Felipe Franco VS Brendson Ribeiro

Coming into the fight on a four-fight losing streak and having missed weight by 3.5 pounds, Brendson Ribeiro was in a must-win situation against former heavyweight Felipe Franco. The bout started with a feeling-out process as the men traded leg kicks and jabs. Less than two minutes into the first round, Franco explosively changed levels and drove in for a power takedown. However, Franco left his neck completely exposed during the entry. Ribeiro instantly punished the mistake by snapping on a viciously tight guillotine choke as they hit the mat. Ribeiro rolled seamlessly into full mount to increase the torque, giving Franco nowhere to go and forcing a frantic tap at 01:49 of the opening frame.

Brazil's Felipe Franco (11-2) is an overwhelming favorite against veteran Brendson 'The Gorilla' Ribeiro (17-11) in this light heavyweight prelim, but Ribeiro's 17 career wins and physical 6'3" frame with an 81" reach mean there is no such thing as a safe night at 205 pounds. Franco's 112-point Elo edge reflects genuine quality; the question is whether Ribeiro's experience edge can translate into the early danger that upsets clean favorites.