Preview: UFC Fight Night 185 Main Card

Featherweights

NR | Rafael Alves (19-9, 0-0 UFC) vs. NR | Pat Sabatini (13-3, 0-0 UFC)

ODDS: Alves (-190), Sabatini (+165)

Brazil’s Alves is one of the more interesting graduates from the most recent season of Dana White’s Contender Series, if only because it remains unclear where “The Turn” goes from here. Alves is a horse of an athlete with fight-ending ability on both the feet and the mat, but he is quite reliant on big moments to turn the tide of the fight. Alves fights at a slow pace and is even willing to back up in the hopes that he can catch his opponent with a huge counter or latch on a submission. Now riding a five-fight winning streak, Alves could be the type of athlete and dynamic finisher that can quickly make a run up the featherweight division. However, the worry is that as a decade-plus veteran with some rough patches in his career, he might already be reaching his peak. He will take on a late replacement and fellow UFC newcomer in Sabatini, who figured to be on the verge of a UFC callup. The Pennsylvanian has put together a solid resume, mostly thanks to a strong grappling game, though he is willing to crack his opponent on the feet if needed. Sabatini’s pressure and pace might be enough to take this given the worries that the Brazilian does not exactly fight a round-winning style, but the bet is that Alves can neutralize the Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder on the mat and make up the difference with those big individual moments. The pick is Alves via decision.

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