The prelims are packed with a healthy mix of established veterans and rising prospects in a four-bout lineup that should have the arena in full voice by the time the main pay-per-view card rolls around.
Joe Pyfer vs. Marc-Andre Barriault
“Bodybagz” meets “Power Bar” in a middleweight clash that looks guaranteed to deliver a back-and-forth war, for as long as it lasts.
Both men are power punchers, and are more than happy to take things to the trenches, so the prospect of a bloody slugfest seems high. But while Barriault in particular shines in those situations, it could be Pyfer’s wrestling and grappling that proves decisive.
Make no mistake, Pyfer hits like a truck and will fancy his chances on the feet. But if he fights with his head and mixes things up, a smoother path to victory could potentially open up for him if he gets the Canadian to the mat. However, getting him there will be no easy feat.
Barriault is built to last, and has the gas tank, and the sheer grit, to take any middleweight all the way to the judges’ scorecards. Pyfer, meanwhile, has seen the cards just twice in his 13 career fights to date.
Throw into the mix the fact that both men come into this matchup looking to bounce back after losses in their last outings, and it all adds up to what should be a dynamite matchup to round off the preliminary card.
Cub Swanson vs. Andre Fili
This one is for the old-schoolers. Cub Swanson and Andre Fili have 76 professional bouts between them, so it’s something of a shock that these two veterans of the game are only meeting in the cage for the very first time this weekend.
Both men are crowd-pleasing fighters, with well-rounded skillsets and entertaining fighting styles. Also, they’ve both alternated wins and losses through their last five fights. The only notable difference in their recent form: Swanson is coming in off a win over Hakeem Dawodu, while Fili lost out to perennial ranked contender Dan Ige.
On paper, it’s a brilliant piece of matchmaking, and one that will see two respected veterans of the game throwing down on the big stage. For longtime fans of the sport, it’s something of a dream matchup. But which man will emerge victorious? It’s going to be a lot of fun finding out.
Charles Jourdain vs. Jean Silva
Featherweights will fly in this Canada vs. Brazil preliminary card clash, a Charles “Air” Jourdain takes on Jean “Lord Assassin” Silva in an interesting meeting between seasoned veteran and relative newcomer.
Jourdain has been a UFC mainstay since his debut in May 2019, and will be competing in his 14th UFC fight this weekend. Contrast that with Silva, who heads into this matchup in only his second UFC appearance.
That’s not to say Silva is inexperienced, however. The Brazilian has 14 fights to his name, with all bar one of his 12 career wins coming inside the distance, nine of them by knockout.
Eight of Silva’s last nine wins have come via first-round finish, so Jourdain will need to be on his mettle from the opening bell. But the Canadian veteran has shared the Octagon with a plethora of respected names during his career, and will have a solid gameplan for the UFC new boy.
Will Silva claim back-to-back wins to kick off his UFC career, or will Jourdain prove to be just a bit too smart and too seasoned for him?
Payton Talbott vs. Yanis Ghemmouri
Payton Talbott cuts a pretty distinctive figure in the Octagon, and it’s not just because of his hair.
The 25-year-old bantamweight is undefeated at 8-0, and already has a pair of impressive finishes over Nick Aguirre and Cameron Saaiman to his name. And now he faces his newest test, in the form of France’s Yanis Ghemmouri.
Ghemmouri was riding a nine-fight win streak, including a hat-trick of victories in Brave CF, before signing with the UFC. But his debut saw him lose to fellow countryman William Gomis at UFC Paris last September.
Now “The Desert Warrior” heads to Las Vegas for his second UFC assignment, as he attempts to slow the momentum of America’s Talbott. It’s a great way to kick off the televised preliminary card.
