The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s final event of 2022, UFC 296, will feature a featherweight bout. Athletes Andre Fili, with a record of 22 wins and 10 losses, and Lucas Almeida, with 14 wins and only 2 losses, will go against each other on December 16. The announcement of their bout was first shared by Almeida himself on social media.
Almeida’s impressive record in the fighting ring is highlighted by the fact that he had never taken a bout to full distance in 12 of his professional wins. He made a notable appearance on the “Dana White’s Contender Series” in 2021, and despite suffering his first pro loss there, he was noticed by UFC. Upon finishing another fight victoriously on the regional circuit, Almeida dazzled in his UFC debut in June 2022, bagging a technical knockout win over Michael Trizano. Regrettably, Almeida tasted defeat in a submission match against veteran fighter Pat Sabatini that same June. He was slated to take on William Gomis at UFC Paris, but an injury forced the 32-year-old Almeida to withdraw.
On the other hand, Andre Fili’s recent record has been inconsistent but his losses come against hardened competition. Since 2020, Fili has been victorious in just one out of five matches, a divided decision win against emerging luminary Bill Algeo in September 2022. However, this was followed by a decision defeat to English standout Nathaniel Wood the same month. UFC 296 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is expected to be a maelstrom of martial arts, with two titles on the line. The main event will feature welterweight champion Leon Edwards against former interim champion Colby Covington while the co-main event pits flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja against Brandon Royval, who is making his first title defense.