After UFC Fight Night goes off the air tonight, MMA fans will still have the opportunity to watch some interesting fights that could have implications for fighters who may be joining (or re-joining) the organization. Legacy FC 26 airs on AXS TV at 10pm, and barring another event like The Ultimate Fighter 18 Finale, it should run longer than UFC Fight Night 33. If that is the case, fans should be able to watch the final two fights of the Legacy card, which are really the only two that have some widespread appeal. The co-main event features former WEC featherweight title challenger Leonard Garcia taking on unbeaten prospect Kevin Aguilar. The co-main event pits prospects George Pacurariu and Thomas de Almeida against one another in the bantamweight division. Both fighters have excellent striking games, which are backed up by some solid submission skills, and a win should put either fighter on the UFC’s radar, although I believe Almeida is a bit further ahead in that regard. Today, MMA oddsmaker Nick Kalikas opened the betting odds for these two fights at Several Bookmakers. Check them out: ——————– Legacy FC Featherweight Title Kevin Aguilar -140 Leonard Garcia +100 Thomas de Almeida -270 George Pacurariu +190 ——————– Brad’s Analysis: While Leonard Garcia has looked pretty impressive in his two bouts since leaving the UFC, those bouts were against fighters who are very much regional level. Kevin Aguilar is a solid prospect who also has wins over those two opponents and could be ready to take the next step, which makes this line fair. You have to remember that Leonard Garcia is not a young fighter, and he’s also taken some serious punishment over his career. In fighting years, he’s an old man and at some point he was going to run into a fighter capable of competing at the next level. We saw what happened to him when he faced UFC/WEC caliber fighters over the past number of years, and if Aguilar is that good, things won’t be any different here. Thomas de Almeida is an offensive dynamo who is a throwback of sorts to the old days of Chute Boxe. He wades forward with strikes and doesn’t care if he gets hit as long as he gets to hit his opponent. That could prove to be dangerous against George Pacurariu who has good power, even though Almeida’s chin has held up thus far in his career. I do have to favor Almeida here, but his reckless style on the feet worries me from both a striking and takedown defence standpoint. If he tightens those areas up, we could be looking at a star in the making.
