Fighters from around the globe dream of the day they’ll step into the UFC octagon for the first time. For two athletes, Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 4 event marked that special moment in their career.
Check out this week’s rookie report to see what kind of first impression those fighters made on the sport’s biggest stage from AT&T Center in San Antonio.
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Domingo Pilarte
Division: Bantamweight
Result: Felipe Colares def. Domingo Pilarte via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Record: (8-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Grade: C
Texas native Domingo Pilarte had the honor of making his UFC debut in his home state, but things certainly did not play out the he might have hoped, losing a decision to Felipe Colares in the night’s first fight. That said, the ultimate result of the contest wasn’t the most troubling aspect of the evening for Pilarte, but rather how he got to that point.
Pilarte started off slow, a reality easily attributable to both octagon jitters as well as the added pressure of pleasing a hometown crowd. That improved as time wore on, with Pilarte showing some impressive grappling sequences in both the second and third frames. However, the sequences in the second were largely earned off the back, making it difficult for judges to reward him for the efforts. Pilarte will have to realize that giving up dominant position at the highest level can be a recipe for disaster.
But the third round was the most concerning. Despite getting to the back of Colares early in the frame, Pilarte wasn’t able to get especially close with any submission attempts. In fact, it was Colares who was earning the crowd’s cheers at the close of the round as he punched – with both hands – toward the opponent attached to his back. Pilarte needs to capitalize on such advantageous positions, and if he realizes that’s impossible, he must find a way to make adjustments.
Overall, Pilarte showed some of the potential that earned him a deal following a Dana White’s Contender Series victory. But an overall lack of urgency was concerning, as was the inability to punish his opponent for mistakes. Pilarte will want to tighten things up in his return to the octagon.
Gabriel Silva
Division: Bantamweight
Result: Ray Borg def. Gabriel Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Record: (7-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Grade: B-
Gabriel Silva was handed an incredibly difficult task in his UFC debut. Sure, Ray Borg had gone more than two years without a win, but there were some incredibly difficult circumstances surrounding that stretch that played a real factor in his results. That said, the Brazilian made the most of the opportunity and pushed the former title challenger to the limit.
In what amounted to almost exclusively a grappling-based contest, Silva banked the opening round. Things got a little more difficult as the fight progressed, and Silva was forced to battle through some adversity but showed some real character in fighting out of a deep guillotine choke and later threatening with some submissions of his own. A crafty Borg was able to sneak in some powerful punches on the floor, and his vaunted scrambling was again on full display.
With the contest on the line in the final round, it was Borg who was able to find another gear, later saying he was fighting with the belief that his career was on the line. In his UFC debut, Silva proved himself worthy of competition at the highest level, even if he did come up a little short. A return booking against someone on a more suitable experience level should allow a better understanding of his true value.
For complete coverage of UFC on ESPN 4, check out the UFC results.
