‘The Ultimate Fighter 15’ Finale Preview
Brookins vs. Oliveira
Featherweights
Jonathan Brookins (13-4, 2-1 UFC) vs. Charles Oliveira (15-2, 3-2, 1 NC, UFC)
The Matchup: This contest matches a pair of former lightweights who are looking to establish themselves in what looks to be a wide-open 145-pound division. Brookins (Pictured, File Photo), “The Ultimate Fighter 12” winner, was successful in his second featherweight appearance, scoring a first-round knockout of Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Vagner Rocha at UFC on Fuel TV 1.
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The truth is “Do Bronx” has been a highly regarded prospect since he began his UFC career with back-to-back wins over Darren Elkins and Efrain Escudero. Losses to high-level lightweights like Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller set him back somewhat, but Brookins figures to provide a solid test as to how far the Brazilian can ascend in the division.
It will be an interesting contrast of styles. Brookins favors a tactical approach, which centers on his wrestling base. Oliveira, meanwhile, will fearlessly throw high-risk strikes, in part, because he is confident enough in his submission game to not fear fighting from his back. Despite his background, Brookins is hardly a takedown machine. Against Erik Koch and Michael Johnson, the Florida native went a combined 4-for-33 on takedown attempts. While Brookins might not have an explosive double-leg, he is good at drawing opponents into a grinding affair from the clinch, which is where he is most likely to wrestle a foe to the mat. Although he lost a unanimous decision to Koch, Brookins did not allow the Roufusport product any significant openings for a highlight-reel finish.
That is what he will want to do against Oliveira, who is fast and explosive and can do serious damage with aggressive knees and punches. The Brazilian can also slow down Brookins by feeding the wrestler a steady diet of leg kicks.
If Brookins finds himself in a dominant position, he must be wary of Oliveira’s potent guard. The 22-year-old is extremely active and can seemingly pull off submissions from out of nowhere; the downside to this is that he will sometimes leave himself exposed while pursuing the finish. Brookins must capitalize if such an opportunity presents itself.
The Pick: Brookins is a smart fighter, and, as he showed against Johnson, he can weather an early barrage and come back to win. It might not be the most exciting method, but look for Brookins to negate Oliveira’s offense and grind out a hard-fought decision victory.
Next Fight » Max Holloway vs. Pat Schilling
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