Marcin Prachnio(15-5) will face Philipe Lins in a very interesting light heavyweight showdown at the prelims of UFC Vegas 52. Marcin is coming off a win over Ike Villanueva and is currently on a 2-fight winning streak in the UFC.
The Polish fighter made his debut in 2013 and has made a good record of 15-5. He won 11 victories (73%) by KO / TKO. The primary style of Prachnio is jiu-jitsu, and karate, but he can mix them up well. However, Marcin lost the first 3 fights after his debut in the promotion, and now he has rebounded from his losses and entered a series of 2-fight victories.
On the other hand, Philipe Lins (14-5) has had a pretty difficult UFC run so far, losing his debut via decision to former champion Andre Arlovski, followed by a first-round KO loss to Tanner boser. Moreover, he will have to cut a lot of weight as Philipe is going to make his first UFC fight at light heavyweight.
The 36-year-old Brazilian made his MMA debut way back in 2005, and now he has a record of 15-4. Until 2014, Lins performed in little-known promotions, and only in the second half of his career, he has moved to Bellator (3 wins and 3 losses) and then to the UFC (0-2).
We might witness a classic striker vs. grappler matchup, with both fighters well-rounded and skilled in every aspect of MMA.
Tale of the Tape
| Marcin Prachnio | Philipe Lins | |
| 33 | Age | 36 |
| 6’3 | Height | 6’2 |
| 205 lbs | Weight | 205 lbs |
| 74 inches | Reach | 78 inches |
| 15-5 | Record | 14-5 |
Fight Breakdown
Prachnio has made a name for himself as one of the electrifying strikers. He made his career by getting into fast and exciting firefights, with four of his five UFC fights finishing inside of six minutes.
Typically, Prachnio will use his aggressive fighting style from the very start of the fight. I hope to see him marching forward and swinging big shots while standing toe-to-toe with his opponent. If he is accurate enough, he can knock the light out of Lins as he has got quite the KO power.
However, Prachnio’s wild fighting style has not proved quite successful in his UFC outings. With three first-round knockout losses in the UFC, Prachnio can be often seen carrying the fight forward, chasing his foes. He often drops his defenses, before initiating a brawl. Also, his looping shots are easily avoidable for a moderate striker.
It might be a good decision for Philipe Lins to move down a weight class. As in the heavyweight division he was often seen lacking in the power department among other fighters while showing a fast and effective movement. But now moving down a weight class should mean his hand speed and footwork can match other 205’ers while his power might now be an advantage.
However, at 36 years of age, he will have to go through a weight cut, which can put him in significant danger. But if he can manage to withstand the heavy shots, and implement his speed and footwork in this fight, he can secure a stoppage or perhaps a decision victory this weekend.
Lins is well-rounded and equipped with some snappy jabs and strong leg kicks. He also baits his opponents to expose their heads, and then he will follow up with some fast, solid counters.
Prediction
The weight cut could make the 36-year-old fragile, slow, and overall an easy target for the wild but relentless Prachnio, or it could bring the best out of him.
Going into this fight, Lins will have some reach and grappling advantage but I expect them to finish the fight on their feet rather than going for a takedown.
Meanwhile, Prachnio is a dangerous brawler with some serious knockout power. If he can anticipate Lins’ counters and bring him into a brawl, he can secure a stoppage win.
That being said, I think Lins is the more skilled fighter here. I believe his hand speed, movement, and counterstrikes will play a huge role in answering Prachnio’s linear and overeager reckless striking.
Prediction: Philipe Lins by KO/TKO