In one of many extra intriguing fights on the present, Felipe Lima takes on Muhammad Naimov on this weekend’s UFC Saudi Arabia card. Right here’s how the 2 upstart featherweights match up with each other
Lima’s Combating Biography
Felipe Lima will arrive in Saudi Arabia on a wave of European boosterism driving the surging OKTAGON promotion. After a reasonably standard aggressive adolescence contained in the regional Brazilian scene, Lima burst onto the mainstage in 2023. He achieved this because of an emphatic victory over Jonas Mågård, (on the time the Bantamweight champion) in a struggle the place he was anticipated to fulfil the position of sacrificial sufferer for the just lately coronated champion.
The parallels subsequently write themselves once you look forward to the upcoming UFC journey to Riyadh, because the 26-year-old Lima steps up each a division (to 145) and to the late prelims on a status struggle night time, as a alternative dance associate for the streaking Muhammad Naimov.
Naimov, the Technical Breakdown
Lima’s opponent presently sits on a six-fight profitable streak, three of these being throughout the UFC, having defeated divisional staples like Jamie Mullarkey and Nathaniel Wooden. On the ft, he’s nothing if not constant; counting on his 1-2 from each stances and extensive proper hooks, he was definitely aggressive (however a wholesome quantity of dishonest) in his temporary exchanges with placing savant Nathaniel Wooden, scoring a scrappy knockdown throughout the first minute.
Naimov does his greatest work within the clinch, controlling the circulation of the struggle because of a vice-like physique lock earlier than initiating inside journeys to realize prime place on the bottom. From there, he could make use of an out of doors head place to stifle his opponent’s counters and grind them down in a battle of attrition.
This definitely doesn’t make for uplifting studying for any diehard Lima followers, who’s but to face a grappler with the credentials of Naimov. Nevertheless, by his popping out efficiency in opposition to Mågård, it’s a minimum of potential to supply Lima with a reputable escape route contained in the territory of the “Hillman.”
A Combating Gameplan for the Debutant
It’s clear from his struggle with Mågård, that Lima is adept at distance administration. He retains a large near-bladed stance, which allows him to bounce out and in of vary, displaying an array of unorthodox methods, together with flying knees, spinning backfists and leaping switch-kicks. Importantly, a scarcity of stated exercise was perceived by Cory Sandhagen to have value the far most superior Nathaniel Wooden in his bout in opposition to Naimov.
All this denies Naimov his most well-liked body-lock and prevents him from merely blitzing, as Lima can issue any unadvisable assaults into his rhythm. As an alternative, he could go away Naimov with the toxic providing of a single leg, which Lima can counter by touchdown pictures as he retreats to the cage, or by snapping up a guillotine.
If and when Naimov does finally execute a takedown, Lima is a stressed backside participant. He persistently fights off his again, throwing up submission makes an attempt (Triangles, Omoplatas, and Leg Reaps), if to not end, then a minimum of to supply a reputable deterrent to his opponent, giving him the chance to provoke the varieties of frenetic scrambles that may fluster an opponent into leaving a trailing limb, or an opportunity to return to the ft, ala Charles Oliveira.
The Advantages of a Final Minute Debut
Defiant ambition within the face of defeat definitely comprises the makings of a compelling story, Lima is ready to craft his second in underneath a yr. As a result of measurement of the occasion and personalities on the cardboard, Lima’s story, skills and possibilities will naturally be squeezed to a quick and unrevealing biography previous to his walkout.
But these black holes in fan understanding and aggressive matchups usually comprise potential star-making performances. A current instance is Lima’s compatriot Filipe Dos Santos, who in his barnburner of a efficiency in opposition to the explosive Manel Kape, established a direct repute inaccessible to many of the fighters who emerge by Dana White’s Contender Sequence or the Final Fighter.
Moreover, there’s a lengthy historical past of star making performances by late replacements, together with the likes of Kevin Holland and Darren Until. And though the previous was handed a defeat, this solely prolonged to the scorecards, with Holland specifically making good on additional profitable alternatives throughout the promotion, little question partly because of the character on show in his debut.
Defeat and fan curiosity ought to by no means be mutually unique with regards to appreciating fighters. A binary view of the game leaves the beholder eternally poorer, and the athletes that seize the gauntlet in defiance of the chances, deserve the eye and commendation that’s denied to the names not plastered throughout posters.
