| Tale of the Tape | Ryuho Miyaguchi |
Matheus Soares
|
|---|---|---|
| Record | 7-1 | 11-2 |
| Age | 28 | ? |
| Height | 5’10” | 5’5″ |
| Reach | 68.5″ | 66.5″ |
| Hometown | Osaka, Japan | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Combined Opp. Record | 38-36 | 61-20 |
| Gym | Cobra Kai MMA Dojo | |
| Championships | N/A | MAC |
Shawn Bitter- Terrible job by the matchmakers bringing Miyaguchi in for this fight. He just fought on RTU in May and lost to Chungreng Koren, of all people. Miyaguchi is a rangy striker who does his best work with kicks, especially a sharp left body kick, but there are major defensive concerns. His takedown defense is poor, his chin is exposed, and he struggles to exit safely after throwing.
Soares brings constant pressure, a heavy pace, and is more than willing to turn fights into a grind. He’s durable, willing to exchange, and has enough upside to be a prospect worth following. If Miyaguchi is getting dropped by Koren, Soares may take a few years off his life.
Pick: Soares by Round 1 KO/TKO
Cedric Dumas- The timing of this matchup is rough for Miyaguchi. Getting finished on Road to UFC and then immediately being paired with a fighter like Soares leaves very little room for a slow rebuild.
The karate entries and kicking game are fun, but Soares brings a different kind of problem. He is 3-1 in LFA against legitimate opposition, with his only loss coming against Mackson Lee. Outside of that fight, he has consistently put opponents in uncomfortable positions and eventually found the finish.
Soares is also the more straightforward pressure fighter. He can force Miyaguchi into exchanges, test his ability to deal with sustained offense, and make the Japanese fighter fight at a pace he may not want. I don’t expect a long feeling-out process here.
This is a spot where I trust the Brazilian’s power, experience against stronger opposition and overall physicality.
Pick: Soares by Round 1 KO/TKO
Nicholas Holt- This feels like a bad recipe for Ryuho Miyaguchi. He was recently finished on Road to the UFC and now takes on a dangerous threat in Matheus Soares. Soares boasts a well-rounded skill set, but it’s no secret he’ll be eager to test Miyaguchi’s chin. He should have a significant advantage on the feet, and I’m not so sure Miyaguchi’s striking defense will hold up against Soares’ power shots. Expecting this one to be done quickly.
Pick: Soares by Round 1 KO/TKO
Xavi Ryder– After getting finished on Road to UFC earlier this year, Miyaguchi is getting his second chance at the UFC here. We have two finishers in this one, and I do not expect it to hit the ground. Miyaguchi is a big bantamweight standing at 5’10” and pairs the size with a solid striking game. He is a fast, powerful puncher with a fun kicking arsenal. Miyaguchi counters well at range but isn’t afraid to commit to a brawl, and I think this will get him caught. He takes on another big puncher in Mateus Soares, who has been fighting good competition at LFA. Soares is quick on his feet when he commits to punches, so I expect him to be able to get inside on Miyaguchi and land his big power.
Pick: Soares by Round 1 KO/TKO
Drew Beaupre– I certainly don’t mind seeing fighters get second chances to join the UFC, but the choice to book Miyaguchi for DWCS immediately after losing on Road to UFC is questionable at best.
The decision might be more defensible if Miyaguchi were an especially high-level prospect who just had a rough outing against Chungreng Koren, but the 28-year-old came into RTU after going the distance with Teruto Ishihara. Miyaguchi does work well from range when he’s able to establish his kicking game, but he’s less than sound defensively and usually leaves himself open to get caught at the end of striking exchanges.
Soares has the power necessary to make Miyaguchi pay for those defensive lapses while also putting a pace on him during this fight, and if he wants to, the Brazilian should also have little issue bringing things to the ground.
Pick: Soares by Round 2 KO/TKO
Cangrejo Ruiz- Miyaguchi comes from an RTU performance where his defensive flaws showed clearly. He is a fun striker tho, and I expect him to have a banger with Soares. Soares is one of those Brazilians super talents who are good everywhere. He has the power and dynamism to deal with Miyaguchi’s striking, while being the better grappler if things get complicated. I expect Soares to find the chin early.
Pick: Soares by Round 1 KO/TKO
Benjamin Keith- MMA math rarely works, but it is worth noting that Miyaguchi is coming off a loss to a worse fighter than he is facing on Tuesday night. Both are big swingers, and this should be fun as long as it lasts. It’s really hard to envision any other outcome than Soares using his patented pressure to back Miyaguchi up against the cage before eventually dropping him with a big hook. I was tempted to zig where others zagged in this fight, because I do think this fight is closer than many are thinking it is, but gotta go with the young Brazilian here.
Pick: Soares by Round 2 KO/TKO
