Diego Rivas
Age: 26
Nationality: Chilean
MMA Record: 7-1
UFC Record: 2-1
Notable Wins: Noad Lahat
Notable Losses: Jose Quinonez
Last Fight: Decision loss to Jose Quinonez
Fighter Profile: Rivas is the lone Chilean fighter at UFC Fight Night 129, and because of his background he gets a main card spot. Based on his UFC resume so far, he probably belongs on the prelims. Though he has a winning record in the UFC it’s hard to get too excited about him as a prospect. A KO wn over Noad Lahat was the high point of his UFC career but a decision loss to little-known Jose Quinonez in his last fight wasn’t a good look. He’s still young at 26 though so has a lot of time to improve, but I’m not sure if I see a huge prospect here. Having said that, the UFC clearly wants him to get a win here on home soil, and considering the fact he does have some submissions to his name and his opponent can’t defend them, he has the chance to get a really nice win here.
Guido Cannetti
Age: 38
Nationality: Argentinian
MMA Record: 7-3
UFC Record: 1-2
Notable Wins: Hugo Viana
Notable Losses: Kyung Ho Kang, Henry Briones
Last Fight: Submission loss to Kyung Ho Kang
Fighter Profile: A competitor on The Ultimate Fighter Latin America, Cannetti is one of the elder statesemen of the UFC featherweight division, clocking in at 38-years-old. Cannetti has been inconsistent in the UFC with a solid decision win over Hugo Viana sandwiched by submission losses to Kyung Ho Kang and Henry Briones. He doesn’t have much in the way of upside, and it basically one of the guys the UFC brings in to lose when they have a prospect to build.
Fight Breakdown: This looks like a showcase fight for Rivas, who is one of the few Chilean fighters on the UFC roster. Rivas has been brilliant at times in the UFC while Cannetti for the most part is just a gatekeeper who is brought in to lose to younger fighters. Rivas is way younger than Cannetti, more durable, and he’s been fighting on a more active schedule. I just see this being a bad matchup for Cannetti. I think Rivas takes him to the ground, controls him, and finds a way to lock up a submission for a big win on home soil. I think he’s probably one of the most likely winners on the whole card.
Prediction: Rivas via submission
