Iridium Sports agency announced via Instagram that Nick “Slick” Aguirre (7-0) will step in on short notice to fight Dan “The Determined” Argueta (8-1). Argueta is an alumnus of The Ultimate Fighter but came up short against the eventual winner Ricky Turcios. While the former D2 wrestler in Argueta dropped his UFC debut, he’s got another chance against a fighter who was put in a similar position in Nick Aguirre.
Nick Aguirre Finds Opportunity: But No One Said it Would be Easy
Nick Aguirre is a talented fighter that was looked at by overtime heroics before and is on a great 7-0 start. Argueta is a real challenge, even headlining an LFA event. With the combined record of Aguirre’s opponents being 8-9, it’s a big step up. That does not mean those fighters don’t know a thing or two, but this is a tough draw, especially on short notice. Aguirre is fighting up in weight, as he tends to fight at 135 pounds. This is another obstacle that the Illinois native will have to overcome. Being a grappler, there is no doubt “Slick” will be looking to live up to his nickname this Saturday.
Argueta is a big man and looks like he lives in the gym. He has a pushing style, but that could work towards Aguirre’s favor, as the Guatemalan’s cardio may waver. Aguirre competes in a lot of Jiu-Jitsu, so he may be looking to catch a hold while his opponent comes in for a shot. Even so, there won’t be too many easy outs for Slick, as he enters his trial by fire.
UFC Vegas 67: “The Determined” Looks for a Bounce Back
Argueta’s debut in the promotion was against Damon Jackson, a fighter who has been on a good run since then. There is more pressure in this outing as Argueta needs to prove himself as a UFC-level fighter. He was on a three-fight winning streak that led him back to the UFC after TUF, but now’s the time for “The Determined” to show the improvements.
Argueta is not in a rush to get the fight to the ground, only shooting three takedowns in his last bout, he has confidence in his hands. He is proven to be somewhat well-rounded but gets outworked in his losses. The former Oak Park resident is a fighter who gets ahead and stays there. No doubt the plan won’t shift too much, especially with a new opponent. A big factor in this fight will be the athletic ability of “The Determined” as he is a cut above most 145-pound fighters.
UFC Vegas 67: Match up and Implication
This is a grappler versus grappler match-up. A big question for this bout will be who can control the wrestling. With fighters like Aguirre, there are a lot of questions about how good he is. There is plenty of footage of Aguirre, but no one has been able to test him. The LFA veteran is going to bring the pressure and it’s a question as to if Aguirre can find the answer.
A win for the Oswego native would be a big upset and would set up big opportunities in the future. Win or lose, going back down to 135 pounds and finding a good proper match-up would be the goal. Taking advantage of the momentum a victory would bring is a big deal in professional fighting, something Argueta is looking to do as well.
No doubt Argueta is confident he will get the victory this weekend, as the more tested fighter. The fact is, he has a lot to prove to the fans and the people in the back. Both fighters have a lot riding on this fight, don’t let this fight slip under the radar this Saturday.
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