PFL CHALLENGER SERIES WEEK 4 - LightWeights

Tape study notes

PFL CHALLENGER SERIES WEEK 4 - Lightweight

Damir Ferhatbegovic vs Elvin Espinoza

This is an excellent fight for challenger series. There has been MASSIVE line movement, so beware. Elvin opened up a -275 favorite. That has been bet all the way down to -135. Elvin is a well rounded fighter. His takedowns are excellent and one thing I love is that he doesn’t give up on them if they aren’t working. He doesn’t abandon the game plan. He will force you against the cage and make you work. The kid is 2-0 In the pfl and still doesn’t have a contract. Ray Sefo sings his praises, but yet he doesn’t have a contract. That might be telling you something. He is hitable on the feet. Has a good chin. He’s 7-0 with 6 finishes. He trains with Evan Elder who also has a fight this week, but in the UFC

Damir has been around for a long time. He also has a win on PFL challenger series and it was by round 1 KO over a guy from city kickboxing (who had a late arrival to the fight. Thanks covid). Damir has fought and lost to both Jonathan Pearce and violent Bob Ross. Those fights were a long time ago and in both fights he was out grappled. He does train with Scott Holtzman and put up pictures from this camp and Chris Weidman was out in NC training with him. Damir is super calm in the cage. Flowy striker. Bounces lightly on his feet, rolls with punches. Massive power. Very athletic. Has one of the best nicknames in mma “The Bosnian Barn Cat”

Close close fight. I get the line movement. Elvin can put pace this guy though and I think the nonchalant movements of Damir will hurt him against an aggressive grappler like Elvin. Taking Elvin here

Charlie Decca vs Jose Aguayo

Both of these guys are pretty terrible. Charlie Decca might be the slowest 155 pounder I’ve ever seen. He’s also only 3-2. He’s fighting Jose Aguayo who is from Stockton and trains at Cesar Gracie’s with the Diaz bros and the gang (legit might be a gang). Aguayo has fought the likes of Cody Sandhagen and gotten his ass kicked too. He’s a long lanky striker and is capable of submissions from his back. The line is very close. I favor Aguayo for experience and being slightly faster, but trash fight compared to Damir vs Elvin

Manoel Sousa vs Paulo Henrique

Manoel Sousa is 9-0 with 9 finishes. He’s a bit wild in the cage, but throws with bad intentions. He can also slam you and has a sick submission game. Guy is dangerous everywhere and is only 25 years old.

Henrique is also a great talent. He was violent in his last win. They called it a slam to ground and pound, but he really didn’t slam anyone. He was getting taken down with a body lock, reversed it, landed on top and pounded the dude out. He’s well rounded and has been around the game a long time. He is also deaf, but with the way these two fights there isn’t much time to listen to your corner anyways.

Sousa is a big favorite and I’m scared of that line. I lean Sousa, but I’m not betting this

Tony Caruso vs Anthony Romero

Line is very wide here, but for good reason. Anthony Romero should steam roll Caruso. The one thing I don’t love about Romero is he said he didn’t have the “fire” fighting on the regional scene. Makes me question his drive a bit, but he is some much better everywhere. Romeros flying knee ko in his last fight was sick. Romero wins by tko easy