On a fight card that is filled with The Ultimate Fighter cast members making their UFC debut, veterans Jonathan Brookins and Charles Oliveira went at it in an exciting featherweight clash at The Ultimate Fighter Live Finale on Friday night.
After a first round that was mostly contested on the feet, Oliveira took the fight to the ground midway through the second, fought off a submission attempt from Brookins and ended up locking in his own guillotine choke a few seconds later to earn the win.
What we’ll remember about this fight
Charles Oliveira is a scary fighter once it hits the mat.
We’ve known this for a while, but his ability to lock in a guillotine from an awkward position against a talented fighter like Brookins shows just how good he is on the mat.
What we learned about Jonathan Brookins
Brookins never looked outclassed, but he had a lot of trouble dealing with the range and speed of Oliveira.
Brookins has made his name as a grappling specialist in the UFC, but it’s tough to justify going to the ground against a guy like Oliveira, and he ended up trying to exchange with a slightly better striker.
If Brookins can improve his stand-up, he’ll be a very tough test for anyone at 145.
What we learned about Charles Oliveira
The submission specialist has showed off his skills on the feet, and as we’ve seen before, Oliveira is wild and entertaining when the fight stays upright.
But they call him a submission specialist for a reason, and once Oliveira get a hold of a limb or your neck, it’s usually just a matter of time before the tapout.
What’s next for Jonathan Brookins
Brookins has a lot of skill and has looked decent against good competition at featherweight so far, so I don’t think he needs to fall too far down the ladder.
A fight with Diego Nunes, who recently lost a decision to Dennis Siver, would be interesting for both guys.
What’s next for Charles Oliveira
Since we’re giving Brookins a fight against Nunes, why not throw Oliveira in there with Dennis Siver?
It would be a fun fight to watch between two former lightweights, and the winner would be within striking distance of a title eliminator fight.
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