For the first time since 2017, the UFC will be back in Norfolk, this time with another batch of guaranteed thrilling fights. Headlining this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 169 at the Chartway Arena is the showdown between top flyweights Joseph Benavidez and Deivson Figueiredo. The winner of this fight will leave the octagon with the flyweight title, which was left on the table by Henry Cejudo after announcing last December that he’d focus on competing at the bantamweight division.
Joseph Benavidez (-125) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (-105)
Flyweight
This fight will feature two talented and extremely well-rounded warriors. Benavidez holds a 28-5-0 record with eight knockout wins and nine by way of submissions. He’s knocked out just once in his career and has never lost via a submission. In his last fight, he pulled off a technical KO win over Jussier Formiga in June of last year. Benavidez has fought the best of the best in his division, having also appeared in three title fights, though he went 0-3 in those — two against Demetrious Johnson and one to Dominick Cruz. Figueiredo, on the other hand, will enter the UFC octagon this coming Saturday with a 17-1-0 MMA record. His only loss was to Formiga (unanimous decision) back in March of 2019. Since then, Figueiredo has defeated Alexander Pantoja (UD) and Tim Elliott (submission). Figueiredo has an 8-0 and 9-0 knockout and submission records, respectively.
Writer’s prediction:
Benavidez wins via split decision.
Felicia Spencer (-700) vs. Zarah Fairn dos Santos (+450)
Women’s Featherweight
Nicknamed “Feenom,” Spencer (7-1-0) will look to get back to her winning ways after suffering her first loss in her MMA career, when she lost via unanimous decision to Cris Cyborg last year. That being said, Spencer’s total body of work so far speaks for itself. She’s an excellent fighter with a penchant for luring her opponents into perfect setups that allow her to pull off her signature rear-naked choke technique, which she’s used to win three fights already. Overall, Spencer has four wins via submissions. Fairn is more of a stand-up fighter, who likes to slam and bang with punches and kicks, thanks to her length, too. Fairn owns a 6-3-0 record, with four of her wins coming via KOs. Fairn will have a significant five-inch reach advantage over Spencer, so look for her to fight from a distance.
Writer’s prediction:
Fairn upsets Spencer via KO win.
Ion Cuțelaba (+190) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (-250)
Light Heavyweight
Cutelaba is feeling good,especially after scoring a spectacular first-round knockout win over Khalil Rountree Jr. last September. Cutelaba has some serious knockout power based on his recent fights alone, as he’s collected three KO wins in his last four bouts. Overall, Cutelaba (15-4-0) has 12 knockout wins against zero KO losses. He’s also got two submission victories and two submission losses. Ankalaev is on a roll himself, going 3-0 in his past three fights, during which he had two knockout wins and another via submission. Ankalaev (12-1-0) has a 6-0 KO record, with his lone loss thus far in his MMA career occuring when he got submitted by Paul Craig in the Russian’s UFC debut in 2018.
Writer’s prediction:
Cutelaba wins via KO.
Megan Anderson (-240) vs. Norma Dumont Viana (+180)
Women’s Featherweight
Anderson (10-4-0), a former champion in the Invicta Fighting Championship, is looking for consistency in the UFC. In four fights in the promotion, Anderson has gone 2-2-0. In her last fight, she scored a first-round submission win over Zara Fairn last October, giving her another chance to build a winning streak in the UFC for the first time when she meets Dumont on Saturday. Anderson will enjoy a significant five-inch reach advantage against Dumont, an undefeated fighter from the Gordinho Fight Team. Dumont owns a 4-0-0 record in four appearances in Shooto Brazil, Jungle Fight, and Federation of Mixed Martial Arts of Minas Gerais. Two of her wins came via rear-naked choke submissions.
Writer’s prediction:
Anderson wins via unanimous decision.
Gabriel Silva (-115) vs. Kyler Phillips (-115)
Bantamweight
Silva’s debut in the UFC didn’t end up well, as he absorbed a unanimous decision loss at the hands of Ray Borg in July of last year, but that’s also probably a fight in which jitters caused him some points. Despite that setback, Silva remains a dangerous fighter with an 8-1-0 overall MMA record with three knockout wins and a submission victory. He’s never been knocked out or submitted. Speaking of debuts, Phillips is set to make his first fight inside the UFC octagon this weekend. He owns a 6-1-0 record with three KO wins and a submission victory. Phillips fought in the Legacy Fighting Alliance, California Xtreme Fighting, and in Dana White’s Contender Series before hopping into the UFC bandwagon.
