Preview: PFL 2 ‘Pacheco vs. Budd’

Heavyweights

Rizvan Kuniev (11-2-1, 0-0 PFL) vs. Renan Ferreira (9-3, 3-1 PFL)

ODDS: Kuniev (-175), Ferreira (+145)

It was not all that long ago that Ferreira looked like one of the most tantalizing heavyweight prospects in the PFL. However, quick knockouts gave way to poor defensive wrestling and non-existent scrambling and grappling, and “Problema” suddenly enters his matchup with Kuniev on a two-bout winless streak. At 6-foot-8 with an 85-inch reach, Ferreira is a dangerous striker capable of ending virtually any fight in short order. Unfortunately, his distance management has not been great, and recent PFL opponents like Ante Delija and Klidson Abreu have been able to force tie-ups and ground the Brazilian with relative ease.

It appears that the league is not doing Ferreira any favors by pairing him with a former Eagle Fighting Championship heavyweight king in Kuniev—a Dagestani with the requisite grappling skills to make life miserable. Kuniev does have other weapons: In his most recent outing, he rocked UFC veteran Anthony Hamilton with a spinning back roundhouse kick to the head and a knee before submitting his opponent with a standing guillotine choke. With that said, it would be unwise to engage Ferreira in a lengthy firefight when the path to victory has already been laid out by previous opponents. There will be some danger navigating a nine-inch reach deficit, but Kuniev fared well getting inside on 6-foot-7 foe Edivan Santos on Dana White’s Contender Series, and once he did, he relied on clinch work, takedowns and top control to wear his opponent down in advance of a TKO finish. Unless Ferreira’s defensive wrestling and grappling has improved significantly from last season, this one seems pretty clear cut. Kuniev either wins a decision or puts his opponent away on the canvas.

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Pacheco vs. Budd
Cappelozza vs. Scheffel
Goltsov vs. De Castro
Kuniev vs. Ferreira
Ladd vs. Kolesnyk
The Prelims