With the UFC signing regional fighters at a much higher rate these days, debutants facing off against each other is far from out of the ordinary. Just last week we were treated to Bilal Hasan against Nilson Rojas in Shanghai. This week in Paris, we once again have two flyweights debuting against one another. The 32-year-old Fabia Sintes out of Spain against the 29-year-old Michael Aljarouj out of France. I will admit, neither guy would’ve scratched my top 10 of regional flyweights to sign to the UFC.
Additionally, I am normally against debuting two fighters against each other, as it ensures one of them will be starting their major league journey with a loss. With that being said, I don’t actually mind it in this case. In my mind, I am treating this like a contender series fight. While both guys are signed to the company, they’re both unproven as top talents. The winner will walk away as a bona fide UFC fighter to watch for, while the loser seems destined to be positioned as a stepping stone for the remainder of his contract. Viewed through that lens, the stakes are tremendously high.
More so than Aljarouj, the Fabia Sintes signing surprised me. Formerly a decorated amateur, the fighter out of Barcelona had a rough start to his pro career. In his first seven fights, he went 4-3. Now, he’s riding a 7-fight winning streak. He won the flyweight title in WOW and has defended it twice. The fact remains that he is 32 years old. I get why the UFC signed him; I do. He is a marketable fighter from a country that is just beginning its MMA boom. He was just a champion for a company that is owned by the biggest star in Western Europe, the Spaniard Ilia Topuria. There’s no doubt Topuria will be name-dropped multiple times on Saturday. Still, it will be hard to drum up hype around an 11-3, 32-year-old veteran.
As far as in-the-octagon talent is concerned, Sintes has a good gameplan and has been executing it well. He is respectable on the feet. He throws solid leg kicks and has decent power for a flyweight. I wish he threw more jabs to better set up his big shots. His combinations are basic, and he could work the body more. He closes the distance well and isn’t afraid to exchange in the pocket. Fabia has shown good striking defense, but has yet to face a truly dangerous striker. All the striking, however, is mainly to keep his opponents honest and off balance. Where his bread is buttered comes in his grappling.
The fighter out of Barcelona isn’t a dominant wrestler, but he has tremendous timing with his shots. He often shoots directly off a combination when his opponents’ hands are still up defending the strikes. He shoots with speed and gets wrapped around the legs and waist quickly. He’s got very good grip for a flyweight. Once he’s got his hands locked together, his opponents are going for a ride.
Sintes has also shown he can ground opponents with simple trips. Once the fight hits the ground, he is in his element. His Jiu Jitsu isn’t elite for a flyweight, but he is good at taking what his opponents give him. “El Potro Menorquin” is a submission threat from nearly every position. His ground-and-pound is a solid secondary weapon. One thing that he hasn’t had to display much of is his grappling defense, as he is often the one initiating. Sintes does have a loss early in his career via armbar, so it’ll be interesting if he is matched up against a grappler like himself in the UFC. His pressure is good, and his gas tank has proven to be high level. There’s enough to his game where he should be at least competitive in the UFC.
Opposite Sintes this Saturday will be Michael Aljarouj, with the French crowd behind him. Aljarouj, born in Syria, fled to France as a teenager. He has been a lifelong martial artist, with his first training coming in Kung Fu. Shortly after arriving in France, Aljarouj chose to integrate by joining an MMA Gym. From there, “The Soldier” has become a dangerous MMA fighter. At 29, he is just hitting his prime and will be looking to make his adoptive home country proud this weekend in Paris.
Aljarouj is an exciting flyweight. His only loss in the past eight years came to UFC vet Azat Maksum. In his career, he has racked up ten finishes. On the feet, he has the power to be a danger to any opponent. On his feet, he moves in and out of the pocket well. His counter striking is precise, and he is comfortable trading up close. His constant movement and feints make him a pretty difficult target.
Aljarouj’s best weapon has become his boxing. His combinations are fast and tight; he’s gotten better at not overswinging as his career has gone on. His explosive movements to close the distance make up well for his size (5’5). I wouldn’t consider him much of a threat at range; he does his best work in close. Furthermore, I’d love to see him use a wider range of strikes. His boxing is great, but he could use more kicks and elbows.
As his career has gone on, he’s gotten better at mixing in takedown attempts and feints to make himself more dynamic. His offensive grappling is solid, but I wouldn’t consider him much of a ground threat. Defensively, he sprawls well enough but is sometimes late to react. He forces scrambles well, and isn’t content to lie on his back. I do think he could struggle with the chain grappling of the more polished UFC fighters. His relentless forcing of position changes, while fan-friendly, could get him caught in submissions. All in all though, he fights with a style that will gain him fans, especially if he’s winning.
Of the two flyweights, Aljarouj definitely has the higher ceiling due to age and having more power. Both are well-rounded, but look far away from being top 15 fighters in the UFC. I expect both fighters to get wins in the UFC, but just how many depends on how they develop. When they square off in Paris, I expect Sintes to bring the pressure while Aljarouj looks to land heavy counter punches. The longer the fight goes, the more it favors the Spanish fighter. If Aljarouj’s takedown defense holds up, though, he definitely has the speed advantage on the feet.
In a fight this close on paper, I think it could come down to an outside factor like the raucous Paris crowd. Because of that, I will be ultimately picking Aljarouj via a crowd-popping TKO, likely late in the 1st. While I wouldn’t hold my breath on either guy becoming a title challenger, I am open to the idea of them finding enduring success in the UFC. Aljarouj, with his explosiveness, would be an especially fun surprise if he can string together a couple of wins.
