Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at Brazilian middleweight Alberto Pereira as he debuts against American Jake Collier at UFC Fight Night 88 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Alberto “Uda” Pereira Hometown: Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil Age: 31 Height: 6’3” Reach: Weight Class: Middleweight Camp: Thai Gaspar Career Record: 9-0 Key Wins: Richardson Moreira, Thiago Perpetuo Key Losses: None Background The Thai Gaspar trained fighter has spent a lot of time in Thailand training in muay thai. In MMA, Pereira has a pair of strong wins over former UFC fighters Richardson Moreira and Thiago Perpetuo. In all, he’s stopped opponents in eight of his nine wins. Strengths
- Good striker in the clinch
- Strong knees from close range
- Decent takedown defense
- Fights at a high pace
Weaknesses
- Technical striking needs improvement
- Lacks one punch knockout power
- Leaves himself open to the counter
- Rather flat footed; lacks fluid movement in his footwork
Match-up against Jake Collier This is a match-up of two similarly skilled fighters. Both fighters are 6’3” and have good frames for the weight class. Both of them work in a good percentage of leg kicks to mix in with their striking games. Collier is certainly the better wrestling as he was a state wrestling champion in high school. Despite the wrestling advantage, this is not an area Collier wants to really contend with as “Uda” is a really crafty guard game. Ultimately, I expect this to be a standup exchange. Collier should do well early as he fights better from range and seems to have the better power in his hands. Uda is pretty resilient and should be able to survive the early exchanges. As the fight wears on, Uda’s superior work rate will stand out as he starts to outland his opponent. Look for Uda to land the key strikes of the fight in the clinch in the second and third rounds en route to a late stoppage or unanimous decision win. UFC Ceiling Alberto Uda is another undefeated fighter coming out of Brazil. Unlike most of his contemporaries, he does hold some wins over a solid level of competition including two former UFC fighters. Uda’s technique is a bit awkward, but he’s got a high work rate with a very strong clinch game. He will be a tough out for some of the lower level fighters in the division to his work rate. At 31 years old, I don’t see much opportunity for him to improve his technique to be able to compete with the top half of the division. With that said, there’s a place for him in the organization as action fighter that could be used as a good barometer against future prospects. Fight Film Check out Alberto Pereira in some of his most recent fights: Alberto Pereira vs. Cristiano Frolich Alberto Pereira vs. Thiago Perpetuo