UFC FT. LAUDERDALE CARD UPDATES INCLUDING ALEX OLIVEIRA VS. MIKE PERRY
UFC Ft. Lauderdale is set to take place April 27 at BB&T Center, and the major event was anticipated to be a five-round middleweight bout between Yoel Romero and Ronaldo”Jacare” Souza. Unfortunately, Romero has pulled out with injury and the UFC is trying to get a new opponent for Souza. Some other bouts on the card have also seen changes happen, and I will give my first thoughts on them below.
Alex Oliveira vs. Mike Perry, UFC on ESPN 3
An exciting welterweight bout between Alex Oliveira and Mike Perry will happen at UFC on ESPN 3. ESPN first broke the news that Perry is filling in on short notice for the wounded Li Jingliang.
Oliveira (19-6-1, 2 NC) is 9-4, 1 NC in the UFC and is coming from a barbarous submission loss to Gunnar Nelson in his last struggle. He is constantly in exciting fights win-or-lose, but is lacking that signature victory and hasn’t yet demonstrated he can take another step in to contender status. Perry (12-4) has a 5-4 record at the UFC but has been submitted by Donald Cerrone in his final fight. We all know he’s got power, however he has not shown much else apart from his punching power. This one could go either way as both men are offensively talented however defensively flawed. I would have to favor Oliveira as he is better on the floor, but Perry is certainly reside in this battle with his KO power.
Carla Esparza vs. Virna Jandiroba, UFC on ESPN 3
Due to an injury to Livia Renata Souza, Carla Esparza will now face Virna Jandiroba in a women’s strawweight bout. Combate broke the information. Esparza (13-6) is the prior UFC women’s strawweight champion and also has a 4-4 record overall in the Octagon, including a TKO loss to Tatiana Suarez in her last outing. Jandiroba (14-0) was the Invicta women’s strawweight champion after going 3-0 in the promotion. Esparza will likely be favored due to getting more UFC expertise, but the unbeaten Jandiroba is completely a live dog in this fight.
Ben Saunders vs. Takashi Sato, UFC on ESPN 3
Additionally added to UFC on ESPN 3 is a welterweight bout between Ben Saunders and Takashi Sato. Asian MMA broke the information. Saunders (22-11-2) is only 2-4 in his third stint at the UFC, and is now coming off of back-to-back stoppage losses to Lyman Good and Sergio Moraes. He looks to be on quite the decline. Sato (14-2) is a Pancrase vet who won his last fight, but overall looks like a questionable signing by the UFC. Given Saunders is from Florida, possibly the UFC believes they are giving him a winnable fight here, but Sato could surprise and receive the knockout win.
Gilbert Burns vs. Eric Wisely, UFC on ESPN 3
Lightweights Gilbert Burns and Eric Wisely are set to meet. Combate had the news. Burns (14-3) is 7-3 in the UFC and is coming off of a decision win over Olivier Aubin-Mercier. Wisely (30-9-1) is making his return to the Octagon after going unbeaten over his last nine fights in the regional circuit. He had one previous stint at the UFC back in 2012, when he went 0-2. This is a bizarre fight, and the one thing I can think of is that nobody desired to combat Burns, who I anticipate to be a massive favorite to defeat Wisely.
Roosevelt Roberts vs. Thomas Gifford, UFC on ESPN 3
And lastly, lightweights Roosevelt Roberts and Thomas Gifford will meet at UFC on ESPN 3. Roberts (7-0) has completed all of his pro fights including a submission win over Darrell Horcher within his UFC debut. Gifford (14-7, 2 NC) is making his UFC debut after going undefeated over his final five bouts on the regional circuit. Gifford appears to be a good prospect but Roosevelt has already proven he can win in the UFC and I expect him to be preferred fairly heavily in this one.
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