What matchup has the best chance of winning Fight of the Night at UFC Vegas 30?
UFC Vegas 30 will be headlined by the latest edition of unpredictable heavyweight matchups. Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov are set to fight with the hopes of taking one step closer to a title shot. This main event has the potential to be one of the best heavyweight fights of the year. With that being said, there is a different fight that could steal the show on Saturday. Andre Fili vs. Daniel Pineda is a must-see matchup with the best chance to receive Fight of The Night honors.
Both fighters lost their last time out, which should make them more motivated to bounce back. Not only will they be motivated, but stylistically this fight should be extremely entertaining. At the end of the day, nothing is better than two guys willing to go to war every single fight.
Since joining the UFC in 2013, Fili has never failed to entertain the fans. Win or lose, he has always gone all-out and never quit. Throughout his 9-7 UFC record, Fili has faced some of the toughest fighters in the division. Fili was actually finished three times in his first six UFC fights but managed to become more durable as he developed.
Training out of Team Alpha Male, Fili has a well-rounded fight style that makes him one of the most dangerous fighters in the division when at his best. Despite his amount of experience against tough opponents, Fili has his hands full against Pineda at UFC Vegas 30.
Pineda has faced the highs and lows of MMA throughout his long career. After putting together a 15-7 record, Pineda was signed by the UFC in 2012. His first two fights went as planned, with both being first-round submissions. Unfortunately, things went downhill as Pineda lost four of his next five fights. Due to his rough stretch of fights, the higher-ups at the UFC decided to release him from his contract.
One thing to know about Pineda is that he never gives up. He went back to the drawing board and found ways to reinvent himself as a fighter. Pineda fought for several promotions before returning to the UFC, including Legacy FC, Bellator, LFA, Fury FC, and PFL. After going 9-2, Pineade ultimately got his second chance with the UFC last year. Since being resigned, Pineda has split his two fights by beating Herbert Burns and losing to Cub Swanson.
This matchup has the opportunity to be an absolute banger of a fight. Both fighters are extremely tough and willing to take some damage to get their own offense going. Pineda looked improved in his last fight, but his lack of respect for Swanson’s power was the reason for his loss. Fili also looked good in his last fight, but Mitchell was simply the better fighter that night.
Fili should have the ground game skills needed to keep this fight standing. On the feet, this fight gets intriguing because Fili’s speed will go up against Pineda’s power. With both being durable throughout their career, we may see this matchup walk away with Fight of The Night honors.