Felipe Franco vs. Brendson Ribeiro
UFC Fight Night · October 10, 2026 · Meta Apex · Prelims 5:00 PM ET
The brief
- What kind of fight
- First-round finisher vs. a veteran in freefall
- Finish likelihood
- Very High
- The line
- Franco -310 · Ribeiro +250Consensus (multiple sportsbooks)
- The stakes
- Light Heavyweight · Prelims
The read
Franco's history of ending fights before the first round is over makes him a heavy favorite against an opponent who has been finished in two of his last three outings.
Ribeiro's power gives him a puncher's chance if he can survive the opening exchanges, but the recent trend lines point strongly toward another early Franco finish.
The matchup
Franco is the betting favorite by a wide margin, and the numbers back it up: 10 of his 11 career wins have ended in the first round, against a Ribeiro who has lost three straight by three different methods.
Ribeiro's knockout power is real and has produced nine finishes of his own, but his recent form — stopped on the feet, submitted, and out-pointed in consecutive fights — raises serious questions about whether he can survive Franco's fast start.
Tale of the tape
| 11-2 | Record | 17-11 |
| 25 | Age | 29 |
| 6'1" | Height | 6'3" |
| 76" | Reach | 81" |
| Orthodox | Stance | Orthodox |
| Brazil | Country | Brazil |
| Galpão da Luta | Team | Brazilian TKO |
The numbers
Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.
The fighters
Felipe Franco 11-2
“Negão”
Felipe "Negão" Franco is a 25-year-old Brazilian light heavyweight out of Salvador, Bahia, with seven of his 11 career wins coming by knockout and 10 of his 11 total wins finished inside the first round. He debuted on short notice with a decision loss to Mario Pinto in March 2026, then bounced back with a second-round TKO of Levi Rodrigues Jr. in July. He now faces fellow Brazilian Brendson Ribeiro, replacing an injured Alexander Poppeck.
- WLevi Rodrigues Jr. · KO/TKO (strikes)UFC Fight Night · July 18, 2026
- LMario Pinto · Decision (unanimous)UFC Fight Night · March 21, 2026
Brendson Ribeiro 17-11
“The Gorilla”
Brendson "The Gorilla" Ribeiro is a 29-year-old Brazilian light heavyweight out of Curitiba, with nine of his 17 career wins coming by knockout. He has dropped three straight by three different methods, most recently a decision loss to Magomed Tuchalov in July 2026, and now steps in on short notice against fellow Brazilian Felipe Franco in a bout that likely decides which man keeps his UFC roster spot.
- LMagomed Tuchalov · Decision (unanimous)UFC Fight Night · July 25, 2026
- LAbdul Rakhman Yakhyaev · Submission (rear-naked choke)UFC Fight Night · April 4, 2026
- LOumar Sy · KO/TKO (strikes)UFC Fight Night · September 6, 2025