August 9, 2024

Pastors and Artists Occasionally, an underappreciated banger emerges from the contractual minimalism of a UFC Fight Night. On 10th August 2024, in Las Vegas, submission specialist Allan Nascimento (20-6-0) will face off against the prolific back-taker Jafel Filho (16-3-0) to kick off the main card of Tybura vs. Spivac II. A standard on-paper view might mistake the Brazilian flags and grappling-heavy approach for a bout of two very similar fighters. Nascimento could be Filho in a parallel universe and vice versa. Nothing could be further from the truth. While skilled in similar areas, their paths to victory will clash in a technical to-and-fro. The mixture of these two athletes almost demands that creativity and an exciting pace will decide the winner. Allan ‘Puro Osso’ Nascimento Nascimento, fighting out of São Paulo’s Chute Boxe, aims to extend his two-fight win streak and steal a spot in the UFC flyweight division’s top fifteen rankings. Since his Octagon debut in 2021, Nascimento has always delivered thrilling performances. A strong debut against Tagir Ulanbekov and a first-round submission win over Carlos Hernandez are enough to convince any grappling-sceptic that excitement is never limited to striking. Let it be known, Nascimento is a seasoned defensive grappler who is happy to fight off of his back – he has never been submitted in a professional bout. Constant submission threats are sharpened into a double-edged sword. Fail to defend and risk the tap or defend well and lose the position. The result of this tactic? Eleven of Nascimento’s fourteen submissions come in the first round. Naturally then, it is no surprise that Nascimento is often cornered by fellow Chute Boxe phenom Charles Oliveira. Whether standing or on the ground, Nascimento carries the same signature pace and diversity common to fighters with the São Paulo flair. Visually, this includes the same front kick that has been bruising diaphragms across the lightweight division for a while now.   Jafel ‘Pastor’ Filho Fighting out of Rio de Janeiro’s Nova União gym, Filho also looks to extend his two-fight win-streak in the UFC. All it takes is a quick scan of Filho’s record to see his dedication to finishing fights. Out of sixteen wins, Filho has a 94% finish rate, with almost all his submissions coming in the first round. The ‘Pastor’ first cut his teeth in Brazilian promotions such as Shooto Brazil and Sao Francisco Fight. During these years, Filho’s near refusal to go to a decision earnt him a reputation that secured a 2023 chance on Dana White’s Contender Series. The Brazilian was quickly signed to the UFC after knocking out Roybert Echeverria in round three. Yet Filho’s rise was hindered by the UK fan favourite Muhammad Mokaev. While his record shows a submission loss (neck crank), Filho’s ligament-tearing kneebar shocked audiences as eight audible cracks came from Mokaev’s leg. Since then, Filho has delivered back-to-back finishes, submitting Daniel Barez and Ode Osbourne in the first round. Filho provides knock-out victories every three/four fights with a spooky clockwork consistency. Of course, the level of competition is higher in the UFC, but with several TKO-worthy moments and a Bible at cage side, the ‘Pastor’ is cruising towards a stunningly divine knockout any day now.   Exploiting the Cage The first crucial factor will be the cage. If a grappling exchange happens against the fence, expect Filho to prioritise securing the back with a body lock. In his last bout, Filho used the body lock to stop Osbourne from turning into the fence to escape, a technique that troubled Nascimento against Ulanbekov as two body-lock takedowns landed in the first round. In general, Nascimento prefers to avoid the cage – against Jake Hadley, the pair barely even touched the cage. This plays to Filho’s advantage when we remember that most of his takedowns come against the fence – the first domino in Barez’s demise and a staple since his early Shooto career. If we want to be really pedantic, Nascimento did use a whizzer grip to stop Ulanbekov’s double-leg takedowns against the cage. Take from this what you will, but one isolated incident might not be enough to ensure technical success against Filho. Despite this, Nascimento’s dominant guard-play could be advantageous, as he often invites opportunities to take the fight to the ground. These takedowns are, in some ways, to his benefit. Yet, this depends on where the takedown ends. If Filho takes his back against the cage, Nascimento is at a disadvantage. With seven rear-naked chokes under his belt, Filho’s experience on the back parallels the opponents that gave Nascimento great difficulty.   The Decisive Duality of Distance The battle of distance will be equally decisive in this fight as the two opponents could not be more distinct from each other in this regard. Nascimento prefers to keep distance in grappling exchanges, using high hips from the top to drive into the opponent’s upper body, pinning them to the mat. In contrast, Filho is a tighter, more methodical grappler. He consistently uses underhooks from the top position to restrict his opponent’s movement, as seen in his early career win against Vugner Silva. Nascimento’s constant movement on the ground will undoubtedly make him the more disturbing force of the two. Expect to see a see-saw motion in his grappling as high hips drop to secure the lower body while his head postures to throw strikes or fight for hand control. Either the head is all the way up and the hips are down, or the complete opposite will be the case. This gives exchanges the free-flowing spontaneity for Nascimento’s flash transitions to surprise. In a more controlling mindset, Filho works towards rear-naked chokes and arm triangles with a methodical mindset once a dominant position is secured. His patience in securing positions is clearest in his underhooks and strategic head placement, a style that puts control before spontaneity. How to deal with this from Filho’s perspective? A textbook response would be to push down on Nascimento’s head from the bottom –