The 3rd of 4 UFC 158 preliminary card fights on FX pits surging featherweights Darren Elkins (15-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and Antonio Carvalho (15-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC) against each other. Neither man is ranked in the UFC’s top 10, but a 5th successive win for Elkins should surely change that.
Carvalho is aiming for 3 wins in a row, but he’ll have to successfully deal with the grinding wrestling game of Elkins to get there. You can catch this fight and much more of the preliminary card live on FX tonight at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT before the 10 PM ET/7 PM PT PPV broadcast.
How do these two stack up?
Elkins: 28 years old | 5’8″ | 71″ reach
Carvalho: 33 years old | 5’8″ | 70″ reach
What have these two done recently?
Elkins: W – Steven Siler (UD) | W – Diego Brandao (UD) | W – Zhang Tiequan (UD)
Carvalho: W – Rodrigo Damm (SD) | W – Daniel Pineda (KO) | L – Felipe Arantes (UD)
How did these two get here?
Elkins entered the UFC as a lightweight, getting a fluke win over Duane Ludwig after “Bang” broke his ankle. He lost his next fight to Charles Oliveira by submission, prompting a move to featherweight, where he’s built up a 4-0 record. All of Elkins’ wins during this run have come via unanimous decision, and his fight against Diego Brandao showed how much punishment he could withstand. His wrestling has noticeably been his strong suit at 145 lbs, and he’ll probably use that against Carvalho.
Carvalho has won his last two bouts, a split decision verdict over Rodrigo Damm (although he probably should’ve gotten a unanimous nod), and a sensational KO over Daniel Pineda. The Canadian of Portuguese descent fought in Japan for several years, including a win over Hatsu Hioki. This is his 3rd consecutive fight in the Great White North, and a win over Elkins would be his best one yet in the UFC.
Why should you care?
Elkins has quietly built up a nice winning streak, and Carvalho has looked great in his last two fights. The winner of this one, Elkins in particular, deserves a step up in competition.