Chad
Laprise’s last five fights have gone the distance. | Dave
Mandel/Sherdog.com
Lightweights
Chad
Laprise (10-0, 3-0 UFC) vs.
Francisco
Trinaldo (17-4, 7-3 UFC)
THE MATCHUP: “The Ultimate Fighter Nations” winner
Laprise gets a substantial step up in competition against “The
Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” Season 1 competitor Trinaldo. Laprise has
slowly improved since beating
Olivier
Aubin-Mercier to win the show, defeating
Yosdenis
Cedeno and then
Bryan
Barberena by decision. Trinaldo has been a workhorse for the
promotion and is currently riding a three-fight winning streak, the
most recent a controversial decision over
Norman
Parke in May.
Laprise is a silky-smooth striker with clean footwork and movement.
He measures constantly with the jab as he circles and then picks
his spots to sit down with crisp punch-kick combinations before
pivoting and exiting on an angle. Counters are increasingly a
specialty for him, and he can both punch on the back step and
exchange in the pocket without compromising himself defensively.
Power is not Laprise’s strong suit, but he works at an excellent
pace and does a fantastic job of setting up his high kicks. He
complements his striking with sound defensive wrestling skills and
serviceable change-of-pace takedowns, primarily the double-leg.
While he is nothing special from top position, Laprise can eat up
time, pass occasionally and land a few strikes. The Canadian
reminds me a great deal of a more technical
Michael
Bisping, and he could eventually reach a similar ranking in the
lightweight division.
(+ Enlarge) | Photo: Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Trinaldo packs serious pop.
Trinaldo has great strength, speed and power, and he slowly but
surely has developed into a more technical and skilled fighter. The
southpaw was formerly a bomber who relied on a winging left hand,
and while he still keeps that punch in his back pocket, he now
works behind a consistent probing jab and follows up with sharp
kicks. Trinaldo mixes up his left hand to the body and head and
uses the threat of it to set up potent left kicks at all levels. He
is a willing grinder in the clinch and hits the occasional
explosive and well-finished takedown, but he is no more than an
average defensive wrestler and offers little from his back. On top,
Trinaldo passes nicely, has some pop in his ground strikes and can
hit topside submissions like the arm-triangle.
BETTING ODDS: Laprise (-300), Trinaldo (+250)
THE PICK: The odds are a bit steeper than I would
have assumed, but Laprise should definitely be the favorite here.
He is a far cleaner technician on the feet and holds enough of a
wrestling edge that he should dictate where the fight takes
place.
Trinaldo’s power is a concern but not enough of one to swing the
balance in his favor. Laprise should stick and move and put volume
on the hittable Trinaldo and perhaps mix in a takedown or two. The
pick is Laprise by decision.
Next Fight »
Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Tony Sims
