UFC on ESPN 16 Yorgan De Castro vs. Carlos Felipe, Odds and Prediction
Heavyweight bangers collide at UFC on ESPN 16 as Yorgan De Castro (-265) and Carlos Felipe (+225) face in three round action. Where resume is lacking, this contest sells itself as a fan-friendly striking war between offensively inclined 265 lb prospects.
Yorgan De Castro (6-1, 33-years-old, 5 TKO's)
Cape Verde’s MMA export De Castro earned UFC entrance with a brutalizing Contender Series leg kick stoppage over then unbeaten Alton Meeks. De Castro followed by quickly starching Justin Tafa. However, coming off his recent first career setback vs. Greg Hardy, the compact knockout artist looks to let his hands fly during Saturday’s co-main even event. The re-planted Massachusetts based Regiment Training Center disciple lands 2.19 significant strikes per minute and is deceptively explosive.
Carlos Felipe (8-1, 25-years-old, 6 TKO's)
Built similarly to the six-foot, 265 lb De Castro, Carlos Felipe also dropped his first paid bout this summer after eight wins. Felipe showed granite chin and fighting spirit during a promising UFC debut, but fell on the wrong end of a Majority Decision vs. Sergey Spivak.
While both men share warrior mentalities, and enjoy pocket trades minus the takedown threat, De Castro owns quicker hands, heavier kicks and an all-important UFC win. It's worth noting De Castro and Felipe enjoyed quality moments before fading against their leaner, more conditioned challenges. Prior to those defeats, this weekend's main event warm up combatants had no issue separating lesser foes from consciousness.
That big power could translate into another knockout when De Castro and Felipe share Zuffa reality. Although, the most likely outcome is a hot first round open where De Castro establishes greater hand speed and athleticism while Felipe wades ahead to the final horn, occasionally finding the mark.
Expect both to tire after a wildly entertaining start: this is where De Castro, on instinct, will grind out a narrow decision win behind superior athletic prowess.
The Pick: Yorgan De Castro by Decision
Odds courtesy of BestFightOdds