Career Averages - Vinicius Oliveira
Career Averages - Benardo Sopaj
Vinicius Oliveira
Benardo Sopaj
Vinicius Oliveira - Fight History
Angelo picks Vinicius Oliveira (Lock Dog) over Andre Fili, citing Oliveira's relentless pace and work rate. He notes Oliveira is always moving forward, throwing strikes, and mixing in takedowns, which leads to high DFS scores. He worries about Fili's low fight IQ and tendency to abandon game plans, but acknowledges Fili's wrestling experience. He believes Oliveira's busy style will overwhelm Fili.
AJ sees Andre Fili as a live underdog at +200, believing Fili can catch Oliveira with straight punches. He notes Oliveira's awkwardness and potential quit after a broken arm, and thinks Fili's recent performance against Delgado shows he's sharp. AJ doubts Oliveira's move up to 145 and thinks Fili deserves respect.
AJ picks Andre Fili as an underdog, doubting Oliveira's move to 145 after a broken arm and loss. He believes Fili can outbox him, being taller and longer, and that Oliveira's size bullying won't work at featherweight. He calls the -285 line on Oliveira crazy.
AJ picks Fili as an underdog, citing Oliveira's poor defense, recent broken arm, and move up in weight. He thinks Fili's veteran savvy, reach, and clean punching will be key, and expects a competitive decision win or possibly a knockout.
AJ picks Andre Fili as an underdog, arguing that Oliveira's bullying style won't work at 145 where he loses size advantage. He notes Fili is a technical striker with good footwork and has looked sharp against tough opponents. He expects Fili to outpoint Oliveira, possibly by split decision, and calls Fili his underdog lock.
Angelo picks Vinicius Oliveira (Lock Dog) over Andre Fili, citing Oliveira's relentless pace and work rate. He notes Oliveira is always moving forward, throwing strikes, and mixing in takedowns, which leads to high DFS scores. He worries about Fili's low fight IQ and tendency to abandon game plans, but acknowledges Fili's wrestling experience. He believes Oliveira's busy style will overwhelm Fili.
Angelo picks Oliveira but is hesitant, worried that Fili might finally live up to his potential. He thinks Oliveira will outwork Fili with pressure, takedowns, and volume, and expects the fight to go the distance. He has a small bet on Oliveira and notes that Oliveira's last loss was to a top contender.
Angelo picks Vinicius Oliveira, citing his pressure and pace as key in a three-round fight. He has concerns about Oliveira's takedown defense against Andre Fili's wrestling, but still believes Oliveira's chaos and aggression will be too much. He notes he was more confident when Oliveira was fighting Giga Chikadze.
Cody picks Andre Fili as a dog, citing his reach advantage, veteran savvy, and improved wrestling. He believes Fili can implement a game plan of jabbing, matadoring, and scoring takedowns, exploiting Oliveira's wild, loopy punches and poor takedown defense. He notes Oliveira's first fight at featherweight and potential cardio issues.
Connor picks Fili, noting that Oliveira's style of marching forward with his face exposed is a liability against a technical veteran like Fili. He points out Fili has a fantastic shot and underrated head kick, and can replicate what Mario Bautista did to Oliveira. Connor acknowledges Fili's inconsistency but believes he can suck Oliveira into mistakes.
Lucrative James picks Vinicius Oliveira to win, highlighting Oliveira's unpredictable striking, explosive power, and speed advantage moving up to featherweight. He notes that Andre Fili, while tricky and durable, gets dropped often and has a questionable chin. James predicts Oliveira will land a knockout, as Fili's reaction time may not handle Oliveira's unorthodox angles.
Oliveira is a violent, aggressive striker who can finish. Fili struggles against aggressive fighters and is not a finishing threat. Oliveira should dictate the pace and land big shots, likely winning by knockout.
Oliveira will create chaos and find a finish over Fili within two rounds, as Fili doesn't react well to aggressive fighters like Oliveira.
Paul leans toward Oliveira, thinking he might clip Fili with a knockout, but is not confident. He notes Oliveira's power and size but acknowledges his recent submission loss and Fili's wrestling improvements. He seems to prefer Fili as a value play but doesn't fully commit.
The MMA Guru picks Andre Fili to win, possibly by decision or knockout. He believes Fili is better everywhere technically, with superior stand-up, wrestling, and conditioning. He notes Oliveira relies on early KO and will fade, while Fili has experience at higher weight and a good chin. He thinks Fili can counter Oliveira's wild offense and mix in takedowns.
Zane picks Oliveira because he is much more used to facing adversity and can walk through Fili's shots. He notes Fili has a tendency to leave himself open when countering and can be caught. Zane acknowledges Fili has a clean path to win but doubts he'll stick to it. He also mentions Oliveira's power and durability as key factors.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Bautista | 0 | 15 of 27 | 55% | 49 of 63 | 5 of 7 | 71% | 1 | 0 | 5:47 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 12 of 21 | 57% | 18 of 27 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:39 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Bautista | 0 | 3 of 9 | 33% | 22 of 29 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:18 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 6 of 8 | 75% | 8 of 10 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 1:39 | |
| 2 | Mario Bautista | 0 | 12 of 18 | 66% | 27 of 34 | 4 of 5 | 80% | 1 | 0 | 3:29 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 6 of 13 | 46% | 10 of 17 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Bautista | 15 of 27 | 55% | 10 of 20 | 5 of 6 | 0 of 1 | 6 of 12 | 0 of 2 | 9 of 13 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 12 of 21 | 57% | 3 of 10 | 3 of 5 | 6 of 6 | 9 of 18 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Bautista | 3 of 9 | 33% | 1 of 7 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 5 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 6 of 8 | 75% | 0 of 1 | 3 of 4 | 3 of 3 | 4 of 6 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Mario Bautista | 12 of 18 | 66% | 9 of 13 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 1 | 5 of 8 | 0 of 2 | 7 of 8 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 6 of 13 | 46% | 3 of 9 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 3 | 5 of 12 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bautista (-185); Oliveira (+155)
Round 1
All eyes are on this bantamweight main attraction, with the UFC’s No. 9 Bautista (16-3, 10-3 UFC) putting his superior number on the line against the surging 11th-ranked Oliveira (23-3, 4-0 UFC). Whether a top-10 fighter is cemented or elevated, referee Herb Dean is on top of everything. He brings them together to the center of the cage, where the fighters calmly touch gloves.
Oliveira starts off with a front kick up the middle, only to be met with a body kick flying back. Oliveira chops at the front leg, working the calf a few times and dropping his hands to motion to someone outside the cage. Bautista swings and misses, allowing Oliveira to grab hold of him and clinch. Oh no. Here we go again. Oliveira presses heavily on the MMA Lab representative, thwarting Bautista’s initial escape attempts. Bautista manages to free himself from the grasp, but Oliveira is quick to re-engage with an attempt. They fall to the floor during a grappling exchange, and Oliveira is quicker on his feet and isolates Bautista’s right leg for a single. Bautista keeps his balance and slaps Oliveira upside the head a few times, and they spin around one another as Bautista follows through to drag the fight down and establish top control.
Oliveira hits his back and hunts for a leglock, and Bautista defends by twisting all the way around and climbing into half guard. The action slows to a crawl as Bautista smothers on top, with Oliveira locking him down with his arms hooked around his foe’s. When Bautista tries to posture up, Oliveira kicks him off. Bautista just misses with a leaping right hand, and he has an axe kick blocked. Bautista tries to move himself back into the guard, and Oliveira’s upkicks keep him honest. Bautista manages to score with a few punches to the body, but otherwise he stays out of harm until the buzzer.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Bautista
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Bautista
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Bautista
Round 2
Bautista starts the round aggressively, taking the fight to the ground early. Oliveira climbs back up thanks in part to snagging his fingers in the fence, and he is admonished for it and hurled back down to the mat by the American. A mat return soon follows when Oliveira scoots upright. Bautista cannot keep him down, and when he backs off to find an angle back in, he walks into a left hand but still scores a right. Oliveira appears lackadaisical and sloppy, his hands by his waist as he prepares to defend another takedown shot. Oliveira lunges behind an inaccurate right, and Bautista corners him against the cage and goes to take him down.
Oliveira manages to get him down instead by catching a kick, only for Bautista to reverse him and wind up in the position the ended the previous round. The Brazilian’s upkicks are less hostile than before, so Bautista is able to get into his guard and transition fairly quickly to half guard. Oliveira still slowly manages to frame off the chest, recovering back to the full guard and closing it. Bautista opens it up with a few elbows, slashing them down and pushing through to half guard, the side and eventually a crucifix. Bautista jams down a number of elbows and thumping punches, and he switches things up with a sudden, unexpected kimura.
He cranks that submission in order to brilliantly take the back of his adversary, and he slips both hooks in and wraps up a rear-naked choke in the blink of an eye. The fight went from zero to 60 in a hurry, and Oliveira is in big, big trouble. After barely a second or two, Oliveira realizes his goose is cooked and frantically taps out before he goes out.
Just like that, Bautista has notched his first stoppage since 2023 and rebounds from a loss to Umar Nurmagomedov in a huge way. The victor lauds coach John Crouch for his grappling and jitz training to be able to pull off that thrilling grappling sequence that is best shown in slow-motion. The MMA Lab rep calls for a rematch with Cory Sandhagen when on the microphone, and that is one worth watching that could easily headline a Fight Night card. If that transpires, sign us up. Also, Sherdog will be in the building at UFC Houston in two weeks, so be sure to tune into our extra live coverage throughout the week. We will be there for it, and we hope you are too.
The Official Result
Mario Bautista def. Vinicius Oliveira R2 4:46 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
Angelo picks Mario Bautista, believing he is the better technical fighter with cleaner striking and better wrestling. He acknowledges Vinicius Oliveira's insane pace but thinks Bautista can match it and fight for 25 minutes. He notes that Bautista's last fight against Umar Nurmagomedov was close and impressive, and he expects Bautista to go dog for dog with Oliveira and come out on top.
Big Brady picks Mario Bautista, citing his superior grappling and cardio. He notes that Vinicius Oliveira has shown vulnerability on the ground, as seen in his fight against Bernardo Sopai. Bautista hasn't used his grappling recently due to tough opponents, but Brady expects him to take Oliveira down and submit him in the third round.
Cody picks Vinicius Oliveira as an underdog, comparing him to Carlos Prates and Alex Pereira for his pressure and power. He argues Oliveira's constant forward pressure and size will overwhelm Bautista, who lacks one-shot power. Cody believes Oliveira's momentum and damage output will sway judges, especially in the Apex where damage is prioritized.
Connor agrees with Zane, citing Bautista's technical lockdown and ability to handle pressure. He compares Oliveira to Dricus du Plessis in terms of being a 'vibes fighter' who can overwhelm opponents, but believes Bautista's scrambling and experience against elite pressure (like Aldo) give him the edge. He notes Oliveira's tendency to get tired and be hittable.
Lucrative James picks Mario Bautista to win inside the distance, likely by submission in the championship rounds. He emphasizes Bautista's superior cardio and pace, especially in a five-round fight, and notes that Oliveira has been finished in all his losses. James believes Oliveira will gas out in rounds 4-5, allowing Bautista to take over and secure a finish.
The host picks Bautista inside the distance, likely in round 4. He believes Bautista's fight IQ, cardio, and game planning will allow him to contain Oliveira's reckless aggression and take over as Oliveira gasses. He notes Bautista can match Oliveira's violence and has a cardio edge, and expects him to find a finish in the later rounds.
Paul picks Mario Bautista, citing concerns about Oliveira's gas tank in a five-round fight. He notes Bautista's durability and ability to control the cage, similar to his fight against Jose Aldo. Paul expects Bautista to stick to a game plan and potentially win by decision, suggesting live betting on Bautista in later rounds.
The host picks Mario Bautista over Vinicius Oliveira. He thinks Oliveira is a size bully with sloppy technique, and Bautista is equally big but technically superior. He notes Bautista's pace and pressure, and his performance against Ricky Simon was more impressive than Oliveira's. He predicts a 4-1 decision win for Bautista.
Zane leans toward Bautista because of his proven ability to handle pressure fighters, as seen in his win over Jose Aldo. He notes that Oliveira is dangerous but reckless, often getting hurt in fights, and Bautista's scrambling and timing should allow him to capitalize. However, he acknowledges Oliveira's physicality and durability could make it a war.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyler Phillips | 0 | 49 of 151 | 32% | 54 of 156 | 0 of 5 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 1 | 96 of 232 | 41% | 102 of 238 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 2:20 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyler Phillips | 0 | 29 of 67 | 43% | 29 of 67 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 22 of 69 | 31% | 22 of 69 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:03 | |
| 2 | Kyler Phillips | 0 | 4 of 26 | 15% | 9 of 31 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 1 | 41 of 81 | 50% | 47 of 87 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:17 | |
| 3 | Kyler Phillips | 0 | 16 of 58 | 27% | 16 of 58 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 33 of 82 | 40% | 33 of 82 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyler Phillips | 49 of 151 | 32% | 33 of 126 | 13 of 22 | 3 of 3 | 49 of 151 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 96 of 232 | 41% | 52 of 161 | 26 of 50 | 18 of 21 | 79 of 207 | 5 of 7 | 12 of 18 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyler Phillips | 29 of 67 | 43% | 18 of 52 | 8 of 12 | 3 of 3 | 29 of 67 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 22 of 69 | 31% | 12 of 47 | 5 of 15 | 5 of 7 | 22 of 69 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Kyler Phillips | 4 of 26 | 15% | 2 of 22 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 26 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 41 of 81 | 50% | 27 of 65 | 9 of 11 | 5 of 5 | 27 of 60 | 2 of 3 | 12 of 18 | |
| 3 | Kyler Phillips | 16 of 58 | 27% | 13 of 52 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 16 of 58 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 33 of 82 | 40% | 13 of 49 | 12 of 24 | 8 of 9 | 30 of 78 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Oliveira (-175), Phillips (+145)
Round 1
Wrapping up the unpaid portion of the event, two speedy bantamweights collide. While they are both ranked in the UFC’s top 15 at 135 pounds, the losing party may fall off on Monday or Tuesday. Phillips (12-3, 6-2 UFC) needs to get back in the win column, but to do so he has to outhustle heavy-handed Brazilian “LokDog” Oliveira (22-3, 3-0 UFC). The two will be joined in the Octagon by referee Chris Hill, and they opt against touching gloves while he watches on.
Oliveira says hello with a head kick rather than bumping gloves, and this fires up Phillips. Phillips strikes back with his own high kick and flurry of punches, hurting the Brazilian and keeping his defenses ready to stop the incoming takedown. Phillips hurts “LokDog” with another right hand, springing round side to side and pecking his foe with sharp jab and a body shot. Oliveira whiffs on a big left hook, and Phillips fires off a wheel kick that is too high and misses the target. Phillips’ right hands stagger Oliveira twice, and Oliveira has to shake it off but has his hands low. Oliveira walks Phillips down, absorbing single targeted strikes while not connecting on much power. “LokDog” gets off a front kick, and he takes a right hand on the temple. When Phillips misses on a punch, Oliveira tries to chase him down, but “The Matrix” is elusive as ever.
Oliveira drives a front kick that sounds like it ricocheted off the cup, but Phillips does not express concern and shoots in for a takedown. Oliveira staves it off and absorbs a few kicks to the midsection. Phillips is on his bouncing bike, avoiding the worst of the Brazilian’s right hands while not letting the kicks reach him either. Phillips goes toto the body and head, and Oliveira lines up a kick to the ribs. Phillips slips punches, lands his own and drives a knee to the chin that stuns Oliveira for a second. Oliveira shrugs and goes back to chasing Phillips with his hands low. Oliveira tosses out kicks from both legs, and he lowers himself down to hurl bungalows. Phillips takes the power cleanly and tries to keep him at bay with kicks, but Oliveira is starting to time and catch them. Oliveira kicks low, and Phillips jumps over it and springs away from a spinning back kick. Phillips scores a knee and falls over, and he gets back up and finds Oliveira chasing him with attacks. Phillips defends with his back to the wall as the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Phillips
Round 2
Phillips starts off the round with is own head kick to mirror what Oliveira did in the previous round, and he gets away from the wild kicks of his opponent that are feet away from his intended target. The elusive Phillips stays light on his heels, only for Oliveira to wind up a right hand that sends him flying. “The Matrix” gets back up, takes another huge right hand and then turns away and gets kicked in the face. Oliveira continues to bombard Phillips with attacks, bowling him over and finding himself lording over Phillips with standing-to-ground punches. Oliveira lowers himself in the guard, and he positions himself flat on his adversary. Oliveira briefly flirts with an arm-triangle choke until sitting up to adjust his position, and Phillips kicks him off in the chest and stands back up. Oliveira tries to hold him down or wrap up a sub, but Phillips is free and out of danger.
Oliveira tries to bring back the danger, clubbing Phillips with looping punches including a left hand that stings Phillips again. Phillips works his way back to his feet, and Oliveira stands in front of him, hands down, taking deep breaths. The Brazilian explodes back into his offense, tagging Phillips with punches that “The Matrix” would have evaded previously. He ducks a spinning wheel kick and tags Phillips with three punches down the forward bow. Oliveira kicks low and swings high, and when Phillips hits him back, he does not budge. “LokDog” tries to catch the kick, chest heaving, and he fights off a takedown and trips Philips up to put him on his back. Oliveira is pushed off when landing some ground strikes, but he hurls himself back into top position. The round ends with Oliveira riding out this position.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Round 3
Oliveira motions to the crowd to pump them up, and bows at his opponent. They resume with five minutes left to battle it out, and Oliveira starts by walking Phillips down. Phillips remains on his bike, kicking and probing with single strikes while trying to avoid the booming blows aimed at his face. Oliveira dodges a wheel kick and plods forward, slamming his shin on Phillips’ calf and drawing a short limp from him. Phillips keeps moving while Oliveira is going after him, with his head kick blocked before Oliveira gets to him and belts him in the face with three punches. “LokDog” hammers the front leg again, takes a body shot and misses on his counters. They both let go with big right hands, and Oliveira’s calf kick does further damage. Oliveira misses on a few punches and a high kick, while Phillips is jabbing aplenty. Phillips scores a body kick, and Oliveira punches him in the chest back. Once more, the Brazilian attacks the front leg, and movement from Phillips is starting to dwindle.
As Phillips tries to push his way forward, Oliveira drills him with a close-range spinning back kick to the chest. Oliveira races forward behind looping hooks, and his spinning wheel kick misses the mark. Phillips kicks him in the face, and Oliveira still keeps his hands down and shrugs off anything that catches him. Oliveira tries to connect with three big punches, and he ducks down and shoulder-checks his adversary. Phillips tries to back him off with hooks, and Oliveira ducks, moves and kicks him. The Brazilian dodges, weaves, connects and shoots for a takedown. Phillips shuts the latter down but eats a hard kick on the way out. Oliveira nods when he gets elbowed in the face, because he has a plan: punch Phillips in the face. The plan succeeds. Again and again. Phillips keeps backpedaling but is featuring his jab more than usual, and he mixes in a few side kicks to not let “LokDog” get to him. Oliveira bull-rushes him with punches, tackles Phillips to the mat and is bounced back to his feet. He proceeds to chase Phillips around the cage until time expires.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (29-28 Oliveira)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (29-28 Oliveira)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (29-28 Oliveira)
The Official Result
Vinicius Oliveira def. Kyler Phillips via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Angelo picks Vinicius Oliveira, calling him a dog who has beaten better competition than Kyler Phillips. He notes Oliveira's aggression, power, and takedown defense. He is surprised by the -180 line and considers it a gift, suggesting it could be parlayed.
Big Brady hesitantly picks Vinicius Oliveira due to Kyler Phillips' poor cardio. He believes Phillips wins the first round dominantly but fades, allowing Oliveira to take over in later rounds. He predicts a split decision for Oliveira, though he dislikes the pick.
Connor picks Vinicius Oliveira based on his relentless pressure, durability, and ability to bully opponents despite defensive flaws. He notes that Oliveira's aggressive style and strength make him difficult to wrestle, and Kyler Phillips tends to gas under pressure. Connor believes Oliveira's power and intimidation will overwhelm Phillips, who lacks knockout power and often fades late.
The host sees this as a perfect matchup for Oliveira to showcase dominance, citing his performances against Ricky Simon and Said Nurmagomedov. He expects Oliveira to shut down Phillips's grappling and striking and produce a round three knockout.
The MMA Guru picks Vinicius Oliveira over Kyler Phillips, predicting a third-round finish. He criticizes Phillips' inability to adjust and his tendency to fade in later rounds, as seen against Rob Font and Howie PA. Oliveira is praised for his pace, durability, and pressure, having schooled Ricky Simon and broken Said Nurmagomedov. The Guru believes Oliveira will break Phillips down and finish him, comparing the matchup to Oliveira's win over Nurmagomedov.
Zane agrees with Connor, picking Oliveira due to his pressure and power. He notes that Oliveira's flat-footed style makes him hard to take down, and Phillips' tendency to gas under pressure is a key factor. Zane also mentions that Phillips is not a knockout puncher, which favors Oliveira.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Said Nurmagomedov | 0 | 38 of 79 | 48% | 69 of 111 | 1 of 9 | 11% | 0 | 0 | 0:58 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 43 of 94 | 45% | 68 of 125 | 3 of 5 | 60% | 1 | 0 | 7:12 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Said Nurmagomedov | 0 | 12 of 21 | 57% | 28 of 37 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 3 of 14 | 21% | 5 of 16 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:44 | |
| 2 | Said Nurmagomedov | 0 | 13 of 38 | 34% | 21 of 46 | 0 of 5 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:49 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 21 of 45 | 46% | 26 of 51 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:54 | |
| 3 | Said Nurmagomedov | 0 | 13 of 20 | 65% | 20 of 28 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 19 of 35 | 54% | 37 of 58 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 3:34 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Said Nurmagomedov | 38 of 79 | 48% | 18 of 54 | 13 of 17 | 7 of 8 | 37 of 76 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 43 of 94 | 45% | 24 of 63 | 11 of 18 | 8 of 13 | 31 of 74 | 2 of 5 | 10 of 15 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Said Nurmagomedov | 12 of 21 | 57% | 6 of 14 | 2 of 3 | 4 of 4 | 11 of 20 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 3 of 14 | 21% | 2 of 9 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 3 | 3 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 2 | |
| 2 | Said Nurmagomedov | 13 of 38 | 34% | 3 of 25 | 7 of 9 | 3 of 4 | 13 of 36 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 21 of 45 | 46% | 8 of 25 | 7 of 13 | 6 of 7 | 19 of 40 | 2 of 5 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Said Nurmagomedov | 13 of 20 | 65% | 9 of 15 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 13 of 20 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Vinicius Oliveira | 19 of 35 | 54% | 14 of 29 | 3 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 9 of 22 | 0 of 0 | 10 of 13 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
They move the line forward in the 135-pound weight class, as Nurmagomedov (18-3, 7-2 UFC) and Oliveira (21-3, 2-0 UFC) meet in a pivotal bantamweight attraction. Hatley officiates. Oliveira steps forward, eats a leg kick and uncorks a left hook. Nurmagomedov stays light on his feet and sends a kick glancing off the Brazilian’s forehead. A spinning back kick to the body sends Oliveira to the canvas. He gets to his feet, only to absorb a stout low kick. Nurmagomedov threatens a guillotine in a scramble, then separates. Another powerful low leg kick from the Russian. Oliveira ducks a spinning backfist. Nurmagomedov briefly secures a takedown, but Oliveira gets back to his feet and drives forward in the clinch. Midway through the round. Oliveira scores with knees to the legs. Inadvertent eye poke from the Brazilian results in a pause. Hatley restarts it. Slapping head kick lands from Nurmagomedov. Chopping overhand right from Nurmagomedov misses and an accidental head butt knocks Oliveira off-balance. He gets back to his feet, eats a flying knee and manages to score a takedown. Oliveira navigates the guard and scores with ground-and-pound. Nurmagomedov gets back to his feet. The round ends in the clinch.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nurmegomedov
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Round 2
Oliveira steps forward, and they trade body kicks. Nurmagomedov throw a kick high, only to get blocked. Leg kick from the Russian, who ducks in, shoot on the hips and hunts a takedown. Oliveira denies his efforts. A clinch battle ensues. Knee up the middle on the break from Nurmagomedov. Oliveira presses the issue behind punches and executes a takedown. Nurmagomedov gets back to his feet without much issues and gets his kicks in gear in the center of the cage. Right hand over the top from the Russian draws a thumbs up from Oliveira. Nurmagomedov complains about an eye poke, leaves his guard down and eats a few punches for his troubles. He circles behind Oliveira, resets and secures a brief takedown. Output an issue for Nurmagomedov, who appears to be tiring. Oliveira moves forward behind punches from both hands and lands a glancing uppercut, then misses on a wild spinning backfist. Weary punches from both men to end the frame.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Round 3
Anyone’s fight with five minutes to go. Oliveira presses forward behind a body kick and punches. Nurmagomedov slips throwing a kick. Oliveira dives in top position and works in full guard. He scores with short punches. Nurmagomedov scrambles from underneath. Oliveira draws a warning for grabbing the cage and another for strikes to the back of the head. He powers into half guard and briefly achieves full mount. Nurmagomedov escapes and snatches a single-leg. Oliveira sprawls and circles, then locks in a brabo choke. He bails and throws elbows instead. Ninety seconds left. Oliveira connects with a knee to the body on the kneeling Nurmagomedov. The momentum has certainly shifted. Nurmagomedov gets back to his feet but looks gassed. His movements are woefully labored. Oliveira doubles up on right hooks and connects with a side kick to the body. Nurmagomedov scores with a spinning backfist, but his opponent appears unmoved. Oliveira sprawls on a takedown attempt from the Russian and wheels behind him with 30 seconds remaining. Nurmagomedov clings to a single-leg but has neither the energy nor wherewithal to do anything with it.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (29-28 Oliveira)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (30-27 Oliveira)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (29-28 Oliveira)
The Official Result
Vinicius Oliveira def. Said Nurmagomedov—Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Angelo picks Vinicius Oliveira as an underdog, noting his length, durability, and creativity. He believes Oliveira's chaotic style and takedown defense (defended 9 takedowns against Ricky Simon) will trouble Said Nurmagomedov. He worries that Oliveira's recklessness could lead to a submission, but thinks his aggression and power will be enough.
Big Brady is impressed with Said Nurmagomedov's striking and submission game. He thinks Vinicius Oliveira is hitable and has been finished in all his losses. Brady predicts Nurmagomedov will catch Oliveira with a spinning attack or submit him, possibly via a club-and-sub. He calls Nurmagomedov a finisher and expects a second-round submission.
Connor picks Nurmagomedov, believing his well-rounded game and wrestling will overcome Oliveira's wild aggression. He notes that Oliveira is a formless bully who cuts a lot of weight, but Nurmagomedov has the tools to neutralize him and find submissions. However, he acknowledges that Oliveira's chaotic style could make the fight uncomfortable and that Nurmagomedov has struggled with physical pressure in the past.
James picks Oliveira to win, citing Nurmagomedov's poor cardio and tendency to gas out, as seen in recent fights. He believes Oliveira's pressure, size, and strength will overwhelm Nurmagomedov in later rounds. He notes Nurmagomedov's submission threat (ninja choke) but thinks Oliveira can survive and win by decision or late knockout. He sees Oliveira's trajectory rising while Nurmagomedov's is declining.
Oliveira's output and volume will cause Nurmagomedov trouble, as Nurmagomedov is more reliant on finishes. If he can't get Oliveira out of there early, he will struggle with the volume coming back. Oliveira is expected to win on the scorecards.
The MMA Guru picks Said Nurmagomedov in a close fight. He notes Oliveira is rangy and well-rounded, but Nurmagomedov has finishing potential and experience. He worries about Nurmagomedov's performance against Jonathan Martinez but believes he can win the first two rounds and edge a decision. He mentions Oliveira's short-notice loss to Bernardo Sopaj as a factor.
Zane picks Nurmagomedov, agreeing that his technical edge and wrestling should prevail. He notes that Oliveira's lack of defense and tendency to scramble hard will give Nurmagomedov opportunities. However, Zane warns that Oliveira's size and pace could cause problems, and that Nurmagomedov has a history of slowing down under physical pressure. He still sees Nurmagomedov as the rightful favorite.
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Simon (-218), Oliveira (+180)
Round 1
At long last, UFC 303 is upon us, but not how many would have hoped. In the weeks prior to the event, the final three bouts on the lineup transformed dramatically. Before we get to those, there will be 10 other matchups pleasing fight fans throughout the billing, with some fascinating stylistic clashes and others that promise immediate violence. We start off in the bantamweight division, where perennial contender Simon (20-5, 8-4 UFC) looks to get back in the win column after a rare skid. He faces high-flying Brazilian Oliveira (20-3, 1-0 UFC), who has seen 19 of his 23 pro outings end by knockout, win or lose. Referee Mark Smith is on call for the first fight of the night, geared up for what could be something wild. There is no fist bump to get things going, perhaps in part to the fiery weigh-ins the night before. The two feint and fake at one another in the opening 20 seconds, and Oliveira lunges for a few strikes but misses the mark. Oliveira prods out a front kick to the midsection and skirts away, his hands low as he aims a low calf kick. Simon reaches him with two punches up top, and Oliveira slips away from the rest. The Brazilian misses the mark with a jumping front kick, but his leg kick that follows does connect. Simon rushes him to get off a few punches before evading the counter. Oliveira uses his front kick as a jab, and he follows one with a rifling one-two down the middle. Oliveira switches stances regularly, keeping Simon guessing and flicking out a sharp left and a heavy right. Simon keeps his guard up to defend the worst of the blows, and he slams a low kick on the rear shin before crashing the pocket to sling “Lok Dog” to the canvas. Oliveira jumps right back up and stabs out a right hand that gets Simon’s attention, and Simon tags him with a counter that makes Oliveira drop his hands and march forward like a Terminator. Oliveira lets Simon have it with a number of unanswered leg kicks, and he whiffs on a head kick. Simon gets off a right hand, and Oliveira jabs him back. Oliveira walks through jabs, taking one on the nose and shrugging his shoulders before loosing a head kick that pounds into the guard. Oliveira gets off another head kick that nails the guard, and Simon dips down and lands a body shot that skips off the cup. Oliveira signals to Smith that he is fine, and he gets back to a stalking mode where his hands are low and he is swinging hard. Simon rushes at him to tie him up, but Oliveira wants nothing to do with it. Simon times a right hand as Oliveira ducks, and Oliveira shakes it off and tosses out two kicks. Simon snaps the head back as a gob of saliva launches from the mouth of “Lok Dog,” and they trade hands until the horn sounds.
Advertisement
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Round 2
Oliveira marches out of his corner, shouting something at Simon to get started. Oliveira’s hands low, he engages in a brief slugfest, and a left hand from Simon smashes into his ear and breaks open the cauliflower, resulting in a trickle of blood streaming down his neck. Oliveira laughs off anything Simon throws at him and lobs back hooks, and the two end up in the clinch until “Lok Dog” wants to push off and swing hands. Simon shoots through the hips with a solid double-leg takedown entry, and he lands on top comfortably. Oliveira keeps moving, and he scrambles back to his feet without issue. Simon ducks a punch and lifts Oliveira off the ground to slam him down to a knee, and when Oliveira tries to recover, Simon looks to take his back standing. Simon lets loose with a sharp elbow from a close proximity, and Oliveira pushes off and takes a deep breath. The punches from the Brazilian are labored less than two minutes into the second round, although his leg kicks do keep landing. Oliveira is frustrated about a warning to close his fingers, and he snaps out a jab that draws a frown from the Washington native. Simon looks for his own jab, all while trying to meander around the unorthodox looping punches from “Lok Dog.” Oliveira goes all power, and Simon blocks the strikes and drives him back with a few straight punches and a body shot. Simon attempts a takedown, and Oliveira stonewalls him and pursues a spinning wheel kick that Simon evades. Oliveira chains several strikes together including a few leg kicks, and he stumbles and returns to his feet to keep attacking. A few punches from Oliveira get through to shake up Simon, who escapes out the side and whips a head kick at the Brazilian’s melon. Oliveira takes it without issue and swings back with bad intentions, and he defends a takedown shot and uses rangy strikes to get to Simon. As Oliveira lazily tosses out calf kicks, Simon checks a few, and Oliveira staggers back, compromised from the defense. Simon rushes at him, letting his hands go. The two trade leather until the bell rings, and Simon barks at his opponent. Oliveira does not know what to do when hearing this, and he punches Simon in the face well after the round ended. Smith drags him to the corner while shouting at him, and cooler heads prevail to get to the third round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Round 3
Physicians come in to assess the damage of Oliveira’s leg, and he is cleared to continue. Oliveira rushes out of his corner once more, but this time, Simon meets him in the middle to trade with him. Simon ducks the punch and lets go with a kick, and he engages in a back-and-forth session of strikes with him coming out slightly better. Simon pushes Oliveira back, and he checks a kick as Oliveira shakes his head uncomfortably. Simon leads off with punches, and Oliveira pushes off and a finger jabs into Simon’s eye. Oliveira shakes his finger as if to say it was from a punch, and Smith does not call anything. Simon fails on one takedown attempt, and his second is much deeper but he is spun around on the fence. Oliveira breaks free and jabs out with a front kick, circling to the left and switching stances regularly. Oliveira sticks out several jabs in an effort to launch a big right hand to follow, and he jabs the body and starts showboating and raising his hands to signal for Simon to fight him. Oliveira blocks a head kick and gives him one back, and he motions to Simon that his was much more effective. Oliveira walks Simon down, backing off only to block the offense his way, and he loops a left hand over the top. When Oliveira lets go with two punches, Simon shoots in for a double, and “Lok Dog” shuts it down and strings a number of punches and a kick together. Simon cannot reach his man, and Oliveira tags him back and raises his arms in the air to celebrate. Oliveira lands a few shots and looks over to his corner in a Max Holloway-esque display, and he decides to change things up and take Simon down. Oliveira backs off to stand back up, and he uses several unusual strikes including a kick behind his other leg to mess with Simon. Oliveira lands a head kick right at the bell, and the two stop fighting and hug it out to squash any beef that may have developed between them.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (30-27 Oliveira)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (30-27 Oliveira)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira (30-27 Oliveira)
The Official Result
Vinicius Oliveira def. Ricky Simon via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinicius Oliveira | 1 | 67 of 144 | 46% | 88 of 170 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:37 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 45 of 86 | 52% | 92 of 146 | 3 of 4 | 75% | 0 | 0 | 4:28 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 7 of 31 | 22% | 9 of 34 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 14 of 26 | 53% | 33 of 48 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:45 | |
| 2 | Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 17 of 31 | 54% | 36 of 54 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 1:36 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 18 of 24 | 75% | 46 of 62 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:43 | |
| 3 | Vinicius Oliveira | 1 | 43 of 82 | 52% | 43 of 82 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:01 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 13 of 36 | 36% | 13 of 36 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinicius Oliveira | 67 of 144 | 46% | 39 of 91 | 11 of 20 | 17 of 33 | 49 of 112 | 3 of 13 | 15 of 19 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 45 of 86 | 52% | 42 of 81 | 1 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 21 of 55 | 0 of 2 | 24 of 29 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vinicius Oliveira | 7 of 31 | 22% | 1 of 12 | 2 of 5 | 4 of 14 | 7 of 29 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 14 of 26 | 53% | 12 of 22 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 2 | 6 of 17 | 0 of 0 | 8 of 9 | |
| 2 | Vinicius Oliveira | 17 of 31 | 54% | 14 of 25 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 5 | 2 of 7 | 15 of 19 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 18 of 24 | 75% | 17 of 23 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 16 of 20 | |
| 3 | Vinicius Oliveira | 43 of 82 | 52% | 24 of 54 | 6 of 10 | 13 of 18 | 42 of 78 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 13 of 36 | 36% | 13 of 36 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 13 of 35 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: N/A
Round 1
It’s back-to-back 135-pound contests of Zahabi-Basharat and now Oliveira (19-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. Sopai (11-2, 0-0 UFC), with this pairing between UFC debutants. Both fighters do not like to involve the judges often, with “Lok Dog” posting a finish rate of 89%, and Albania’s Sopai countering with 91%. While the final bell might not play a factor, referee Keith Peterson almost certainly will before it is all said and done. Ahead of the action, there is a no-nonsense fist bump to commence this short-notice contest. Oliveira introduces himself with a rangy body kick, and he stalks forward with a sweeping leg kick. Sopai replies with a high kick that whizzes past his foe’s head, and Oliveira kicks him on the calf two more times. Oliveira aims a side kick to the knee, and keeps is guard up to defend from another head kick. The two crash together, and their excitement causes them to flail madly and miss wide on both sides. Oliveira goes to chase after his opponent, and Sopai chops him down with an inside low kick. Oliveira winds up with a power punch, and Sopai gets him back with another kick. Oliveira spins his man around with a leg kick, and Sopai tries and fails to wing a right hand when he spins about. Oliveira chips away with his calf kicks, keeping a safe range from the lunging Sopai. Oliveira spins for a wheel kick, and Sopai intercepts him and tackles him to the canvas. Sopai jumps to side control, and Oliveira counters with a heel hook attempt. Sopai lowers himself down to thwart the submission setup, and he settles down inside of the Brazilian’s guard. Oliveira throws up an armbar to threaten from his back, and Sopai backs off and lets them stand back up. Sopai chases after the Brazilian and lays into him with a huge right hand, and Oliveira responds with a head kick and a hard right hand to follow. Sopai winds up on power punches, blocks a head kick and scoots back to dodge a leg kick. Oliveira aims a kick that slaps into the guard, and Sopai chops his lead leg with a kick before charging to land a takedown. Sopai lands in full mount, but Oliveira bucks him back to the guard. Oliveira hacks with elbows from his back and kicks Sopai off of him, but Sopai lowers himself and smacks Oliveira in the face several times until the horn stops the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Round 2
The bantamweights clap hands to re-engage, and Oliveira starts off with a leg kick. Sopai aggressively hunts for a takedown, and when Oliveira counters with a trip, Sopai is able to bowl his man over and set him down. Oliveira turns to his side and then gives up his back, and Sopai wraps a hook around the waist and starts slamming the Brazilian in the side of the head with right hands. Sopai clobbers his fading opponent with punches and occasional elbows, and Peterson looks closely at the undefended strikes adding up. Oliveira keeps turning, and he gets flattened out briefly as Sopai hammers him with ground-and-pound. Sopai allows Oliveira to turn all the way around and follows him every step of the way, claiming Oliveira’s back once more and slamming down fierce right hands. Sopai sits up and rides Oliveira’s back like a professional bull rider, and he beats on Oliveira with several more right hands. Oliveira stands up with Sopai still on his back, and Sopai threatens with a rear-naked choke when he sees the opening. Oliveira grabs hold of one arm and slings Sopai over, and he chucks Sopai on his back. Oliveira unleashes a fury of power strikes, hurting Sopai and stepping into a partial mount until Sopai muscles his way back to his feet. Oliveira wrenches him away from the wall and climbs into top position with about a minute to go, and he drives down standing-to-ground punches and elbows that do some serious damage. Oliveira flattens himself down to grab hold of an arm-triangle choke, and he drives down punches and elbows until Sopai kicks him off. Sopai stands back up and walks into a head kick, and Oliveira races after him throwing hands. Sopai retaliates with a big punch, and he gets blasted with a head kick as he turns away before the round ends. When the round does conclude, Sopai puts his hands on his waist, and he appears totally exhausted.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Round 3
The fighters touch ‘em up to start the last round, and Oliveira walks Sopai down. When Sopai misses with a punch, Oliveira flails with several punches and a leg kick that does connect. Oliveira’s wild offense largely misses, and Sopai appears to still be catching his wind, as he only offers an occasional single strike. Oliveira charges forward with a right hand, and Sopai’s legs are barely beneath him as he partially absorbs a high kick. Oliveira drills him with two right hooks in rapid succession, and Sopai takes a sharp exhale in response. Oliveira meanders forward, no concern for his physical well-being, and he throws everything he has into every one of his strikes. Sopai allows most of them to soar past him, but the ones that do connect hurt him. Oliveira lands a few leg kicks as well, and he turns away to his corner and then lances Sopai with a few straight punches. Sopai is sucking wind as he tries to give something back, but Oliveira’s offense forces him to backpedal constantly. Oliveira winds up with a fierce right hand, and Sopai staggers back to the wall. Oliveira follows it with a leg kick, and he dings Sopai with another right. Oliveira loads up on power right hands and sweeping leg kicks, and Sopai is displaying his toughness but is getting knocked around the cage. Oliviera lands yet another big right hand, and Sopai bounces off the cage wall and offers back a single jab. Oliveira shoots down for a takedown, and when that fails, he swings inaccurately. Sopai reaches him with a swiping left hook, and Oliveira chops at his leg and belts him with a left hand that sends Sopai staggering back. Sopai turns away, his hands down, and the Brazilian sees his opening.
Oliveira sprints at his opponent, leaping in the air with and colliding in Sopai’s chin with about as clean of a flying knee as anyone will ever see. Sopai collapses lifelessly to the mat like a puppet whose strings have been cut, and Oliveira strides off, knowing there is nothing more he needs to do today but sign the check for his post-fight bonus.
Chalk this up as an immediate “Knockout of the Year” frontrunner, with the brutal flying knee to conclude the thrilling battle. Thankfully, Sopai eventually regains his senses, but he needs to be carried out of the Octagon from all the damage he sustained after nearly 15 minutes of ridiculous action and violence.
The Official Result
Vinicius Oliveira def. Bernardo Sopai R3 4:41 via KO (Flying Knee)
Angelo picks Vinicius Oliveira, expecting him to bring forward pressure and aggression. He notes that Oliveira is sloppy but dangerous, while Benardo Sopaj is a patient, boring striker. He thinks Oliveira will win and the fight will not go the distance.
Cody picks Oliveira but is hesitant, noting the fight was just announced. He mentions Oliveira's solid wins and finishing ability, but also his questionable durability. He notes Sopaj is undersized and on short notice. Cody says he would have bet Oliveira at -150 but now at even money it's more appealing, though he needs to see weigh-ins.
Paul tentatively picks Oliveira, noting he has no strong opinion due to the fight being added late. He mentions Oliveira's size advantage and leg kicks as key factors. He acknowledges Sopaj is a young prospect but undersized. Paul says he needs to do more research and let the line settle before feeling confident.
Benardo Sopaj - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timmy Cuamba | 0 | 29 of 80 | 36% | 29 of 80 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:11 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 1 | 37 of 56 | 66% | 66 of 92 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 2 | 0 | 1:54 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Timmy Cuamba | 0 | 20 of 60 | 33% | 20 of 60 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:08 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 11 of 20 | 55% | 17 of 28 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 0:52 | |
| 2 | Timmy Cuamba | 0 | 9 of 20 | 45% | 9 of 20 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 1 | 26 of 36 | 72% | 49 of 64 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1:02 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timmy Cuamba | 29 of 80 | 36% | 12 of 54 | 9 of 13 | 8 of 13 | 29 of 80 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 37 of 56 | 66% | 34 of 53 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | 14 of 32 | 0 of 0 | 23 of 24 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Timmy Cuamba | 20 of 60 | 33% | 7 of 40 | 6 of 9 | 7 of 11 | 20 of 60 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 11 of 20 | 55% | 9 of 18 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 11 of 20 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Timmy Cuamba | 9 of 20 | 45% | 5 of 14 | 3 of 4 | 1 of 2 | 9 of 20 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 26 of 36 | 72% | 25 of 35 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 3 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 23 of 24 |
Angelo picks Benardo Sopaj, considering him the better fighter everywhere. He notes Sopaj is cleaner, faster, and a better wrestler. He trusts Sopaj's pressure and cardio despite a year layoff. He thinks -160 is a good spot.
Big Brady leans toward Benardo Sopaj, citing his power, wrestling, and grappling upside. He expects Sopaj to be more active in striking and have a grappling advantage, as long as his cardio holds up. He predicts a decision win in a close fight.
Cody picks Benardo Sopaj, citing his higher striking volume (4.24 significant strikes per minute vs Cuamba's 2.77) and aggression. He notes that Cuamba has a reach advantage and uses his jab well, but Sopaj lands more and is the better striker. He expects a close 29-28 decision but is not overly confident due to Sopaj's one-dimensional style.
Connor picks Timmy Cuamba, betting that his size advantage from moving down to bantamweight will give him a physical edge. He notes that Cuamba is a good athlete who can shut down Sopaj's offense in tie-ups and scrambles. However, Connor is not particularly impressed by Cuamba and acknowledges his tendency to be passive and counter-punch without a sophisticated plan. He sees this as a close fight where size could be the deciding factor.
Cuamba is well-rounded and has good cardio, but is passive. Sopaj is more technical but fades. The fight depends on Cuamba's aggression. No strong read, so pass.
Lucrative James leans toward Benardo Sopaj, citing his power, grappling upside, and potential ceiling. He notes Sopaj's ability to get takedowns and hurt opponents, while Cuamba may struggle with speed at bantamweight. He predicts a decision win for Sopaj.
The host is confident in Sopaj's ability to dictate the pace and pressure, exploiting Cuamba's discomfort in the pocket. He expects Sopaj's superior striking and scrambling to wear down Cuamba, leading to a clear decision win. He sees Cuamba's only path to victory as a lucky knockout.
The host picks Bernardo Sopai over Timmy Kuamba, liking Sopai's bright future. He expects Sopai's aggressiveness, grappling defense, and cardio edge to wear down Kuamba and win on the scorecards.
Paul also picks Benardo Sopaj, noting that he thought Sopaj would have success with offensive wrestling. He mentions that Cuamba has size issues and that Sopaj's volume and wrestling could be key. He hopes for a better price on fight day but is still going with Sopaj.
Zane picks Benardo Sopaj, citing his activity and willingness to engage as potential problems for Cuamba. He notes that Cuamba has looked passive and less confident against aggressive opponents. Zane believes Sopaj's combinations and forward pressure could make Cuamba uncomfortable and revert to his passive tendencies. He acknowledges Cuamba's wrestling and size but thinks Sopaj's pace could overwhelm him.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 78 of 144 | 54% | 113 of 187 | 1 of 9 | 11% | 0 | 0 | 1:56 |
| Ricky Turcios | 1 | 81 of 139 | 58% | 97 of 155 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 2:30 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 25 of 44 | 56% | 45 of 64 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:53 |
| Ricky Turcios | 0 | 18 of 35 | 51% | 20 of 37 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:48 | |
| 2 | Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 30 of 52 | 57% | 42 of 68 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:44 |
| Ricky Turcios | 0 | 25 of 48 | 52% | 29 of 52 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0:15 | |
| 3 | Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 23 of 48 | 47% | 26 of 55 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:19 |
| Ricky Turcios | 1 | 38 of 56 | 67% | 48 of 66 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:27 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benardo Sopaj | 78 of 144 | 54% | 30 of 86 | 24 of 32 | 24 of 26 | 60 of 120 | 18 of 22 | 0 of 2 |
| Ricky Turcios | 81 of 139 | 58% | 64 of 117 | 8 of 11 | 9 of 11 | 48 of 99 | 16 of 20 | 17 of 20 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benardo Sopaj | 25 of 44 | 56% | 6 of 23 | 8 of 10 | 11 of 11 | 23 of 42 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Ricky Turcios | 18 of 35 | 51% | 13 of 28 | 1 of 3 | 4 of 4 | 14 of 30 | 3 of 4 | 1 of 1 | |
| 2 | Benardo Sopaj | 30 of 52 | 57% | 13 of 29 | 11 of 15 | 6 of 8 | 18 of 37 | 12 of 15 | 0 of 0 |
| Ricky Turcios | 25 of 48 | 52% | 19 of 41 | 4 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 16 of 37 | 9 of 11 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Benardo Sopaj | 23 of 48 | 47% | 11 of 34 | 5 of 7 | 7 of 7 | 19 of 41 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 2 |
| Ricky Turcios | 38 of 56 | 67% | 32 of 48 | 3 of 3 | 3 of 5 | 18 of 32 | 4 of 5 | 16 of 19 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sopai (-355), Turcios (+280)
Round 1
The day before UFC Fight Night 247, also known as Magny vs. Prates, went down last November, Turcios (12-4, 2-2 UFC) fell ill during his weight cut and was forced out of his match with Sopai (11-3, 0-1 UFC). It took over two months to get the bantamweight pairing on the books again, but both fighters appear healthy and good to go this time around. They settle their business under the watchful eye of referee Frank Trigg, choosing to touch gloves before getting after it. Sopai pushes the pace immediately, allowing kicks from “Pretty Ricky” to fly past him so he can smack the Texan in the face with the instep of his foot. As Sopai keeps kicking, Turcios strafes left and right to set something up on his end. This results in a lot of chasing from the Albanian, who times a solid head kick to bean Turcios in the forehead. Turcios shakes it off and kicks the lead leg of his opponent two times in a row. Turcios chains a low kick into a spinning back kick to the midsection, and he keeps his gloves up to defend the head kick that aims at his dome. The two fire off low kicks, and one slides up the lead leg and bumps into Sopai’s cup. Trigg tells them to keep it clean and they fight on, with chants of “Let’s go, Ricky” as the Texan finds some success. Turcios steps on the gas and stalks down “The Lion King,” connecting with front kicks and pushing forward so he can grapple his opponent. As they clinch up against the fence, Turcios clings on tight while firing off several knees up the middle, and he keeps in close even as Sopai tries to escape. Sopai manages to get away, but Turcios races after him and tackles him down to his knees. Sopai defends it and stands up, but the second attempt from Turcios drags him down. Sopai scrambles to stand up, and Turcios leaps on his back to threaten with something. Sopai twists to put Turcios on his back, and he lines up some ground-and-pound. The strikes open up a cut on the corner of the face of “Pretty Ricky,” who explodes back to his feet and starts brawling it out with his foe. Sopai welcomes the slugfest, and he eats a hefty low kick, a right hand and some knees with shoved against the wall. The horn sounds to end the close round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Round 2
The fighters touch ‘em up to get started in the second round, and Sopai quickly backs Turcios to the wall and boots him upside the head. Sopai jabs his way in, and he slips back to avoid a low kick but is not able to get out of the way as Turcios is on him. “Pretty Ricky” lets fly two body kicks and tries to wrench Sopai to the floor, and they land in 50/50 position before pushing off to return to striking range. Turcios chips at the front leg a few times, getting away with naked kicks without reprisal. Sopai bears down on him and slugs him in the chops with a fierce right hand, forcing Turcios to turn tail and sprint away to reset. Sopai chases after him swinging hard, and Turcios gathers his thoughts and wings his own punches back when sitting down on them. Turcios leaps after a takedown, and Sopai turns him about and down to the ground. A furious scramble from Turcios leads to both men getting back upright, and he walks through an uppercut so he can get in close. Sopai connects with a knee that shakes Turcios up, and he pushes Turcios down to his hands to further slow him. Turcios twist and stands up, working the sides with punches only to get met with two crisp knees from the Albanian. Turcios consistently presses forward, backing Sopai off and making him work, and this appears to be bearing fruit as Sopai starts taking deep breaths with 90 seconds left in the round. Turcios, meanwhile, is fresh as a daisy and hurls big punches with bad intentions behind them. A pair of them clip Sopai, who ties his foe up and connects with a few knees to keep Turcios honest. Sopai pushes away a takedown shot to blast the Texan in the face with ferocious punches, and he trips Turcios up but elects not to follow him down so he can keep hitting him. Turcios drops down for a potential takedown, shakes it off and tries to keep swinging until the bell separates them.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Round 3
There is a glove touch to start the final round, and Sopai further reintroduces himself with a low kick and a body kick. The latter appears to take the wind out of the Texan’s sails, who drops to his knees and is in a bad way. Sopai tries to pound him out, ultimately settling to push Turcios all the way to his back so he can start bludgeoning him with elbows. Turcios’ nose busts open as blood sprays out of it, down his chest and all over the mat. Turcios practically laughs, somehow willing himself back to his feet so he can put hands on the man that hurt him. Sopai backs off, and Turcios races after him to clinch fight him. Turcios walks through punches to land some of his own, and Sopai eats them, shakes his head and knees “Pretty Ricky” in his not-so-pretty face. Swelling, a crunched nose and blood have transformed Turcios’ visage to something out of a European fairy tale, but Turcios has no concern for his outer appearance and just wants to bleed and fight. Turcios runs towards Sopai, throwing everything he has at his tiring opponent, and he hops on Sopai’s back only to slide off thanks to the sweat and blood. Sopai climbs into his guard, and he fights off a triangle choke setup to shift to the side. Turcios turns over to his knees and stands up, and they fire off jabs at one another with about 90 seconds on the clock. Turcios checks a kick and charges into the fray, absorbing plenty of strikes so he can hope to catch Sopai with something. Sopai pushes him away with front kicks, and he leaps in the air with a knee that glances off the target. Turcios walks directly into a knee, and an uppercut puts him down on his face for a moment. Turcios bounces off the mat, head-first, and does not just pop up but is appears totally fine and ready to keep banging. With “Fight of the Night” already having a frontrunner, the two add to it by going for broke with seconds to spare. Sopai flips at his opponent with a somersault kick, and Turcios takes it flush and chucks his opponent to the floor like a 135-pound side of beef. As Turcios tries to beat down his foe, Sopai throws his legs up to hang tight on a triangle choke until the bloody battle comes to a close.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sopai (30-27 Sopai)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Sopai (30-27 Sopai)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sopai (30-27 Sopai)
The Official Result
Bernardo Sopai def. Ricky Turcios via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Angelo picks Benardo Sopaj, citing his speed, power, takedown defense, and overall skill advantage over Ricky Turcios. He acknowledges Turcios' high pace and pressure but believes Sopaj can slow it down and take advantage of the skill gap. However, he warns against betting Sopaj at -400 due to the risk from his recent knockout loss.
Cody picks Benardo Sopaj, noting that the line is 100 points better than when the fight was first booked. He believes Sopaj is a legitimate prospect with strong wrestling and improving striking. Turcios has poor takedown defense, as seen against Kevin Natividad and Brady Hiestand, and his wins are split decisions. Sopaj is younger and more dynamic. Cody expects Sopaj to take Turcios down and secure rounds, possibly earning a finish. Sopaj is part of the Saftic Super Boost.
Daniel picks Sopaj, noting that he has never been a fan of Turcios' style. He believes Sopaj is a real prospect with impressive knockouts on the regional scene. Daniel thinks Sopaj's physical attributes and raw skill will overcome Turcios' experience. He mentions that Sopaj's only loss was to a dangerous fighter (Lock Dog) and that Turcios is not a threat.
The host believes Sopaj won fans with a close fight against Vinicius Oliveira and can put on a high-paced fight, landing more damage and outworking Turcios on route to a decision victory.
Paul agrees with Cody, picking Sopaj. He notes that Turcios has been taken down multiple times by opponents who committed to wrestling, and Sopaj has the wrestling to do the same. Paul believes Sopaj's power and takedowns will be decisive. He is comfortable adding Sopaj to tickets despite the chalk.
The MMA Guru picks Benardo Sopaj over Ricky Turcios. He heavily criticizes Turcios' mentality and performance, citing low strike accuracy and lack of will to win. He praises Sopaj's short-notice debut against Vinicius Oliveira, where Sopaj won the first round and was winning the second before getting reversed. He believes Sopaj is a good fighter and will get the job done.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinicius Oliveira | 1 | 67 of 144 | 46% | 88 of 170 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:37 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 45 of 86 | 52% | 92 of 146 | 3 of 4 | 75% | 0 | 0 | 4:28 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 7 of 31 | 22% | 9 of 34 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 14 of 26 | 53% | 33 of 48 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:45 | |
| 2 | Vinicius Oliveira | 0 | 17 of 31 | 54% | 36 of 54 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 1:36 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 18 of 24 | 75% | 46 of 62 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:43 | |
| 3 | Vinicius Oliveira | 1 | 43 of 82 | 52% | 43 of 82 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:01 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 0 | 13 of 36 | 36% | 13 of 36 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinicius Oliveira | 67 of 144 | 46% | 39 of 91 | 11 of 20 | 17 of 33 | 49 of 112 | 3 of 13 | 15 of 19 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 45 of 86 | 52% | 42 of 81 | 1 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 21 of 55 | 0 of 2 | 24 of 29 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vinicius Oliveira | 7 of 31 | 22% | 1 of 12 | 2 of 5 | 4 of 14 | 7 of 29 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 14 of 26 | 53% | 12 of 22 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 2 | 6 of 17 | 0 of 0 | 8 of 9 | |
| 2 | Vinicius Oliveira | 17 of 31 | 54% | 14 of 25 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 5 | 2 of 7 | 15 of 19 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 18 of 24 | 75% | 17 of 23 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 1 | 16 of 20 | |
| 3 | Vinicius Oliveira | 43 of 82 | 52% | 24 of 54 | 6 of 10 | 13 of 18 | 42 of 78 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Benardo Sopaj | 13 of 36 | 36% | 13 of 36 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 13 of 35 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: N/A
Round 1
It’s back-to-back 135-pound contests of Zahabi-Basharat and now Oliveira (19-3, 0-0 UFC) vs. Sopai (11-2, 0-0 UFC), with this pairing between UFC debutants. Both fighters do not like to involve the judges often, with “Lok Dog” posting a finish rate of 89%, and Albania’s Sopai countering with 91%. While the final bell might not play a factor, referee Keith Peterson almost certainly will before it is all said and done. Ahead of the action, there is a no-nonsense fist bump to commence this short-notice contest. Oliveira introduces himself with a rangy body kick, and he stalks forward with a sweeping leg kick. Sopai replies with a high kick that whizzes past his foe’s head, and Oliveira kicks him on the calf two more times. Oliveira aims a side kick to the knee, and keeps is guard up to defend from another head kick. The two crash together, and their excitement causes them to flail madly and miss wide on both sides. Oliveira goes to chase after his opponent, and Sopai chops him down with an inside low kick. Oliveira winds up with a power punch, and Sopai gets him back with another kick. Oliveira spins his man around with a leg kick, and Sopai tries and fails to wing a right hand when he spins about. Oliveira chips away with his calf kicks, keeping a safe range from the lunging Sopai. Oliveira spins for a wheel kick, and Sopai intercepts him and tackles him to the canvas. Sopai jumps to side control, and Oliveira counters with a heel hook attempt. Sopai lowers himself down to thwart the submission setup, and he settles down inside of the Brazilian’s guard. Oliveira throws up an armbar to threaten from his back, and Sopai backs off and lets them stand back up. Sopai chases after the Brazilian and lays into him with a huge right hand, and Oliveira responds with a head kick and a hard right hand to follow. Sopai winds up on power punches, blocks a head kick and scoots back to dodge a leg kick. Oliveira aims a kick that slaps into the guard, and Sopai chops his lead leg with a kick before charging to land a takedown. Sopai lands in full mount, but Oliveira bucks him back to the guard. Oliveira hacks with elbows from his back and kicks Sopai off of him, but Sopai lowers himself and smacks Oliveira in the face several times until the horn stops the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sopai
Round 2
The bantamweights clap hands to re-engage, and Oliveira starts off with a leg kick. Sopai aggressively hunts for a takedown, and when Oliveira counters with a trip, Sopai is able to bowl his man over and set him down. Oliveira turns to his side and then gives up his back, and Sopai wraps a hook around the waist and starts slamming the Brazilian in the side of the head with right hands. Sopai clobbers his fading opponent with punches and occasional elbows, and Peterson looks closely at the undefended strikes adding up. Oliveira keeps turning, and he gets flattened out briefly as Sopai hammers him with ground-and-pound. Sopai allows Oliveira to turn all the way around and follows him every step of the way, claiming Oliveira’s back once more and slamming down fierce right hands. Sopai sits up and rides Oliveira’s back like a professional bull rider, and he beats on Oliveira with several more right hands. Oliveira stands up with Sopai still on his back, and Sopai threatens with a rear-naked choke when he sees the opening. Oliveira grabs hold of one arm and slings Sopai over, and he chucks Sopai on his back. Oliveira unleashes a fury of power strikes, hurting Sopai and stepping into a partial mount until Sopai muscles his way back to his feet. Oliveira wrenches him away from the wall and climbs into top position with about a minute to go, and he drives down standing-to-ground punches and elbows that do some serious damage. Oliveira flattens himself down to grab hold of an arm-triangle choke, and he drives down punches and elbows until Sopai kicks him off. Sopai stands back up and walks into a head kick, and Oliveira races after him throwing hands. Sopai retaliates with a big punch, and he gets blasted with a head kick as he turns away before the round ends. When the round does conclude, Sopai puts his hands on his waist, and he appears totally exhausted.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Oliveira
Round 3
The fighters touch ‘em up to start the last round, and Oliveira walks Sopai down. When Sopai misses with a punch, Oliveira flails with several punches and a leg kick that does connect. Oliveira’s wild offense largely misses, and Sopai appears to still be catching his wind, as he only offers an occasional single strike. Oliveira charges forward with a right hand, and Sopai’s legs are barely beneath him as he partially absorbs a high kick. Oliveira drills him with two right hooks in rapid succession, and Sopai takes a sharp exhale in response. Oliveira meanders forward, no concern for his physical well-being, and he throws everything he has into every one of his strikes. Sopai allows most of them to soar past him, but the ones that do connect hurt him. Oliveira lands a few leg kicks as well, and he turns away to his corner and then lances Sopai with a few straight punches. Sopai is sucking wind as he tries to give something back, but Oliveira’s offense forces him to backpedal constantly. Oliveira winds up with a fierce right hand, and Sopai staggers back to the wall. Oliveira follows it with a leg kick, and he dings Sopai with another right. Oliveira loads up on power right hands and sweeping leg kicks, and Sopai is displaying his toughness but is getting knocked around the cage. Oliviera lands yet another big right hand, and Sopai bounces off the cage wall and offers back a single jab. Oliveira shoots down for a takedown, and when that fails, he swings inaccurately. Sopai reaches him with a swiping left hook, and Oliveira chops at his leg and belts him with a left hand that sends Sopai staggering back. Sopai turns away, his hands down, and the Brazilian sees his opening.
Oliveira sprints at his opponent, leaping in the air with and colliding in Sopai’s chin with about as clean of a flying knee as anyone will ever see. Sopai collapses lifelessly to the mat like a puppet whose strings have been cut, and Oliveira strides off, knowing there is nothing more he needs to do today but sign the check for his post-fight bonus.
Chalk this up as an immediate “Knockout of the Year” frontrunner, with the brutal flying knee to conclude the thrilling battle. Thankfully, Sopai eventually regains his senses, but he needs to be carried out of the Octagon from all the damage he sustained after nearly 15 minutes of ridiculous action and violence.
The Official Result
Vinicius Oliveira def. Bernardo Sopai R3 4:41 via KO (Flying Knee)
Angelo picks Vinicius Oliveira, expecting him to bring forward pressure and aggression. He notes that Oliveira is sloppy but dangerous, while Benardo Sopaj is a patient, boring striker. He thinks Oliveira will win and the fight will not go the distance.
Cody picks Oliveira but is hesitant, noting the fight was just announced. He mentions Oliveira's solid wins and finishing ability, but also his questionable durability. He notes Sopaj is undersized and on short notice. Cody says he would have bet Oliveira at -150 but now at even money it's more appealing, though he needs to see weigh-ins.
Paul tentatively picks Oliveira, noting he has no strong opinion due to the fight being added late. He mentions Oliveira's size advantage and leg kicks as key factors. He acknowledges Sopaj is a young prospect but undersized. Paul says he needs to do more research and let the line settle before feeling confident.
Expert Picks (3)
Angelo picks Vinicius Oliveira, expecting him to bring forward pressure and aggression. He notes that Oliveira is sloppy but dangerous, while Benardo Sopaj is a patient, boring striker. He thinks Oliveira will win and the fight will not go the distance.
Cody picks Oliveira but is hesitant, noting the fight was just announced. He mentions Oliveira's solid wins and finishing ability, but also his questionable durability. He notes Sopaj is undersized and on short notice. Cody says he would have bet Oliveira at -150 but now at even money it's more appealing, though he needs to see weigh-ins.
Paul tentatively picks Oliveira, noting he has no strong opinion due to the fight being added late. He mentions Oliveira's size advantage and leg kicks as key factors. He acknowledges Sopaj is a young prospect but undersized. Paul says he needs to do more research and let the line settle before feeling confident.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!