For the second week in a row, the MMA slate expands to Sunday. Also for the second week in a row, Anthony Pettis‘ APFC returns to live action. This weekend, APFC touches down for APFC 12 in Richmond, VA. The Richmond Convention Center is the host venue for Sunday’s card.
Live coverage kicks off Sunday afternoon at 4 pm ET/ 1 pm PT on the promotion’s official YouTube channel with the undercard, followed at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT on UFC Fight Pass with the main card. If there are any swing bouts left over after the main event, they’ll be shown on YouTube, as well.
This is the inverse of last weekend’s APFC Waukesha RMBL in Waukesha, WI, which wasn’t broadcast live. All told, barring any late postponements or cancellations to the bout order ahead of Sunday’s show, 13 fights will be held.
Welterweight Gold at Stake in APFC 12 Main Event Sunday
Highlighting the night’s activities is the battle for the APFC Welterweight Championship in the APFC 12 main event. Current APFC Welterweight Champion Peter Petties (10-8, 1 NC MMA, 1-1 APFC,) a veteran of the PFL and BKFC, will take on challenger Junior Melo (14-9 MMA, APFC promotional debut), a veteran of the LFA.
As per the terms of the fight contract, Sunday’s APFC 12 main event is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round to close the show.
APFC 12 Main Event Fighter Comparison
Heading into the APFC 12 main event on Sunday night, Junior Melo stands as the taller man at 5-foot-11, compared to the 5-foot-10 frame of Peter Petties. The latter owns a half-inch reach advantage (71 inches even to 70 1/2 inches) over the former.
Currently, the oddsmakers have yet to release money lines for APFC 12 on Sunday night. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend in MMA and/or combat sports, please wager responsibly.
Peter Petties Looks to Return to Win Column Sunday Night
Peter Petties enters the APFC 12 main event having posted a 2-3 record in his last five fights. Back in late May, he sustained a second-round technical submission (guillotine choke) against Emmanuel Sanchez (22-10 MMA, 1-0 APFC.)
This contest was a contracted catchweight at 160 lbs., meaning that Sunday night’s main event is his first defense of the 170-lb. strap since winning it on July 16, 2023 versus Robert Hale (14-8 MMA, 0-1 APFC) during APFC 6, also from Richmond, VA.
The Inaugural APFC Welterweight Champion Peter Petties #APFC6 pic.twitter.com/gdaEpCGQ0r
— Jason Hagholm (@JHagholm1) July 17, 2023
The Richmond area has been good to Peter Petties and his camp of late. He’s already won a championship in the very arena where APFC 12 is going to be held this Sunday. Only one question remains: Will his run of good luck in Richmond continue again this coming weekend? Tune in and find out.
Can Junior Melo Right The Ship?
In the other corner, Junior Melo has gone 2-3 in his own right over the last five fights. Most recently, he suffered a first-round knockout loss to Jhonny Carlos (12-7 MMA) on March 22. This was a quick turnaround for Melo’s camp.
That fight against Carlos occurred just 14 days after he scored a second-round knockout victory over Jorge Bueno (10-5 MMA) during CFC 8 on March 8. Having to fight twice in 14 days is taxing on any fighter.
Now that Junior Melo has had a full training camp between fights and is on equal footing with his opponent as it relates to recent form, can he return to the win column on Sunday evening?
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
It looks like you’ll have another classic strength vs. strength affair on Sunday in the APFC 12 main event. Which one of these men will come away as the champion?
Petties Can Work in a Hurry
Even though it hasn’t happened often, if Peter Petties can find an opening to do some damage, you can believe that this man is going to take the opportunity once it comes to him. One need look no further than his 2015 fight in Titan FC against Ikaika Thomas.
During the opening round of the fight, Petties opened it up with a leg kick before attempting a spinning kick on his opponent. Throughout the contest, for as long as it lasted that night, Petties used his movement advantageously, stalking Thomas before absorbing a kick from him.
This proved to be Thomas’s only highlight on the evening, with “The Joker” capitalizing on a well-placed spinning backfist to put his adversary on the canvas before putting him away with a few more punches for good measure. If Peter Petties can be quick on his feet this Sunday, his first defense of the championship will be a success.
Junior Melo is Trouble on the Ground
In the other corner, once Junior Melo puts his adversary on the canvas, it’ll only be a matter of time before the fight ends. Just look at the tape of his fight versus Danusio Vasconcelos in 2019.
During the second round of a scheduled three, Melo dropped Vasconcelos with a takedown. While it momentarily looked like Melo would seek to finish Vasconcelos off with a Von Flue choke, he scored with repeated ground and pound shots, including a flurry from back mount, to wrap up the fight.
All Junior Melo is going to need is one takedown. If he gets Petties to the mat, the APFC 12 main event could be wrapped up in short order on Sunday night.
Final Thoughts
Here’s an easy way to fight off the Sunday Scaries before the new work week hits: Pull up a chair, make some donner, and watch the APFC 12 main event. No other promotions are going to be on concurrently with this show, so you have no excuse not to watch.
Prediction: Junior Melo by Second-Round Knockout.
