For those in search of mixed martial arts action in a week without a UFC card, have no fear. Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) returns with LFA 187, which will have the added bonus of all main card fights pitting a Brazilian fighter against a Latin American fighter.
The show will emanate from Ginásio do Polvilho in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and feature a welterweight main event between Brazil’s Carlos Leal and Venezuela’s Manuel Mena.
Fight fans can catch LFA 187 streaming live on UFC Fight Pass, with the main card set to begin at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The prelims will get underway at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT and stream live on the promotion’s official YouTube channel.
Main Event — Leal vs. Mena
The talented Leal was originally slated to take on Argentina’s Jose Barrios Vargas, but will instead face Mena on short notice. Mena will come into Saturday night’s fight five pounds overweight, however.
The fight should be a showcase for Leal, who is a massive -2500 favorite on most sportsbooks. He is a veteran of multiple PFL seasons, and since 2014, has lost only to Sadibou Sy on two occasions in the PFL. As a result, he is 14-2 in the last decade of fighting, and now in LFA, he seems to be positioning himself for a future UFC run if heIn can make a statement against Mena, especially since the next season of Dana White’s Contender Series is looming large in the late summer.
Mena, 36, started his career 11-1, but has dropped his last two fights and should be staring down the barrel of the toughest fight of his career against Leal. “The Lion” should have multiple paths to victory, having won multiple fights by way of knockout, submission, and decision.
Rest of the Card
The co-main event will provide Brazil vs. Argentina fare as Marcos Degli takes on Ignacio Fernandez at 125 pounds. The UFC is always looking for talented flyweights to fill up a rising 125-pound division, so every LFA fight in this division can and should be under the microscope.
The featured fight will see Samuel Dias out of Brazil takes on Renzo Cortti, a fighter looking to join countryman Alex Martinez of PFL on the Paraguay MMA map. Lucas Miletech of Argentina (no relation to Pat) will get a short notice opponent in the form of Inglesson de Lara, and in a fight of great intrigue, unbeaten Pedro Doreto of Brazil meets fellow unbeaten prospect Leandro Solano of Venezuela also on the main card. A women’s strawweight bout between Aiza Bertolso of Brazil and Alejandra Fernandez of Peru will open the main card action.
For up-to-the-minute results and updates from LFA 187, be sure to stay locked in to MMA Sucka!
LFA 187: Brazil vs. Latin America Results
Main Card
Carlos Leal def. Manuel Mena via TKO (punches) at 3:09 of Round 1
Marcos Degli def. Ignacio Fernandez via TKO (punches) at 4:32 of Round 1
Samuel Dias def. Renzo Cortti via TKO (strikes) at :39 of Round 1
Inglesson de Lara def. Lucas Miltetichc via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Apollo Goems vs. Lionel Abojer def. Apollo Goems via Submission (RNC) at 1:37 of Round 2
Pedro Doreto def. Leandro Solano via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) at 5:00 of Round 1
Aiza Bertolso def. Alejandra Fernandez via TKO (strikes) at 3:21 of Round 3
Preliminary Card
Hugo Paiva def. Rodrigo Roldan via TKO (punches) at 3:20 of Round 1
Vladimir Calvo def. Leonardo Mesquita via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Lany Silva def. Pamela Mara via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Eduardo Dutra def. Abraham Racho via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Joao Moraes def. Navir Gonzalez via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Guilherme Uriel def. Weslley Alec via Technical Submission (Guillotine) at :29 of Round 1
Nawira Ferreira def. Fabrizia Ketlinn via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Matheus Felipe def. Alexandre Duarte via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)