UFC Fight Night 261: Jafel Filho vs Clayton Carpenter Preview & Prediction
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Flyweights close out the prelims in what is sure to be a high paced affair, with Jafel Filho taking on Clayton Carpenter.
Jafel Filho vs Clayton Carpenter facts
What time are Jafel Filho and Clayton Carpenter expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot? Farmasi Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot main card
Charles Oliveira vs Mateusz Gamrot (Lightweight)
Deiveson Figueiredo vs Montel Jackson (Bantamweight)
Vicente Luque vs Joel Alvarez (Welterweight)
Jhonata Diniz vs Mario Pinto (Heavyweight)
Ricardo Ramos vs Kaan Ofli (Featherweight)
Lucas Almeida vs Michael Aswell (Featherweight)
UFC Fight Night 261: Oliveira vs Gamrot prelims
Jafel Filho vs Clayton Carpenter (Flyweight)
Vitor Petrino vs Thomas Petersen (Heavyweight)
Beatriz Mesquita vs Irina Alekseeva (Women’s Bantamweight)
Lucas Rocha vs Stewart Nicoll (Flyweight)
Julia Polastri vs Karolina Kowalkiewicz (Women’s Strawweight)
Luan Lacerda vs Saimon Oliveira (Bantamweight)
Jafel Filho: Will "Pastor" find the win to move above .500 in the UFC in front of his adoring fans?
A precocious grappling talent with ten wins by tap out to his name, Jafel Filho (16-4) was seemingly seconds away from taking Muhammad Mokaev's "0" back in 2023, only for "The Punisher" to come roaring back after escaping the knee bar to earn the third round submission. A UFC competitor since 2022, "Pastor" signed with the promotion after an impressive TKO win over Roybert Echeverria on the Contender Series. He's 2-2 since, sandwiching submission victories over Ode' Osbourne and Daniel Barez with losses to Allan Nascimento and the aforementioned Mokaev.
Clayton Carpenter: Can the 29 year old American earn the biggest win of his career to date?
While he may have surrendered his undefeated record last time out against Tagir Ulanbekov, Clayton Carpenter (8-1) has impressed throughout his UFC run to date. The 29 year old DWCS graduate arrived in the promotion with back-to-back submission victories over Lucas Rocha and Juancamilo Rodrigues, before running into the Russian at UFC 311. A submission specialist with a nasty head kick in his back pocket, Carpenter has looked to be an all-action addition to the ranks at flyweight.
Jafel Filho vs Clayton Carpenter prediction
While he may not have walked away with the win on that occasion, Carpenter's performance against Ulanbekov is actually a promising indicator leading into this one. The Russian is an enormous flyweight with a wealth of experience, and Carpenter was extremely competitive in their fight. As such, while Filho has fought some solid flyweights during his UFC tenure, Carpenter doesn't figure to get caught in the headlights when it comes to an edge in experience.
With that being said, Filho is a ruthlessly opportunistic finisher; there's an alternate reality where Muhammad Mokaev tapped to his brutal kneebar in their 2023 encounter and "Pastor" is now a staple of the rankings. Carpenter has never been stopped, but he'll have to be on his "A" game across three rounds to best a man with a 100% finishing rate in the UFC fights where he's been victorious.
While the raucous home crowd could well sway the judges' opinions, the pick is for Carpenter to earn a split decision in a razor close fight.
Prediction: Clayton Carpenter to win
