Yuri Alcantara and Jimmie Rivera will go to war this Saturday (Jan. 30, 2016) at UFC on FOX 18 inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. In a match up of veteran Bantamweights, what adjustments must be made for either man to claim victory? Find out below!
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweights Yuri Alcantara and Jimmie Rivera will throw down this Saturday (Jan. 30, 2016) at UFC on FOX 18 inside Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
On the whole, Alcantara’s drop to Bantamweight has been rather successful, as he’s won most of his fights and established himself as a ranked fighter. However, he still needs a big string of wins to push him into the title mix, and that win streak needs to begin here.
Meanwhile, Rivera is on a massive win streak, including his first two victories inside the Octagon. Bantamweight needs new contenders at the top of the division, and Rivera is doing his best to get his name on that short-list.
Let’s take a look at the keys to victory for both men:
Yuri Alcantara
Record: 33-6 (1)
Key Wins: Russell Doane (UFC Fight Night 51), Wilson Reis (UFC Fight Night 36), Felipe Arantes (UFC 134)
Key Losses: Urijah Faber (UFC Fight Night 26), Frankie Saenz (UFC Fight Night 61)
Keys to Victory: Alcantara is a highly dangerous Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and knockout artist. When he’s able to get control the fight and attack, he’s a rather deadly finisher, having ended 26 of his opponents’ nights early.
This is a very dangerous match up for Alcantara. Rivera may be a relative unknown still, but he’s a very skilled fighter with great takedowns and top control, something that Alcantara has struggled with in the past.
However, Rivera is also fairly hittable and willing to trade. While Rivera has found his power in the last several years, Alcantara is still the more naturally gifted puncher and more veteran striker.
Therefore, Alcantara’s strategy seems fairly simple. On the outside, the Brazilian should keep his opponent away with long kicks and punches, which should help him avoid the takedown. Then, he can step in with sudden, hard punches and try to slip through his opponent’s defense. Additionally, Alcantara could wait for Rivera to come to him and try to counter punch, which would be made easier by Alcantara’s significant height advantage.
VS.
Jimmie Rivera
Record: 18-1
Key Wins: Pedro Munoz (UFC Fight Night 77), Marcus Brimage (UFC Fight Night 72)
Key Losses: None
Keys to Victory: Rivera is an aggressive, high-volume boxer with a great deal of athleticism and some wrestling skill as well. Most importantly, Rivera’s punches now pack some serious pop, as three of his four knockout victories have come within the last year or so.
In this bout, Rivera needs to rely on his pressure and takedowns. Lately, he’s been doing a lot of pressuring but keeping the fight on the feet. While that could be a viable path to success for him, Alcantara has historically been plagued by fighters who can keep heavy top pressure and wear him down.
In addition the being the safer game plan, grinding Alcantara down could also produce a finish for Rivera. If his opponent starts to slow down from the exhausting wrestling exchanges, some openings for his quick combinations could definitely appear.
Similarly, even if Rivera cannot finish his takedowns, clinching up with Alcantara ensures that Rivera is within his punching range. At his range, Rivera’s output is tough to match, making close range and dirty boxing exchanges another viable route to victory for the New Jersey native.
Bottom Line: There aren’t a ton of contenders at Bantamweight, but there are a ton of up-and-coming players. This is a major test for one of them.
In this situation, Alcantara is serving as that test. He’s been around for a while and is a solid veteran, capable of giving just about anyone in the division a tough fight. However, he’s currently the gatekeeper to the Top 10, and a loss obviously keeps him in that position.
While a win wouldn’t immediately vault him up the rankings, it’s a solid start. Rivera is a quality prospect — if we can call a man with 20 fights a prospect — and a victory over him would definitely give the Brazilian some upward momentum.
The stakes are far higher for Rivera. Though he’s just 26 years old, Rivera is in his eighth year as a professional and has been around the block more than a few times. He doesn’t need to get more experience or training, as he’s already a pretty finished product.
In short, that means a win here could earn Rivera a position inside the Top 10. Considering this should be his prime, that’s precisely where Rivera needs to be to make a run at the title. However, a loss would delay those plans and obscure Rivera’s status a bit, as there are other hungry Bantamweights on the rise that would love to leapfrog him.
At UFC on FOX 18, Yuri Alcantara and Jimmie Rivera will scrap in what is sure to be a firefight. Which man will remain standing when the dust settles?