Updates! UFC Sao Paulo Thoughts (Patreon)

Hey folks! Thanks to everyone for your support. To the new people who recently signed up, welcome aboard! To the people who have stuck around for awhile, thank you so much for your continued trust and support. I have been working on familiarizing myself with the new fighters from Brazil for the upcoming Sao Paulo card. I am going to be releasing content about each of the three debutants (Eduarda Moura, Victor Hugo, and Kaue Fernandes) but I wanted to share with patrons first my brief thoughts on each of these fighters. I haven't fully handicapped each opponent they are facing this weekend, this exercise is more about understanding the fighter's game and trying to make a long term artifact we can revisit for any future matchups with these fighters.Eduarda "Ronda" Moura: (9-0) Pro ||| Last Fought on DWCS Week 2 on 8/15/2023We cashed on DWCS: Maura SUB +340 / Ends by SUB +290 - Result Moura Wins SUB1

Maura is an aggressive purple belt; willing to throw GNP and hunt for submissions on the mat.

Maura looked phenomenal on DWCS. Battered her opponent, created a hematoma with GNP, passed the guard routinely, used slick shin pinning to easily dominate transitions.

Maura trains with Jailton Almeida's team Galpao De Luta & he asked for her to be on the card.

Maura had a massive size advantage on DWCS and she will have another massive size advantage against Conejo.

Maura is 9-0 with an 89% finish rate and she has been extremely active with all 11 of her PRO/AM bouts taking place since 2021.

Victor "Striker" Hugo: (24-4) Pro ||| Last Fought on DWCS Week 9 on 10/03/2023Predicted Victor Hugo via KO1/2 on DWCS and he ended up getting the SUB2 instead.

Victor Hugo has big KO power, has fought as high as 165lb., now at 135lb.

Hugo showed an ability to secure TD's regionally, on DWCS he won the grappling exchanges but did give his back in a rear standing waist sinch on a few occasions.

Hugo is a showman at times, spinning attacks, wild movements, his coaches accosted him to be "technical" and not fight like a "savage" or an "animal" on DWCS.

Hugo's grappling looked sensational on the knee bar attempt, used an off balance of the foot, figure four, belly down to secure it, full hip extension to get the finish.

Kaue Fernandes Pinheiro: (8-1) Pro ||| Last Fought on LFA 154 on 03/10/2023

Kaue Fernandes was new to me; had no previous experience betting on or watching his fights.

Fernandes is a flexible, dynamic kicker including from close range as well as a BJJ black belt with a powerful top game, good GNP and SUB threats when fresh, and a solid chin.

Good armbar series, overhook, hip switch, triangle armbar, any kind of arm control attacks.

Fernandes is not always efficient with his energy, gassed out badly in his only career loss against Luann Sardinha (still undefeated, good fighter overall IMHO) but he was off a 2 year layoff in that fight and he nearly secured a 10-8 in round 1 with dominant ground and pound from the top position. Rd. 2/3 he was tired/sloppy.

Fernandes is 2-1 career to the DEC, 6-0 to the ITD, never been finished but came close in Rd. 3 against Sardinha. His chin is solid but his gas tank is a Question mark at least.

Fernandes has beaten opponents with winning records, solid fighters who aren't past prime.

Fernandes tape isn't easy to get a hold of. Was able to watch the sensational Douglass KO, the Sardinha UDEC loss, the SUB2 Armbar win over Evandro Barbosa and the UDEC win over Eduardo Santiago (pretty dominant, cardio / TDD checked out better in this fight)