vs
+125 -124
UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 · Apr 16, 2022 · Lightweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 Next Fight
Age 31
Height 5' 7"
Reach 70"
Weight 155 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Age 40
Height 5' 10"
Reach 70.0"
Weight 155 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Career Averages - Rafa García
4.31 SLpM
45.0% Str. Acc.
4.54 SApM
61.0% Str. Def.
3.13 TD Avg
44.0% TD Acc.
76.0% TD Def.
0.5 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Jesse Ronson
3.54 SLpM
47.0% Str. Acc.
3.39 SApM
57.0% Str. Def.
0.46 TD Avg
28.0% TD Acc.
57.0% TD Def.
0.5 Sub. Avg
Rafa García
Moneyline
Caesars +125
KO/TKO
DraftKings +600
Submission
FanDuel +800
Decision
FanDuel +200
Jesse Ronson
Moneyline
BetRivers -124
KO/TKO
FanDuel +480
Submission
BetRivers +900
Decision
FanDuel +260
Rafa García - Fight History
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Sterling vs. Zalal · Apr 25, 2026
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rafa García 0 59 of 169 34% 79 of 194 4 of 7 57% 0 0 1:50
Alexander Hernandez 0 50 of 145 34% 54 of 149 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rafa García 0 10 of 40 25% 15 of 45 2 of 2 100% 0 0 0:28
Alexander Hernandez 0 8 of 27 29% 8 of 27 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Rafa García 0 20 of 66 30% 20 of 66 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:10
Alexander Hernandez 0 18 of 38 47% 18 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Rafa García 0 29 of 63 46% 44 of 83 2 of 4 50% 0 0 1:12
Alexander Hernandez 0 24 of 80 30% 28 of 84 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rafa García 59 of 169 34% 52 of 161 1 of 2 6 of 6 57 of 165 2 of 3 0 of 1
Alexander Hernandez 50 of 145 34% 40 of 126 9 of 14 1 of 5 50 of 145 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rafa García 10 of 40 25% 6 of 36 0 of 0 4 of 4 10 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 1
Alexander Hernandez 8 of 27 29% 5 of 20 3 of 4 0 of 3 8 of 27 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Rafa García 20 of 66 30% 19 of 65 0 of 0 1 of 1 19 of 65 1 of 1 0 of 0
Alexander Hernandez 18 of 38 47% 14 of 32 3 of 4 1 of 2 18 of 38 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Rafa García 29 of 63 46% 27 of 60 1 of 2 1 of 1 28 of 61 1 of 2 0 of 0
Alexander Hernandez 24 of 80 30% 21 of 74 3 of 6 0 of 0 24 of 80 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Rafa Garcia vs. Alexander Hernandez
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Hernandez (-145); Garcia (+120)

Round 1
Going forward, the last six athletes tonight hoist UFC records above .500. Even with a defeat, any one of the losing parties will not fall to that threshold either. Garcia (18-4, 6-4 UFC) has seen some serious success as of late, winning four of five including a knockout of Jared Gordon in his last time out. Hernandez (18-8, 10-7 UFC) finally gets to fight again after a UFC 324 match against Michael Johnson was nixed due to extreme betting irregularities. Referee Kerry Hatley will stand vigilant while the lightweights engage in sanctioned fisticuffs, with the two athletes not bothering to bump fists first.
They engage in some early jabbery and pokery, with Garcia looking to follow his ones with right hands. He scores one to drive Hernandez back a few steps, reddening the Texan’s nose immediately. Garcia nails the front leg with a kick so hard that Hernandez has to recoil it behind his other leg, and he circles on the outer edge looking for a way in. Garcia plans a kick on the front leg again while Hernandez is about to engage, shutting that attack down. Hernandez steps in with a knee to the body, getting it off just before Garcia can hit him with his overhand right. Garcia bounces and works his way forward, staying away from Hernandez’ kicks as he jabs straight ahead. Garcia wings a short left hook that brushes the chin, putting “The Great Ape” on notice.
Hernandez shadowboxes on the outside edge, unable to get close, while Garcia can seemingly close the distance at will. Garcia plans a kick on the inside calf, and Hernandez gives him back a loud body kick to think about. Garcia plods forward using a tight, high guard, keeping Hernandez to largely single strikes. Garcia stings his opponent and sees an opening to drop down to his knees to get hold a double, and he tosses Hernandez down for a second. Hernandez climbs back up, and Garcia elevates him with a high-crotch lift and slams him down with gravitas. Hernandez appears no worse for wear as both men gets back to their feet without issue, but it is Garcia who continues to press the action. Hernandez comes up short on his winging punches, but a left hand brushes open a cut on Garcia’s left eye. Hernandez is shoved to his knees, and he eats a few shots before the round concludes.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 2
Picking up right where he left off, Garcia is the pressure fighter. He works his way in to drive a left hand down the middle, drawing a thin trickle of blood from his foe’s left nostril. Hernandez keeps his wits about him as Garcia plods towards him, but the volume from Garcia has diminished to a degree. Garcia walks his man down to put three fists on the face, and he chases but does not cut off “The Great Ape” as he stays right in front of him. Hernandez has to desperately scramble from side to side to get away, and the accuracy of Garcia is something to behold as Hernandez appears shocked when he gets caught repeatedly.
Hernandez tries to back Garcia off with a head kick, but Garcia blocks it and flashes a devilish grin. Garcia counters a front kick with a right hand down the pipe, snapping the head back and forcing Hernandez to circle rapidly to his right away from the power. The fists of Garcia have quickly transformed Hernandez’ visage into a bloody mess, while Garcia’s light wound on his eyebrow opens up again during a fierce but brief exchange. Garcia wades forward, stops, winds up and throws, and he tags Hernandez flush. He changes levels to break things up, and Hernandez keeps to his feet and backs off. Garcia jabs him up and starts talking to him as the round ends, with both men getting into the other’s face. Hatley has to separate them and usher them back to their respective corners.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 3
Garcia does not stay seated in his corner long enough to get his eye cut sealed, as he is amped up and ready to throw hands. He does exactly that when the third round kicks off, stepping right into the pocket to throw hammers. Hernandez has to inevitably retreat due to the pressure, so Garcia does not let him off the hook. Garcia throws everything and the kitchen sink, and Hernandez’ chin is granite but as it starts to fade, he starts to engage less and circle more. With Hernandez backpedaling, Garcia rushes after him and pursues a takedown.
Hernandez stands him up with his back to the fence, keeping his balance as blood leaks from his nose. Garcia elevates and dumps Hernandez down, and when Hernandez stands, Garcia belts him with a sharp combination. Hernandez throws back no matter the position, but Garcia is unafraid of the return offerings. Hernandez starts to pick things up, almost certainly down on the scorecards, and he manages to back Garcia up after landing cleanly a few times. The fighters duke it out one after the other, with big damage developing around Hernandez’ left eye. No one cares about damage or blood or anything, engaging in an absolutely rip-roaring slugfest for the remainder of the round. Damage was inflicted aplenty in their 15-minute engagement, and the fighters squash any inkling of a beef right after the final horn blares.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia (30-27 Garcia)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez (29-28 Garcia)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Hernandez (29-28 Garcia)

The Official Result
Rafa Garcia def. Alexander Hernandez via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 19, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Alexander Hernandez

Angelo picks Alexander Hernandez as the better fighter, citing his explosiveness, speed, cardio, and power. He notes that Hernandez is on a four-fight win streak with back-to-back knockouts. He acknowledges that Rafa García is the better straight wrestler, but believes Hernandez scrambles well and has good cardio. He expresses concern that Hernandez needs to pull the trigger and not be outworked.

"Alexander Hernandez is the better fighter, so he's the pick. I just need him to actually pull the trigger."
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Apr 21, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Rafa García

Big Brady picks Rafa García over Alexander Hernandez. He sees advantages for García in boxing volume, wrestling, durability, and cardio. He expects a close fight but believes García's pace and cardio will be key, predicting a split decision win.

García wins by decision
"I'm going to take Garcia Garcia by decision."
DI
Diary of a Pro Gambler Expert Confident picked Apr 25, 2026 (fight day)
Rafa García

The host thinks Garcia is the better fighter but had a poor last performance. He expects a stand-up fight where Garcia can pressure Hernandez and test his gas tank. He notes Hernandez slows down and Garcia is durable, having been finished only once. He will bet Garcia +3.5 because Garcia is very likely to win the third round, and the fight likely goes to decision.

Garcia +3.5 rounds; fight likely goes to decision; great for live betting
"I will be betting Rafa Garcia plus 3.5 just because... I think it's very very very very very likely Garcia will win the third round."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Lean picked Apr 19, 2026 (6 days before fight)
Alexander Hernandez

James picks Alexander Hernandez, citing his athleticism and power advantage. He expects Hernandez to win the first two rounds and possibly fade in the third, but still outwork Garcia. He notes Garcia's toughness but believes Hernandez's level is higher.

"I like Alexander Hernandez in this one. I think he's going to get it done."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 21, 2026 (4 days before fight)
Rafa García

Garcia is on a two-fight winning streak with good durability and volume striking. Hernandez has a four-fight winning streak but relies on power and wrestling, and he has a questionable gas tank. Garcia should be able to stuff takedowns, outwork Hernandez on the feet, and pull away in the later rounds to win a decision.

"I think we'll see Garcia shuck off the takedowns of Hernandez or at least showcase enough resistance there that Hernandez can't grind out rounds. And then on the feet, I think Garcia has good enough uh durability that he should …"
WIN vs Jared Gordon
KO R3 2:27 · UFC Fight Night: Lopes vs. Silva · Sep 13, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rafa García 1 91 of 162 56% 107 of 179 2 of 3 66% 2 1 2:01
Jared Gordon 0 65 of 186 34% 80 of 201 1 of 3 33% 0 0 0:09
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rafa García 0 22 of 41 53% 23 of 42 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:24
Jared Gordon 0 23 of 64 35% 24 of 65 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Rafa García 0 33 of 61 54% 48 of 77 1 of 2 50% 1 1 1:12
Jared Gordon 0 31 of 86 36% 45 of 100 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:09
3 Rafa García 1 36 of 60 60% 36 of 60 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:25
Jared Gordon 0 11 of 36 30% 11 of 36 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rafa García 91 of 162 56% 74 of 144 7 of 7 10 of 11 70 of 137 10 of 11 11 of 14
Jared Gordon 65 of 186 34% 55 of 171 8 of 13 2 of 2 65 of 186 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rafa García 22 of 41 53% 15 of 33 2 of 2 5 of 6 20 of 39 2 of 2 0 of 0
Jared Gordon 23 of 64 35% 16 of 55 5 of 7 2 of 2 23 of 64 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Rafa García 33 of 61 54% 26 of 54 3 of 3 4 of 4 27 of 55 6 of 6 0 of 0
Jared Gordon 31 of 86 36% 29 of 82 2 of 4 0 of 0 31 of 86 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Rafa García 36 of 60 60% 33 of 57 2 of 2 1 of 1 23 of 43 2 of 3 11 of 14
Jared Gordon 11 of 36 30% 10 of 34 1 of 2 0 of 0 11 of 36 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Rafa Garcia vs. Jared Gordon
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Gordon (-240); Garcia (+200)

Round 1
Kerry Hatley is the referee. Garcia opens with a low kick. Gordon steps in and lands a left. Gordon crashes forward and they exchange. Garcia fires right back. They trade leg kicks but Garcia is more impactful. Gordon probes with a lead hook and a jab. He follows up with a 1-2. A straight right connects for Garcia. A hard leg kick lands for Garcia. A short right by Garcia buckles Gordon’s knees momentarily, but he’s still in the fight. Gordon lands a body kick and then a striaght right. Garcia catches a kick and tags his foe with a right. Gordon stumbles to the floor but pops right back up. Garcia is hunting for that right and finds the range on another one. A stiff jab backs Gordon up. Gordon sticks a jab of his own. A counter right by Gordon makes an impact. He strings some punches together to back Garcia up. As Gordon gains momentum, Garcia changes levels and gets a takedown. Gordon gets to the fence and stands. They stay in the clinch, and Garcia lands a left on the break. Gordon lands a left hook before the end of the period.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Gordon
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Gordon
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Gordon

Round 2
Garcia makes Gordon stumble backward with a left at the outset. They’re trading and Gordon gets the better of it. Garcia jumps a guillotine and then rolls into mount. Gordon gets out of it and now must defend Garcia from his back. Gordon moves to the fence and works his way up. Garcia tries to drag Gordon down but it’s unsuccessful. They get back to boxing in the center of the cage. Plent of shots are landing. Gordon has Garcia covering up after landing a couple big rights. Garcia clinches and lands some uppercuts in close. Gordon jabs and then touches his foe with a right. Garcia with a stiff jab, but a counter left hook by Gordon has Garcia backing up. They’re trading in the pocket, but Gordon is landing combinations with more volume. However, Garcia cuts his opponent with an elbow. Gordon with a front kick down the middle. Garcia stumbles after eating a left hook. Garcia with a hard elbow in close quarters late and concludes the round with a takedown as time expires.

Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Mike Pendleton scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 3
Garcia opens with a 1-2. He follows with an inside leg kick. Gordon responds with a combination in the pocket. They clinch and Garcia lands a couple of slashing elbows. Gordon pumps his jab. A left hook from Garcia stops Gordon. A heavy 1-2 finds the mark for Garcia, who then rips the body. GArcia is upping the volume as Gordon seems to be slowing. A right by Gordon lands on the side of the head, but Garcia is still attacking. Garcia rips the body with a left. A clean short right to the chin sends Gordon tumbling to the floor. Garcia tees off with punches on his reeling opponent before locking in a modified rear-naked choke. It’s pretty tight, but
he gives up on the submission to pummel Gordon with elbows from top position. He batters a bloodied Gordon with several more elbows before Hatley intervenes.
It’s a violent finish and just Garcia’s second career win via KO or TKO.

The Official Result
Rafa Gacia def. Jared Gordon via TKO (Elbows) R3 2:27
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Sep 7, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Jared Gordon

Angelo picks Jared Gordon, calling him the better overall fighter and more well-rounded. He notes Gordon is a good wrestler with high volume striking, tough and busy. He says he has seen Rafa Garcia get decisions that weren't his, and Jared Gordon not get decisions that should have been his. He is surprised to see Gordon as a 3-to-1 favorite. He suggests Rafa Garcia plus 3.5 as a possible bet.

Rafa Garcia plus three and a half might be the best bet here.
"I am going to pick Jared Gordon here. I have seen with my own eyes Rafa Garcia get decisions that weren't his."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Sep 11, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Jared Gordon

Big Brady picks Gordon due to his pace, volume, and recent power. He worries about corrupt judges but expects Gordon to win a decision. He notes Garcia is tough and has only been knocked out by Grant Dawson, so a finish is unlikely.

Decision win; not in love with the price
"Give me Gordon here. Not in love with the price tag to be honest, but I think he wins the fight and wins it by decision."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Sep 11, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Jared Gordon

Connor picks Jared Gordon, emphasizing Gordon's technical boxing and ability to impose his game plan. He notes that García's loss to Chris Gruetzemacher shows he can be outworked, and Gordon is a more dangerous fighter than Gruetzemacher. Connor believes Gordon's pressure and sharper striking will overcome García's durability and lack of strategy.

"I think that Gordon can repeat that kind of success because he's a much more dangerous fighter than Chris Gruetzemacher was."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Sep 10, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Jared Gordon

Gordon is a big fan favorite and the host believes Garcia's lack of knockout threat allows Gordon to dictate the pace. He expects Gordon to stay on the gas, put Garcia against the cage, land takedowns, and win on the scorecards.

"I think this is a matchup where the lack of knockout threat from Rafa Garcia will allow Gordon to dictate the pace of this fight. Look for him to stay on the gas, put Garcia up against the cage, maybe …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Sep 10, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Jared Gordon

The MMA Guru picks Jared Gordon, calling him the most underrated lightweight on the roster. He argues Gordon's boxing is superior to Garcia's and that Garcia lacks power. He criticizes Garcia's wins as unimpressive and believes Gordon should be a bigger favorite. He predicts a dominant performance with a TKO in the late second round, possibly including a 10-8 round.

TKO late second round
"I'm going with Jared Gordon, the most underrated lightweight on the roster. ... I'm going to say Jared Gordon gets this one done by a TKO in the first or second round."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Sep 11, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Jared Gordon

Zane picks Jared Gordon, citing Gordon's improved boxing form and power, which should allow him to land the bigger shots. He notes that García is durable but lacks power and a strategic approach, often floating through fights. Zane believes Gordon's consistent pressure and sharper striking will win a three-round war, as García's lack of imposition makes him vulnerable.

"I think I have to pick Jared Gordon in that kind of fight. He is likely to land the bigger shots."
WIN vs Vinc Pichel
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Erceg · Mar 29, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rafa García 0 64 of 120 53% 76 of 136 2 of 6 33% 0 0 2:15
Vinc Pichel 0 79 of 182 43% 88 of 191 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:01
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rafa García 0 12 of 24 50% 19 of 33 1 of 2 50% 0 0 1:06
Vinc Pichel 0 13 of 38 34% 21 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Rafa García 0 21 of 49 42% 24 of 52 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:23
Vinc Pichel 0 32 of 70 45% 32 of 70 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Rafa García 0 31 of 47 65% 33 of 51 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:46
Vinc Pichel 0 34 of 74 45% 35 of 75 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:01
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rafa García 64 of 120 53% 49 of 102 12 of 14 3 of 4 59 of 114 4 of 5 1 of 1
Vinc Pichel 79 of 182 43% 32 of 116 27 of 43 20 of 23 74 of 174 4 of 7 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rafa García 12 of 24 50% 7 of 17 3 of 4 2 of 3 11 of 23 1 of 1 0 of 0
Vinc Pichel 13 of 38 34% 7 of 30 2 of 3 4 of 5 12 of 36 0 of 1 1 of 1
2 Rafa García 21 of 49 42% 16 of 44 4 of 4 1 of 1 21 of 49 0 of 0 0 of 0
Vinc Pichel 32 of 70 45% 12 of 43 13 of 19 7 of 8 29 of 67 3 of 3 0 of 0
3 Rafa García 31 of 47 65% 26 of 41 5 of 6 0 of 0 27 of 42 3 of 4 1 of 1
Vinc Pichel 34 of 74 45% 13 of 43 12 of 21 9 of 10 33 of 71 1 of 3 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Rafa Garcia vs. Vinc Pichel
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Garcia (-485), Pichel (+370)

Round 1
Twelve years separate the next two competitors, with the younger man a heavy betting favorite. Garcia (16-4, 4-4 UFC) gets a huge pop from the crowd as the first Mexican-born athlete to hit the stage today, while the leisurely paced Pichel (14-4, 7-4 UFC) is showered in boos. The lightweights with a fairly similar amount of combat experience touch gloves before referee Raul Porrata. Pichel keeps his distance early, parrying any incoming fire and letting the energy in favor of Garcia wash over them both. Garcia breaks the silence with a huge overhand right and rips a left to the liver. Pichel responds with a left hook that makes the Mexican fighter back off for a moment, and Garcia measures him with a thudding right hand that makes Pichel have to blink it out repeatedly. Garcia crowds him with a pair of hooks, and he swats away a head kick. Garcia crashes through a low kick to hurl punches, and Pichel keeps a wide berth and stabs out a front kick. Garcia comes up short with haymakers, allowing the elder Pichel to potshot him from a safe distance. When Pichel kicks low, Garcia wings a right hand over the top. Pichel fires back with a vengeance, and Garcia shrugs it off and stays close in front of him but not too close. Garcia scores a single low kick and is jabbed back, and he raises his guard in the nick of time to block an overhand right. Garcia swings wide to the body, forcing Pichel to ricochet off the wall, and he hammers the front leg with a kick. Pichel loads up with a body kick, and Garcia smiles at him and continues to crowd him. Garcia pushes a front kick out of the way to crowd the older fighter, pressing him against the wall while stomping on his toes. Garcia lifts Pichel’s legs up and is about to deposit him to the ground, but Pichel regains his balance. Perhaps in a poor bit of decisionmaking, Pichel spins for a back elbow while tightly pressed to his foe, and this allows Garcia to hit a clean double on him. Garcia rides out the round on top.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 2
The athletes get right back down to business, trading leather early and often. Pichel sneaks in a right hand and slips to the side, and he dips to fire off an uppercut and jogs away to reset. Pichel’s stance switches and awkward movement prevents Garcia from blitzing him on the regular, and he keeps his head on a swivel to not get caught with anything flush. Garcia nevertheless walks him down and blasts him in the face with a crisp right hand, and then chains two more fists behind it. Pichel flashes out his jab, pop pop bang, to keep Garcia from going at him. Pichel pushes off while trying to push his foe’s arm out of the way, and his thumb slides deep into Garcia’s eye socket. Pichel immediately apologizes before Porrata gets between them, and he gives Garcia all the time he needs to recover. Garcia takes it, accepts Pichel’s fervent apology and gets back to walking the aging fighter down. Pichel uses his knee to frame off, and he strings a few punches together behind it. Pichel tosses up a head kick that is blocked in time, and he probes out a right hand before getting his head snapped back with a one-two. Pichel tries to jump his way forward, and he pushes off Garcia’s face and slams his shin on Garcia’s calf. Garcia grimaces and wraps Pichel up in hopes of taking him down. Pichel leans against the wall to keep himself upright, and he postures off and breaks free, where he puts punches and kicks together in rapid succession. Pichel fakes to the body to open up a head shot, and Garcia can only swing big right hands back at him. A few of those get through, and Pichel beans him with a counter overhand right to make him think twice about entering the pocket with his hands low. Pichel comes up swinging with a huge uppercut, and he hand-fights to parry most of the blows aimed at him. Pichel jabs to the head and body, and he splits the guard with a front kick, toes extended towards the target. Garcia lumbers forward swinging heavy leather, and Pichel skirts to the slide and flicks out a few low kicks to end the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Pichel
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pichel
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Pichel

Round 3
Pichel is fired up to start up the last round, and he channels that energy with frenetic punches and kicks that stop Garcia from getting through to him. Pichel strings a few punches together up top, and Garcia clutches his eye as if he was poked. Pichel claims it was a closed fist that did the damage, and he unloads with flying fists until Garcia steels himself and comes back out swinging. Pichel counters the flailing strikes, but he is taking shots to the body and taking heavy breaths. Garcia continues to put everything behind every one of his swings, while Pichel is more than content to jab and prod. When Garcia looks to charge, Pichel pushes him back with jabs and front kicks, but Garcia decides to pour it on and tags Pichel a few times. Pichel rebounds off the fencing and uses his push kick to redden up Garcia’s midsection. Pichel probers out with straight punches until getting tagged, and he starts swinging back with arc on his punches when not mixing in his front kick. Pichel further keeps things interesting by shooting for a takedown, and Garcia just stands before him and smiles at him. A Pichel front kick bumps the cup, and Garcia wants to keep going so it goes uncalled. Pichel loads up on body kicks and walks through three left hands, kicking Garcia constantly while keeping his distance. The leg kicks to the thigh and calf keep landing for “From Hell,” until Garcia is sick of taking them and just lifts Pichel up and deposits him down to the mat like a sack of potatoes. Pichel scoots his way towards the wall in hopes of walking up it, while Garcia tries to smother him and threaten with an arm-triangle choke. Pichel turns to his knees and stands, and Garcia slugs him in the face with numerous unanswered right hands. Pichel frees himself with seconds to go, and he lets Garcia have it with all his remaining energy. Punches, kicks and knees fly every which way until the final horn blares, signaling an end to what turned into an entertaining scrap.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia (29-28 Garcia)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Garcia (29-28 Garcia)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garcia (29-28 Garcia)

The Official Result
Rafa Garcia def. Vinc Pichel via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Mar 27, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Rafa García

Connor picks García, noting his high-output, new-school wrestle-boxing style will overwhelm the aging Pichel. He acknowledges Pichel's toughness and low kicks as potential wrinkles but believes García's pace and boxing will be too much. He is surprised by the wide odds, given García's loss to Chris Gruetzemacher.

"I think Garcia is tailor made to outwork and overwhelm Pichel. Pichel is slow enough that he just doesn't get to do a lot of the stuff he wants to do anymore."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Mar 27, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Rafa García

Zane picks García, agreeing that his pace and pressure will be decisive. He notes Pichel's old-school style and lack of speed, comparing him to an aged Jan Błachowicz. Zane thinks García's boxing and wrestling defense are solid, and that Pichel's low kicks are a minor threat.

"I think Garcia is tailor made to outwork and overwhelm Pichel."
LOSS vs Grant Dawson
TKO (elbows and punches) R2 1:42 · UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Taira · Oct 12, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Grant Dawson 0 44 of 90 48% 80 of 144 2 of 4 50% 0 0 5:09
Rafa García 0 5 of 12 41% 29 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Grant Dawson 0 20 of 52 38% 41 of 87 1 of 3 33% 0 0 3:50
Rafa García 0 4 of 10 40% 27 of 34 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Grant Dawson 0 24 of 38 63% 39 of 57 1 of 1 100% 0 0 1:19
Rafa García 0 1 of 2 50% 2 of 4 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Grant Dawson 44 of 90 48% 38 of 76 4 of 12 2 of 2 5 of 24 0 of 0 39 of 66
Rafa García 5 of 12 41% 4 of 8 1 of 4 0 of 0 4 of 11 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Grant Dawson 20 of 52 38% 16 of 42 3 of 9 1 of 1 2 of 17 0 of 0 18 of 35
Rafa García 4 of 10 40% 3 of 6 1 of 4 0 of 0 3 of 9 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Grant Dawson 24 of 38 63% 22 of 34 1 of 3 1 of 1 3 of 7 0 of 0 21 of 31
Rafa García 1 of 2 50% 1 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Grant Dawson vs. Rafa Garcia
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Dawson (-395), Garcia (+310)

Round 1
Moving right along, lightweight contender Dawson (21-2-1, 9-1-1 UFC) needs this next opportunity to put together a win streak. To do so, he will need to get past Mexico’s Garcia (16-3, 4-3 UFC), who will not make it easy on him. Referee Chris Tognoni checks in as the cage commander for this 155-pound contest, and it kicks off with a glove touch. Garcia crouches several times early, expecting to have to defend against a level change. Dawson meets one of those with a front kick, and Garcia just barely dodges it. Garcia avoids another jabbing kick to throw out a one-two to the body. Dawson sticks him with a jab and uses another front kick, and he parries an overhand right. Dawson gets knocked off-balance with a right hand, and he gathers himself and spins with a wheel kick. Garcia walks forward slinging hands, and Dawson answers a solid right hand with a single-leg entry that plants “Gifted” on his knee. Dawson hits a mat return when Garcia powers his way back up, and this time he has Garcia flat on his back. Dawson opens with ground-and-pound and is answered some from Garcia, and Garcia’s hit the back of his foe’s head as Tognoni asks him not to land fouls. Dawson sits up to hammer Garcia with two big punches, an elbow and some other ground strikes to disguise his guard pass to half guard. Dawson stays busy with smothering top control and active offense, getting hard shots in when not attempting to advance position. Dawson gets pushed back for a moment, and he bowls Garcia back over with elbows. “KGD” shifts from one side to the other to pass the guard, and he pounds down with strikes. Garcia kicks him off to gain a bit of space, only for Dawson to swarm him with standing-to-ground punches. Garcia scrambles madly until the horn sounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dawson
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Dawson
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Dawson

Round 2
The fighters clap hands to get going, and Dawson is eager to kick things off by kicking four times with four different types of kicks. His spin kick finds its home, and he uses that to get in close, swing an overhand right and duck low to secure an easy takedown less than 30 seconds into the round. Dawson finds openings and attacks with hammerfists or elbows, and he takes a chunk out of Garcia’s forehead with a Friday the 13th-insired slashing elbow. Blood sprays from the Mexican’s head as he turns to his knees, and Dawson further beats on him with a barrage of punches.
Sitting proudly in mount, “KGD” unleashes a mighty barrage of punches and elbows, clubbing Garcia as Tognoni asks Garcia to fight back. Dawson knows the finish is around the corner, with Garcia bloodied and bruised, and he finishes the job with a final salvo of punches. Tognoni has no choice to step in
, and the American Top Team contender notches his first knockout in nearly three years. In victory, Dawson becomes the first fighter to ever stop the durable man from Mexican.

The Official Result
Grant Dawson def. Rafa Garcia R2 1:42 via TKO (Elbows and Punches)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Oct 6, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

Angelo picks Grant Dawson despite disliking his fighting style. He notes that Dawson's wrestling and control are reliable, and that Rafa García tends to gas. Angelo acknowledges Dawson's knockout loss to Bobby Green but believes Dawson will win by grinding out a decision. He calls Dawson a reliable bettor's fighter.

"Grant Dawson probably wins this fight... he's somebody that you can rely on."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

Big Brady picks Grant Dawson to win by third-round submission. He considers Dawson a top-15 lightweight with top-10 upside, and believes he is on another level compared to Garcia. He praises Dawson's wrestling and grappling, citing his submission of Jared Gordon and dominant win over Damir Ismagulov. He expects Dawson to get takedowns, wear on Garcia, and eventually find a submission in the second or third round. He thinks Garcia is solid but outmatched.

Dawson by third-round submission
"give me Dawson here you give me Dawson to win this fight by third round submission"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

Connor agrees with Zane, emphasizing that Garcia's game is subtractive but not potent enough to stop Dawson's relentless wrestling. He notes that Garcia's wins over wrestlers like Clay Guida are not indicative because Guida is washed. Connor believes Dawson's suffocating style will eventually get the takedown and control the fight.

Same odds commentary.
"Dawson really insists on a suffocating wrestle grappling game and it's really hard to just take that away when you're not doing something that is killing him."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Hesitant picked Oct 8, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

Daniel admits he dislikes Dawson's style and believes his striking is elementary, but he respects Dawson's grappling and top control. He notes that Rafa García has decent takedown defense but thinks Dawson will likely grind out a boring decision. Daniel hopes García stuffs takedowns and wins, but his head says Dawson's wrestling will be the difference.

"All emotions and biases aside, then Grant Dawson probably grinds two of the three rounds out and we hate ourselves for watching the fight."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 11, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Grant Dawson

Dawson does not care to entertain but gets wins. He will do what he did to Joe Solecki last time. Garcia may stop the first couple takedowns, but Dawson's great gas tank will wear on Garcia, allowing Dawson to win a classic Dawson decision.

"Dawson has a great gas tank and I think that will eventually wear on Garcia allowing Dawson to pull off a classic Dawson decision"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 8, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

The MMA Guru picks Grant Dawson, citing his phenomenal grappling and talent advantage over Rafa García, who he says has no finishing potential. He notes Dawson's suspect chin and poor stand-up but believes his grappling will easily outclass García. He also mentions Dawson's momentum coming off a win and training with Makhachev.

"I'm going to go Grant Dawson... his grappling is phenomenal and really good and there is Talent there"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 10, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Grant Dawson

Zane picks Dawson because Garcia's anti-wrestling is based on defense and he isn't dangerous enough to keep Dawson off him. He notes that Garcia's best chance is to stuff takedowns early and tire Dawson, but Dawson often wins even after gassing. Zane thinks Garcia's lack of finishing ability means he can't overcome Dawson's pressure.

Dawson opened at -373, now -410; Garcia opened at +304, now +328.
"I gotta pick grant dawson. Unfortunately."
WIN vs Clay Guida
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Holloway vs. Allen · Apr 15, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rafa García 0 63 of 252 25% 63 of 252 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:00
Clay Guida 0 141 of 287 49% 143 of 289 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:20
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rafa García 0 23 of 92 25% 23 of 92 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Clay Guida 0 34 of 89 38% 34 of 89 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Rafa García 0 21 of 88 23% 21 of 88 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Clay Guida 0 65 of 110 59% 65 of 110 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Rafa García 0 19 of 72 26% 19 of 72 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Clay Guida 0 42 of 88 47% 44 of 90 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:20
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rafa García 63 of 252 25% 49 of 227 4 of 12 10 of 13 63 of 252 0 of 0 0 of 0
Clay Guida 141 of 287 49% 130 of 269 5 of 12 6 of 6 138 of 284 3 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rafa García 23 of 92 25% 16 of 82 2 of 4 5 of 6 23 of 92 0 of 0 0 of 0
Clay Guida 34 of 89 38% 29 of 81 1 of 4 4 of 4 34 of 89 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Rafa García 21 of 88 23% 17 of 80 1 of 4 3 of 4 21 of 88 0 of 0 0 of 0
Clay Guida 65 of 110 59% 63 of 107 2 of 3 0 of 0 62 of 107 3 of 3 0 of 0
3 Rafa García 19 of 72 26% 16 of 65 1 of 4 2 of 3 19 of 72 0 of 0 0 of 0
Clay Guida 42 of 88 47% 38 of 81 2 of 5 2 of 2 42 of 88 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Rafa Garcia vs. Clay Guida
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Garcia (-260), Guida (+220)

Round 1
The main card opens up with the lightweights, as eternally youthful 41-year-old Guida (38-22, 18-16 UFC) looks to go on his first win streak in six years. Standing in his way will be Combate Americas vet Garcia (14-3, 3-3 UFC), who also happens to be 13 years his junior. Whether this is a passing of the torch fight or proof that the now short-haired Guida very much still has it, they have 15 minutes to determine this while referee Dwayne Bess watches on. There is no plan for a bump of fists as the crowd goes crazy for Guida, and he starts off like he always does, with herky-jerky movement and plenty of energy. The two fighters meet right in the middle, throwing hands, and Guida gets the better of the exchange. Guida ducks a huge overhand right to stick him with a right, and he considers a takedown to mix things up. Garcia scores a right hand, and Guida slips and backs off to take a low kick. Guida returns fire with a leg kick, and Garcia quickly covers with a right over the top. Guida chains a low kick into punches, and Garcia backs him off with solid straight right hands. Guida circles along the outside, and he evades a one-two that soars at him. Guida lands a left and moves, and he swipes out with a left hand as Garcia reaches him with the right. Garcia rushes forward with a left to the ribs, and he misses the mark swinging a few hooks. Guida absorbs a flush leg kick at the end of a combination, and he gets tagged with a solid right to follow. They meet with jabs, and “Gifted” bestows Guida with a gift of a left hook. Guida bobs and moves in, and Garcia marks him up with five or six jabs in rapid succession. Guida’s nose is showing some damage from the punches, and Garcia clubs him with a right that lands on the jaw. Garcia counters with a sharp elbow, and Guida is eating shots every time he initiates his offense. Guida lands two punches coming in, and Garcia snaps out a jab at the end. Garcia’s jabs begin to sting Guida and make him smile, and the round ends after a pair of missed haymakers from both fighters.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 2
Guida races out of his corner to start off firing, and he sticks several jabs in then face of his opponent. Guida gets rocked with an uppercut, and he shakes it out and slaps down with a leg kick. Guida steps in with a knee, and he closes in on the clinch but does not change levels. A few punches from “The Carpenter” bounce off the guard, while a low kick does score. Garcia is timing uppercuts when Guida ducks or bobs, and chants for “Let’s go Guida” energize him slightly but do not change his strategy. Garcia nails his foe with a few right hands, and Guida catches him with a clean right in response before ducking into a single. Garcia stands him up and meets him with an elbow, and his jab is doing work. Guida shakes his head repeatedly when absorbing this blow again and again, but he cannot seem to get around it as his face bleeds out of multiple cuts. Guida checks a kick but gets tagged up top, and they trade punches with Garcia getting the better of them. Garcia knocks Guida’s mouthpiece out, and the veteran goes to retrieve it and continues to work towards Garcia. Guida does land a solid right, but Garcia is doing work with punches in bunches. Guida takes his foot off the gas to stop walking into so many jabs, and he adjusts his approach by not throwing as much to get countered. Guida punches his way into range, but Garcia reaches him with a few straight rights. Garcia rings Guida’s bell with a pair of straight shots, and Guida takes them on the chin and keeps coming forward. Garcia paws out with jabs to keep Guida at bay, and he allows Guida to throw with impunity as he tags him with right hands. A big right from Garcia ends the round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 3
Like usual, Guida engages face-first in his approach. Garcia counters with a right over the top, and Guida counters with a head kick and takedown effort. Garcia shuts it down and gets popped with a few left hooks. “Gifted” intercepts Guida with an uppercut as Guida changes levels, and he lumbers forward throwing shots that Guida dodges. Guida connects with a left, a right and a low kick, and Garcia backpedals. Garcia loads up on an elbow that whizzes past Guida’s head, and he gets caught with a left as Guida is moving constantly. Garcia darts in with a left hook, and Guida ties him up and eats a few body shots before getting shoved back. Guida lands three punches up top as Garcia backs off with a right, and they trade punches while standing right in front of one another. Guida launches a head kick that gets blocked, and Garcia shells up and makes him pay with a few uppercuts. Garcia jabs to the body, and he swings and misses with a high kick in hopes of catching Guida barreling down on him. Guida gets his chin checked by a powerful right hook at the end of a string of punches, and the veteran shake it off and does not falter. Guida walks into a right hand as he tries to push the action, and he guard against a head kick. Garcia chains a few punches together, and he rocks Guida with a right hand as Guida staggers to the side. Garcia bloodies Guida up further as he drives jab after piston-like jab into the face, and Guida checks the sight of his blood and shoots for a takedown. Garcia escapes the grip and drills Guida with two more punches. Garcia leaps in the air with a knee, and Guida is out of the way but also out of time. The last round comes to an end, and the lightweights hug it out after 15 minutes of striking. When the dust settles, Guida takes his gloves off and holds them to earn an interview with Daniel Cormier. He does not hang them up, instead saying he will keep fighting, and asks to trade gloves with his opponent. This is the second fighter to do a retirement fake-out tonight.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia (30-27 Garcia)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Garcia (30-27 Garcia)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garcia (30-27 Garcia)

The Official Result
Rafa Garcia def. Clay Guida via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 9, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Rafa García

Angelo picks Rafa García, expecting him to get takedowns and win striking exchanges. He notes García's grappling and power, but also his cardio issues. He is not betting on García at -190 because the odds are too high, especially against a relentless pressure fighter like Guida who could expose cardio issues.

"half is going to be the pick I'm not gonna bet on him I just don't like those odds"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Rafa García

Big Brady picks Rafa García to win by first-round submission. He highlights García's improved cardio and grappling since moving to Elevation Fight Team, and notes Guida's age (41) and history of being submitted (11 times). He expects García to take Guida down and submit him early.

first round submission
"I like Garcia to win this fight by first round submission"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Rafa García

Cody sees Garcia as a younger, better version of Guida with pressure wrestling and improving skills. He thinks Garcia's clinch strength and cardio will overwhelm the aging Guida. He acknowledges the line is steep but believes Garcia wins.

"gotta go with Rafa Garcia"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Rafa García

Connor also picks Garcia, agreeing that Guida's style is not threatening enough to stop Garcia's forward pressure. He notes that Guida is more evasive than aggressive at this stage, and Garcia's willingness to keep working even when takedowns fail will be key. Connor believes Garcia's youth and activity will overwhelm the 41-year-old Guida.

"I got to take Rafa Garcia."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Rafa García

Garcia is younger and entering his prime, while Guida's recent wins are over older or retiring fighters. Garcia's boxing and forward pressure should outwork Guida, though Guida's cardio and grinding style could make it close. Garcia's ability to mix in takedowns and maintain pace should earn him a decision victory.

Over 2.5 rounds
"I expect him to land the better and more significant strikes in the early goings of this fight maybe not put clay Guido away but do enough to win a decision."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Clay Guida

Paul is intrigued by Guida's plus money, noting Guida's takedown defense (only 2 takedowns allowed in 14 fights) and the possibility of a close decision. He thinks Garcia's takedown totals may be inflated and that Guida could grind out a win. He placed a small bet on Guida.

Small bet on Guida moneyline; also considering Guida by split decision prop
"I'm leaning towards clay just because of the money line we'll see where the where it goes I added a little bit of plus 210 really really small little play"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Rafa García

The MMA Guru picks Rafa García, citing his youth (28), well-rounded skills, and potential to finish the 41-year-old Guida. He believes García will corner Guida and put an end to his recent string of close decisions. He notes Guida's durability and movement but thinks García's prime and power will prevail.

García wins by finish (KO/TKO)
"Rafa Garcia gets the job done"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Apr 13, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Rafa García

Zane picks Garcia, noting that Guida's recent win over Scott Holtzman was unimpressive and that Garcia's relentless pressure and wrestling will be too much. He acknowledges that Garcia can struggle if his takedowns are stuffed, but believes Guida's lack of offensive pressure and age will allow Garcia to implement his game plan. Zane expects Garcia to push forward, land punches, and mix in takedowns.

Garcia opened -250/-230, now -245; Guida opened +200, now +213. Zane does not mention betting.
"I'm picking Rafa Garcia. This is not a hard fight to pick."
WIN vs Maheshate
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Strickland · Dec 17, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rafa García 0 49 of 98 50% 79 of 138 6 of 11 54% 0 0 6:10
Maheshate 0 25 of 141 17% 30 of 148 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rafa García 0 16 of 29 55% 16 of 31 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:29
Maheshate 0 11 of 62 17% 11 of 63 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Rafa García 0 13 of 36 36% 27 of 54 3 of 4 75% 0 0 2:26
Maheshate 0 8 of 52 15% 8 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Rafa García 0 20 of 33 60% 36 of 53 3 of 5 60% 0 0 3:15
Maheshate 0 6 of 27 22% 11 of 33 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rafa García 49 of 98 50% 29 of 70 11 of 17 9 of 11 28 of 64 11 of 13 10 of 21
Maheshate 25 of 141 17% 16 of 110 8 of 29 1 of 2 23 of 138 1 of 2 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rafa García 16 of 29 55% 8 of 17 6 of 9 2 of 3 15 of 28 1 of 1 0 of 0
Maheshate 11 of 62 17% 7 of 47 3 of 14 1 of 1 10 of 60 1 of 2 0 of 0
2 Rafa García 13 of 36 36% 8 of 28 3 of 6 2 of 2 6 of 20 5 of 6 2 of 10
Maheshate 8 of 52 15% 5 of 42 3 of 10 0 of 0 8 of 52 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Rafa García 20 of 33 60% 13 of 25 2 of 2 5 of 6 7 of 16 5 of 6 8 of 11
Maheshate 6 of 27 22% 4 of 21 2 of 5 0 of 1 5 of 26 0 of 0 1 of 1
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Dec 11, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Rafa García

Angelo picks Rafa García, noting that Maheshate gets taken down easily and Rafa has 18 takedowns in his last four fights. He likes Rafa's chin and offensive grappling to get the job done. He mentions the line has flipped from Maheshate being favorite to near even money, and he has already placed a moneyline bet on Rafa for premium members.

Has a moneyline bet on Rafa García; notes line movement
"I like Rafa here I think mahasete is definitely dangerous but he also gets taken down easily and Rafa Garcia has 18 takedowns in his last four fights"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Dec 15, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Rafa García

Big Brady picks Rafa García but is very hesitant due to lack of information on Maheshate. He notes García's path to victory is takedowns, but his top control is poor and he has cardio issues. Maheshate has a size advantage and may have improved takedown defense. Brady says it's a tough fight to call and he's staying away from betting, but leans García by decision.

"I am going to take Rafa Garcia to go out there um mixing takedowns and win a decision in this one"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Dec 14, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Rafa García

Cody picks Garcia, noting his grinding style and cardio improvements. He thinks Garcia will take Maheshate down and grind him out. He notes Maheshate is a slow starter and Garcia has a good chin. He expects a decision win for Garcia.

Garcia by decision
"Rafa Garcia again I'm leading towards another decision on this one... gotta go with Rafa Garcia"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Dec 15, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Rafa García

Connor picks Garcia, noting he is the well-rounded fighter and should win if he wrestles. He thinks Garcia is tough and can out-wrestle Maheshate, whose defensive wrestling is questionable. He acknowledges Garcia can lose random fights but expects him to win.

"I'll take garcia. That seems like enough"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Dec 14, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Maheshate

Paul picks Maheshate as an underdog, noting his size and striking skills. He is concerned about Garcia's takedowns but thinks Maheshate can land a big shot. He sees value at plus money and is willing to take a shot. He makes it a Shoei bet with Cody.

"I'm gonna back my guy my shot the market is working its way away from me at this point... I'll take your two to one on this uh this whole Shoei operation uh I'll take my shot you get Rafa …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Dec 13, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Rafa García

The MMA Guru picks Rafa García over Hayisaer Maheshate, going against the majority. He notes García's close fight with Jai Herbert and his submission win over Genesis Ronson. He questions Maheshate's competition and KO rate, pointing out that Maheshate took a decision against a 10-15 opponent. He expects García to pressure with a good chin and mix in grappling, potentially getting a late submission or decision win. He also mentions that Maheshate lost to a grappler in M1.

"I'm going half a Garcia here"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Lean picked Dec 15, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Maheshate

Zane picks Maheshate as a random chance pick, partly to avoid being mocked by a Twitter account he thinks might be Maheshate. He admits Garcia should win but thinks Maheshate could knock him out early. He notes Maheshate has good timing and hand speed.

"I'll take mahashate just because I don't want him to make fun of me again"
LOSS vs Drakkar Klose
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 277: Pena vs. Nunes 2 · Jul 30, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Drakkar Klose 0 61 of 115 53% 111 of 175 2 of 10 20% 0 0 2:05
Rafa García 0 34 of 57 59% 83 of 111 3 of 11 27% 0 0 2:54
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Drakkar Klose 0 19 of 30 63% 33 of 53 2 of 7 28% 0 0 1:49
Rafa García 0 13 of 22 59% 21 of 30 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:06
2 Drakkar Klose 0 14 of 29 48% 35 of 51 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:16
Rafa García 0 5 of 12 41% 33 of 45 2 of 4 50% 0 0 2:11
3 Drakkar Klose 0 28 of 56 50% 43 of 71 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Rafa García 0 16 of 23 69% 29 of 36 1 of 6 16% 0 0 0:37
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Drakkar Klose 61 of 115 53% 24 of 75 27 of 29 10 of 11 32 of 83 24 of 25 5 of 7
Rafa García 34 of 57 59% 23 of 45 8 of 8 3 of 4 23 of 44 11 of 13 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Drakkar Klose 19 of 30 63% 7 of 17 9 of 10 3 of 3 9 of 18 7 of 8 3 of 4
Rafa García 13 of 22 59% 9 of 18 2 of 2 2 of 2 9 of 17 4 of 5 0 of 0
2 Drakkar Klose 14 of 29 48% 5 of 18 6 of 7 3 of 4 7 of 21 5 of 5 2 of 3
Rafa García 5 of 12 41% 1 of 8 3 of 3 1 of 1 4 of 11 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Drakkar Klose 28 of 56 50% 12 of 40 12 of 12 4 of 4 16 of 44 12 of 12 0 of 0
Rafa García 16 of 23 69% 13 of 19 3 of 3 0 of 1 10 of 16 6 of 7 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Rafa Garcia vs. Drakkar Klose
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Klose (-230), Garcia (+195)

Round 1
Opening up the ABC- and ESPN-aired prelims is what should be a fun lightweight matchup, even if Klose (12-2-1, 6-2 UFC) is now battling late replacement Garcia (13-2, 2-2 UFC). Both fighters prevailed on the same event in April, locking down second-round finishes of Brandon Jenkins and Jesse Ronson, respectively, so the “Matches to Make” choice appeared to be an easy one. They touch ‘em up with referee Jacob Rosales watching on, and Klose claims the center of the cage but is nowhere close to his opponent. Garcia stays on the outer edge of the cage as Klose feints with jabs, and the first strike is actually a stomping kick to the knee from Klose. Klose kicks on the inside and outside of the leg, and Garcia swarms him with an overhand right that bowls him over – not from it actually hitting him hard, but from Garcia’s body tackling him down. Klose gets back up and starts working the calf, until Garcia closes the distance and aims punches to the body. The American greets him with knees until they split up, and Klose fakes a body kick and rips one on the other side before tying Garcia up. Klose effectively uses the calf kick to decent effect, as Garcia powers through it to club Klose in the chops with a left. Klose staggers back and tries to give one back, but Garcia is smooth on the outside as he kicks the knee and nearly buckles it. Klose gives chases, and in an ensuing clinch, they throw short punches one after the other. Klose forces a separation, with his legs appearing to be fully back under him again, and he walks Garcia down and measures a jab. When “Gifted” bites on it, Klose changes levels. Klose is unable to get the first takedown try, but Garcia turns around and gives up his back. This allows Klose to trip him out and plant Garcia on his face for a moment. Garcia powers his way back up, and he grabs the fence to keep himself balanced as Klose attempts a mat return. Klose trips Garcia’s left leg out beneath him again to plant him down, and he starts slugging away on Garcia. “Gifted” checks his face to make sure he is not bleeding, and when he does, Klose sucks his leg out and makes it so Garcia cannot simply power his way back up as easily as before. Garcia rolls for a leglock, and Klose breaks it up before anything can come from it. When they both get to their knees, the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Klose
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Klose
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Klose

Round 2
Klose races out of his corner to start the next round, and he plants a wheel kick upside Garcia’s head before shooting for a takedown in the first 10 seconds. Garcia stuffs it but absorbs a few knees to the body when Klose bails on it, and Garcia powers his way out to the center of the Octagon. The lightweights feint and fake their way towards one another, with Klose employing his stomp kick and swinging his shin to the body. Garcia dips back and absorbs a glancing right hand, but he is no worse for wear. Klose lets go with a body kick, and Garcia cannot pin him down or trap him to land with impunity. Garcia begins to chop the legs down a few times, and Klose switches stance after absorbing the blows. Garcia winds up on a right hook, but Klose dips back and answers with a short left. Garcia, using his momentum in his favor, pushes through and knocks Klose off his feet with a double. “Gifted” gives Klose several gifts in the form of his fists, before stepping into half guard. The posture remains tight as Garcia does not want to give up any space or allow a sweep or any bucking movement, but this also results in a stalemate. The crowd is not a fan of this nullifying half guard for Garcia, and Klose moves his head around to dodge punches before Montalvo steps in to stand them up. Garcia shoots the second they get stood up, and Klose staves it off and connects with a solid left hand. As Garcia aims a right hand over the top, Klose ducks down for a possible takedown entry, and Garcia snatches this up to hunt for a standing guillotine choke. There is nothing to it, and Klose shucks it off and absorbs the end of a left hand. Garcia misses with a spinning back kick, and Klose is suddenly energized and he charges in with his head in the air to throw bombs. Garcia retreats, and he weathers the storm before scooping Klose’s legs out and planting him down to the ground. A few punches for the fighter out of Mexico land before the horn resounds in the arena.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 3
Klose is the initial aggressor to start off the final round, pushing the pace and sticking his hands out to back Garcia off. The Michigan native jabs and makes Garcia dip down right into a head kick, and Garcia tanks it without budging. Garcia hunts for a takedown, and he redoubles his effort with a double that takes Klose off his feet. Klose threatens with a guillotine choke off his back, but with the cage behind him, there is no leverage to secure anything, and Garcia is comfortable without concern. Klose explodes back to his feet, and he throws hands to again force Garcia to back from one side of the cage to another. Klose allows Garcia to come at him so that he can set up a clinch in his favor, where he slams knees and punches into Garcia’s body. Klose senses that Garcia is fatiguing, and he strides forward without a care in the world, targeting the midsection and preparing to stuff takedowns. Klose gets Garcia’s attention with a low kick, and he has a clubbing right slide off the shoulder into the chin. Garcia’s hands largely drop by his waist, waiting for Klose to close the distance, so that he can lift them and sling something heavy. He has a thudding left connect cleanly, but Klose totally ignores it so that he can do more work to the body. Klose ties his man up after a failed takedown entry so that he can batter the body with punches and the occasional knee. Klose changes this up with his own takedown try, and Garcia pushes him off and backpedals. Garcia shoots for a single, and Klose gets shoved back to the wall and knees the ribs a few times to conclude the fight. Both men raise their hands after 15 minutes of combat, and some will almost certainly attempt the joke that the Klose fight was a close fight.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Klose (29-28 Klose)
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Klose (29-28 Klose)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Klose (29-28 Klose)

The Official Result
Drakkar Klose def. Rafa Garcia via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 25, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Big Brady picks Drakkar Klose to win by decision. He notes Garcia is on short notice and has cardio concerns, while Klose has fought much better competition. He expects the first round to be competitive but Klose's striking volume and takedown defense will carry him in later rounds. He mentions Garcia has never been knocked out, so a decision is likely.

"i like close to win here... i think he outstrikes garcia on the feet rounds two in rounds three and ultimately picks up a decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 26, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Cody picks Klose, noting his technical striking, forward pressure, and solid takedown defense. He thinks Garcia's wrestling won't be a factor because Klose will stop takedowns and win the striking exchanges. He mentions that Klose's cardio is solid and that Garcia is limited and loopy with his strikes. He also notes that Klose's significant strikes over 60.5 is a good prop on PrizePicks.

Klose over 60.5 significant strikes on PrizePicks
"i think close is just going to win the striking exchanges from distance stop the takedowns keep it standing and just rinse and repeat"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jul 27, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Daniel picks Klose to win another close decision, noting that most of his fights are 29-28. He thinks Klose finds a way to edge out rounds, whether by calf kicks or a late takedown. He acknowledges Garcia's toughness and Mexican warrior spirit, but thinks Garcia's cardio issues (from the Gritzmacher fight) could be a factor. However, he calls the -205 price too high for a fighter who usually wins close fights, so he passes on betting.

"I'm gonna go Drakkar Klose to win another 29-28 decision."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 30, 2022 (fight day)
Drakkar Klose

Preet picks Klose by decision, expecting him to push Garcia against the cage, use leg kicks, and control the fight. He notes Klose's efficient style and that Garcia's cardio fades, leading to Klose taking over in the second and third rounds. He passes on the moneyline due to Klose's tendency to fight close decisions.

"i'll go close here uh close to your decision"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 26, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Drakkar Klose

Paul picks Klose, citing his technical striking and good wrestling. He notes that Klose's losses are to very good fighters and that he looked great in his last fight against Brandon Jenkins. He thinks Garcia's wrestling won't be enough and that Klose will win the striking exchanges. He also mentions that Klose's takedown defense is solid and that Garcia is limited.

Klose over 60.5 significant strikes on PrizePicks
"gotta have to go with uh dracar close... the one thing that's always going to worry me about this guy for the rest of his foreseeable career is uh jeremy stevens almost ended his career"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 30, 2022 (fight day)
Drakkar Klose

The MMA Guru predicts Drakkar Klose wins by 30-27 unanimous decision. He sees Klose as more technical and smart, landing calf kicks and body shots at range. Rafa García is tough but too one-dimensional. Klose will edge each round, possibly earning a 10-8 in the third.

unanimous decision
"dracar close gets this one done edging out every round"
WIN vs Jesse Ronson
Submission (rear-naked choke) R2 4:50 · UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 · Apr 16, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rafa García 0 35 of 80 43% 73 of 126 3 of 4 75% 1 0 4:37
Jesse Ronson 0 25 of 61 40% 28 of 64 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rafa García 0 26 of 64 40% 32 of 73 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:35
Jesse Ronson 0 23 of 52 44% 25 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Rafa García 0 9 of 16 56% 41 of 53 2 of 2 100% 1 0 4:02
Jesse Ronson 0 2 of 9 22% 3 of 10 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rafa García 35 of 80 43% 31 of 76 3 of 3 1 of 1 26 of 70 1 of 1 8 of 9
Jesse Ronson 25 of 61 40% 13 of 48 6 of 7 6 of 6 25 of 60 0 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rafa García 26 of 64 40% 23 of 61 3 of 3 0 of 0 25 of 63 1 of 1 0 of 0
Jesse Ronson 23 of 52 44% 13 of 41 5 of 6 5 of 5 23 of 52 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Rafa García 9 of 16 56% 8 of 15 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 7 0 of 0 8 of 9
Jesse Ronson 2 of 9 22% 0 of 7 1 of 1 1 of 1 2 of 8 0 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Rafa Garcia vs. Jesse Ronson

Round 1
Lightweights take the stage as we move along the prelims, as Canada’s Ronson (21-10, 1 NC; 0-3, 1 NC UFC) will try to earn his first victory inside the Octagon in his fifth try. He will face “Gifted” Garcia (12-2, 1-2 UFC) out of Mexico in a battle of North American nations. Drawing the charge is referee Mark Smith, who hopes that what happened in the last fight takes place in this one. There is no glove touch, and instead the two fighters start trading in a hurry. Garcia lands with a solid right hand, and Ronson gets off an inside leg kick. As Ronson comes forward, Garcia acts as a matador and actually tosses Ronson down to the canvas. He does not pounce, allowing the Canadian to get back up, and they throw hands again. Garcia lines up his right hand, and Ronson is just able to get out of harm’s way each time. As Ronson advances, Garcia clubs him with this right, and Ronson shakes it off and tries to pay him back. The lightweight go tit-for-tat, with one landing, the other replying, and the first swinging back. Ronson jabs down the middle, and Garcia swings back at him with a more varied approach. A faked ankle pick from Garcia allows him to wing an overhand right, and Ronson rolls through it and comes right back. “The Body Snatcher” connects with a swiping kick to the body, and he tries to throw another only for the leg to get caught. Garcia swings him down to the ground, and Ronson scrambles right back up. When they are tied up, “Gifted” gives him man several gifts in the form of surprisingly powerful foot stomps, which lead to Ronson exploding out of the position. As Ronson recovers, Garcia shoots through his hips and plants him on the ground with a clean double. Ronson once more hops back up to his feet without being grounded for long, and when he stands, Garcia drills him in the face. Ronson does not stop moving forward, and Garcia lays into him and lands flush. Ronson powers straight ahead, landing with a few clean punches, and concluding the round with a low kick on the rear leg of his foe.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 2
The fighters march out of their corners, and they are quick to engage. Ronson marks Garcia up with a few punches, and Garcia comes forward to hit a takedown. The Canadian scrambles, and he works his way up to a knee. Before getting up, Garcia nails Ronson with an illegal knee, and Smith recognizes this instantly and lets out a heavy sigh as there is now nonsense in this fight too. Smith calls in the doctor to assess Ronson from the foul, and Ronson is a little wobbly but he informs the doctor that he is ready to continue. Smith properly deducts one point from Garcia for the foul, and he resumes the action. “Gifted” surges forward in pursuit of a takedown, and he drags Ronson right back down to the ground. Ronson scoots his way to the fence, and back up to a knee, but this time Garcia is not interested in landing knees as he wants to take his back instead. Garcia cannot lock up a choke, and as he pursues one, Ronson falls to his back to free up his neck. The Mexican fighter set up an arm-triangle choke from the guard, and he bails on it when he attempts to pass guard. Garcia hops over to half guard, where he starts hammering down with punches. Garcia grinds on top as his punches slow, keeping Ronson tightly pressed down to the ground. Ronson too holds on tight from below, in hopes of a standup or to at least stop Garcia from landing strikes. Garcia slowly works Ronson with several right hands, forcing Ronson to turn over. As Ronson tries to slide out the back door, Garcia grabs hold of his back and gets a hook in. Ronson turns to his knees and tries to buck Garcia off of him, but Garcia postures up and smacks Ronson upside the head.
The punches make Ronson adjust briefly, allowing “Gifted” Garcia the slightest of opportunities to slip his arm beneath the chin and lock up a rear-naked choke. It is all he needs, as he cinches the choke tight, and Ronson taps almost instantly as it is academic and he would be out seconds later.
That is one way to take the judges out of the equation, after Garcia lost a point a few minutes ago.

The Official Result
Rafa Garcia def. Jesse Ronson R2 4:50 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 10, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Rafa García

Angelo picks Rafa García confidently, calling it a clear pick. He notes that García has more power, better ground game, and is dangerous everywhere. He mentions that Jesse Ronson may be more technical but has chin issues, and García hits like a truck for the weight class. He is surprised García is only a slight favorite and plans to bet the moneyline at -120 before the line moves.

moneyline bet at -120
"this is a clear pick for me i love hasag hafa garcia here and i'm going to throw a moneyline bet on him before this line moves because you know frankly i'm loving him at the minus 120 price point"
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jesse Ronson

Big Brady slightly picks Jesse Ronson to win by close decision. He notes Ronson has better striking and cardio, while García has good wrestling but questionable cardio. He expects García to slow down as the fight goes on, allowing Ronson to take over late. He calls it a very close fight and says he won't bet on it.

"i will take jesse ronson slightly and i'll take him to win by a very close and competitive decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jesse Ronson

Cody picks Ronson, citing his technical striking and experience. He notes Garcia's struggles at 155 and the weight jump to 170. He thinks Ronson's sharpness and durability will be key, and calls him a live underdog.

"gotta go jesse ronson's dog money"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert picked Apr 14, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Daniel Levi has no clear pick, calling it a question of which version of Jesse Ronson shows up. If Ronson is the seasoned vet who has fought elite competition (Michel Prazeres, Kevin Lee) and is clean from his suspension, he picks Ronson. If Ronson is washed up, he picks Garcia. He notes Garcia is tough and gritty but has faced lower-level competition and was finished by Chris Gruetzemacher after gassing. Levi is uncertain and passes.

"Both guys at their best I got jesse ronson it's just are we getting both guys at their best that's the big question."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jesse Ronson

Paul leans towards Ronson after hearing Cody's analysis. He notes Ronson's technical striking and experience, and thinks Garcia may struggle moving up to 170. He plans to add Ronson to his card.

"i'm gonna add ronson to the card"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Rafa García

The MMA Guru picks Rafa García due to Jesse Ronson's inactivity and age (36). He notes García's activity and visible improvements, and believes Ronson has regressed during his time off. He expects García to win a 29-28 decision in a fun scrap.

unanimous decision 29-28
"half of garcia gets this one done plus ronson's been injured on in his time off as well"
Jesse Ronson - Fight History
LOSS vs Joaquim Silva
TKO (knee and punches) R2 3:08 · UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Yan · Oct 01, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Joaquim Silva 1 45 of 90 50% 51 of 96 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:11
Jesse Ronson 0 39 of 83 46% 39 of 83 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Joaquim Silva 0 20 of 41 48% 22 of 43 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Jesse Ronson 0 25 of 53 47% 25 of 53 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Joaquim Silva 1 25 of 49 51% 29 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:08
Jesse Ronson 0 14 of 30 46% 14 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Joaquim Silva 45 of 90 50% 26 of 67 12 of 16 7 of 7 38 of 76 0 of 0 7 of 14
Jesse Ronson 39 of 83 46% 22 of 55 11 of 18 6 of 10 39 of 83 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Joaquim Silva 20 of 41 48% 13 of 31 3 of 6 4 of 4 20 of 41 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jesse Ronson 25 of 53 47% 12 of 32 9 of 14 4 of 7 25 of 53 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Joaquim Silva 25 of 49 51% 13 of 36 9 of 10 3 of 3 18 of 35 0 of 0 7 of 14
Jesse Ronson 14 of 30 46% 10 of 23 2 of 4 2 of 3 14 of 30 0 of 0 0 of 0
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Sep 28, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Jesse Ronson

Cody picks Jesse Ronson as an underdog, citing his better striking and size advantage. He acknowledges Ronson looked bad in his last fight but attributes it to the illegal knee and layoff. He believes Ronson's counter-punching could knock out Silva, who has a questionable chin. He is not very confident but likes the plus money.

"I'm gonna take Jesse Ronson but uh yeah I think you like the PRP pick it might be like one line above the PRP pick"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Sep 28, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Joaquim Silva

Paul picks Joaquim Silva, but is not confident. He notes that both fighters are coming off losses and are in a 'kill or be killed' situation. He believes Silva has a slight grappling advantage and that Ronson looked poor in his last fight. He prefers the 'fight doesn't go to decision' prop as the best bet on this fight.

Fight doesn't go to decision -145
"I'll fade Canada I'll take joaquim Silva but I throw one more wrench in the middle but I think the best bet is fight doesn't go to decision by far on this fight"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Sep 27, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Joaquim Silva

The MMA Guru picks Joaquim Silva, noting that Silva has fought better competition and is more reliable than Jesse Ronson. He mentions that Ronson is 'chokey' and has questionable split decision losses, while Silva has been training grappling extensively. He thinks Silva can win by submission or decision, but is not confident enough to bet on it.

"I think I'd pick Silva in that one. There's no way I would ever trust Jesse Ronson with any form of bet."
LOSS vs Rafa García
Submission (rear-naked choke) R2 4:50 · UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 · Apr 16, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Rafa García 0 35 of 80 43% 73 of 126 3 of 4 75% 1 0 4:37
Jesse Ronson 0 25 of 61 40% 28 of 64 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Rafa García 0 26 of 64 40% 32 of 73 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:35
Jesse Ronson 0 23 of 52 44% 25 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Rafa García 0 9 of 16 56% 41 of 53 2 of 2 100% 1 0 4:02
Jesse Ronson 0 2 of 9 22% 3 of 10 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Rafa García 35 of 80 43% 31 of 76 3 of 3 1 of 1 26 of 70 1 of 1 8 of 9
Jesse Ronson 25 of 61 40% 13 of 48 6 of 7 6 of 6 25 of 60 0 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Rafa García 26 of 64 40% 23 of 61 3 of 3 0 of 0 25 of 63 1 of 1 0 of 0
Jesse Ronson 23 of 52 44% 13 of 41 5 of 6 5 of 5 23 of 52 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Rafa García 9 of 16 56% 8 of 15 0 of 0 1 of 1 1 of 7 0 of 0 8 of 9
Jesse Ronson 2 of 9 22% 0 of 7 1 of 1 1 of 1 2 of 8 0 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Rafa Garcia vs. Jesse Ronson

Round 1
Lightweights take the stage as we move along the prelims, as Canada’s Ronson (21-10, 1 NC; 0-3, 1 NC UFC) will try to earn his first victory inside the Octagon in his fifth try. He will face “Gifted” Garcia (12-2, 1-2 UFC) out of Mexico in a battle of North American nations. Drawing the charge is referee Mark Smith, who hopes that what happened in the last fight takes place in this one. There is no glove touch, and instead the two fighters start trading in a hurry. Garcia lands with a solid right hand, and Ronson gets off an inside leg kick. As Ronson comes forward, Garcia acts as a matador and actually tosses Ronson down to the canvas. He does not pounce, allowing the Canadian to get back up, and they throw hands again. Garcia lines up his right hand, and Ronson is just able to get out of harm’s way each time. As Ronson advances, Garcia clubs him with this right, and Ronson shakes it off and tries to pay him back. The lightweight go tit-for-tat, with one landing, the other replying, and the first swinging back. Ronson jabs down the middle, and Garcia swings back at him with a more varied approach. A faked ankle pick from Garcia allows him to wing an overhand right, and Ronson rolls through it and comes right back. “The Body Snatcher” connects with a swiping kick to the body, and he tries to throw another only for the leg to get caught. Garcia swings him down to the ground, and Ronson scrambles right back up. When they are tied up, “Gifted” gives him man several gifts in the form of surprisingly powerful foot stomps, which lead to Ronson exploding out of the position. As Ronson recovers, Garcia shoots through his hips and plants him on the ground with a clean double. Ronson once more hops back up to his feet without being grounded for long, and when he stands, Garcia drills him in the face. Ronson does not stop moving forward, and Garcia lays into him and lands flush. Ronson powers straight ahead, landing with a few clean punches, and concluding the round with a low kick on the rear leg of his foe.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Garcia
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Garcia

Round 2
The fighters march out of their corners, and they are quick to engage. Ronson marks Garcia up with a few punches, and Garcia comes forward to hit a takedown. The Canadian scrambles, and he works his way up to a knee. Before getting up, Garcia nails Ronson with an illegal knee, and Smith recognizes this instantly and lets out a heavy sigh as there is now nonsense in this fight too. Smith calls in the doctor to assess Ronson from the foul, and Ronson is a little wobbly but he informs the doctor that he is ready to continue. Smith properly deducts one point from Garcia for the foul, and he resumes the action. “Gifted” surges forward in pursuit of a takedown, and he drags Ronson right back down to the ground. Ronson scoots his way to the fence, and back up to a knee, but this time Garcia is not interested in landing knees as he wants to take his back instead. Garcia cannot lock up a choke, and as he pursues one, Ronson falls to his back to free up his neck. The Mexican fighter set up an arm-triangle choke from the guard, and he bails on it when he attempts to pass guard. Garcia hops over to half guard, where he starts hammering down with punches. Garcia grinds on top as his punches slow, keeping Ronson tightly pressed down to the ground. Ronson too holds on tight from below, in hopes of a standup or to at least stop Garcia from landing strikes. Garcia slowly works Ronson with several right hands, forcing Ronson to turn over. As Ronson tries to slide out the back door, Garcia grabs hold of his back and gets a hook in. Ronson turns to his knees and tries to buck Garcia off of him, but Garcia postures up and smacks Ronson upside the head.
The punches make Ronson adjust briefly, allowing “Gifted” Garcia the slightest of opportunities to slip his arm beneath the chin and lock up a rear-naked choke. It is all he needs, as he cinches the choke tight, and Ronson taps almost instantly as it is academic and he would be out seconds later.
That is one way to take the judges out of the equation, after Garcia lost a point a few minutes ago.

The Official Result
Rafa Garcia def. Jesse Ronson R2 4:50 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 10, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Rafa García

Angelo picks Rafa García confidently, calling it a clear pick. He notes that García has more power, better ground game, and is dangerous everywhere. He mentions that Jesse Ronson may be more technical but has chin issues, and García hits like a truck for the weight class. He is surprised García is only a slight favorite and plans to bet the moneyline at -120 before the line moves.

moneyline bet at -120
"this is a clear pick for me i love hasag hafa garcia here and i'm going to throw a moneyline bet on him before this line moves because you know frankly i'm loving him at the minus 120 price point"
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jesse Ronson

Big Brady slightly picks Jesse Ronson to win by close decision. He notes Ronson has better striking and cardio, while García has good wrestling but questionable cardio. He expects García to slow down as the fight goes on, allowing Ronson to take over late. He calls it a very close fight and says he won't bet on it.

"i will take jesse ronson slightly and i'll take him to win by a very close and competitive decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jesse Ronson

Cody picks Ronson, citing his technical striking and experience. He notes Garcia's struggles at 155 and the weight jump to 170. He thinks Ronson's sharpness and durability will be key, and calls him a live underdog.

"gotta go jesse ronson's dog money"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert picked Apr 14, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Daniel Levi has no clear pick, calling it a question of which version of Jesse Ronson shows up. If Ronson is the seasoned vet who has fought elite competition (Michel Prazeres, Kevin Lee) and is clean from his suspension, he picks Ronson. If Ronson is washed up, he picks Garcia. He notes Garcia is tough and gritty but has faced lower-level competition and was finished by Chris Gruetzemacher after gassing. Levi is uncertain and passes.

"Both guys at their best I got jesse ronson it's just are we getting both guys at their best that's the big question."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jesse Ronson

Paul leans towards Ronson after hearing Cody's analysis. He notes Ronson's technical striking and experience, and thinks Garcia may struggle moving up to 170. He plans to add Ronson to his card.

"i'm gonna add ronson to the card"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Rafa García

The MMA Guru picks Rafa García due to Jesse Ronson's inactivity and age (36). He notes García's activity and visible improvements, and believes Ronson has regressed during his time off. He expects García to win a 29-28 decision in a fun scrap.

unanimous decision 29-28
"half of garcia gets this one done plus ronson's been injured on in his time off as well"
LOSS vs Nicolas Dalby
No Contest (overturned) R1 2:48 · UFC on ESPN: Whittaker vs. Till · Jul 26, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Jesse Ronson 0 20 of 50 40% 20 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:26
Nicolas Dalby 1 30 of 45 66% 31 of 46 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:21
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Jesse Ronson 0 20 of 50 40% 20 of 53 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:26
Nicolas Dalby 1 30 of 45 66% 31 of 46 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:21
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Jesse Ronson 20 of 50 40% 10 of 38 8 of 10 2 of 2 17 of 44 3 of 6 0 of 0
Nicolas Dalby 30 of 45 66% 22 of 34 1 of 4 7 of 7 21 of 32 2 of 5 7 of 8
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Jesse Ronson 20 of 50 40% 10 of 38 8 of 10 2 of 2 17 of 44 3 of 6 0 of 0
Nicolas Dalby 30 of 45 66% 22 of 34 1 of 4 7 of 7 21 of 32 2 of 5 7 of 8
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Jesse Ronson vs. Nicolas Dalby

Round 1
Returning to the welterweight division, we are now treated to a classic Denmark vs. Canada matchup as Dalby (18-3-1, 1 NC; 2-2-1 UFC) tries to keep his momentum going against the returning Ronson (21-10, 0-3 UFC). Serving as the referee is Marc Goddard, and these two 170-pounders do not touch ‘em up before throwing down. Dalby starts out offensively, with a fast blitz of punches that ends with a head kick that Ronson can barely block. Dalby walks him down to unload more punches, and Ronson is mostly on the defensive as he looks like a significantly smaller fighter. Ronson digs to the body with a kick to disrupt Dalby’s offense, and he slings another but gets blocked. Dalby fires one back, and bullies Ronson to the fence and lands a few clinch strikes including a cracking elbow. Dalby grabs hold of a leg to try to take the fight down, and Ronson manages to keep his balance and circles out. Dalby follows him with a few body kicks, a head kick just barely misses the mark. Ronson tries to come back with his own side kick, but “Lokomotivo” marches through it and lands a few punches. Ronson fires a kick and it gets checked, and Dalby races in to attack.
When Dalby crashes forward, Ronson clips Dalby with a short right, and a straight left sets the fighter from Denmark down like a ton of bricks. Ronson leaps on top with a torrential assault of elbows while claiming mount position, forcing Dalby to turn and give up his back. “The Body Snatcher” snatches up the neck in an instant, sinking in a rear-naked choke that is tight as can be. Dalby only needs a second or two before surrendering, as there is no way out from there.
He taps out, and Ronson has now finally won his first fight inside the Octagon after four attempts.

The Official Result
Jesse Ronson def. Nicolas Dalby R1 2:48 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 22, 2020 (4 days before fight)
Nicolas Dalby

Big Brady picks Dalby because of his wrestling advantage, expecting him to control Ronson against the cage or on the ground. He notes Ronson has lost three split decisions in the UFC and hasn't been impressive outside. He predicts a decision win for Dalby and considers him a parlay piece.

Dalby by decision; parlayable
"I do like dolby to win this fight I think he can take him down or at least hold him up the cage for periods of the time"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jul 23, 2020 (3 days before fight)
Nicolas Dalby

Daniel picks Dalby by decision, citing his well-rounded MMA game, high fight IQ, and ability to outwork opponents. He notes Dalby's chinny nature and tendency to charge in, but believes he will switch stances, press Ronson against the cage, and outwork him. He thinks Ronson is a good striker but struggles in decisions.

"i'm gonna go with dobby by decision but i definitely think he's gonna out work him you know switch stands press him against the against the cage just use the whole you know well-rounded mma game"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 23, 2020 (3 days before fight)
Nicolas Dalby

Dalby is a larger welterweight grappler who will have a significant size and grappling advantage over Ronson, who is a lightweight moving up. Ronson is a good striker but poor grappler, and Dalby can take him down and control him. However, the line is too steep at -255, so no bet recommended.

"i will take dobby to win this fight i think he's going to win by decision"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 19, 2020 (7 days before fight)
Nicolas Dalby

The MMA Guru is confident in Nicolas Dalby, calling Jesse Ronson a 'free win' and noting that Ronson has lost every step up in competition. He praises Dalby's recent wins and believes he will rock Ronson on the feet and then submit him, predicting a rear-naked choke in the first or second round.

submission, rear-naked choke in first or second round
"I think he'll get the Mish against um Jesse Bronson. Probably rocking him on the feet in the first round, then dragging him down into a submission. Rear naked choke finish by Nicholas Dalby in the first or second round."
LOSS vs Kevin Lee
Decision (split) (29-28, 28–29, 30–27) R3 5:00 · The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn Finale · Jul 06, 2014
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kevin Lee 0 48 of 100 48% 51 of 105 1 of 2 50% 1 0 0:41
Jesse Ronson 0 49 of 110 44% 66 of 128 4 of 12 33% 0 1 7:04
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kevin Lee 0 16 of 34 47% 17 of 35 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jesse Ronson 0 17 of 35 48% 23 of 41 2 of 6 33% 0 0 2:11
2 Kevin Lee 0 16 of 35 45% 17 of 37 0 of 1 0% 1 0 0:12
Jesse Ronson 0 14 of 37 37% 16 of 39 2 of 4 50% 0 0 2:30
3 Kevin Lee 0 16 of 31 51% 17 of 33 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:29
Jesse Ronson 0 18 of 38 47% 27 of 48 0 of 2 0% 0 1 2:23
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kevin Lee 48 of 100 48% 27 of 72 9 of 12 12 of 16 45 of 93 3 of 7 0 of 0
Jesse Ronson 49 of 110 44% 33 of 90 16 of 20 0 of 0 36 of 94 7 of 10 6 of 6
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kevin Lee 16 of 34 47% 8 of 21 3 of 4 5 of 9 15 of 31 1 of 3 0 of 0
Jesse Ronson 17 of 35 48% 11 of 28 6 of 7 0 of 0 11 of 26 6 of 9 0 of 0
2 Kevin Lee 16 of 35 45% 8 of 26 5 of 6 3 of 3 15 of 33 1 of 2 0 of 0
Jesse Ronson 14 of 37 37% 9 of 30 5 of 7 0 of 0 13 of 36 0 of 0 1 of 1
3 Kevin Lee 16 of 31 51% 11 of 25 1 of 2 4 of 4 15 of 29 1 of 2 0 of 0
Jesse Ronson 18 of 38 47% 13 of 32 5 of 6 0 of 0 12 of 32 1 of 1 5 of 5
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Mousasi · Feb 15, 2014
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Francisco Trinaldo 0 55 of 148 37% 61 of 154 1 of 4 25% 0 0 1:58
Jesse Ronson 0 53 of 126 42% 56 of 129 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:36
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Francisco Trinaldo 0 22 of 51 43% 25 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jesse Ronson 0 18 of 48 37% 18 of 48 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:22
2 Francisco Trinaldo 0 13 of 51 25% 13 of 51 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:40
Jesse Ronson 0 23 of 43 53% 25 of 45 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:09
3 Francisco Trinaldo 0 20 of 46 43% 23 of 49 1 of 3 33% 0 0 1:18
Jesse Ronson 0 12 of 35 34% 13 of 36 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:05
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Francisco Trinaldo 55 of 148 37% 23 of 110 15 of 18 17 of 20 38 of 126 8 of 13 9 of 9
Jesse Ronson 53 of 126 42% 21 of 82 18 of 29 14 of 15 46 of 117 7 of 9 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Francisco Trinaldo 22 of 51 43% 11 of 38 5 of 6 6 of 7 18 of 45 4 of 6 0 of 0
Jesse Ronson 18 of 48 37% 8 of 31 5 of 12 5 of 5 17 of 47 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Francisco Trinaldo 13 of 51 25% 4 of 40 5 of 6 4 of 5 10 of 46 3 of 5 0 of 0
Jesse Ronson 23 of 43 53% 6 of 22 10 of 13 7 of 8 19 of 39 4 of 4 0 of 0
3 Francisco Trinaldo 20 of 46 43% 8 of 32 5 of 6 7 of 8 10 of 35 1 of 2 9 of 9
Jesse Ronson 12 of 35 34% 7 of 29 3 of 4 2 of 2 10 of 31 2 of 4 0 of 0
LOSS vs Michel Prazeres
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC 165: Jones vs. Gustafsson · Sep 21, 2013
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Michel Prazeres 0 19 of 43 44% 50 of 77 7 of 15 46% 0 0 8:37
Jesse Ronson 0 38 of 73 52% 41 of 76 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:47
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Michel Prazeres 0 3 of 5 60% 18 of 22 3 of 4 75% 0 0 4:21
Jesse Ronson 0 0 of 4 0% 0 of 4 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Michel Prazeres 0 3 of 8 37% 18 of 23 3 of 7 42% 0 0 3:10
Jesse Ronson 0 14 of 23 60% 14 of 23 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Michel Prazeres 0 13 of 30 43% 14 of 32 1 of 4 25% 0 0 1:06
Jesse Ronson 0 24 of 46 52% 27 of 49 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:47
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Michel Prazeres 19 of 43 44% 16 of 38 1 of 3 2 of 2 14 of 36 2 of 4 3 of 3
Jesse Ronson 38 of 73 52% 15 of 46 10 of 14 13 of 13 27 of 58 3 of 4 8 of 11
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Michel Prazeres 3 of 5 60% 2 of 3 0 of 1 1 of 1 1 of 3 0 of 0 2 of 2
Jesse Ronson 0 of 4 0% 0 of 3 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Michel Prazeres 3 of 8 37% 2 of 6 1 of 2 0 of 0 2 of 6 1 of 2 0 of 0
Jesse Ronson 14 of 23 60% 5 of 13 5 of 6 4 of 4 11 of 19 3 of 4 0 of 0
3 Michel Prazeres 13 of 30 43% 12 of 29 0 of 0 1 of 1 11 of 27 1 of 2 1 of 1
Jesse Ronson 24 of 46 52% 10 of 30 5 of 7 9 of 9 16 of 35 0 of 0 8 of 11
Expert Picks (6)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 10, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Rafa García

Angelo picks Rafa García confidently, calling it a clear pick. He notes that García has more power, better ground game, and is dangerous everywhere. He mentions that Jesse Ronson may be more technical but has chin issues, and García hits like a truck for the weight class. He is surprised García is only a slight favorite and plans to bet the moneyline at -120 before the line moves.

moneyline bet at -120
"this is a clear pick for me i love hasag hafa garcia here and i'm going to throw a moneyline bet on him before this line moves because you know frankly i'm loving him at the minus 120 price point"
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jesse Ronson

Big Brady slightly picks Jesse Ronson to win by close decision. He notes Ronson has better striking and cardio, while García has good wrestling but questionable cardio. He expects García to slow down as the fight goes on, allowing Ronson to take over late. He calls it a very close fight and says he won't bet on it.

"i will take jesse ronson slightly and i'll take him to win by a very close and competitive decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jesse Ronson

Cody picks Ronson, citing his technical striking and experience. He notes Garcia's struggles at 155 and the weight jump to 170. He thinks Ronson's sharpness and durability will be key, and calls him a live underdog.

"gotta go jesse ronson's dog money"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert picked Apr 14, 2022 (2 days before fight)
No clear pick

Daniel Levi has no clear pick, calling it a question of which version of Jesse Ronson shows up. If Ronson is the seasoned vet who has fought elite competition (Michel Prazeres, Kevin Lee) and is clean from his suspension, he picks Ronson. If Ronson is washed up, he picks Garcia. He notes Garcia is tough and gritty but has faced lower-level competition and was finished by Chris Gruetzemacher after gassing. Levi is uncertain and passes.

"Both guys at their best I got jesse ronson it's just are we getting both guys at their best that's the big question."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Apr 12, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Jesse Ronson

Paul leans towards Ronson after hearing Cody's analysis. He notes Ronson's technical striking and experience, and thinks Garcia may struggle moving up to 170. He plans to add Ronson to his card.

"i'm gonna add ronson to the card"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 11, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Rafa García

The MMA Guru picks Rafa García due to Jesse Ronson's inactivity and age (36). He notes García's activity and visible improvements, and believes Ronson has regressed during his time off. He expects García to win a 29-28 decision in a fun scrap.

unanimous decision 29-28
"half of garcia gets this one done plus ronson's been injured on in his time off as well"