Dana White’s Contender Series 80: Samuel Silva vs Mandel Nallo Preview & Prediction
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With both fighters boasting a combined total of 19 first round finishes in 26 professional fights, Mandel Nallo throws down with Samuel Silva in a lightdown contest that is unlikely to require the judges' scorecards.
Samuel Silva vs Mandel Nallo facts
What time are Samuel Silva and Mandel Nallo expected to walk out?
Where is Dana White’s Contender Series 80? UFC Apex, Las Vegas, USA
What TV channel is Dana White’s Contender Series 80 on? UK – Not televised / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream Dana White’s Contender Series 80? UK – UFC Fight Pass / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
Dana White’s Contender Series 80 card
Jack Congdon vs Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani (Welterweight)
Cezary Oleksiejczuk vs Theo Haig (Middleweight)
Samuel Silva vs Mandel Nallo (Lightweight)
Eduardo Henrique vs An Tuan Ho (Flyweight)
David Mgoyan vs Tommy McMillen (Featherweight)
Samuel Silva: The one-time Cage Warriors lightweight champion looks to build on an impressive win over the highly touted George Hardwick
Few gave Samuel Silva (13-4-1) much of a chance entering his short notice Cage Warriors title challenge against former DWCS alum, George Hardwick, only for "Caveira" to upend the applecart in shocking fashion. In a stunning upset, Silva broke British hearts by putting a brutal beatdown on the beloved Middlesborough born fighter, dropping Hardwick multiple times over five rounds to earn the unanimous decision victory and the lightweight strap. Boasting lights-out power in every limb to complement a wicked ground game, "Caveira" typically goes all out in pursuit of the finish, with eleven stoppages split virtually even between knockouts and submissions.
Mandel Nallo: The mixed martial artist formerly known as "Rat Garbage" aims to play spoiler at the expense of his Brazilian foe
A highly entertaining pupil of renowned coach, Firas Zahabi, Canadian standout, Mandell Nallo (13-3, 1 NC), enters the biggest fight of his career off the back of a four fight win streak that includes four nasty stoppages. Having never seen the judges' scorecards once in sixteen professional fights, the former Bellator staple brings a kill or be killed mentality to his fights, either scoring a stoppage victory or going out on his shield in pursuit of the finish. A ferocious fast starter, "Mango" has eight first round finishes to his name, but has also proven susceptible to crumbling to pressure in the later stages of his fights.
Samuel Silva vs Mandel Nallo prediction
"Mango's" reputation as a creative and opportunistic finisher means that he's undoubtedly a live dog to score the upset here, but there's a reason that most fans and pundits are leaning towards Silva to earn the "W".
The ever game Nallo might be on a four fight win streak entering this one, but it's worth noting that two of his opponents on that run brought records of 12-13 and 10-8-1 to the cage. While he was one of Bellator's more recognized fighters back in the day, a 4-3 record in the MMA B-Leagues isn't exactly an indicator of a UFC level talent poised to break out. By contrast, "Caveira" hasn't lost in nearly two years, has fought stiffer levels of competition, and just put an absolute whooping on a fighter that has been touted by many as a UFC caliber athlete for some time.
The iron-chinned Brazilian hits absurdly hard with every limb and is likely to be even more aggressive than usual with a UFC contract on the line. Throw in the fact that Nallo has been stopped on multiple occasions by fighters with considerably less talent than George Hardwick, and it's hard to see how the mixed martial artist formerly known as "Rat Garbage" takes this one.
Silva will show levels here, coming out like a proverbial wrecking ball to win by knockout.
Prediction: Samuel Silva to win by TKO
