UFC 173 Prelim Breakout Star: Francisco Trinaldo

The Prelim Breakout Star is a once per event article that helps fans get to know those who will be entertaining them from the undercard. The intention of the article is not to bring attention to the most talented guy on the preliminary card, but rather one that the common fan may have overlooked or underestimated.

What a wild ride it’s been writing this piece event after event. After covering the Prelim Breakout Stars for well over a year, we hit our 50th fighter covered. I want to use a little of this space to thank Jeff Fox for running this amazing site and allowing me to do what I love best. If you would like to see a complete list of the previous 49 fighters covered and the record of those who we’ve covered, please see the bottom of this article. As for number 50, I feel it only makes sense to return to the beginning.
 

Francisco Trinaldo

Nickname – Massaranduba

Affiliation – Constrictor Team

From – Amarante, Piaui, Brazil

Height – 5’8”

Weight – 155 lbs (Lightweight)

Record – 14-3 (4-2 UFC)
 

What makes him impressive

While we covered Massaranduba well over a year ago, what we said of him then rings more true than it ever has before. While Trinaldo is known for his sheer size and strength in the grappling department, his hands are what people tend to overlook the most. Now that he has six fights in the UFC (he only had two the last time we covered him), it is even more true. Since he’s taken the large majority of his fights to the ground, fans have yet to see the power that he possesses in his looping hooks. So why now, after six fights of not using it, should fans trust that this power is going to come out to play? Well, I guess you’ll just have to read the matchup section to see why.

Why he’s been overlooked

Since joining the UFC, he’s 4-2 and has had some very impressive performances. However, due to the timing of those losses, he’s never picked up a winning streak of more than two. This really prevents him from having the momentum or hype that surrounds it, which is exactly why he’s still on the preliminary card this weekend.

What makes this a good matchup

Trinaldo is an excellent grappler. That is a given. However, his opponent, Michael Chiesa has excellent takedown defense. So this, if you are reading ahead from before, is why you can start paying attention to his hands. With two guys who are inevitably going to stop each others takedowns repeatedly, it only makes sense that this fight would take place on the feet. While Chiesa has the reach advantage, Trinaldo clearly has a power advantage. Having won a handful by knockout, he’s shown power that Chiesa doesn’t possess. Furthermore, when he leaps in with the looping hook, he’ll close the distance down and make the reach a non-issue.

Prelim Breakout Star History:

Record: 33 Wins, 14 Losses, 2 Did Not Fight (DNF)

1. Francisco Trinaldo – UFC on FX: Belfort vs Bisping (W)

2. Simeon Thoresen – UFC on Fox: Johnson vs Dodson (L)

3. Tyron Woodley – UFC 156 (W)

4. Vaughan Lee – UFC on Fuel: Barao vs McDonald (W)

5. Dennis Bermudez – UFC 157 (W)

6. Cristiano Marcello – UFC on Fuel: Stann vs Silva (L)

7. Daron Cruickshank – UFC 158 (L)

8. Ryan LaFlare – UFC on Fuel: Mousasi vs Latifi (W)

9. Bart Palaszewski – TUF Finale (L)

10. Yoel Romero – UFC on Fox: Henderson vs Melendez (W)

11. Rustam Khabilov – UFC 159 (W)

12. Fabio Maldonado – UFC on FX: Belfort vs Rockhold (W)

13. Khabib Nurmagomedov – UFC 160 (W)

14. Antonio Braga Neto – UFC on Fuel: Nogueira vs Werdum (W)

15. Roland Delorme – UFC 161 (W)

16. Seth Baczynski – UFC 162 (L)

17. Jorge Masvidal – UFC on Fox: Johnson vs Moraga (W)

18. Ednaldo Oliveira – UFC 163 (L)

19. Mike Brown – UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs Sonnen (L)

20. Dylan Andrews – UFC Fight Night: Condit vs Kampmann (W)

21. Soa Palelei – UFC 164 (W)

22. Elias Silverio – UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs Bader (W)

23. John Makdessi – UFC 165 (W)

24. Alan Patrick – UFC Fight Night: Maia vs Shields (W)

25. Andre Fili – UFC 166 (W)

26. Jimy Hettes – UFC Fight Night: Machida vs Munoz (W)

27. Germaine de Randamie – UFC Fight for the Troops 3 (L)

28. Omari Akhmedov – UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs Henderson (W)

29. Sergio Pettis – UFC 167 (W)

30. Roxanne Modafferi – TUF Finale (L)

31. Takeya Mizugaki – UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs Bigfoot (W)

32. Alptekin Ozkilic – UFC on Fox: Johnson vs Benavidez (W)

33. Siyar Bahadurzada – UFC 168 (L)

34. Mairbek Taisumov – UFC Fight Night: Saffiedine vs Lim (W)

35. Charlie Brenneman – UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs Philippou (L)

36. Walt Harris – UFC on Fox: Henderson vs Thompson (L)

37. Clint Hester – UFC 169 (W)

38. Joe Proctor – UFC Fight Night: Machida vs Mousasi (W)

39. Aljamain Sterling – UFC 170 (W)

40. Zak Cummings – TUF China Finale (DNF)

41. Cyrille Diabate – UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs Manuwa (L)

42. Mats Nilsson – UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs Manuwa (L)

43. Alex Garcia – UFC 171 (W)

44. Hans Stringer – UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs Henderson (W)

45. Jim Alers – UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs Nelson (W)

46. Ryan Jimmo – TUF Finale (W)

47. Caio Magalhaes – UFC on Fox: Werdum vs Browne (W)

48. Joe Ellenberger – UFC 172 (DNF)

49. Kyoji Horiguchi – UFC Fight Night: Brown vs Silva (W)

50. Francisco Trinaldo – UFC 173 (???)