Prospect in the Spotlight (Aug 4-5): Lucas Fernando

Introduction

Tuesday, August 8th, Brazilian middleweight prospect Lucas Fernando will be in action for Dana White’s Contender Series, where he will be looking continue his winning ways against Cesar Almeida. He will be looking for another win, as Fernando looks to impress the UFC brass and score a UFC contract. He represents Refit Pro Fighters, a solid camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”

Strengths

Kickboxing: Fernando is a former member of the Brazilian National Kickboxing team, and it shows when he fights in the cage. He is very rangy and has a good snapping jab, strong kicks and knockout power. He also has strong knees and elbows to round off his striking. He is tricky and moves well. He uses his length well also, which makes it difficult for his opponents to get in on him. Five of his pro MMA wins have been by knockout.

Size/Length: As mentioned, Fernando is a good-sized middleweight at 6’3″ and has long limbs. That aids him in both his striking and keeping out of shooting distance when he fights grapplers. He also knows how to use that size and length against fighters with similar stature, including his most recent opponent, Jansey Silva, who is similar to Fernando in size and length.

Needs Improvement

Counter-Wrestling Question Marks: Fighting in Brazil, Fernando has not really taken on an accomplished record that can really test his takedown defense and make him work off his back. As of right now, that’s a question mark, though his overall background would suggest that while he has a submission grappling ability, wrestling is his biggest weakness.

Outlook

UFC Midcarder: Fernando has already achieved the LFA Middleweight Champion, so it’s a matter of time before he brings his brand of fighting to the UFC. There are a plethora of fights Fernando could win on the roster right now, though the higher up the ladder he fights, the more difficult he will find fights, especially against the wrestlers of the division. First up is Cesar Almeida, another accomplished kickboxer. It will be a fun fight, but definitely a big test for Fernando.