A return to Brazil will bring out the best and brightest of the nation for UFC Fight Night 36 that is sure to pack plenty of finishes across the board. In our main event, Lyoto Machida will continue his strong work at Middleweight as he faces Gegard Mousasi. These two were champions within the UFC and Strikeforce 205lb divisions at the same time, yet both lost their belts before the merger and the potential dream bout that would have come to fruition.

We’ve got plenty of ground to cover, so let’s get down to the fights.

Lyoto Machida vs Gegard Mousasi: Two jack-of-all-trade fighters looking to finish out their careers at Middleweight, Machida and Mousasi have a lot to prove, with only a win or two separating them from a championship. Machida made his 185lb debut with a bang, crushing Mark Munoz with a highlight reel head kick and showing he had plenty of potency at the lower weight.

For Mousasi, injuries have kept him out of action for some time over the last three years, but the talented fighter is more than ready for this challenge. A methodical boxer with a judo base and plenty of skills in between, Mousasi has found himself seldom tested inside the cage, but has shown a capability to zap anyone with his looping punches and ground and pound.

In terms of a fight with each other, I can’t see Mousasi having much over Machida here. While Mousasi is the better pure boxer, Machida is masterful with his range control and movement, giving the plodding Mousasi little opportunity to stage an attack. Factor in that Machida controls the inside with his crushing knees and takedowns, and we have a fight that could prove to be too much for the Armenian slugger. Look for these two to start slow and approach each other with healthy caution, but Machida’s body kicks and knees take their toll, leading to a TKO in the 3rd or 4th round.

Jacare Souza vs Francis Carmont: While the main eventer’s seem to be close to that coveted title shot, these two can’t be far away themselves, as Jacare takes on the surging Francis Carmont. Jacare is my personal pick for the next title holder, using world-class grappling coupled with perfectly powerful striking and championship grit. Having dispatched many sturdy fighters since his decision loss to Luke Rockhold three years ago, Jacre looks better and better every time out, and will look to snap Carmont’s eleven-fight win-streak.

Carmont has kept the ball rolling through the division, and while some of his decision wins have been dubious at best, his manhandling of Costa Philippou was anything but. With raw athletic potential and having opened up to the world of wrestling, this muay thai fighter should make for a stiff test at the top of the division, and shoehorns his name into the title picture with a win here.

Carmont represents the worst of Firas Zahabi’s point-fighting game plans, having found a groove in terms of his takedowns and cage control that no one has decisively stopped thus far. Jacare represents a harsh reality for Carmont though, with the bottom game that snap those long arms, a shorter and powerful fame, and the one-punch power to test the Canadian’s chin. Carmont could play a point game or fire from the outside here, but I don’t see too many safe places for him to wage war outside of the clinch. While Carmont could work a perfectly defensive grappling game and take a decision, I think Jacare can make his stand with rushing punches and takedowns, with Carmont never surviving the mat if he lands on his back. Look for a pitched fight where Jacare gets Carmont down and snatches his back for the RNC win in round two.

Charles Oliveira vs Andy Ogle: Lovable UK fighter Andy Ogle will bite off a bit more than he can chew, as he takes on Featherweight marauder Chalres Oliveira. This is a case of Ogle having a ton of heart and some hard punches, but being completely overmatched everywhere this fight goes. Short of a looping punch knocking Oliveira on his faulty chin, this is over all too soon for the Brazilian, who punishes Ogle for the TKO win midway through the fight.

Cristiano Marcello vs Joe Proctor: A fighter who I gave no chance to improve, Marcello has proven me wrong with a developing technical striking game to compliment his BJJ. His opponent is a fellow TUF cast member who has had trouble adjusting to the world stage himself, but Proctor’s power striking, tenacity and slick BJJ make him a solid test for the Brazilian. This comes down to Proctor not having enough in the way of finishing ability against Marcello, who should have a ground edge and be aggressive enough to take a decision in his home country.

Francisco Trinaldo vs Jesse Ronson: An old-style mauler vs a karateka trying to cut his teeth, Trinaldo will have his work cut out for him as he faces Ronson. Trinaldo is a monster and his strong-style grappling has seen him crush the lower level Lightweights of the UFC, but Ronson isn’t going to be game to play the same game here. I like Ronson’s fade and strike style, but he tends to run out of real estate to trade in the smaller cage of the UFC. With few killshots to rattle Trinaldo, I see Ronson losing a decision based on in inability to keep range and the local decision going to the offensive fighter.

Iuri Alcantara vs Wilson Reis: My personal pick for FOTN, Iuri Alcantara will face off against the well-traveled Wilson Reis. Alcantara is one of the best functional fighters in the Bantamweight division, having impeccable timing on his strikes, outstanding core strength, and an all-around depth of skill that serves him well at 135lbs. Reis is one-dimensional in his own approach, but his lightning shot and top control are difficult to avoid even when you’re well-aware they’re coming. This is one Reis could pull off with his scrappy approach, but I like Alcantara’s timing on his punches and ability to force transitions against the stocky fighter. It’s a close one, but Alcantara should be able to either flatten Reis with a well-timing counter punch or do enough on the mat and standing to snatch a decision win.

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Category: Featured, MMA, UFC