to stand and trade fisticuffs that he used to. Is he slowing down? Did having his jaw broken make him less averse to taking damage? Is he trying to extend his career by avoiding damage? Nonetheless, Lineker is still one of the most feared strikers, is still largely a brawler, and can still take a punch with the best of them.
This should be a more competitive contest than the first time they met. Font does a better job of utilizing his range and Lineker doesn’t appear to be the bulldozer he once was. Nonetheless, I struggle to see Lineker not closing the distance at various times and delivering some of heavy leather much like he did in their first contest. Perhaps he’ll even get the finish this time around…. Lineker via TKO of RD2
Bryan Barberena (14-6) vs. Randy Brown (10-3), Welterweight
It’s impossible to not respect Barberena. On the receiving end of one of the most brutal beatings of the year this past February from Vicente Luque, Barberena remained dangerous up until the very end himself. On several occasions when it appeared Luque was on the verge of dropping the MMA Lab representative, Barberena would throw back when most would have crumpled. Owner of a bottomless gas tank, Barberena will unleash an endless stream of punishment if given the opportunity. Takedowns are usually his opponent’s best option to slow him down, but Barberena rarely stays on the ground for very long. One-punch power isn’t in his arsenal, but his power is generally one of his more underrated attributes.
In terms of physical skills, Brown owns just about every advantage on Barberena. He’s bigger, longer, faster… probably more powerful too. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say Brown is one of the better athletes on the entire roster. However, the lanky New Yorker is still figuring out what to do with all of his prodigious physical gifts. For stretches, he flashes an awesome jab. At other times, his opponents easily finds their way into the pocket. Brown isn’t too bad in the clinch either and has shown improvement in his wrestling too, but I got a hunch the UFC brass may be running out of patience with him if he doesn’t put it all together soon.
For whatever reason, I don’t see Brown living up to his talents. He seems like a nice guy, but I haven’t seen the desire, confidence, or killer instinct that typifies winning fighters at the highest level. Barberena has all of those in spades. Barberena will march Brown down with little to no regard for what Brown throws back at him, either giving Brown the longest 15 minutes of his life or making him cry uncle before that. Barberena via TKO of RD2
Andrea Lee (10-2) vs. Montana De la Rosa (10-4), Women’s Flyweight
Lee’s been in the headlines a bit as of late given the capture and arrest of her estranged husband. While nobody wants to be featured in that light, the native Texan has the physical tools to be known for more than a loser spouse. Showing her versatility in her two UFC contests, Lee won her first contest in the Octagon on the strength of her wrestling before showing her striking chops in her sophomore effort. Basically, Lee tends to take the fight where her opponent is weakest. In this case, she’s going to look to stand and bang with De la Rosa.
De la Rosa’s UFC run may be the most impressive from the TUF cast that initially competed for the inaugural flyweight title. She’s picked up three straight submission wins on the strength of her fantastic scrambling and fundamentally sound wrestling. However, De la Rosa has also benefited from some favorable matchmaking, since none of her opponents coming close to her pedigree on the mat. Lee may not match her pedigree either, but she will have a strength advantage and isn’t too shabby on the ground.
This is a tough contest to pick. Lee’s takedown defense isn’t exactly rock solid and De la Rosa may only need a single scramble in order to find the opening she needs to snatch victory. However, De la Rosa has also had issues with opponents possessing a significant strength advantage on her and Lee will certainly have that. I’ll go with Lee to keep the fight standing just enough to outpoint De la Rosa for a tight decision. Lee via decision
As for what’s left….
- If you don’t know who Kevin Holland is, trust me, you’ll want to get to know him. The lanky middleweight is one of the most entertaining fighters on the roster. It isn’t that he’s a KO artist or a wiz on the mat. It’s that he’s willing to try anything that has the slightest inkling of working out, trash talking the whole way to boot. I realize that typically sounds like a recipe for disaster, but his toughness and raw physical skills allow him to get away with it. He faces another sound athlete in the Italian, Alessio Di Chirico. Di Chirico is your textbook does-everything-well, does-nothing-spectacular. If anything stands out, it would be his toughness as he’s never been KO’d and endured a hell of a brawl with Julian Marquez. Another contest that isn’t easy to pick as both have shown growth in their UFC run, but I’m favoring Holland’s creativity to get the job done. Holland via decision