A1 Combat 12 Main Event Breakdown

UFC Hall of Fame inductee Urijah Faber returns to Hard Rock Live to wear his promoter"s cap for A1 Combat 12 and the A1 Combat 12 main event. If you"re in the Eastern Time Zone, you might want to put on a pot of coffee before sitting down to watch.

Main card action begins at just past 11 pm ET/ 8 pm PT on UFC Fight Pass. All told, absent of any eleventh-hour postponements, the final version of A1 Combat 12 features 12 MMA fights, capped by the back-end of a championship doubleheader in the main event of the evening.

Featherweight Gold at Stake in A1 Combat 12 Main Event

Immediately following the A1 Combat 12 co-main event for the promotion"s strawweight belt, the 145-lb. strap is up for grabs in the headliner. Incumbent titleholder Andrew Coyne (6-1 MMA, 2-0 A1 Combat) defends his strap against challenger Ernie Juarez (5-0 MMA, 2-0 A1 Combat.)

As with all A1 Combat title fights, the A1 Combat 12 Main Event is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round to close the show.

It’s FIGHT WEEK for Urijah Faber’s #A1Combat12
•
It goes down this Saturday July 22nd at the Hard Rock Casino Sacramento with Two Titles on the line.
•
Doors open at 5pm
Early Prelims [5:30pm PST]
Prelims [6:30pm PST]
Main Card [8pm PST] Live on UFC FightPass
•
Get your… pic.twitter.com/iYrkvrDI0c

— Your Girl Drea 👊🏼💥 (@Drea_MMA) July 18, 2023

A1 Combat 12 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds

Heading into the A1 Combat 12 main event on Saturday night, both of these men stand level at 5-foot-9. No reach information was available for this bout at press time.

What was available at press time, however, was the betting odds. As of Friday afternoon, the oddsmakers have this one as a pick-"em. Coyne is -125 on the money line, while Juarez counters at -105.

If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.

Andrew Coyne Looking for Fifth Win in a Row

Andrew Coyne comes into the A1 Combat 12 main event having posted a 4-1 mark in his last five fights. At present, he"s on a four-fight winning streak, one which he extended last time out with a unanimous decision victory over Justin Cornell (4-2 MMA, 1-1 A1 Combat) on Jan. 13 during A1 Combat 7.

Like so many fighters on the regional circuit this month, Coyne could find himself on the short track toward a UFC deal if he plays his cards right on Saturday night. While USA Today"s MMA Junkie didn"t directly list Coyne as one of the fighters who might be in-line for a UFC contract with a victory in July, he"s got as good of a chance as anybody to get signed.

A five-fight winning streak would be borderline criminal for Dana White to ignore here, especially considering that a win in the A1 Combat 12 main event would be against an undefeated opponent.  Can he get one victory closer to “The Call?"

Ernie Juarez Also in Striking Distance of Major Deal

In the other corner, Ernie Juarez has gone undefeated in his professional MMA career at 5-0 ahead of the A1 Combat 12 main event. Counting amateur fights, he"s posted a record of 8-0.

Most recently, he scored a second-round knockout of Alex Arteaga (4-2 MMA, 0-1 A1 Combat) in February during A1 Combat 8. Much like his opponent, Juarez could also find himself on the cusp of a major MMA deal.

Think about it: If he wins on Saturday night, that"s a 6-0 run to begin his career. Would Dana White, or Scott Coker, for that matter, be able to pass up someone on that kind of a streak?

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

Stylistically, the A1 Combat 12 main event looks to favor Andrew Coyne, a wrestler, compared to Ernie Juarez" boxing background.

Watch Coyne"s Submission Defense

One aspect of Andrew Coyne"s fight game that could prove advantageous is his ability to fend off a submission, something that he had to do against Cornell. Although the latter took him down and tried to work lock in a guillotine choke, Coyne expertly defended against the attack.

From there, Coyne took back mount for the better part of the next three minutes and landed a flurry of ground and pound shots to nearly end the fight. He reversed the script to execute a bodylock as the round neared its end.

Andrew Coyne can use his defense to create offense. This could be vital in the A1 Combat 12 main event.

Juarez Can Punch His Way to the Title

In the other corner, please don"t discount Ernie Juarez" boxing ability. It might tell the tale here, like it did vs. Arteaga earlier this year.

During the second round of a scheduled three, Juarez teed off with strikes against a downed Arteaga. Upon the latter getting back up, the former landed a vicious right-handed punch to knock him down.

Juarez transitioned to full mount, taking his back, but Arteaga responded in kind. A slip by his opponent gave Juarez the opening he needed, raining down punches in bunches.

Arteaga had no answer, as another burst of ground and pound shots ended the contest with under a minute to go. If Juarez lands the first big punch, it could be all over.

Final Thoughts

The stakes are high for the A1 Combat 12 main event. Not only are these guys battling for a belt, the winner could move up to the big leagues in MMA.

Get your popcorn ready.

Prediction: Ernie Juarez by Unanimous Decision.