The MMA Daily

There are no breaks, as the UFC is back in action for the fifth straight week. This time, the UFC touches down in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. This will be the second time the UFC has hosted in Oklahoma City, as the first was way back in 2009 at UFC Fight Night 19! 

Headlining the card is a pair of Lightweight contenders, as TUF 15 winner Michael Chiesa takes on “The Motown Phenom” Kevin Lee. This is a perfect fight, as both men have rapidly risen in the Lightweight division over the past three years and have an opportunity here to crack into the top five of a crowded Lightweight division. 

Co-Headlining the card, is former Welterweight Champion Johnny Hendricks, who looks for continued success against “The Barbarian” Tim Boetsch. Hendricks, an accomplished collegiate wrestler and UFC Champion has had a tough time making weight when he fought at 170 lbs. So after a losing streak and tough weight cuts, he moved up 15 pounds and defeated a tough opponent in Hector Lombard. Somehow, Hendricks found a way to miss weight again…at 185 lbs. no less. Unbelievable!

Anyways, let’s get to the Predictions!

UFC Fight Night 112 Main Card on FOX Sports 1 (9 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Lee – Man, I’ve been back and forth with this fight. On one hand, I see Chiesa winning. I think his grappling abilities are superior and his fight IQ is great. The one knock on Lee, is that he often gets cocky in the octagon and makes mistakes. Against a durable and smart fighter like Chiesa, it could spell problems. However, Lee is the complete mixed martial artist, as he’s a solid wrestler and his striking is ever improving. As for a prediction, gosh this is tough, but I’m going to side with Kevin Lee. I think that he’s going to crack Chiesa on the feet at some point and put him away. So with that, I got Lee via TKO!

185 lbs.: Tim Boetsch vs. Johny Hendricks – Boy o Boy, Hendricks still can’t make weight and he moved up 15 lbs… Despite that, I think he handled a very dangerous Hector Lombard very well. Boetsch is dangerous in his own right, but is he going to outgrapple Johnny? No… Outstrike Johnny? No… So with that, I have Hendricks via decision.

115 lbs.: Felice Herrig vs. Justine Kish – I think Herrig as an underdog is crazy, given her resurgence. She thoroughly defeated a highly touted prospect in Alexa Grasso. Heck, Herrig was supposed to be a stepping stone and she didn’t look that to me.  Anyways, I know Kish is a good striker, but Herrig is a solid counter striker and has excellent grappling. I fully expect a mix, en route to a decision victory for Herrig!
205 lbs.: Joachim Christensen vs. Dominick Reyes – Who and Who? Emmm…Reyes via KO!
170 lbs.: Alex Garcia vs. Tim Means – Garcia is a heavy handed slugger with very limited cardio. So when that gas tank goes empty, the versatile striker Tim Means will thoroughly capitalize. I expect Means to crack Garcia at some point when he’s gassed with his patented standing elbows. So with that, I got Means via TKO!
145 lbs.: B.J. Penn vs. Dennis Siver – Well, now B.J. Penn fights an equal counterpart at last. Siver, who’s every bit of 38 years old, will look to add the legend B.J Penn to his record. He will also look to halt a two fight skid and win for the first time since 2014. That’s not as bad as B.J Penn, who has lost four in a row and hasn’t won since he knocked out Matt Hughes via knockout in 2010. Someone’s gotta win right? As much as Siver is probably the pick, I’m leaning towards Penn. Maybe he finally will use is superior grappling abilities… Penn via decision. 

UFC Fight Night 112 Prelims on FOX Sports 2 (7 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Clay Guida vs. Erik Koch – I feel for Koch, as if you remember he was at one point the number one contender in the Featherweight division and was scheduled to fight Jose Aldo. He lost that opportunity when Aldo got hurt and then when rescheduled, he got hurt. Anyways, Koch at 28 years old is still a threat, but I’m siding with Guida here. I think when the tough gets going and it’s been tough (two fight losing streak), Guida finds a way. I expect him to take down Koch and smother him en route to a decision victory.

185 lbs.: Vitor Miranda vs. Marvin Vettori – Miranda is pushing 40 and couldn’t even exploit Chris Camozzi’s glaring weakness to a victory. Seemingly everyone else can take him down and keep him there but Miranda. Vettori is the new-new and he’s going to control wherever he wants the fight. So with that, I have Vettori via decision.
115 lbs.: Carla Esparza vs. Maryna Moroz – I used to be somewhat interested in what Moroz could do in the Strawweight division. That was, until her fight against Danielle Taylor. She landed like 10 punches and won the fight via decision somehow. In this fight, you are going to have to land more than that, as Esparza is going to take you down and smother you with ground and pound. In fact, that’s what’s going down. Esparza via dominant decision.
155 lbs.: Devin Powell vs. Darrell Horcher – Powell is all grit and toughness, which is great for the fans. However, when you lack striking defense, you look like a punching bag. Horcher, who made his debut against Khabib Nurmagomedov, will finally get his “UFC debut” here. As far as I’m concerned, that fight never happened. So with that, I have Horcher using his top notch wrestling skills to grind down Powell.

UFC Fight Night 112 Prelims on UFC Fight Pass (5 p.m. ET):

145 lbs.: Jared Gordon vs. Michel Quinones – Don’t know either competitor, so the coin flip goes to Gordon! 

155 lbs.: Johnny Case vs. Tony Martin – Haven’t seen Case fight in awhile, but I thought he had a lot of potential to rise in the Lightweight division. I still do! Even though Tony Martin is an excellent fighter, he lacks cardio and it’s seemingly always a problem in later stages of the fight. Case has the cardio and pace to push Martin to exhaustion. So with that, I got Case outworking Martin via decision.
205 lbs.: Jeremy Kimball vs. Josh Stansbury – I’ve only seen Kimball before, as Marcus Rogerio De Lima smoked him in less than a minute. However, Kimball’s record ain’t too shabby and he’s a finisher as opposed to Stansbury. So with that, I got Kimball via 3rd round TKO!