Fight By Fight Preview | UFC Fight Night: Rosas Jr. vs Barcelos

For someone that has been in the spotlight since prior to turning 18, Rosas Jr. has done exceptionally well, amassing a 6-1 record inside the Octagon while playing to his strengths as a grappler. He’s earned five straight victories coming into this one, and, if he can add to his winning streak by taking out another ranked opponent before turning 22 next month, he’ll remain in a position to potentially make a run at Jones’ record.

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Where his opponent has been front and center from the start of his UFC tenure, Barcelos is one of the more unheralded ranked fighters, posted five straight wins. The 39-year-old Brazilian is solid in every phase and been the distance in 10 of his last 12 trips into the Octagon, winning seven of those contests.

As is always the case with Rosas Jr. fights, everything comes down to his ability to initiate grappling entanglements and have success from there. He owns the highest control time percentage in bantamweight history and absorbs less then 1.5 strikes per minute, but this is his first time sharing the Octagon with a savvy grappler with some pop in his hands, so it’ll be interesting to see how he acquits himself.

Additional Main Card Matchups

Rodolfo Vieira vs Robert Bryczek

Veteran middleweights looking to get things moving in the right direction again man the co-main event position this weekend as Rodolfo Vieira takes on Poland’s Robert Bryczek.

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The 36-year-old Vieira makes his second start of the year, seeking to break a two-fight skid after dropping a unanimous decision to Eric McConico back in April. Despite 11 previous trips into the Octagon, everything about Vieira’s success still hinges exclusively on his ability to get his hands locked around his opponents.

Bryczek has alternated results through his first three UFC appearances, following up his knockout win over Brad Tavares last September with a unanimous decision loss to Cam Rowston in May. If he can maintain space and make this a striking affair, the 36-year-old should find himself maintaining his pattern and collecting a second UFC win.

Mehemmedeli Osmanli vs Ilimbek Akylbek

The aforementioned Brady Hiestand ends a lengthy hiatus as he squares off with Rinya Nakamura. Hiestand was on a nice little run to begin his UFC career, posting three straight wins, including a pair of come-from-behind stoppages before a knee injury halted his momentum. Finally healthy and ready to compete, the Spokane-based firefighter is out to resume to his rise up the ranks by taking out the talented Nakamura.

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After blowing through the competition in the inaugural Road to UFC bantamweight tournament, Nakamura earned decision wins over Fernie Garcia and Carlos Vera before coming out flat against Muin Gafurov at UFC 311. He rebounded with a stellar first-round stoppage win over Nathan Fletcher eight months later but has been out of action since.

This is a compelling matchup between a pair of returning prospects that have showed promise but been limited as a result of injuries. There is never a shortage of talent in the bantamweight division, so it’s imperative for each man to come out and impress if they want to continue making headway in the loaded weight class.

Preliminary Card Pairings

Rodolfo Bellato vs Christian Edwards

Montel Jackson vs Ricky Simon

Bantamweights Montel Jackson and Ricky Simon share the Octagon for the second time as Jackson looks to avenge the first loss of his career.

“Quik” has floated in and out of the rankings for the last several years and returns to Las Vegas seeking to even the score with Simon and snap a two-fight. Simon battled Adrian Yanez to a draw last time out and similarly remains cemented in the 12-18 range in the 135-pound weight class.

Norma Dumont vs Ailin Perez

Top 10 bantamweights collide early in the evening as Norma Dumont and Ailin Perez battle for positioning ahead of November’s championship clash.

The 35-year-old Dumont had her six-fight winning streak snapped in April by Joselyne Edwards, but her previous track record indicates she’s still a threat near the top of the division. Ironically, Perez arrives on a six-fight winning streak of her own, looking to propel herself into the thick of the chase with a third consecutive win over a ranked opponent.

John Castaneda vs Alatengheili

Veteran bantamweights John Castaneda and Alatengheili go head-to-head in what should be an entertaining affair for as long as it lasts.

Castaneda cost himself a win in April when he lost a point in the second round of his meeting with Mark Vologdin due to repeated low blows, resulting in the fight being rightfully scored a majority draw and leaving the Minnesotan on a three-fight run without a win. Alatengheili competes for the first time in more than a year hoping to return to the win column after dropping a decision to Da’Mon Blackshear last time out.

Mickey Gall vs Sedriques Dumas

Mickey Gall returns to action for the first time in nearly two years, moving up to middleweight for a tussle with Sedriques Dumas.

Gall enters on a four-fight slide, searching for his first win since submitting Jordan Williams in the summer of 2021. Dumas lands in Las Vegas in similar dire need of a positive result after dropping each of his last two appearances.

Vanessa Demopoulos vs Yazmin Jauregui

Strawweights get the party started this weekend as Vanessa Demopoulos faces off with Yazmin Jauregui.

The 37-year-old Demopoulos competes for the first time since last summer, arriving at the APEX on halting a three-fight slide. When Jauregui steps into the Octagon on Saturday, it ends a two-year hiatus for the Mexican prospect, who last fought at Noche UFC 306 when she opened the epic event at Sphere opposite Ketlen Souza.