Preview: Noche UFC ‘Lopes vs. Silva’

Lightweights

Rafa Garcia (17-4) vs. Jared Gordon (21-7, 1 NC)

Odds: Gordon (-240); Garcia (+200)

After arriving in the UFC within a year of each other, these two settled so quickly into the role of reliable action fighters and mid-card mainstays that it’s mildly surprising that they haven’t fought each other yet. No time like the present to remedy that.

Garcia joined the UFC in 2021 after a long run of dominance in Combate Americas, and while he has never quite separated himself from the lightweight pack, he’s won more than he’s lost, including his most recent outing against Vinc Pichel. Slightly small for the division, he gets by with a high motor and technically solid striking as well as wrestling. His huge ratio of submission versus knockout wins is mostly a reflection of his freewheeling dominance early in his regional career and does not accurately reflect how comfortable and effective he is on the feet.

Gordon is in some ways the inverse. Despite his boxing-heavy approach and his propensity for knockouts rather than submissions, “Flash” is a good wrestler and a versatile, dangerous grappler. This fight is a case of styles complementing rather than clashing, but the result should be a fun scrap.

This fight feels more evenly matched than the greater than 2-to-1 odds imply, and should play out that way in the cage. Gordon will enjoy small but significant advantages in size, despite having fought at 145 pounds before, and durability—he has a history of running foes ragged, while Garcia has slowed down late in a few fights—and they may spell the difference in this fight. The pick is Gordon by decision in a likely frontrunner for “Fight of the Night” honors.



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Lopes vs. Silva
Font vs. Martinez
Garcia vs. Gordon
Gastelum vs. Stoltzfus
Luna vs. Le
The Prelims