UFC 147 ‘Silva vs. Franklin 2’ Preview

---

Featherweights

Iuri Alcantara (28-3, 2-0 UFC) vs. Hacran Dias (20-1-1, 0-0 UFC)

The Matchup: Those complaining about the UFC 147 card have not taken the time to closely examine this bout, which features a pair of Brazilian 145-pounders with gaudy records and potentially bright futures. Alcantara has already proven himself on the big stage, turning heads with a first-round knockout of Ricardo Lamas at WEC 53. Since then, “Marajo” has earned a pair of victories inside the Octagon, notching unanimous nods against Felipe Arantes and Michihiro Omigawa.

Dias is the latest prospect to emerge from the vaunted Nova Uniao camp. A Shooto South American featherweight champion, Dias keeps good company, as he is the main sparring partner of reigning UFC 145-pound king Jose Aldo. The man known as “Barnabe” is also the cousin of Bellator Fighting Championships knockout artist Marlon Sandro. Such name dropping would be meaningless if Dias did not perform in the cage, but the 28-year-old has demonstrated world-class jiu-jitsu skills in winning all but one of his fights since turning pro at the age of 21. The Rio de Janeiro native reportedly bypassed a chance to appear on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” and signed a deal with the UFC instead.

Dias will face a tall task in trying to wade through the standup of Alcantara, who has serious finishing ability and consistently moves forward while landing accurate punches. The former Jungle Fight champion is a southpaw with a dangerous left hook and overhand. He can also get flashy, as he did in flooring Omigawa with a spinning back elbow in the first round of their UFC 142 encounter. In addition, Alcantara has the ability to switch gears and control a fight with takedowns and ground-and-pound, as he did in besting Arantes.

This could prove problematic for Dias, whose greatest issues appear to be his striking and conditioning. In his lone loss against Yui Chul Nam, Dias was worn down defending takedowns and struggled when he was baited into exchanges. At his best, the Nova Uniao product works methodical and disciplined grappling and advances position while pounding his foes with strikes from dominant positions.

The Pick: Alcantara has proven himself at the highest level, and he appears to be more well-rounded than his countryman; look for him to avoid his opponent’s submissions and do damage standing en route to taking a decision.

Next Fight » Rony Mariano Bezerra vs. Godofredo Castro