UFC Fight Night: Navajo Stirling vs Bruno Lopes Preview & Prediction
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A light Heavyweight bout where dynamic Kiwi striker looks for his first UFC finish against heavy handed Brazilian Bruno Lopes.
Navajo Stirling vs Bruno Lopes facts
What time are Navajo Stirling and Bruno Lopes expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Pyfer? Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, USA
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Pyfer? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 270
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Pyfer on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – Paramount
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Pyfer? UK – TNT Sports can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – Paramount+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Pyfer main card
Israel Adesanya vs Joe Pyfer (Middleweight)
Alexa Grasso vs Maycee Barber (Women’s Flyweight)
Michael Chiesa vs Niko Price (Welterweight)
Julian Erosa vs Lerryan Douglas (Featherweight)
Mansur Abdul Malik vs Yousri Belgaroui (Middleweight)
Terrance McKinney vs Kyle Nelson (Lightweight)
UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs Pyfer prelims
Ignacio Bahamondes vs Tofiq Musayev (Lightweight)
Chase Hooper vs Lance Gibson Jr (Lightweight)
Marcin Tybura vs Tyrell Fortune (Heavyweight)
Casey ONeill vs Gabriella Fernandes (Women’s Flyweight)
Navajo Stirling vs Bruno Lopes (Light Heavyweight)
Ricky Simon vs Adrian Yanez (Bantamweight)
Alexia Thainara vs Bruna Brasil (Women’s Strawweight)
Navajo Stirling: New Zealand's hot prospect ready to make a statement
Navajo Stirling (8-0) has steadily made his case as a well-rounded prospect in the light heavyweight division. He most recently earned a hard-fought decision over Rodolfo Bellato in a fight that showcased his striking variety, takedown ability, and durability. The New Zealander is a technically tidy kickboxer who mixes his strikes to the body and head well, throws switch kicks with real conviction, and has shown to be defensively responsible even when the pace picks up. He's shown the physicality to reverse clinch positions against strong opponents and carries enough power to trouble Lopes on the feet. Even though he is yet to find a finish in the UFC, this could be the night he does.
Bruno Lopes: "The Brazilian Cowboy" looking to bounce back after KO loss
Bruno Lopes (14-2) is 1-1 after a year in the UFC, most notably getting stopped in the first round by Dustin Jacoby after a loose guard left him exposed for a simple jab that rocked him and ended the fight shortly after. Lopes has a win over Magomed Gadzhiyasulov where his persistent clinch work and takedowns prevailed in a close decision. At range Lopes mixes leg kicks with his boxing, but his hands are relatively slow, he wings his shots wide, and his combinations leave him open for counters. Lopes is aware of his striking limitations and leans on his grappling when facing superior strikers.
Navajo Stirling vs Bruno Lopes prediction
In this matchup, Lopes will most likely look to clinch up to the fence, look to neutralise Stirling's striking, and grind for takedowns. The problem is that he's not proven to execute that plan convincingly against opposition below Stirling's level. When Lopes shoots for takedowns, they rarely go deep enough, his trips fail more often than not, and when he does manage to get opponents down, his control over them is so loose that they tend to pop straight back up. Even if Lopes manages to clinch Stirling up to the fence, Stirling has shown he can reverse that position effectively and exit without issue, as he did repeatedly against Bellato.
The striking match on the feet shapes up to be a mismatch. Stirling is faster, tighter, and cleaner than anything Lopes has faced in his career. The wide, looping punches that Lopes throws take too long to land and leave him exposed to counters from the New Zealand national. The switch kick to the body will be free all night given Lopes' poor kicking defence, and the same clean shots that Stirling landed on Bellato's chin look even more likely to find the target against Lopes.
Stirling is a LOCK on this card, and there's a real case that this is the night he gets his first UFC finish.
Prediction: Navajo Stirling to win by KO/TKO
