Rivalries: Andre Fili

Andre Fili may never see the lofty heights he was once predicted to reach, but he has made himself a staple of the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster.

The Team Alpha Male mainstay will chase his first win in nearly two years when he matches wits and fists with Dana White’s Contender Series graduate Joanderson Brito in a UFC on ESPN 35 featherweight feature this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Fili enters the Octagon with a 9-7 promotional record in tow. He last appeared at UFC Fight Night 190, where his June 26 pairing with Daniel Pineda ended in a no contest due to an accidental eye poke in the second round.

Ahead of Fili’s forthcoming confrontation with Brito at 145 pounds, a look at some of the rivalries that have helped shape his career to this point:

Max Holloway

The future featherweight champion submitted Fili with a guillotine choke in the third round of their UFC 172 showcase on April 26, 2014 at the Baltimore Arena. Holloway brought it to a close 3:39 into Round 1, handing the Team Alpha Male prospect his first loss in more than three years. Fili mixed his punches and kicks with well-timed takedowns. Holloway started to turn the corner in the second round, where he cracked the Californian with a searing spinning back kick to the body and some damaging knees from the clinch. Fili struck for a takedown in the third round but failed to maintain top position. Holloway returned to his feet, staggered his adversary with a pair of standing elbows, followed up with a multi-punch burst and then snatched the guillotine when the reeling Fili left his neck exposed. Surrender soon became his only option.

Gabriel Benitez

Fili took the shin-to-skull path to victory when he wiped out “The Ultimate Fighter Latin America” Season 1 semifinalist with a head kick and follow-up punches in the first round of their featured UFC Fight Night 78 prelim on Nov. 21, 2015 at the Monterrey Arena in Monterrey, Mexico. Wrapped in the arms of referee John McCarthy, Benitez wilted 3:13 into Round 1, his run of four consecutive wins at an end. Fili weathered some serious kicks to the legs and body, along with a few straight lefts upstairs. He staggered Benitez with a head kick, followed it with a takedown and then reset once the American Kickboxing Academy representative returned to his feet. Fili later backed him towards the cage, delivered another head kick and finished it with a burst of rights and lefts.

Yair Rodriguez

“The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America” winner knocked out Fili with a flying switch kick in the second round of their UFC 197 featherweight attraction on April 23, 2016 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Fili met his end 2:15 into Round 2. The rapidly improving Rodriguez controlled the first five minutes, as he executed a takedown, passed guard and scored from the top. What came next was utterly spectacular. Rodriguez backed the Californian toward the fence, took flight and blasted him with a switch kick upstairs. Shin met face, as Fili fell backward and hit the canvas unconscious, the victim of a clear contender for “Knockout of the Year.” It remains the only legitimate knockout loss on his resume.

Dennis Bermudez

Fili leaned on a stout jab and surprising takedowns to escape with a contentious split decision over “The Ultimate Fighter 14” finalist in their UFC on Fox 27 co-main event on Jan. 27, 2018 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Judges Pedro Claudio and Derek Cleary scored it 29-28 for Fili, while Steve Elliott saw it 30-27 for Bermudez. Fili hid his intentions with stance switches, countered effectively in spurts and delivered multiple takedowns in the first and second rounds. Even so, Bermudez landed the cleaner, more damaging strikes. He chopped away at Fili’s lower leg with kicks, doubled and tripled up on his jab and scored well in the clinch. Bermudez fought with a sense of urgency down the stretch, continuing to assault the Californian’s lower extremities while pairing powerful right hooks with his jab. He deposited Fili on the mat with a takedown of his own in the waning moments, but it was not enough to rally a majority of the judiciary to his cause.

Bryce Mitchell

Repeated takedowns, top control and positional advances carried “The Ultimate Fighter 27” semifinalist to a unanimous decision over Fili in their three-round UFC Fight Night 181 co-headliner on Oct. 31, 2020 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Mitchell swept the scorecards with 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 marks from the cageside judges. Fili made the Arkansas native work for every inch of ground he gained. Mitchell executed takedowns in all three rounds, achieved full mount on multiple occasions and threatened with a few submissions, all while incorporating rough-around-the-edges but effective standup. Fili was at his best in Round 2, where he connected with a flying knee, utilized an effective jab and had more success staying off of his back. However, he could not hold off Mitchell forever. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt struck for multiple takedowns in the third round and took the final steps toward what was at the time his most significant victory to date.