Everything you need to know about the lightweights opening up the solid main card to Fight Night 81 in Boston with a matchup between two opposites on the feet.
Ross Pearson tries to expand on a great last win over Paul Felder this January 17, 2016 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
The Match Up
Lightweight Ross Pearson 18-9 vs. Francisco Trinaldo 18-4
The Odds
Lightweight Ross Pearson -150 vs. Francisco Trinaldo +130
3 Things You Need to Know
1. Ross Pearson is not as good as his win over Paul Felder would indicate, but that doesn’t make him any less of a fighter.
When the jury is still out on your ceiling as a UFC fighter after 17 bouts, then the jury is out. Beating Paul Felder was a big deal. Sure, Felder’s fanclub may have overstated his talents, but none of this should distract from a struggling fighter beating an imposing talent. Pearson has had a tough schedule, losing only to Evan Dunham, Al Iaquinta, and Diego Sanchez. Those names sounded better in my head. But these are all quality fighters. And at least one of them was a ridiculous decision. Nonetheless, as a critic, it’s enough to distance him from his loss to Cole Miller. Fights rarely get easier at Lightweight, and this one is no different despite the opponent being closer to his 40’s.
2. Trinaldo is faceless to casual fans as a Braziliam warm body, but there are plenty of reasons to be excited for his main card presence.
Trinaldo is a solid 8-3 in the UFC. He’s becoming quite the Gleison Tibau. While his competition is lacking, he hasn’t exactly been demolished in his losses. Coming from a impoverished background, he struggled just getting into the sport, but has been a steady presence ever since, mostly making a name for himself in Brazil’s Jungle Fight promotion. This fight could be a big deal for him, since Ross is fairly high profile as far as lightweights go. Another high profile fight would get him in shouting distance of the real contenders. A truly rare opportunity for a lightweight his age.
3. Fireworks in spots for Ross Pearson vs. Francisco Trinaldo, but don’t expect Canelo vs Cotto.
Both guys have broad strengths on the feet. Pearson likes to work with a fight script; snapping the jab, chambering his right and left for orthodox violence on the move. He’s capable of countering just by sheer virtue of his poise in the pocket. Trinaldo likes to snap his left hand from his southpaw stance from the hips. He’s not sneaky powerful, but the winging nature of his punches make for the kind of drama there isn’t enough of in his bouts.
Trinaldo’s problem is that he has no fight script, and he’s not quick enough to improvise when necessary. He’s capable of Plan B when Plan A fails, but he gets lost in the difference between the two, and how to change fight plans on the fly. He remains a stalwart in the division with his aptitude on the ground to compliment the raw horsepower on the feet.
For Pearson, his trouble manifests itself when the counters aren’t readily available. If he’s denied opportunity, he has trouble creating his own. And when he’s creating his own opportunities, he does so in the kind of blue collar fashion that can be easily disrupted by the superior athlete. He’s rarely had opportunities against the truly elite for a reason. I hate arguing something so hypothetical, but that Melvin Guillard fight did not look like it was gonna go his way at all. For this reason, Trinaldo is a legit threat here, and a great value bet.
Prediction
The only problem I have with Trinaldo is that he doesn’t fit the pattern of most fighters who give Pearson trouble except in real superficial ways. Ross’ ability to both pressure and counter effectively makes him dangerous no matter what Trinaldo is trying to do. Size and strength are factors in favor of him, but not enough to really offset the what I suspect Pearson will be able to do to him on the feet all three rounds. Not comfortable with this pick at all, but I got Ross Pearson by Decision.