Tale of the Tape
Result Summary
Manoel Sousa defeated Richie Miranda by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) in a lightweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Gamrot vs. Salkilld on August 8, 2026. Miranda controlled the first round with takedown attempts and ground work, but Sousa stayed composed and absorbed the early pressure without any serious damage. Sousa hurt Miranda in round 2 and successfully kept the fight standing from that point, landing cleaner, more consistent strikes over the final two rounds to earn the clean sweep on all three scorecards. The victory marks Sousa's second win inside the Octagon — he is now 2-0 in the UFC and has won four in a row since joining the promotion via the DWCS program.
Fight Overview
Brazilian finisher Manoel "Manumito" Sousa, who took home a Performance of the Night bonus in his UFC debut, faces LFA Lightweight champion Richie "El Machete" Miranda — the brother of Raul Rosas Jr. — who stepped up on just 10 days' notice to replace the original opponent. Sousa's finishing momentum against Miranda's short-notice grit and championship pedigree from the regional scene makes for an intriguing style matchup at 155 pounds.
Keys to Victory
Manoel Sousa
- Use his proven UFC finishing ability to end the fight early and capitalize on any conditioning gaps Miranda may carry from a 10-day preparation window.
- Apply the same aggressive, bonus-earning attack that worked in his debut and force Miranda into defensive situations where his short notice becomes most apparent.
- Trust his submission game and striking combinations and avoid over-respecting a regional champion who hasn't been tested at the UFC level yet.
Richie Miranda
- Use his LFA championship experience to maintain mental composure under pressure and show that short notice is no obstacle for a well-conditioned champion.
- Implement a fast-paced, high-output approach that prevents Sousa from establishing his finishing sequences and drags the fight into his own grinding game.
- Look for takedown entries and submission setups that capitalize on the Miranda family grappling background to put Sousa on the defensive.
Last 5 fights
Manoel Sousa
- W Bolaji Oki
- W Cristian Pérez
- W Lucas Barros Oliveira
- L Archie Colgan
- W Tim Wilde
Richie Miranda
- W Robert Varricchio
- W Ilay Barzilay
- W Richie Lewis
- W Hugo Oyarzun
- W Maycon Mendonca
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AI-generated This analysis was generated with AI and may contain errors.