https://www.mmanews.com/features/ufc-on-espn-43-sleeper-scrap-cj-vergara-vs-daniel-da-silva
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Everyone wants to tune in for main events and fights that feature popular names, but that means meaningful or potentially action-packed matchups from elsewhere on fight cards sometimes get lost in the shuffle. A Sleeper Scrap might highlight interesting style matchups, fighters with notable storylines, or bouts that simply have the chance to be a Fight of the Night contender.
After last week’s Sleeper Scrap from UFC 286 saw Lerone Murphy earn a narrow split decision over the debuting Gabriel Santos, this week we’re taking a look at the UFC on ESPN 43 flyweight bout between CJ Vergara and Daniel da Silva.
The Fighters
Daniel da Silva’s UFC run probably hasn’t gone quite how he envisioned it, but the 26-year-old has one more chance with this matchup to prove he belongs in the sport’s top promotion.
“Miojo” ran through the competition in Brazil during the first two years of his career after making his pro debut in 2017. His undefeated record ended when he suffered a shoulder injury in the first minute of a flyweight title fight with Edilceu Alves at Shooto Brazil 90, but later that year he rebounded with a pair of first-round submission victories.
Da Silva returned in 2021 with another first-round knockout that convinced the UFC to sign him outright, and he was booked to debut against Jeff Molina just a few months later. A solid first round for the Brazilian was undone when he was stopped in the first minute of the second round, and his next two UFC bouts with Francisco Figueiredo and Victor Altamirano ended with him being finished inside the first five minutes.
CJ Vergara has had slightly more success than da Silva in the UFC, but the 31-year-old hasn’t performed anywhere near as well as he had prior to joining the promotion.
The Texan started his career 3-0 before losing a split decision to current UFC bantamweight Jonathan Martinez, which started a run from 2015 to 2018 where he went 1-2-1 overall. Vergara returned to Fury FC in 2019 and impressed with three-straight finishes, and that set him up for a shot at the promotion’s flyweight title where he secured yet another stoppage victory over Jacob Silva.
The 31-year-old needed less than a minute to stop Bruno Korea with a knee on Contender Series 2021 and ink a contract with the UFC. After falling short in his promotional debut against Ode Osbourne the Texan earned a split decision over Kleydson Rodrigues, but in his most recent fight he was submitted by Tatsuro Taira in the second round.
The Matchup
Da Silva’s wild style may not have earned him a UFC victory yet, but it’s certainly made him a fighter that’s always worth tuning in to watch.
The Brazilian’s striking relies a lot on throwing 1-2’s, which are punctuated by a variety of kicks that he’ll used to batter his opponents from head to toe. His lead front kick to the body is particularly dangerous and “Miojo” will go to it frequently, but when throwing low kicks he’s shown a tendency to also leave his head exposed for counters.
supposed to be the sleeper OTN
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2day
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He is a LEGEND for that comeback. WOW
Good call that was a wild one
Agreed
