Diggin’ Deep on UFC Fresno: Swanson vs. Ortega - Fight Pass preview

Get the inside scoop on UFC’s Fresno’s appetizer, featuring longtime UFC bantamweight mainstay Iuri Alcantara attempting to hold off TUF winner Alejandro Perez.

Is it any surprise we have another UFC card this weekend? Given the low profile of this card, it may be a surprise to some. This card comes from Fresno… so perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise. The early portion of the card features an eclectic group of fighters, from longtime veterans to relative newcomers. Is it worth catching? Only if you’re a hardcore fan. Though all of the fights have a certain degree of intrigue to them, none of them will guarantee fireworks. None of them contain the next can’t-miss prospect. None of them feature names most fans will recognize. It doesn’t mean they suck, but there is no reason for me to peddle fights when that isn’t what I’m paid to do.

The Fight Pass prelims begin at 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT on Saturday.

Alejandro Perez (19-6-1) vs. Iuri Alcantara (34-8, 1 NC), Bantamweight

It’s no secret the UFC has been trying very hard to make inroads into Mexico. Remember their massive push of Cain Velasquez? As one of the original winners of TUF Latin America, Perez was expected to be one of the forerunners leading the charge to bring MMA to the masses of the USA’s neighbors to the south. Unfortunately for them, Perez hasn’t been able to gain the same traction as fellow TUF winner Yair Rodriguez. Even his victories appear to do more damage than good. His last contest was a controversial split decision win as he made zero adjustments to Andre Soukhamthath, simply waiting until the hard-charging Soukhamthath gassed out before outworking him. Perez doesn’t do anything particularly well, but isn’t especially weak in any one area either. His biggest strength: his deep gas tank.

Alcantara has been known to fade down the stretch, leaving Perez an avenue to victory that many may be failing to see. That’s because Alcantara is still an above average athlete despite clocking in at the age of 37. He’s a creative submission artist – see his leglock of Luke Sanders earlier this year – and can still occasionally explode with bursts of violence to secure a finish. However, he also doesn’t offer much in terms of defense, his loss via guillotine choke to Brian Kelleher being a perfect example of that. Another weakness: his takedown defense.

Perez has been unable to make good every time he gets a step up in competition. That doesn’t mean he can’t win. Could Alcantara fall off a cliff given his age? Sure. He could end up gassing himself early too which would allow Perez to make a comeback similar to how he did against Soukhamthath. Some may point to Alcantara being dominated by Sanders before securing the sub, but Perez is more of a point fighter as opposed to showing the ability to finish. Thus, I see Alcantara holding onto his gatekeeping role just a bit longer. Alcantara via decision

Chris Gruetzemacher (13-2) vs. Davi Ramos (6-2), Lightweight

Though he has spent most of his career at featherweight, Gruetzemacher has decided he’s best suited at 155. Given he’s a grinder, a style that is most effective when you’re bigger than your opponent, that’s a hell of a risk he’s taking. He may have the right opponent to make it work. Ramos is a multiple time world BJJ champion… but isn’t a particularly good wrestler. As you would expect from a BJJ world champion – we’re talking serious high level BJJ here -- Ramos does have a dangerous guard, but will it be enough to keep Gruetzemacher from taking him down?

To be fair, Gruetzemacher hasn’t relied on takedowns in his brief UFC tenure, relying on a lot of pressure with a steady stream of punches and low kicks. He doesn’t have a lot of power, but his constant barrage can wear out his opponent. Ramos hasn’t displayed a deep gas tank himself, but he is an impressive athlete with a lot of explosion. He doesn’t have a whole lot of technique or guile in his standup, but he does have enough natural power that opponents have to take the threat of his overhand connecting seriously.

Given the sheer numbers of fighters on the UFC roster at lightweight, there are fights out there Gruetzemacher can win. This is certainly one of them. However, he’s the inferior athlete here and is just as likely to lose as he is to win. Ramos should look more comfortable in his second UFC appearance, especially considering he won’t be the smaller man in the cage this time as his UFC debut was a short notice contest at welterweight. I think the Brazilian will find a way to snag a submission. Ramos via submission of RD1

Antonio Braga Neto (9-2, 1 NC) vs. Trevin Giles (10-0), Middleweight

To give you an idea of how active Neto has been in the last five years, he has less fights under his belt than GSP does in that time… and GSP went nearly a full four years without fighting! Neto has been beset with a plethora of injuries and is only now making a comeback, his last fight coming 41 months ago. Making his money playing poker during that time – I’m not joking – the former World Jiu-Jitsu champion claims to be rejuvenated. With a lanky 6'3" frame and 77" reach, Neto uses his long limbs to entangle his opponents on the ground rather than striking from range.

Giles is going to be a difficult matchup for the Brazilian, at least on the feet. Though not quite as long as Neto, Giles has a good feel for striking, making the proper adjustments from a distance after a bit of a rough start against James Bochnovic in his UFC debut. Given Bochnovic had a 7-inch reach advantage, that’s impressive. Giles real strength is his ground-and-pound, where he meticulously picks his strikes, mixing in brutal elbows with his punches. He has shown the ability to seamlessly transition into submissions too, but he’s also been reckless at times, leaving him prone to being submitted himself. That could be music to Neto’s ears.

Nobody knows what type of shape Neto is in. He’s still young at 30-years old despite his long absence, so he might be able to salvage a once promising career. However, I can’t put faith in him coming back strong the way I did when GSP returned given the prior trajectory of their careers. GSP is a legend. Neto was a journeyman. Giles has shown a lot of promise with a lot of room to improve given he isn’t even four years into his pro career. I’ll take youth and activity. Giles via TKO of RD2