Ferreira Battles Mecate for Vacant Featherweight Gold Sunday

Usually, a Sunday night entails that people who work Monday through Friday winding down from the weekend in order to get ready for the 40-hour workweek that looms in slightly over 12 hours time. For a fleet of MMA fighters setting foot in the Hoosier State of Indiana, however, this isn’t the case.

The end of the weekend means work for competitors booked to appear during Sunday’s APFC 13 in Hammond, IN from the Hammond Civic Center. Anthony Pettis‘ promotion is getting down to the final few events in its 2024 schedule.

Last Night at @anthonypettisfc RMBL Cody Linne (@MMA_CodeBreaker) won a Unanimous Decision over Jonathan Sepulveda to become the Undisputed APFC Flyweight Champion.

Linne is now 8-1 as a Pro & 4-0 in APFC #APFCRMBL pic.twitter.com/i2Y6TqZ21h

— Jason Hagholm (@JHagholm1) August 18, 2024

After APFC 13 this weekend, there will be only two shows from the organization left this year, both on successive Sunday nights in November. Live coverage begins at 4 pm ET/ 1 pm PT with the undercard on the promotion’s official YouTube channel before heading over to UFC Fight Pass at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT for the main card.

A full day and night of MMA is planned in Hammond, including guest appearances from the recently-retired Demetrious Johnson and UFC welterweight Tony Ferguson.

Vacant Featherweight Championship at Stake Sunday

Highlighting the day’s activities is the final championship fight of the weekend in the APFC 13 main event. Jose Ferreira (12-1, 1 NC MMA, APFC promotional debut), a veteran of both Combate Global and the LFA, squares off against 10-fight veteran Chris Mecate (8-2 MMA, APFC promotional debut), an alumnus of A1 Combat, Combate Global, and the LFA.

At stake: The Vacant APFC Featherweight Championship. This title fight is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round to close out the show. Its winner succeeds Ty Johnson, who joined the PFL’s active roster earlier this year, as champion.

APFC 13 Main Event Fighter Comparison

Heading into the APFC 13 main event on Sunday night, both contestants stand level at 5-foot-9. Ferreira owns a two-inch reach advantage (72 inches to 70 inches) over Mecate.

Currently, the oddsmakers have no money lines available for APFC 13 on Sunday night. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.

Ferreira Seeking to Impress in APFC Promotional Debut

Jose Ferreira enters the APFC 13 main event on Sunday night having posted a record of 4-1 in his last five fights. Most recently, he returned to the win column thanks to a second-round knockout (strikes) in LFA 185 against Cassio Junior (8-1-1 MMA, 1-1-1 LFA) on June 7. Much like APFC 13, LFA 185 was also held in Hammond, IN, so Sunday’s fight is a return to the venue for him.

Prior to his loss last September in Combate Global, Ferreira had gone unbeaten in his professional MMA career dating back to April of 2017. Championship fights aren’t virgin territory for Jose Ferreira in the least bit going into this weekend’s slate of action.

During Ferreira’s tenure on the Live Fight Night roster, he competed in and won three title fights from November of 2020 and April of 2022, scoring victory inside the distance every time. He’s already got three championship victories to his credit, but will the fourth bring about a telephone call from UFC CEO Dana White in the near future?

Mecate Searching for Resume-Building Win

In the other corner, Chris Mecate has posted a record of 3-1 with one result disputed in his last five fights. Currently, he’s on a two-fight winning streak, extended back in May with a victory by decision against Jaleon Reid (4-2 MMA, 1-1 A1 Combat) in A1 Combat 21.

Mecate is also a veteran of Gladiator Challenge. Although he scored a first-round submission by way of rear-naked choke versus Kris Dominguez during Gladiator Challenge: Knuckle Up last fall, Tapology does not officially recognize the result due to the promotion being flagged by the website for booking mismatches to inflate competitors’ win-loss-draw records.

He’s making his 12th walk to the ring as a pro this Sunday and it’ll be his first walk for a championship. Can he check off a critical box Sunday and build his resume?

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

The APFC 13 main event looks to be another strength vs. strength matchup. Who takes the title?

Ferreira Has Vicious Strikes

Jose Ferreira is a proficient striker, something that was masterfully illustrated in June during LFA 185 vs. Cassio Junior. During the second round of a scheduled three, after raining elbows down on Junior in round one, Ferreira assumed side control before transitioning to the crucifix.

Upon Ferreira scoring a takedown, he took back control and began punching away. All told, he executed four takedowns on the fight, with the last one spelling the end of the fight thanks to another barrage of elbow shots.

As long as Jose Ferreira drops Chris Mecate early on in the APFC 13 main event, momentum will be on his side of the column this Sunday.

Mecate Equally Brutal

In the other corner, Chris Mecate is a great striker in his own right. Just look at the tape of his 2019 fight versus Adrian Soto-Perez. 

Round one of the fight saw the fighters in a feeling-out process before Mecate absorbed a cross. After Mecate took Soto-Perez down to the mat, he fired off a burst of ground and pound shots and maintained ground control, eventually taking back mount to score with further ground and pound to end the fight.

Chris Mecate’s key in the APFC 13 main event: Beat Ferreira to the takedown. If he drops Ferreira first, it could tell the story of the fight.

Final Thoughts

This is a fitting end to a packed week and weekend of competitive violence. Don’t miss the APFC 13 main event.

Prediction: Chris Mecate by First-Round Knockout.