Pat Sabatini thinks Lucas Almeida is bluffing about the potential of a grappling-heavy fight on Saturday at UFC on ESPN 46.
Almeida (14-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) said in an interview prior to this weekend’s featherweight bout, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+, that while he prefers to strike in the octagon, he also has a black belt in jiu-jitsu and would feel comfortable on the ground with Sabatini (17-4 MMA, 4-1 UFC).
That’s music to Sabatini’s ears, although he’s cautious about whether it’s truthful. If it is, he would be more than happy to tangle on the mat.
“I think he’s going to try to keep the fight standing,” Sabatini told reporters at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 46 media day. “We both are black belts, but there’s levels to this.”
After starting his UFC career with four consecutive wins, Sabatini, 32, experienced his first octagon blemish in September when he suffered a 69-second TKO loss to Damon Jackson at UFC Fight Night 210. He took some hard lessons from the loss, he said, and not Sabatini is ready to make a charge up the 145-pound rankings.
“This is going to set me up to have a number next to my name by the end of this year or beginning of next year,” Sabatini said.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 46.
