The MMA Daily

UFC Fight Night 109: Gustafsson vs. Teixeira Predictions

May 28, 2017

The UFC returns to Sweden, with their poster boy Alexander Gustafsson headlining the event. It’s been over two years since the last time the UFC held an event in Sweden, as Gustafsson headlined against Anthony Johnson. Heading into the bout, Gustafsson was favored and with a victory was all but guaranteed a rematch against Jon Jones. Instead, Johnson silenced the crowd with a devastating first round TKO. It was as if the UFC had held a funeral, as no one saw that result happening.

However, Gustafsson returns to his native land and will be looking to exorcise the demons against Glover Teixeira. A former title challenger, as well as victim of Anthony Johnson’s power, Teixeira will also be looking to exorcise some demons. At 37 years of age, in a thin division, this is an excellent opportunity for Teixeira to get him in contender status.

Co-Headlining the event is another pair of Light Heavyweights, as young guns Misha Cirkunov and Volkan Oezdemir lock horns in a pivotal battle. In only one fight in the UFC, Oezdemir is the 5th ranked Light Heavyweight. A victory over Ovince St. Preux earned him the ranking, but this definitely speaks to the shallowness of the once coveted division. Meanwhile, Cirkunov has been on tear, winning four fights in the UFC. He’s finished all his opponents and one has to wonder how Oezdemir is ranked higher?

Anyways, let’s get to the predictions!

UFC Fight Night 109 Main Card on FOX Sports 1 (1 p.m. ET):

205 lbs.: Alexander Gustafsson vs. Glover Teixeira – This should be an excellent contest, as two former title challengers will lock horns in the main event. While Gustafsson is being seen as the moderate favorite here, I see this more as a pick em. I know Gustafsson is the better technical striker and has the length to keep distance and pick apart Teixeira…but I just don’t see it going that way. Teixeira is an excellent boxer with legit power in his hands and like Cormier and Blachowicz did, I can see him stalking down Gustafsson. The real threat though and it’s crazy to say, is Gustafsson’s grappling. He’s got one of the best takedown defenses in all of mixed martial arts and he’s in my books, a superior grappler. I mean, how many other fighters can say they’ve taken both Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier down…none.

Once Gustafsson feels the power, he will attempt to put Teixeira on his back. It’s possible he does it with ease, but I’m seeing Teixeira time an uppercut that puts Gustafsson into la la land. So with that, I got the upset in Teixeira via second-round knockout.

205 lbs.: Misha Cirkunov vs. Volkan Oezdemir – While credit is due to Oezdemir for defeating the likes of Ovince St. Preux on short notice, I can’t help but to notice his next best victory is absolutely no one. Cirkunov is a legit Light Heavyweight contender and a threat to whoever holds the belt. He’s got superior grappling and his striking is coming into it’s own. With four UFC victories, all by stoppages, Cirkunov is a victory away from a huge named fight. My guess is against Shogun Rua, and yes I’m planning ahead because he’s going to submit a tired Oezdemir in the second round.

170 lbs.: Ben Saunders vs. Peter Sobotta – While Sobotta is a solid grappler, he’s no Ben Saunders. I mean, Saunders arguably has one of the most dangerous guards in all of mixed martial arts. Oh, and he’s also a solid striker. So pick your poison Sobotta…. My guess is that he’s going to take Saunders down and realize this was a mistake as he’s taking out while locked up in a triangle choke.
170 lbs.: Omari Akhmedov vs. Abdul Razak Alhassan – I’ve seen Razak Alhassan a few times and it’s hard to access his skills when he’s devastatingly knocking everyone out in less than a minute. And while I’d normally just go with the veteran here, the vicious knockout wave just seems to have so much momentum. So with that, I have Razak Alhassan via first round knockout.
170 lbs.: Oliver Enkamp vs. Nordine Taleb – Enkamp is a very brave man to put his undefeated record on the line in a short notice fight against Taleb. A welterweight who is huge for the weight class and excels at using his ever so apparent strength advantage to grapple his foes to the mat. I expect Taleb to wear down the young replacement and eventually submit him.
185 lbs.: Jack Hermansson vs. Alex Nicholson – Honestly, I want to go with Hermansson here as he’s the hometown fighter and favorite in this bout. But…I’ve seen Nicholson fight a few times. He’s an erratic and chaotic striker, but good lord does he have a chin. The dude can take it and he’s got some lethal power in his hands. In a fight I expect to be contested mainly on the feet, I’ll go with the guy that has a chin, tons of power and is going to be there all fight. So with that, I got Nicholson via TKO.

UFC Fight Night 109 Prelims on FOX Sports 1 (11 a.m. ET):

135 lbs.: Pedro Munhoz vs. Damian Stasiak – Expect Munhoz to wrap caution tape around the octagon, as this fight is going to be a beatdown worthy of being called a crime. No disrespect to Stasiak, but this is one of those cases in which he’s in the wrong place at the wrong time. So with that, I got Munhoz via first round submission.

185 lbs.: Chris Camozzi vs. Trevor Smith – Tough fight to call here. Camozzi is the better striker, while Smith is the better grappler. Camozzi probably has one of the worst takedown defenses in the UFC, which probably will be an issue. However, Camozzi is such an active fighter on the feet and the ground, that I believe he could steal a round from his back. I mean, Smith has solid top control, but nothing special in the ground and pound department. So with that, I got Camozzi via decision.
155 lbs.: Joaquim Silva vs. Reza Madadi – I’ve seen Silva fight a couple of times and while he’s got potential, he lacks cardio. He seems like a all or nothing first round fighter, which I don’t see working against someone as gritty and tough as Madadi. In fact, I believe that whatever early storm Silva delivers, Madadi will weather it and turn the tides late. Madadi’s an excellent grappler and I foresee a heavy dosage of takedowns in the later rounds to seal a unanimous decision.
170 lbs.: Nico Musoke vs. Bojan Velickovic – Where in the world has Nico Musoke been? It’s almost as if he was the one who Anthony Johnson knocked out that evening, as he hasn’t fought since that last Sweden event over two years ago. However, if he’s still half the fighter he was, he should easily edge this out via decision.

UFC Fight Night 109 Prelims on Fight Pass (9:30 a.m. ET):

170 lbs.: Jessin Ayari vs. Darren Till – It’s been awhile since Till last fought and boy was I excited about his potential rise in the Welterweight division. He’s got such dynamic striking and it only makes me salivate thinking about a potential future fight against Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. It’s a bit wishful thinking though, as Till hasn’t even come close to putting in the work Thompson has. The buildup starts here though, as Till is going to win this via a highlight reel knockout.

155 lbs.: Damir Hadzovic vs. Marcin Held – The former Bellator superstar Marcin Held has had a rough go of it thus far in short UFC tenure. First they debuted him against Diego Sanchez, in which he was decisively defeated. Then, they pair him against Joe Lauzon, who had TKO’d Sanchez prior to his debut fight against him. However, Held won the fight, just not in the eyes of the incompetent judges, Anyways, Held is not facing a UFC Legend here, so expect a vintage submission.
UFC 211: Stipe Miocic vs. Junior Dos Santos II

May 13, 2017

It’s been a rare and long lull between UFC action, but the wait has only built up the excitement for this banger of a card. On paper, UFC 211 is the best card the UFC has put together all year and it all goes does down in Dallas, Texas at the American Airlines Arena.

Headlining the card, is a Heavyweight Title fight, as well as a rematch between Champion Stipe Miocic and former Champion Junior dos Santos. The first meeting between the two, was one of the very best Heavyweight fights in UFC history. In a closely contested slobber knocker, the judges awarded dos Santos with the hard fought victory. That contest happened back in December of 2014 and a lot has changed since then, most notably, Miocic rebounded and became the UFC Heavyweight Champion. And having already defended his title once, Miocic can tie the UFC Heavyweight consecutive title defenses record of two. Only Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture have done this feat twice, which is remarkable and understandable (Heavyweights) at the same time.

Co-Headlining the card is another title fight, this one in the Women’s Strawweight division as kingpin Joanna Jedrzejczyk takes on challenger Jessica Andrade. Personally, I’m super excited for this fight, as Andrade ever since coming down from Bantamweight (135 lbs.) to Strawweight (115 lbs.) has been nothing short of a beast. In three fights, Andrade has thoroughly beat down each opponent, finishing two of them, as well as taking home two UFC bonuses. As for Jedrzejczyk, this will be her fifth title defense, as she inches toward Ronda Rousey’s record of six title defenses. And this title defense will not come easy, as other than Claudia Gadelha, Andrade definitely has the power to put away the champ.

Anyways, let’s get to the predictions!

UFC 211 PPV Main Card (10 p.m. ET):

265 lbs.: UFC Heavyweight Champion Stipe Miocic vs. Junior dos Santos – Every Heavyweight title fight always has a buzz to it. I mean, the reason we love the division is that it has the highest finishing rate, particularly being knockouts. And the Heavyweight title is something that not many men can defend because of this. Hell, as I previously mentioned, the record for UFC Heavyweight consecutive title defenses is a mere two by Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture.

Anyways, I’ll start it with this, I have Junior dos Santos winning this fight. While he’s only won one fight since defeating Miocic back in December of 2014, he’s shown massive improvements. Even in defeat to Alistair Overeem, we saw a more technical dos Santos. Instead of slugging it out and eating a bunch of unnecessary punches, he’s using better movement and is selective in his strikes. The performance against Ben Rothwell just validated it. Now, I don’t want to put down the “Baddest Man on the Planet” because he’s the Champion for a reason. But I can’t help but to think of his title fights, in which we saw Werdum run right into his fist and Overeem fail to follow up with strikes after dropping him. I’m really nitpicking here, but whatever…like I said, I got Junior dos Santos. His ability to eat punches and stay in the fight always makes him dangerous. Add that with his boxing and power and now technical approach and I think Junior dos Santos reclaims his soul from which Cain Velasquez took. So with that, I got dos Santos via first round knockout!

115 lbs.: UFC Strawweight Champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Jessica Andrade – This is an excellent fight and really the best fight other than Claudia Gadelha the UFC can offer Jedrzejczyk. I believe that she is one of the best, if not the best striker in the UFC. She has shown the ability to take a punch and come back stronger. And if there is anything that the challenger Andrade is known for, is her punch. She easily has the heaviest hands in the division, which makes this a really stiff test for Jedrzejczyk.

However, I believe that Andrade’s aggressive in-your-face striking only has three rounds of somewhat consistent pace. Her style is not conducive to five rounds, so I fear that if she can’t get the job done early, she will will fade. And that’s really what I believe will happen, much like Jedrzejczyk’s fight against Gadelha. An early storm with serious adversity for Andrade, but as the fight goes deeper, Jedrzejczyk starts to take over. I actually think because Andrade’s five round gas tank is unknown, I think Jedrzejczyk has a great chance to finish this one late. In fact, I got Jedrzejczyk via 5th round TKO.

170 lbs.: Demian Maia vs. Jorge Masvidal – Man, I really feel for Maia. He’s the number one contender in the Welterweight division and the Champion Tyron Woodley is opponent-less, yet he has to fight again. And it’s got to be against a pure killer and a guy I’ve touted every time he fights in Jorge Masvidal. I even made the argument in some of my old predictions featuring him, that he could very well be undefeated in the UFC if the judges saw it the other way.

Anyways, I’ve got Masvidal winning this fight. As good as Maia is at taking guys down and submitting them, I really believe Masvidal can fend off Maia or at the very least get back to his feet if taken down. Maia has shown that with a certain pace, he can tire rather easily and when that happens, it’s going to be good night. So with that, I got Masvidal being able to expend Maia’s gas tank early and TKO’n him in the second round.
145 lbs.: Frankie Edgar vs. Yair Rodriguez – Holy Cow, this one has all the elements to either be a crazy wild fight or one in which Frankie Edgar completely neutralizes his opponent. I’ll say the latter, as Edgar to me, is one of the very best fighters in the UFC. He’s incredibly well rounded and has only lost to three fighters in his career. That would be the current UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo, the former UFC Lightweight Champion in Benson Henderson and former Lightweight title challenger in Gray Maynard. And as good as Yair Rodriguez’s dynamic striking is, I believe that he will have a tough time getting anything off his back when he’s constantly getting taken down en route to a decision victory for Edgar.
185 lbs.: David Branch vs. Krzysztof Jotko – This is an interesting fight, as you have a re-invented David Branch returning the octagon. After being released by the UFC, Branch tore it up on the regional scene, going 12-1 with his lone loss coming via Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. He went on to capture both the Middleweight and Light Heavyweight belts in WSOF simultaneously. However, he get a tough fight here, as he faces a rising Middleweight contender in Jotko. A guy that pushes a hard pace for three rounds and very well rounded. A guy that I’m picking to win this fight via decision. I believe that while Branch was impressive outside the UFC, opponent-wise, he didn’t fight any real top talent outside of Anthony Johnson. So again, I have Jotko via decision.

UFC 211 “Prelims” on FX (8 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Eddie Alvarez vs. Dustin Poirier – Man, this is an awesome Prelim Headliner! You got the former Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez looking to bounce back from losing his title against Conor McGregor against a contender in Dustin Poirier. This could very well be a “Fight of the Night” contender and a perfect segway into the main card.

As for who I’m siding with, that would be Eddie Alvarez. While I believe the Poirier has the ability to knock out Alvarez, I just can’t side with him because of some of the holes he has shown. For one, he’s down to brawl and it got him knocked out against Michael Johnson. Another reason is in his last fight, he didn’t look dominant against an aging veteran in Jim Miller. He instead got his leg battered and was breathing heavy in the third round. He would get the nod via majority decision, by it was a fight I thought he could finish. Anyways, I believe that Alvarez will be able to stand with Poirier, as well as put his back to the mat if need be. Alvarez has shown a better ability to take a punch, as well as weather early storms. So with that, I’m taking Alvarez via decision.
145 lbs.: Jason Knight vs. Chas Skelly – This is going to be a scrap, as I expect this fight to take place everywhere. Both men are very talented, but I believe that Skelly takes this one. The one massive hole in Knight’s game that I’ve seen thus far, is his inability to stop a takedown. That’s something that I fully expect the gritty wrestler Skelly to take full advantage of en route to a hard fought decision victory.
155 lbs.: Marco Polo Reyes vs. James Vick – This could become a slobber knocker, as Polo Reyes and Vick are pure brawlers. Think of this fight like two guys locked in a phone booth, as both will be in each other’s face for as long as this last. I say that because I believe Vick will eventually finish this fight. He’s got more weapons on the feet and the ability to take this one to the mat and submit Reyes. In fact, I’m going with Vick via late submission.

265 lbs.: Rashad Coulter vs. Chase Sherman – While Chase Sherman is probably the safer pick, especially given the competition Coulter has faced, I’m not picking him. I just can’t see how his style of eating punches in order to land punches is going to lead to success at Heavyweight. I mean, he’s 0-2 in the UFC and his last fight he was knocked out. I see more of the same, as I got the Dallas born Coulter winning his UFC debut by knockout

UFC 211 Prelims on Fight Pass (6 p.m. ET):

115 lbs.: Jessica Aguilar vs. Cortney Casey – I’m torn in this fight, as you have the former Strawweight kingpin in Jessica Aguilar against the always game Courtney Casey. Aguilar hasn’t fought in over a year, so ring rust could be a factor. And an opponent like Casey, who is going to be in your face from the opening bell, is a rude welcome back into the octagon. However, Casey is wild and I could very well she her being put on her back and smothered by Aguilar’s superior top control. So with that, I have Aguilar taking this via decision.

145 lbs.: Enrique Barzola vs. Gabriel Benitez – Fun fight, but I have Benitez taking this one. He’s just one of those fighter that doesn’t necessarily have a dominant skillset, but he quickly makes it up with toughness and the ability to outwork his opponents in the later rounds. I think the same happens here, as I have edging this out via decision.

205 lbs.: Joachim Christensen vs. Gadzhimurad Antigulov – I was super impressed by Antigulov in his UFC debut, as he eaily took down Marcos Rogerio de Lima and then proceeded to slap on a fight ending guillotine choke 67 seconds into the fight. In fact, I see the same happening in this contest, but let’s say in the second round.
Women’s Atomweight Rankings Top 5

April 27, 2017

Photo Credit: ESPN – https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/3027997/seo-hee-ham

Fighter Images via ESPN
Women’s Strawweight Rankings Top 20

April 27, 2017

Photo Credit: ESPN – https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/4350762/zhang-weili

Fighter Images via ESPN
Women’s Flyweight Rankings Top 20

April 27, 2017

Photo Credit: ESPN – https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2554705/valentina-shevchenko

Fighter Images via ESPN
Women’s Bantamweight Rankings Top 15

April 27, 2017

Photo Credit: ESPN – https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2516131/amanda-nunes

Fighter Images via ESPN
Women’s Featherweight Rankings Top 10

April 27, 2017

Photo Credit: ESPN – https://www.espn.com/mma/fighter/_/id/2516131/amanda-nunes

Fighter Images via ESPN
UFC Fight Night 108: Swanson vs. Lobov

April 22, 2017

After a great card last week in Kansas City, Missouri, the UFC is back in action in Nashville, Tennessee. Headlining the card is a pair of Featherweight sluggers in Cub Swanson and Artem Lobov. It’s an odd matchup, in which Swanson is a top five featherweight, whereas Lobov isn’t even sniffing the UFC’s top fifteen rankings. However for Lobov, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. With a mere 13-12 record, to headline a card and fight a top Featherweight and have a chance to catapult themselves into the top five is borderline crazy. It makes me wonder why Cub Swanson took the fight, although he could be looking at this as an easy paycheck and free exposure. A loss though, would be devastating.

Co-Headlining the card, “The Nightmare”, “The Dream”, o wait now “The Lionheart” Diego Sanchez returns to the octagon to take on Al Iaquinta. In what should be an entertaining fight, with the majority of it being on the feet, I think it’s safe to put a side bet that this one has Fight of the Night written all over it. Sanchez, is coming off an impressive victory over Marcin Held. A victory that was definitely needed, as it had appeared that the tank was nearly empty. As for Iaquinta, it’s been a long road back. Injuries and issues with his UFC contract kept him out of action for over two years, even forcing him to be a real estate agent. It kind of sucks too, as Iaquinta had built an impressive four fight win streak with three TKO victories and controversial decision over Jorge Masvidal prior to his leave of absence. With momentum stunted, it should be interesting to see if Iaquinta can shrug the rust off against a veteran like Diego Sanchez.

Anyways, let’s get to the Predictions!

UFC Fight Night 108 Main Card on FOX Sports 1 (10 p.m. ET):

145 lbs.: Cub Swanson vs. Artem Lobov – I really don’t want to short change Lobov here, as he does have a punchers chance. However, he’s not a proven winner and while he showed massive improvements in his last fight, he was dropped in the third round and almost finished in a fight he was dominating. Anyways, Swanson is clearly the more talented, experienced and overall better fighter. If he chooses not strike, his grappling easily trumps the one-dimensional Lobov. This is of course Cub Swanson we are talking about though, a willing brawler, who is coming off one of the greatest fights I’ve ever seen against Doo Ho Choi.

As for a prediction, I obviously have Swanson. Lobov might think he’s the hardest puncher in the Featherweight division, but wait until he fights a top notch Featherweight like Cub Swanson and feels real power. Lobov bit off more than he can chew and kills his progression with an absolute beatdown at the hands of Swanson. So with that, I got Swanson via second round knockout.

155 lbs.: Al Iaquinta vs. Diego Sanchez – This is a tough fight to call, in which you have a mixed martial arts pioneer in Sanchez, clearly past his prime against a guy who hasn’t fought in over two years in Al Iaquinta. If Iaquinta hadn’t had injury and issues with his UFC contract that forced him out of the sport, he’d potentially be in the mix for fighting for the Lightweight title. I mean, he’s won four straight, with three TKO victories and a decision victory over Jorge Masvidal. You know what, as much as Sanchez is always going to be in the fight, I’m trusting Iaquinta didn’t lose a step since his departure. So with that, I have Iaquinta shaking off the rust en route to a decision victory.

205 lbs.: Marcos Rogerio de Lima vs. Ovince Saint Preux – I find it crazy how De Lima ever fought at Middleweight, as the guy can’t even make Light Heavyweight (205 lbs.) He’s a Heavyweight at this point and he’s sort of a fun fighter, in which you know he’s either going to finish his opponent or get finished in the very first round. It’s probably a combination between having no technique and just winging punches, as well as having a three minute gas tank. So, despite OSP falling on hard times of late with three consecutive defeats, I think he’s got this one in the bag. He just needs to keep distance and avoid the expected bull rush of De Lima, sort of like a Matador. After that, the hometown favorite OSP should easily put away De Lima in round one.

135 lbs.: John Dodson vs. Eddie Wineland – I’ve got Dodson here. I believe that combined with his insane speed and Wineland’s hands down fighting style, it’s going to be a striking clinic. That’s not to say that Wineland can’t catch Dodson, but I just don’t like his style against a high volume in-and-out striker. So with that, I believe Dodson frustrates Wineland and picks him apart en route to a dominant decision victory.

155 lbs.: Joe Lauzon vs. Stevie Ray – This is a tough fight to call. Ray is a distance fighter who doesn’t deal well with pressure fighters, which Lauzon exactly is. However, Lauzon sometimes looks like a punching bag out there or a straight up killer. I guess a real-life Jekyll & Hyde. But, I’m still going to side with him here. I feel like he’s going to be the more active fighter and have more “ooo” moments enough to edge out a decision victory.

170 lbs.: Jake Ellenberger vs. Mike Perry – This fight isn’t going to need the judges, as you have two heavy handed sluggers coming to the plate. Perry I’d probably say is the cleanup hitter, as he’s always looking to knock you out of the park. Ellenberger back in his prime would be batting there, but nowadays I’d have sitting in the five hole. He’s got the power still to do damage, but he’s not a wildman like Perry, who’s always looking for the homerun. Anyways, I’m going to side with Ellenberger. He may not be “The Juggernaut” anymore, but he doesn’t need to be here. He just needs to follow the Alan Jouban gameplan; Keep distance and counter. If he does, I can very well see him countering Perry and turning the lights off. You know what, I got Ellenberger via first round knockout.

UFC Fight Night 108 ‘Prelims’ on FOX Sports 2 (8 p.m. ET):

185 lbs.: Thales Leites vs. Sam Alvey – This should be a good one, as you have two veteran of the sport vying to climb the stacked Middleweight rankings. As for a prediction though, I have Leites. If he’s still got something left in the tank, then I have no doubt he should win this fight. Don’t get me wrong, Alvey is on an impressive four-fight win streak and has heavy hands, but against Marquardt he looked very beatable. He seemed very hesitant to throw hands with his patented power and contempt to engage in the clinch against the fence too often. Leites is a physically strong Middleweight and if he can shore up his cardio issues, he’d be a much better fighter. His striking is serviceable, but his grappling abilities are top notch. If Alvey is contempt to clinch against the fence, he’s going to get reversed and taken down. Something that I think is rinsed and repeated en route to a decision victory by Leites.

125 lbs.: Brandon Moreno vs. Dustin Ortiz – This should be a very closely contested fight, as you have a solid rugged wrestler in Ortiz against a gritty well rounded fighter in Moreno. I’m not sure a finish is going to happen, as both men are very durable. Ortiz, most recently halted a two fight skid, as he was able to edge out Zach Makovsky via split decision. A fight that definitely saved his job, as Makovsky was released soon after the defeat. As for Moreno, other than his early exit on TUF 24, it’s been a really successful UFC tenure. Starting with an upset submission victory over Louis Smolka and then a tough split decision nod over Ryan Benoit, it’s clear Moreno is a talent.

As for a prediction, I have Moreno. He’s a better striker, albeit wild. He’s very aggressive, which could work against him against a wrestler. However, Moreno is an excellent grappler who will offer up submission from his back and he often finds his way back to his feet. With a four inch reach advantage, I could see him picking apart Ortiz, but he needs to keep his distance. It’s something that Moreno doesn’t do often, as he likes a good ole brawl. Anyways, I have Moreno edging this out via split decision.

155 lbs.: Scott Holtzman vs. Michael McBride – I’ve only seen McBride against Lentz, as he fared pretty well early, but then got dominated in the second round. Holtzmann I’ve seen several times and I’ve been impressed by his grappling abilities and even his striking is not bad at times. He seems to enjoy a brawl too, which is always fun. McBride’s striking seemed elementary and if grappling is go-to, I don’t see that even working against Holtzman. This one won’t be pretty, as I have Holtzman winning via a very dominant decision.

115 lbs.: Jessica Penne vs. Danielle Taylor – I’m siding with Penne here. She will be 5 inches taller than Taylor, as well have a sizable 7 inch reach advantage. Also, from what I’ve seen from Taylor, I’m not really impressed. She’s got power in her hands, but she’s very hesitant and is often found circling the cage over ten times in a round like a planet. Penne is a good fighter in my books, as she might not have the best striking abilities, but she makes up for with excellent grappling abilities, submission prowess, ability to take punishment/durability and blood in the water instincts. In other words, this is Penne’s fight to lose, as Taylor offers next to nothing in terms of strikes landed or activity in a fight. So with that, I got Penne via third-round submission.

UFC Fight Night 108 ‘Prelims’ on UFC Fight Pass (6:30 p.m. ET):

135 lbs.: Cindy Dandois vs. Alexis Davis – This should be an interesting grappling affair between two solid veterans. Dandois, who’s first professional fight was against Marloes Coenen (Decision Victory), finally will make her UFC debut. Winner of three straight, including a solid win over top Featherweight Megan Anderson, Dandois will look to keep the momentum going forward. As for Davis, this will be her seventh fight in the UFC. The one-time title challenger is coming off a rough defeat to Sara McMann, but is still a top ten Bantamweight. Stylistically, this is an even fight, but I’m going with Alexis Davis. It’s not a confident pick, as I think this is bound to be a close fight, but I’m going off the pure grit and toughness of Davis to carry her in a split decision victory.

170 lbs.: Bryan Barberena vs. Joe Proctor – Fun fight, but I have Barberena here. He’s one of those fighters that whatever they lack in skill, they make up in toughness and the ability to stay around in the later rounds. He’s a workhorse when it comes to pace and cardio, a key ingredient in which has allowed him to comeback in several of victories. The only path for Proctor to defeat Barberena is an early submission, otherwise he’s going to succumb to the pace. I choose the later, as I have Barberena winning this via 3rd round TKO.

125 lbs.: Hector Sandoval vs. Matt Schnell – Don’t know too much about either, other than I believe Schnell was on one of the Ultimate Fighters. Anyways, I got him winning this via decision.
UFC on Fox 24: Johnson vs. Reis Predictions

April 15, 2017

A week after UFC 210, which was contoversial and entertaining at the same time, the UFC is back on big Fox in Kansas City. This will actually be the UFC’s first event held in Missouri, which is kind of crazy given how many successful events Invicta FC has held in the state. Anyways, headlining the card is the #1 pound for pound fighter and UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson, who will be taking on worthy challenger Wilson Reis. Johnson, is one victory away from tying Anderson Silva’s consecutive title defense record of 10. A record that would just cement his legacy as one of the very best mixed martial artist to ever grace the octagon. Reis, winner of three straight, has a chance to spoil those plans. A chance at stardom is an upset away for Reis, which would highlight a career that’s a decade old.

Co-Headlining the card, is an all-important Women’s Strawweight contest, as “Thug” Rose Namajunas looks to bounce back against “The Karate Hottie” Michelle Waterson. Namajunas, is coming off a defeat to Karolina Kowalkiewicz. The loss ended a three-fight win streak, as well as the opportunity to fight Strawweight Champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk. As for Waterson, it’s been a long road, but she’s 2-0 inside the octagon. The issue stems from injuries, which has limited Waterson to a fight a year. In her last, she defeated Paige Van Zant via submission in round one. A win here for both women put their name in the hat to fight for the belt.

Anyways, let’s just get to the predictions!

UFC on FOX 24 Main Card (8 p.m. ET):

125 lbs.: UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson vs. Wilson Reis – I said earlier that Reis is a worthy challenger and he is. He’s earned a title shot in a division that has been thoroughly cleaned out and is a fresh face on a nice three fight win streak. However, Demetrious Johnson is one of the very best, if not the best mixed martial artist on the planet. He’s super well rounded, cerebral and cardio for days. I just don’t see the point in breaking this one further down, as Reis has only a puncher’s chance to win this. Which is possible, but in my mind impossible at the same time. Anyways, enough of this crappy breakdown. I got Johnson via domination, eventually finishing a tired Reis late.

115 lbs.: Rose Namajunas vs. Michelle Waterson – This is a big time fight in the Women’s Strawweight division. The winner of this instantly is catapulted into a potential title fight or title eliminator. The shallowness and slow development of the division gives these girls an easier route to gold. Anyways, Namajunas comes into this bout on the heels of a close defeat to Karolina Kowalkiewicz. If Namajunas had won, she would of fought for UFC gold. However, she lost, but is still in a good position at #4 in the UFC Rankings. As for Waterson, minus injuries, she’s had a successful UFC campaign thus far. Her last outing was short and sweet, as she quickly submitted Paige VanZant in a Main event fight!

As for a prediction, I got Waterson. At first I had Namajunas, but I believe that Waterson’s striking is more crisp and technical. Namajunas is a solid striker in her own right, but she tends to get outpointed on the feet against better strikers. The ground games of both women are excellent, which only makes this fight that much harder to predict. I’m really torn here, but my gut says Waterson outpoints Namajunas barely. So with that, I got Waterson via split decision.
185 lbs.: Ronaldo Souza vs. Robert Whittaker – Awesome fight in the Middleweight division, but in a very clustered division, it’s hard to see what’s next for the winner. Arguably a title shot, but then again, Yoel Romero earned that and he’s stuck waiting after the UFC booked Champion Michael Bisping against the returning George St. Pierre. Anyways, Souza has rattled off two straights win and is 7-1 in the UFC. His lone loss was against Yoel Romero, a decision in which could of gone to “Jacare”. A win over Whittaker has to mean something title worthy no? As for Whittaker, the young Aussie has hit the Middleweight division by storm. Since moving up from Welterweight, Whittaker has rattled off five straight victories. His last, came in the very first round, as he knocked out a very dangerous Derek Brunson.

As for a prediction, I got “Jacare”. I believe that his grappling abilities will just be too much for Whittaker, no matter how much he prepares. There are only a handful of people who could thwart Souza’s grappling. Once it hits the mat, it’s game over, as Souza’s 17 submission victories speak for themselves. Whittaker is a great talent though and if he can keep this one upright, then it’s going to be a very exciting fight. I just don’t think he will, as I have Souza via submission.
145 lbs.: Renato Moicano vs. Jeremy Stephens – Never heard of this Moicano cat, but he has to be somewhat good to make his second UFC appearance against Jeremy Stephens. But, the jump up is not going to go well, in fact I have Stephens via knockout.

UFC on FOX 24 Prelims (6 p.m. ET):

265 lbs.: Roy Nelson vs. Alexander Volkov – Man this card is fireworks and we aren’t even up to the main card! Roy “Big Country” Nelson returns to the octagon for the first time in 2017, attempting to follow up his knockout victory over Antonio Silva. As for Volkov, this will be his second fight for the UFC. In his first, he defeated a very tough Timothy Johnson via split decision. The former Bellator Heavyweight Champion is a great addition to a very shallow division.

As far as a prediction, I got Roy Nelson. Between his one punch knockout power and underutilized grappling abilities, I believe he has the advantages to win this fight. Volkov is just so massive, ughh… I’m not changing my pick however, so I got Nelson via deicison.
135 lbs.: Tom Duquesnoy vs. Patrick Williams – I am very excited for Tom Duquesnoy! And I believe this is a great job in terms of matchmaking against a guy like Patrick Williams. He’s somewhat of a vet, but more so, he’s a legit wrestler. He’s going to test Duquesnoy’s takedown defense, which is something I’m interested to see. However, Williams has about two rounds of cardio in him, so no matter what, Duquesnoy should finish him. It’s smart matchmaking and I have Duquesnoy ending this one at the end of the first round via KO.
155 lbs.: Bobby Green vs. Rashid Magomedov – Another solid fight! I’ll be shorter with this breakdown however, as I’m going to side Rashid Magomedov here. I believe that combined with layoff and Green’s willingness to throw out his wrestling game, he limits himself from making this a more advantageous fight. Magomedov is a technical striker who’s terrific with range and he mixes in takedowns once in awhile too. He’s more of a point fighter, but if he develops some added power, then watch out. I really like Green, but his cocky style hurts him from focusing on the task at hand. Magomedov is no easy task, so I got him via decision.
125 lbs.: Tim Elliott vs. Louis Smolka – This is going to be so awesome! Elliot and Smolka are going to have back and forth grappling exchanges, with a pace like no other. In case you’ve never seen either, do yourself a favor and get UFC Fight Pass to watch their previous fights. Elliott, is coming off a title fight against Demetrious Johnson. He earned the shot by winning TUF 24 and he showed why he deserved to be in that fight. Earning several advantages positions and with a deep submission attempt, Elliott gave Johnson all he could handle. However, Johnson’d cardio and pace took over in the later stages en route to a hard fought decision victory. As for Smolka, after four straight victories, he’s fallen in a rut with two straight losses. The last coming against potential number one contender Ray Borg. Despite the skid, Smolka is one of the best flyweights.

As for a prediction, I’ve got Elliott. He’s an elite flyweight and super big for the weight class. I personally think he’s a revamped fighter from his first UFC stint, which I will mention he got screwed with those matchups. Anyways, I got Elliott via decision.

UFC on FOX 24 Prelims on Fight Pass (4 p.m. ET):

205 lbs.: Devin Clark vs. Jake Collier – I believe Clark is a talent from Dana White’s Looking for a Fight show and he looks promising. Despite dropping his UFC debut, Clark rebounded with a dominant victory over Josh Stansbury. The fight tooks place at Light Heavyweight, where Clark remains undefeated at. As for Collier, he’s coming off an exciting knockout victory over Alberto Uda. In his four fights in the UFC, he’s been a joy to watch. He’s entertainment first, but in terms of lasting as a fighter and in the UFC, it might be best to dial it down. Anyways, I got Clark here. He’s a far better grappler and should neutralize Collier’s striking abilities en route to a decision victory.

185 lbs.: Andrew Sanchez vs. Anthony Smith – I’ve been very impressed with both men of late. For one, Sanchez has very solid grappling abilities and is an improvement of his striking away from being someone to watch out for. As for Smith, he’s been around for what seems like ever, but he’s remarkable only 28 years old. It’s probably the fact that this will be 39th professional fight and he’s fought for Strikeforce, Bellator, CFFC, RFA and now the UFC.

As for a prediction, I got Smith. Although Sanchez is probably the favorite and his route to victory in the grappling department could be easy, I’m going with the experience and more polished striking of Smith. I think that if Smith could avoid being on his back for two rounds and make Sanchez work, he could find it easier to keep it upright and land something late. So with that, I have Smith via KO!

135 lbs.: Augusto Mendes vs. Aljamain Sterling – This should be a very entertaining fight! Mendes is coming off his first UFC victory, which happened to be over a solid veteran in Frankie Saenz. It’s really impressive when considering Saenz thoroughly defeated Iuri Alcantara and gave Urijah Faber a hell of a scrap. The first fight Mendes had in the UFC was a short notice bout against Cody Garbrandt, the current UFC Bantamweight Champion. As for Sterling, it’s been a rough road of late. Formerly undefeated, Sterling has dropped two straight fights, both via split decision. If the judges had gone the other way, Sterling would be fighting for a title. However, he’s not and he has another tough task in Mendes.

As for a prediction, I have Sterling. Although I like Mendes and his skills, I think we are going to get a more aggressive Sterling here. Add that in with his volume striking and we might have a late stoppage victory. I’m a play it safe though and say Sterling wins via decision.
170 lbs.: Nathan Coy vs. Zak Cummings – There is no doubt in my mind that Cummings wins this and early. Coy, who’s every bit of 38 years old, is only a wrestler. Cummings happens to be be excellent grappler and has some serviceable striking. That said serviceable striking turns into elite striking when in comparision with Nathan Coy. So with that, I have Cummings dropping Coy and then submitting him.
135 lbs.: Ashlee Evans-Smith vs. Ketlen Vieira – Outside of wrestling, I’m not sure what Ashlee Evans-Smith has… However, I don’t know much about Viera, so I’ll go with Evans-Smith via decision.
UFC 210: Cormier vs. Johnson II Predictions

April 8, 2017

On September 8th, 1995 the UFC hosted an event in Buffalo, New York. It would be the last event held in New York for quite some time, as New York banned mixed martial arts shortly after the event. However, as mixed martial arts grew in popularity and seemingly every state in the United States lifted the ban, New York stood it’s ground. That was until last year (2016), in which the UFC’s continued efforts finally broke through and New York lifted the ban. Immediately, the UFC booked an event (UFC 205) at Madison Square Garden, which was headlined by Conor McGregor and Eddie Alvarez. The event would go on to break Madison Square Garden’s all-time ticket revenue record with a measly gate of 17.7 million.

Anyways, headlining the UFC’s return to Buffalo is rematch between UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier and challenger Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. In their first encounter, Johnson came out swinging early and at one point, knocked Cormier down. However, Cormier would survive and weather the early storm. With constant takedowns and heavy top control, Cormier wore down Johnson. In round three, Cormier would slip in the rear-naked choke and retain as UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. That was back at UFC 187 in May of 2015.

Since then, Cormier has defeated Alexander Gustafsson and Anderson Silva both via decision. Johnson on the other hand, has won three straight fights, all by knockout. He’s defeated the likes of Jimi Manuwa, Ryan Bader and Glover Teixeira. This is going to be an excellent Light Heavyweight title fight and one in which it’s a coin flip who wins.

Co-Headlining the card, is an all important fight in the Middleweight contest as former UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman looks to end his two fight skid against one the most underrated fighters on the planet in Gegard Mousasi. Weidman, as I previously mentioned has dropped two straight fights. He lost his Middleweight title to Luke Rockhold and then was knocked out by a flying knee from Yoel Romero. It’s do-or-die here for Weidman, as a third straight loss would be devastating. As for Mousasi, he’s rattled off four straight victories. The last three however, have come via knockout. This fight will be Mousasi’s 50th professional fight, as well as his last on his UFC contract. With the Middleweight division in flux, this could be the last time we see Mousasi in the UFC.

Anyways, let’s get to the predictions!

UFC 210 PPV Main Card (10 p.m. ET):

205 lbs.: UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Daniel Cormier vs. Anthony Johnson – The mother load! I’m super excited for this fight, as it’s bound to be fireworks. Instead of setting up a background like I did earlier, I’m just going to breakdown what I think’s going to happen in this fight.

I believe Anthony Johnson is going to win this and it has to do with a few factors. One, this is not a short notice fight like the first one. If you remember correctly, Anthony Johnson was supposed to fight Jon Jones at UFC 187. Less than a month out, Jon Jones got suspended and stripped of his belt and in stepped Daniel Cormier. A completely different fighter than Jon Jones. Two, Johnson obviously has the most devastating knockout power in the division. Three, Cormier is 38 years old, he barely made weight for this fight (bad weight cut) and I just can’t see him beating what I assume to be an adjusted “Rumble” Johnson.

I wish Cormier would get more respect for his accomplishments and what he’s done for his age. I mean, he started mixed martial arts late and fought at Heavyweight. He could of been the champion there, but his teammate Cain Velasquez controlled that division at the time. He drops to Light Heavyweight and defeats every monster except the greatest fighter of all-time in Jon Jones. His dad was murdered and his daughter passed away, yet he’s fought through this adversity, as well as being older and less experienced to become a Champion and a dam good fighter. Sorry for the rant, but C’mon… the guy gets boo’d for no reason.

Anyways and even though I ranted for respect for Cormier, I got “Rumble” Johnson winning this via first-round knockout. I know this has been the most up-and-down and odd breakdown, but o well.

185 lbs.: Gegard Mousasi vs. Chris Weidman – What a Fight this is going to be! You got the former UFC Middleweight Champion against an underrated Gegard Mousasi. I say underrated because the guy is 41-6-2 and nobody talks about his accomplishments! He’s the former DREAM and Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and has defeated the likes of Dan Henderson, Ronaldo Souza, Hector Lombard, Mark Hunt, Vitor Belfort, etc… I could go on, but you get the point. Hell, I think the victory over a legit 265 lbs. Heavyweight in Mark Hunt should count as five wins.

Anyways, as much as I admire Gegard Mousasi and his accomplishments, I’ve got Weidman in this fight. The Former Champ has lost two fights in a row and in each, one mistake cost him the fight. He’s literally two mistakes from perhaps being undefeated, but that’s a story for another day. The main reason I’ve got Weidman is simply wrestling. He’s an elite wrestler and Mousasi has had issues with wrestlers. Although his takedown defense is solid, it’s a different story when facing monster like Weidman. Also, I just can’t see Weidman losing a third straight fight. So with that, I got Weidman winning via decision.

115 lbs.: Cynthia Calvillo vs. Pearl Gonzalez – Never heard of Pearl Gonzalez, but any added talent to the Women’s Flyweight division is good. As for Calvillo, she’s coming off a successful UFC debut, as she defeated Amanda Cooper via first round rear-naked choke. That actually happened at UFC 209, so this will be back to back pay-per-veiw fights. I can’t recall a fighter doing that before, but I’m sure it’s been done. Anyways, I got Calvillo via late submission.

170 lbs.: Thiago Alves vs. Patrick Cote – This is certainly a throw back fight, as you have two legit UFC veterans here. Both men have had at least 20 fights in the UFC, which is an incredible feat. Anyways, I’ve got Cote here. He’s a massive Welterweight, having fought most of career at Middleweight. He’s also the more capable grappler, as Alves is solely a striker. Cote can strike too, has power and a hell of chin. I mean, it took Donald Cerrone to finish Cote for the first time via strikes, in his 33rd pro fight. Don’t get me wrong, Alves can finish Cote via strikes, but I don’t see it. He’s just too hot and cold to know what Alves you’re going to get. So with that, I got Cote via decision.
155 lbs.: Will Brooks vs. Charles Oliveira – I could not be more disappointed with Will Brooks since coming over to the UFC from Bellator. He was an elite champion in Bellator, who defeated Michael Chandler twice and the second time was pure destruction. And in his UFC debut, he narrowly edges out Ross Pearson and then gets TKO’d by Alex Oliveira. Brooks did break his rib in the fight and Oliveira missed weight by 5.5 lbs, subsequently moving up to Welterweight following this fight. Anyways, Oliveira who’s fought at Featherweight the entirety of his UFC card, has finally moved up to Lightweight. I mean, he’s practically fought at Lightweight the amount of times he’s missed weight.

As for a prediction, I’m siding with Brooks. As good of a grappler and submission artist Oliveira is, Brooks has the type of wrestling to neutralize it. It just depends if the Bellator champion Brooks shows up… I’m certainly hoping so, as I’ve got Brooks via 3rd round TKO!

UFC 210 Prelims on FOX Sports 1 (8 p.m. ET):

145 lbs.: Mike De La Torre vs. Myles Jury – It’s been awhile since Myles Jury last fought, but it looks like the UFC gave him a fight to get him back on track here. Once touted as the next big thing, Jury won his first 6 fights in the UFC, defeating the likes of Michael Johnson and Diego Sanchez. However, Donald Cerrone ended the Myles Jury hype-train and Charles Oliveira proceeded to derail it. Nevertheless, Jury is back and I like this matchup. No offense to De La Torre, but he’s going to get buzz-sawed here. So with that, I got Jury via late TKO.

170 lbs.: Sean Strickland vs. Kamaru Usman – Fun fight, but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…Kamaru Usman is a future champion. Between his elite wrestling and his ever improving striking, the formula is there. No disrespect to Strickland, who is a gritty as they come. I mean, beating the likes of Tom Breese and Alex Garcia is solid. And at age 26, the sky is the limit. However, not in this fight. Usman is going to take this fight wherever he wants and I could see him putting away Strickland late. But, I’m a stick with Usman via decision.
145 lbs.: Shane Burgos vs. Charles Rosa – This is a coin flip for me. Rosa is a fun fighter who will engage in a brawl and if there is a scramble, he’s a wizard and will come out in mount somehow. However, he’s just a bit too reckless for liking and it seems like when he fights down in competition, it’s closer. With Burgus being a massive featherweight, I see him overpowering Rosa and taking this via split decision.
205 lbs.: Jan Blachowicz vs. Patrick Cummins – This seems like a loser leaves town type of fight, as both men have lost their last three of four fights. Both men are somehow tied as the #12th ranked fighter according to the UFC rankings, which just shows you how shallow the division is. Anyways, I’m siding with Cummins here. As good as Blachowicz looked on the feet against Alexander Gustafsson, it was his takedown defense that was easily exploited. Cummins is a two-time Division I All-American wrestler and if Gustafsson could easily take Blachowicz down, I don’t think Cummins should have any issues. Lot’s of rinse and repeat here from Cummins en route to a decision victory.

UFC 210 Prelims on Fight Pass (6:15 p.m. ET):

155 lbs.: Gregor Gillespie vs. Andrew Holbrook – I gotta admit, I was very impressed by Andrew Holbrook when he defeated Jake Matthews. I honestly thought he had no chance, especially considering the momentum and progression Matthews had shown. However, I’m not siding with him here. He’s a bit wild at times, which plays right into Gillespie’s grappling. I expect a healthy dose of takedowns and heavy top control en route to a decision victory.

155 lbs.: Josh Emmett vs. Desmond Green – This is a fun fight, but I got Emmett here. I’ve been super impressed, as he defeated a veteran in Jon Tuck in his debut and then followed that up with a victory over a wrestler in Scott Holtzman. Emmett is pretty well rounded, as he’s got excellent takedown defense and fast hands with power. If I were to compare Emmett to any fighter, I’d probably say Clay Guida. As for Desmond Green, I believe he’s got potential, but at this current moment he’s only serviceable everywhere. Emmett is going to swarm him and I could very well see a finish here, but I’m just going to side with the decision victory by Emmett.
135 lbs.: Irene Aldana vs. Katlyn Chookagian – This should be a fun fight, as these two girls like to keep the fight on the feet and strike. Aldana, in her UFC debut showed a high output of strikes and a hell of a chin, as Leslie Smith tagged her several times. As for Chookagian, in her last outing she was bullied by wrestler Liz Carmouche in her lone UFC defeat. Like I said before, this one is going to take place on the feet and I believe that Aldana is the better striker. Chookagian is also a high volume striker, but she has no power and low accuracy. Aldana has some power and she’s a pressure fighter, which is essential for “Octagon control”. So with that, I have Aldana taking this via decision.
125 lbs.: Magomed Bibulatov vs. Jenel Lausa – I still don’t get why the UFC let Kyoji Horiguchi go, but at least they signed the very talented Magomed Bibulatov. With a perfect 13-0 record, the Russian born prospect looks like he could be a future challenger to Flyweight kingpin Demetrious Johnson. As for a prediction, it’s pretty clear I’m high on Bibulatov. I expect him to takedown and control Lausa for three rounds, en route to a decision victory.