UFC Fight Night 88: Almeida vs. Garbrandt Announced

Good card. Lot of FOTN potential on here.

Everything about this tells me I should pick almeida, but I'm picking cody purely based on his hands

Edit. Now that I think of it, while almeida has more mma bouts codys 30+ boxing matches give him the experience advantage

* Edited at 05.22.2016, 9:18 PM ET *

@nomeansmoney The fact that his amateur boxing started when he was 14, and he never entered any major tournaments or fought any ranked fighters means about as much as Fabio Maldonado's 22-0 boxing record, probably less. 

Don't get me wrong, Garbrandt is an athletically talented fighter, undefeated, training out of a great gym, only 24 years old. I'd say with 21 professional MMA fights and having fought against better competition in mixed martial arts, especially better strikers in Jabouin and and Pickett, Almeida should have the experience edge. 

It's a close fight though, two 24 year-old bantamweights that are undefeated knockout artist. Both show holes in their defensive striking. I think Almeida has the crisper technique, Garbrandt is a little wide with his punches but he stays loose which I like. Almeida is knocking cats out with his right and left, with kicks, knees and finishing fights by going to the body. I have not yet seen that kind of arsenal from Garbrandt. Also Cody has good power but Almeida puts fools in body bags. 

I'm leaning towards Almeida myself, but if Cody is like a 15% dog I might pick him anyways. Neither guy has really shown their chops in getting fights to the mat or what they can do in transition or when it gets there, but in this fight there's a good chance one of them will need to at some point and you have to think Alphamale has Cody ready for that time if it comes. Still one guy is a hipster with a ******y neck tattoo, so I'll take the Almeida. 

I don't disagree with point of yours in particular nomad, but something that sways me that no-one has mentioned is that almeida has fought at least one guy with a losing record and several with no record listed at all.

Does almeida have any amateur experience at all?

* Edited at 05.23.2016, 1:08 AM ET *

I think his reasons out beat your reasons 4 to 1.

@nomeansmoney I don't see where Almeida has amateur MMA bouts, no. But he is a Brown Belt in Jiu Jitsu so it's fair to assume he has done some grappling tournaments in his lifetime. He's also a product of Chute Boxe with a black belt in Muay Thai so he's probably been in a lot of gnarly sparring sessions. He's 24 years-old with 21 professional fights though, for MMA that's about as much experience as you're gonna get. 

@nomeansmoney,


Don't know if Almeida has any ammy fights (do they even do ammy MMA in Brazil?), but Garbrandt sure does:

* Edited at 05.23.2016, 3:34 AM ET *

Yeah yeah yeah he got caught flush in the 3rd round. And then went on a pretty impressive KO streak. I trust a guy that's come back from adversity and a difficult (to swallow pride wise) loss.

But what's this about a black belt in muay Thai? I thought that was a meme. 

Cody has potential, but he is so ridiculously overrated. He was neck and neck with Marcus brimage in a very close fight when Cody caught him in the 3rd. His other two fights were vs meh opponents and hasn't really shown great improvements these last few years,and i have really studied footage on him. To me he's just another one of those guys a ton of people call "a future champ" then he loses and everyone shuts up.

I think almeida's a little overrated too,but imo has MUCH bigger potential. Cody's giraffe neck and straight up chins gonna get cracked IMO. Kids super exciting,and I like him but people are jumping the gun with him too much. He's really not that great yet.maybe eventually,but not near the elite yet.

@yoss yes, we have amateur MMA fights, but it's not nearly as common as it is in the US. It happens mostly in the south (where Thomas comes from), but he went straight from muay thai competitions to MMA pro fights. Started training muay thai at 13 years old and had his first official muay thai fight at 16, went 27-3 (with 16 KOs) before making his MMA pro debut at 20 years old in 2011.

Do you know if those 3 losses were decisions? Not that it really matters,he was just a kid,but still interested.

I thought this fight was really close when it was signed, and Garbrandt could certainly put Almeida out, but I think Almeida reacts better to being hit and has a much wider arsenal at his disposal. He's also much less predictable. This is his fight to lose. 

@kuma no idea, man

@kuma just asked Thomas online seconds ago, he said all his three muay thai losses were by decision.

* Edited at 05.25.2016, 6:14 PM ET *

Thanks @vazio :)
By the way, Cody said Almeida's record is padded. His best win is short notice Mendes and Almeida has fought Jabouain, Birchak and Pickett, but Almeida's the one with the padded record.

Say what you want about his pre-UFC record, but since they both landed in the UFC, Almeida is the one who's gone through the ringer and come out with flying colours.

* Edited at 05.26.2016, 12:15 AM ET *

Just watched the Pickett fight again

Totally forgot almeida was dropped twice in the first round. Seals the deal for me. Garbrandt gonna find that chin.

And Cody arguably losing to Marcus brimage till minutes into the 3rd does what for your confidence? Put on the breaks kid,and keep watching footage,you'll have an idea of what you're talking about someday.

One of these  fine young stallions will taste defeat in cruel fashion ( they're first time in UFC). Faith, courage , dignity and valour will determine which one carries on seeding his name in a Kingdom of pain , punishment and pleasure. Which young believer will keep his solemn face high ?  And which one will lay down with the mellow goats in a puddle of his own blood ? (and vomit ?) May these gentlemen be carried forth into Valhalla and Greatness 

Valhalla is a Pagan concept, you're going to Hell now.

@kuma

I'm not gonna count it against Cody that for his ufc debut he went a little reckless going for the KO and made his own job harder and take longer.

Like Cody said, let's see what he's doing when he's had 20 pro fights like almeida.