The MMA Daily

Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira Prediction

November 11, 2022

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The main event comes in the Middleweight division, as UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya looks to fend off an old rival in Alex Pereira. A winner of three straight, all by decision, Adesanya enters the octagon looking to defend his title for the sixth time. Known for his dominance over the division, Adesanya is presented with a fresh, yet personal challenge in the form of Pereira. Having defeated Adesanya twice in Kickboxing, once via knockout, the Brazilian may have a mental edge over the Champion. With six straight wins, and only three coming in the UFC, it’s no secret that this rivalry catapulted Pereira into this title fight.

Receiving flak for his recent performances, many don’t understand how difficult it is to not only constantly fight the best, but to keep winning. Adesanya, however, since joining the UFC back in February 2018, has done such. Winning twelve of his thirteen fights inside the octagon, Adesanya has mainly fought former Champions or title challengers. A dynamic striker, with excellent distance management, Adesanya looks to pick apart opponents on the outside. With excellent size for the division, Adesanya uses his length to fire off an excellent jab. One in which often sets up power shots or leg kicks. Backed by excellent cardio, twenty-five minutes inside the octagon is no issue for the Champion.

In only three UFC appearances, Pereira has managed to establish himself as one of the most dangerous fighters inside the octagon and earn a title shot. The last being the biggest of deals, as becoming Champion is the ultimate goal. A credentialed Kickboxer, Pereira has transitioned into mixed martial arts very successfully. Gifted with immense power in hands, as well as having exceptional speed and precision, Pereira is one of the more feared strikers in mixed martial arts. The lone weakness if you will, is Pereira’s wrestling and grappling. However, having fended off eleven of fifteen takedown attempts and never controlled for more than four minutes, Pereira has done an excellent job improving that aspect of his game. Given Adesanya is a pure striker, with zero takedowns landed in fourteen fights in the UFC, I wouldn’t expect Pereira to have to worry about anything but striking

As for a prediction, I’m siding with Adesanya. Despite Pereira having two wins on the Champion, Adesanya has come a long way since. Evolving into one of the pound for pound greats in mixed martial arts, Adesanya has fended off all twenty-three Middleweight competitors placed in front of him. While Pereira is perhaps his toughest challenge yet, Adesanya’s footwork, range and cardio will be the factors that aide him to victory. Should Adesanya drag this fight into the championship rounds, I truly believe his odds of winning will increase, as his endurance will shine. With that said, I predict that Adesanya gets one back against the Brazilian, winning via late TKO.
Maxim Grishin vs. Philipe Lins Prediction

September 29, 2022

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We have a scrap in the Light Heavyweight division, as Maxim Grishin takes on Philipe Lins. Out of action for nearly eight months, Grishin returns to the octagon looking to build off his victory over William Knight in February of 2022. Known to be a standout on the regional scene, Grishin will look to prove he’s better than the mediocrity he’s shown in four UFC appearances. Meanwhile, Lins comes into this fight off his first UFC victory. A much needed one at that, as the former PFL 2018 Heavyweight Champion had not only lost two straight, but had saw six fights cancelled in between.

Known for his counter striking and power, Lins showed off some wrestling chops in his last fight. With four takedowns and over five minutes of control, Lins was able to nab a much needed win. While he could realistically implement a similar strategy, Grishin has vastly improved his ability to fend off takedowns and not be held down since taking on Marcin Tybura. A striker by trade, Grishin uses his length well and paws out an excellent jab. With solid cardio and durability, Grishin is never one to waver in a fight. Something which I see aiding him to victory, especially against Lins, who has been chinny at times. In the end though, give me Grishin to nab a decision victory.
Aleksei Oleinik vs. Ilir Latifi Prediction

September 21, 2022

We have a fight in the Heavyweight division, as Aleksei “The Boa Constrictor” Oleinik takes on Ilir “The Sledgehammer” Latifi. Coming off professional win number sixty, Oleinik, at age 45, returns to the octagon looking to make it two straight. Knowing that his window of fighting is closing, the Russian may not have a title in his future, but has an opportunity to build upon a rather legendary career. Meanwhile, Latifi most recently snapped a three-fight skid with a victory over Tanner Boser. His first win as a Heavyweight, which is remarkable given he used to fight at 185 pounds.

As for a prediction, I have Latifi winning. While this fight has crap-shoot written all over it, there are a few factors that lean me towards Latifi. For one, Latifi has no neck and has never been submitted in twenty-three fights. Given Oleinik’s game revolves around submitting opponents, I’d say there is an unlikelihood he’s going be able to do such. Then again, Oleinik has submitted forty-seven opponents. However, Latifi being a wrestler and borderline juggernaut, I don’t see a scenario where Oleinik will be able to do much off his back. Latifi smothers opponents, holding position and never really puts himself in harm’s way. On the feet, Latifi has knockout power, but that’s about it. Never exceeding more than forty-four strikes in his fourteen appearances inside the octagon, Latifi can be thoroughly beaten by a volume striker. Something which isn’t in the cards for Oleinik, who’s technique on the feet involves power overhand strikes. A strategy that hasn’t always worked out for him given his shaky chin. Throw in the fact that Latifi has never been taken down, and I’d say that the Swede will control where this fight will take place. So with all that said, I predict that Latifi will win via TKO.
Jessica Penne vs. Tabatha Ricci Prediction

September 19, 2022

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The curtain jerker comes in the Women’s Strawweight division, as former title challenger Jessica Penne takes on Tabatha Ricci. Returning to the octagon less than three months since falling defeat to Emily Ducote, Penne will look to rebound. Previous to the loss, Penne had rattled off two straight wins. Meanwhile, Ricci comes into this fight off back-to-back wins over Maria Oliveira and Polyana Viana. Looking to make it three straight, Ricci is presented with a golden opportunity. A chance to knock off a ranked foe and crack the division’s top fifteen.

Since returning in April of 2021 from a four year ban due to a drug test failure, Penne has fought three times. Within those three fights, she has notched two wins and is ranked among the top fifteen. An impressive feat, but at 39 years of age, and with her last fight resulting in defeat, Penne is likely a gatekeeper at this stage in her career. A known grappler, who’s lengthy and has excellent submissions, Penne is a dangerous fighter to tangle with on the mat. On the feet is a different story, as she is vulnerable to getting pieced up. However, to Penne’s credit, her scrappiness and toughness have aided her in edging out fights. The same could be said about Ricci, who isn’t the best striker, but she walks forwards and isn’t afraid to brawl. Where Ricci shines though, is within her wrestling and grappling. Landing ten takedowns and a little over 16 minutes of control time in the last two fights combined, Ricci has had little issues smothering her foes on the mat.

Sensing that this is going to be a close fight, especially given both are limited strikers and excellent on the ground, I’m going to side with Penne. The reason behind this prediction, is that Penne’s length is a huge factor in this fight. On the feet, she has a four inch height and six inch reach advantage. On the ground, her long limbs cause havoc, as she has often reversed positions and threatened with submissions. Ricci, offering similar volume on the feet and with her game revolving around being in top control, I see the Brazilian having a tough time solving Penne. In the end, I do believe the fight will be close, but I also foresee Penne getting her hand raised – winning via decision.
Cory Sandhagen vs. Yadong Song Prediction

September 17, 2022

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The main event comes in the Bantamweight divsion, as Cory Sandhagen takes on Song Yadong. A loser of two straight, albeit against two former Champions in Petr Yan and T.J. Dillashaw, Sandhagen is still among the divisions best – hence the main event slot. Knowing a victory will not only snap this skid, but keep him contention, expect the Sandman to come out guns blazing. Meanwhile, Yadong comes into this bout on a three fight win streak. Having gone 10-1-1 over the past twelve fights and at only 24 years old, Yadong looks to be a mainstay at 135 pounds for years to come. With this first main event slot and an opportunity to knock off the fourth ranked Sandhagen, with a victory, Yadong will catapult himself into the title mix.

An awesome fight, and part of the “Bantamweight Grand Prix”, the winner that comes out, will be among the top choices to vie for the title. A striker, Sandhagen boasts solid output and footwork. With excellent size for the division, the lanky Sandhagen is literally a tall task for anyone. Backed by solid cardio, Sandhagen puts forth a pace that breaks fighters. If there was any lacking aspect of his game though, it would be his wrestling. Not only is he not a threat to bring the fight to the mat, but his takedown defense is something that has often been exploited. However, against T.J. Dillashaw, Sandhagen shrugged off seventeen of nineteen attempts to improve his takedown accuracy to 65% in the UFC. As for Yadong, he isn’t your average prospect. Having started fighting at sixteen years old, Yadong has already accumulated twenty-six fights. Primarily a striker, Yadong is crisp and powerful. Landing nearly five significant strikes per minute, Yadong boasts excellent output. Impressively, in ten UFC fights, Yadong has only been out-struck once.

In what should be a barnburner, I’m going with Sandhagen. While Yadong does have the power edge and is no slouch in the output department, Sandhagen is an absolute workhorse. Throw in the three inch height and reach advantage, along with his quickness, and I’m expecting Sandhagen to have no issues getting off his offense. Considering this is a five round fight and Sandhagen has just fought for 25 minutes in back-to-back fights, I think his experience and cardio edge will see him as the fresher foe in the Championship rounds. So with that said, I predict Sandhagen will win via a late TKO stoppage.
Chidi Njokuani vs. Gregory Rodrigues Prediction

September 17, 2022

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The co-main event comes in the Middleweight division, as Chidi Njokuani takes on Gregory Rodrigues. Enjoying a career resurgence, Njokuani has won four straight fights via knockout. More impressively, the two that have come inside the octagon, both ended emphatically in round one. At 33 years old and with excellent momentum, with a victory, Njokuani could very well crack the division top fifteen in only three fights. Meanwhile, Rodrigues comes into this fight off an impressive knockout victory over Julian Marquez. The victory was his fifth in the past six fights, and inched him one step closer to being ranked. With a victory here, it would be hard to deny “Robocop” that number and/or a ranked opponent next.

One of the most exciting fights on the card, this bout could very well be awarded “Fight of the Night” when all is said and done. Njokuani, is a solid striker. With fast hands and legitimate power, Njokuani has won fourteen of his twenty victories via knockout. Known for his arsenal on the feet, which includes knees, leg kicks and elbows, Njokuani is a dangerous man to stand across from. The same could be said about Rodrigues, who despite being a credentialed grappler, has often prefered striking. While he could use improvements in striking defense, for the most part, his chin has proven tough. Offensively potent, Rodrigues is a high output striker, who boasts accuracy and power. With solid forward pressure, Rodrigues can overwhelm opponents – which we saw against Julian Marquez. However, in this particular fight, I believe that Njokuani will find success within his counter striking. Knowing that Rodrigues can be hit, and has been knocked out in two of four losses, I envision that he will get clipped and finished at some point. With that said, I predict Njokuani will win via knockout!
Andre Fili vs. Bill Algeo Prediction

September 17, 2022

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We have a scrap in the Featherweight division, as Andre Fili takes on Bill Algeo. Having fallen on rough times of late, going 1-4 with one no contest in the past six fights, the former young upstart in Fili is in grave danger of seeing his UFC tenure end after nine years. In other words, this is a important fight for Fili. Meanwhile, Algeo is beginning to create some buzz around him. Having been involved in several crazy fights, Algeo is finally beginning to turn them into wins. Entering his biggest fight to date, should Algeo pick up his third straight win, he could be in store for a ranked foe next.

With both fighters headed in opposite directions, it’s tough to gauge how much Fili has left in the tank. Which is weird saying, given he’s only thirty-two years old. However, in this nightmare tailspin and having been knocked out in 41-seconds in his most recent fight, it’s plausible to believe that the punishment endured in thirty professional fights may be catching up to Fili. While Algeo isn’t known for power like Fili’s last opponent Joanderson Brito, he’s well rounded and is a workhorse. Being a BJJ black belt and having a collegiate wrestling background, Algeo is very adept on the ground. Even with his iffy takedown defense, Algeo has often done an excellent job reversing position. Backed by solid cardio, Algeo puts forth a hard pace over the course of fifteen minutes. No slouch on the feet either, Algeo not only throws with high output, but has some serious kickboxing skills. In brief, he’s a problem. Especially for Fili in this matchup. So with that said, I predict Algeo to win via decision.
Alen Amedovski vs. Joseph Pyfer Prediction

September 17, 2022

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We have an exciting scrap in the Middleweight division, as Alen Amedovski takes on UFC newcomer Joseph Pyfer. A loser of three straight fights, with the last two coming via stoppage, Amedovski has been given a rare fourth opportunity to redeem himself. Knowing this is his biggest fight to date, I’d expect the North Macedonian native to do everything in his power to win his first fight in nearly four years. Meanwhile, Pyfer comes into his UFC debut on the heels of two-straight stoppage wins. A Dana White’s Contender Series graduate, Pyfer will look to prove himself on the biggest stage.

If there is anything certain, this fight isn’t going the distance. A powerful striker, with highlight reel knockouts, Amedovski always has a puncher’s chance inside the octagon. However, his takedown defense, grappling, cardio and durability have proven to be problematic. Against anyone with remotely any wrestling or grappling, Amedovski is a concern. Given Pyfer has shown grappling chops, I could see him falling back on that should the striking exchanges get dicey. Which quite frankly, I don’t see happening. Known to be measured on the feet and with immense power, Pyfer has won six of his eight stoppage victories via knockout. Not one to engage in brawls, I envision sooner than later, Pyfer will catch and put away the “chinny” Amedovski via knockout.
Tanner Boser vs. Rodrigo Nascimento Prediction

September 17, 2022

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We have clash in the Heavyweight division, as Tanner Boser takes on Rodrigo Nascimento. Unable to quickly build off the biggest victory of his career, which came via knockout over former Light Heavyweight title challenger Ovince St. Preux, Boser returns to the octagon nearly fifteen months later. Not known for his power coming into the UFC, Boser has quietly found something with his last three wins coming via knockout. Meanwhile, Nascimento returns to the octagon for the first time in 2022. Having served a suspension due to a positive drug test, Nascimento saw his recent TKO victory over Alan Baudot overturned to a no contest. Technically without a win since May of 2020 now, this would be a pivotal time for the Brazilian to pick up a victory.

An intriguing fight, this will come down to if Boser can keep it upright. Nascimento, while he shown he is an accurate and high output striker, he has also shown that he is vulnerable to being tagged. Known for his grappling and submission abilities, Nascimento is at his best on the mat. With six of his eight victories coming via submission, it would be wise to avoid to avoid tangling with the Brazilian on the ground. Which is exactly what Boser will hope to avoid, as he is a striker. A seemingly powerful one at that, as I mentioned previously, his last three victories have come via knockout. However, it’s his takedown defense and grappling that are the focus in this fight. Having seen him struggle to stay upright against Ilir Latifi, a fight in which he lost via split decision, I’m not certain that he can fend off Nascimento. With that said, pending Nascimento fights to his strength, I believe he can get this fight to the ground and edge out Boser via decision.
Anthony Hernandez vs. Marc-Andre Barriault Prediction

September 17, 2022

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We have a Middleweight contest kicking off the main card, as Anthony Hernandez takes on Marc-Andre Barriault. A winner of two straight fights, which includes a submission victory over Rodolfo Vieira, Hernandez heads into this bout with newfound confidence. Once considered fodder, Hernandez looks to be a serious player at 185 pounds. Meanwhile, Barriault comes into this bout off a submission victory over Jordan Wright. A timely victory at that, as Barriault had loss the previous fight via knockout. With three wins in the past four fights, the Canadian has an opportunity to present himself as a rising contender at Middleweight.

An important fight for the progression of both gentlemen, I’m expecting this fight to deliver. Hernandez, is a high paced fighter, who has proven to be well rounded. Known to wrestle, Hernandez has landed fourteen takedowns over the past four fights. With excellent grappling and dangerous submissions, Hernandez can be a handful to deal with on the mat. Hoping to avoid being grounded is Barriault. An active, yet powerful striker, Barriault would prefer this fight to take place on the feet. Known for his durability, the Canadian has only suffered one stoppage defeat in twenty professional fights. The only concern with Barriault, is his takedown defense. Despite sporting a 68% takedown defense, Barriault has been taken down in five of his eight UFC fights. Knowing very well that Hernandez is going to implement his wrestling, which is relentless, I can help but to believe that he will find success. So with that said, I predict that Hernandez will accumulate takedowns and control time en route to a decision victory.