UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. Cortez Preview

Rose Namajunas cracks Zhang Weili with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

The UFC returns to Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, with an excellent Fight Night card. In the co-main event, two highly-potent finishers will collide when Santiago Ponzinibbio takes on Muslim Salikhov. In the main event, we’ll see an established legend, Rose Namajunas, face off with quickly rising prospect Tracy Cortez. From the prelims to the main card, there are excellent fights throughout that are sure to create highlights. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage

Abdul Razak Alhassan knocks out Niko Price with a left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Abdul Razak Alhassan: 12-6-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Cody Brundage: 10-6-0, 5 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Alhassan has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Niko Price (16-7-0), Alessio Di Chirico (13-7-0), and Claudio Ribeiro (11-5-0). He is an explosive, dangerous striker who prefers power to volume and is always coming forward. He constantly throws looping shots and hooks, often loading up and hunting for the one-shot knockout. Alhassan has a dangerous kicking game, usually throwing them without setup and with massive power. All his professional wins have come via finish, with eleven coming in round one. Training with Elevation Fight Team, he has a black belt in Judo, is very strong in the clinch, and can land throws and trips when in close. Alhassan averages just under one takedown landed per fifteen minutes but is usually comfortable keeping the fight standing.

Cody Brundage rains down ground and pound onto Tresean Gore. Credit: MMA Mania.

Brundage has won two of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Tresean Gore (5-2-0), Dalcha Lungiambula (11-6-0), and Jacob Malkoun (8-3-0). He is a powerful wrestler with solid power in his hands. He’s averaging over two takedowns landed and nearly one submission attempted per fifteen minutes. Brundage is willing to fight on the feet and throws everything with power, often ducking his head to throw counterstrikes. He uses a great variety of attacks and is a creative striker, with him most commonly throwing overhands and hooks. Training at FactoryX Muay Thai, he often shoots early and has solid takedowns, usually securing them quickly. Brundage is exceptionally explosive and unpredictable, holding one-shot knockout power and regularly jumping guillotines.

Julian Erosa vs. Christian Rodriguez

Julian Erosa lands a flying knee on Nate Landwehr. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Featherweight Bout

Julian Erosa: 29-12-0, 11 KO/TKO, 13 Sub.

Christian Rodriguez: 11-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Erosa has won three of his last five outings and has wins over Hakeem Dawodu (13-4-1), Charles Jourdain (15-8-1), and Nate Landwehr (18-5-0). He utilizes an awkward style on the feet, staying upright with his hands down and throwing lots of looping hooks from strange angles. He is seemingly always moving forward, whether to initiate a grappling exchange or land strikes and has the cardio to easily do so over three rounds. Erosa is willing to get into brawls on the feet, gladly hanging in the pocket and exchanging combinations. Training at Xtreme Couture, he averages over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and is a slick submission artist, with two UFC victories via D’arce choke, one of which was standing. He has proven to be a bit of a slow starter but heats up as the fight goes on. Erosa has found 75% of his finishes after the first round and is always dangerous.

Christian Rodriguez chokes out Joshua Weems. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Rodriguez has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Raul Rosas Jr. (9-1-0), Joshua Weems (10-3-0), and Cameron Saaiman (9-2-0). He’s a well-rounded scrapper with excellent counterstriking and a slick submission game. He’s constantly pressuring forward, looking to draw punches out of his opponent to land counterstrikes. Rodriguez always looks to close the distance, regularly throwing step-in elbows and knees. He’s averaging over one takedown landed and over one submission attempted per fifteen minutes. Training at Roufusport, he has excellent transitions and reversals on the ground, always placing himself in an advantageous position. Rodriguez has consistently been matched up with other top prospects, with three of his promotional victories coming over undefeated fighters. 

Gabriel Bonfim vs. Ange Loosa

Gabriel Bonfim submits Trevin Giles with a guillotine choke. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Welterweight Bout

Gabriel Bonfim: 15-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 12 Sub.

Ange Loosa: 10-3-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Bonfim has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Mounir Lazzez (11-3-0) and Trevin Giles (16-6-0). He always comes out guns blazing, throwing bombs, and looking for an early finish. Fighting behind his jab, he uses crisp boxing and consistently throws in combination, possessing excellent speed and power in his hands. Bonfim loves to engage in the pocket and tends to headhunt but won’t get sloppy, always keeping his guard high and his punches tight and straight. He has a deadly submission game, can find chokes from seemingly anywhere, and has fantastic takedowns. Training at Cerrado MMA, he advances with lightning speed on the ground and always pursues a finish. Bonfim has finished all his professional wins and pushes a crazy pace from the first bell to the last.

Ange Loosa blasts Rhys McKee with a right overhand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Loosa has won three of his last five outings with one no-contest and has UFC victories over AJ Fletcher (10-3-0) and Rhys McKee (13-6-1). He’s a powerful, technical striker who can land damage anywhere, any time. He’s always willing to eat a shot to land one, absorbing, on average, about 83 significant strikes per fight in his promotional tenure. Loosa throws every shot straight and tight, regularly lunging forward to unload 1-2 combinations. He’s averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and has brutal ground and pound. He remains technical throughout, fighting behind his jab and always keeping his hands high. Loosa won his first six professional fights by first-round finish and is at his most dangerous early on.

Drew Dober vs. Jean Silva

Drew Dober unloads a brutal left hand onto Rafael Alves. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Lightweight Bout

Drew Dober: 27-13-0, 15 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Jean Silva: 13-2-0, 10 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Dober has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #15 ranked Lightweight Bobby Green (32-15-1), Terrance McKinney (15-7-0), and Nasrat Haqparast (17-5-0). He is an excellent striker with a Muay Thai background and a black belt in Taekwondo. He always stays technical and throws all his punches tight and straight, rarely throwing looping shots. Dober throws everything with knockout intentions and carries his power across all three rounds. Training with Elevation Fight Team, he has excellent head movement and varies his shots, attacking the head and body evenly. He’s willing to brawl in the pocket but doesn’t get sloppy, has solid footwork, and is always coming forward. Dober does a great job of moving in and out of the pocket, throwing kicks at range, and landing damaging combinations in close.

Jean Silva fires ground and pound at Charles Jourdain. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Silva is on a ten-fight win streak and has UFC victories over Westin Wilson (17-9-0) and Charles Jourdain (15-8-1). He’s a flashy striker with power in both hands who constantly hunts for a knockout. He starts slow, looking for openings and throwing heavy, single shots. Silva can get wild on the feet, fighting with his hands low, talking trash, and attempting spinning and jumping attacks. Training with Fighting Nerds, he heats up as the fight continues, gradually increasing his forward pressure and output. His best shots are his right straight and lead hook, and he’ll constantly look to set up either. Silva has only left the first round twice during his win streak and has the power to produce a flash knockout at any time.

Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov

Santiago Ponzinibbio catches Miguel Baeza with a right overhand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Welterweight Bout

Santiago Ponzinibbio: 30-7-0, 16 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Muslim Salikhov: 19-5-0, 13 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Ponzinibbio has won two of his last five bouts and has wins over #12 ranked welterweight Neil Magny (29-10-0), Miguel Baeza (10-4-0), and Alex Morono (24-10-0). Training at American Top Team, Ponzinibbio is an impressive striker with serious power, always using a solid variety of attacks to get the job done. Ponzinibbio has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a solid submission game, but he’s unlikely to take the fight to the mat. He remains technical throughout a fight and is comfortable fighting at range and in the pocket. Averaging about 85 significant strikes landed per fight in his last five bouts, Ponzinibbio has a great chin, solid cardio, and can push a consistent pace across 15 minutes. Fifteen of his 22 career finishes have come in the first round, so he’s very dangerous early in the fight.

Muslim Salikhov lands a spinning kick on Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Salikhov has won two of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Franciso Trinaldo (28-9-0), Andre Fialho (16-9-0), and Nordine Taleb (15-7-0). He holds the rank of Master of Sport in Wushu Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) and a pro kickboxing record of 185-13 with 76 wins by knockout. He’s an incredibly dangerous striker, possessing solid power and excellent technical skills. Salikhov has an impressive arsenal of kicks, particularly his array of spinning attacks that he loves to throw. Training at Berkut FC, he’s also very defensively sound, having defended 62% of significant strikes attempted on him in his promotional tenure. He is willing to grapple and averages just over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes, typically raining down devastating ground and pound when in top position. Salikhov is highly experienced and very tough to put away, always coming forward and looking to do damage throughout the fight.

#6 Rose Namajunas vs. #11 Tracy Cortez

Rose Namajunas lands a side kick on Amanda Ribas. Credit: MMA Mania.

Women’s Flyweight Bout

Rose Namajunas: 13-6-0, 2 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Tracy Cortez: 11-1-0, 1 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Namajunas has won three of her last five outings and has wins over former UFC Strawweight champions Jessica Andrade (26-12-0), Joanna Jedrzejczyk (16-5-0), and Zhang Weili (25-3-0). She’s a well-rounded fighter with a solid kickboxing game and excellent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Training at 303 Training Center, she has sneaky power, a sturdy chin, and has proven her ability to go five rounds without slowing. Holding black belts in both Taekwondo and Karate, Namajunas has very educated feet and crisp boxing. Averaging over one takedown landed per 15 minutes, she is willing to engage in grappling exchanges and has great top control to complement her excellent submission game. Six of her last nine bouts have been for titles against some of the fiercest competition in the sport, making her prepared for nearly anything. She’s been awarded six bonuses and has five finishes in the promotion, almost always leaving everything in the cage.

Tracy Cortez tags Justine Kish with a right hand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Cortez is on an 11-fight win streak and has UFC victories over #15 ranked Flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius (10-3-0), Melissa Gatto (9-2-2), and Stephanie Egger (8-5-0). She's a talented grappler with solid hands and is comfortable wherever the fight goes. She’s averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and has landed a takedown in all her UFC appearances but one. Cortez has heavy top control and stays patient in top position, never putting herself in comprising positions. Training at Fight Ready, she does most of her work on the feet inside the pocket, throwing in combination and favoring volume to power. She has excellent cardio and pushes a consistent pace, fighting behind her jab and remaining technical throughout. Cortez has landed, on average, over 60 significant strikes per fight in her promotional tenure and is willing to eat a shot to land one.

Best Bets

Cody Brundage Moneyline: One of the more explosive matchups on the card; both fighters are very dangerous. What truly separates the two is their grappling. While Alhassan has a black belt in Judo, he’s struggled when facing powerful wrestlers in the UFC. In five of his six losses in the promotion, he was taken down more than three times and outstruck on the stat sheet. While Brundage is not a volume fighter, he is a powerful wrestler willing to shoot early. If he can take the fight to the mat early on, Alhassan is likely to gas and become more susceptible to takedowns and being controlled. Assuming Brundage doesn’t decide to have a crazy brawl, he should be able to grapple his way to victory.

Drew Dober Moneyline: A bit of an odd matchup; Silva is stepping in on two weeks' notice after fighting at UFC 303. While he hardly absorbed damage in that bout, he’s now facing an exceptionally dangerous, powerful opponent. With this being just the third UFC appearance for Silva, it’s unlikely he’s faced an opponent with the skill, power, or chin of Dober. Now a decade-long veteran of the UFC, Dober has seen it all in one of the most dangerous divisions in the sport. Given the fact that he’s on a full training camp and much more experienced, I expect Dober to be too much too soon for Silva. I expect this fight to devolve into a brawl quickly, one I believe Dober will get the better of and secure the win.

Rose Namajunas by Submission: Another short-notice matchup, Cortez is stepping in on just under two weeks’ notice into her first main event spot. While she’s proven exceptionally well-rounded and durable, this is an enormous jump in competition. In her sixth UFC appearance, she will be taking on a former multi-time champion with an exceptional resume in the first 5-round fight of Cortez’s young career. In contrast, seven of Namajunas’s last nine fights were five rounds, and she’s been facing top-level competition for over a decade. She has a technical advantage nearly anywhere in this fight; I expect Namajunas to win the exchanges on the feet, forcing Cortez to grapple and allowing Namajunas to find a submission victory.

UFC 303 Preview

Alex Pereira flattens Sean Strickland with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

The UFC returns to its home base at T-Mobile Arena with an outstanding pay-per-view card. In the co-main event, we’ll see two outstanding grapplers face off when Brian Ortega takes on Diego Lopes. In the main event, we’ll witness a historic rematch of two dangerous scrappers, Alex Pereira and Jiří Procházka. This entire card is loaded from top to bottom and is sure to deliver throughout. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

#7 Ian Machado Garry vs. #14 Michael Page

Ian Machado Garry fires a front kick at Neil Magny. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Welterweight Bout

Ian Machado Garry: 14-0-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Michael Page: 22-2-0, 13 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Garry is undefeated and has UFC victories over #10 ranked Welterweight Geoff Neal (15-6-0), #12 ranked Welterweight Neil Magny (29-12-0), and Daniel Rodriguez (17-5-0). He’s an excellent striker with a very fluid style, constantly moving and bouncing on his feet with an almost karate-like stance. He’s highly accurate, having landed 55% of the significant strikes he has attempted in the UFC, and remains patient, always looking for openings. Garry fights behind his jab and has excellent distance management, typically controlling the center of the cage and forcing his opponent to the outside. He has a deadly kicking arsenal and uses them to do significant damage at range, never telegraphing and constantly mixing kicks into punch combinations. Training at Chute Boxe, he holds a black belt in Judo and has solid takedown defense but rarely initiates grappling exchanges. Garry benefits from a slower, more technical fight, yet to be pulled into a knockdown, drag-out brawl.

Michael Page lands a brutal spinning elbow on Kevin Holland. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Page has won four of his last five bouts and has a UFC victory over #15 ranked Welterweight Kevin Holland (26-11-0). Arguably the biggest star in Bellator history, he held a record of 17-2 in the promotion in his decade-long tenure. One of the most dangerous kickboxers in the sport, he has a fantastic arsenal of flashy kicks and flashier celebrations. Training at London Shootfighters, Page is in perpetual motion, keeping his hands down and his stance wide, looking for openings to land devastating kicks or combinations. He never telegraphs his attacks, constantly changes his target, and has fantastic distance management. He won’t typically pursue grappling exchanges but has solid takedown defense and submissions. With 13 finishes in the first round, Page is most dangerous early on. 

#3 Mayra Bueno Silva vs. #7 Macy Chiasson

Mayra Bueno Silva cracks Wu Yanan with a jab. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout

Mayra Bueno Silva: 10-3-1, 1 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Macy Chiasson: 10-3-0, 3 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Bueno Silva has won three of her last five fights with one no-contest and has UFC victories over Wu Yanan (12-7-0), Gillian Robertson (13-8-0), and Mara Romero Borella (12-9-0). She’s a wild, well-rounded fighter in constant pursuit of a finish. She’s perpetually coming forward on the feet, often throwing single shots and naked kicks with serious power. Bueno Silva varies her shots well, attacking the head and body evenly and typically setting up her offense with leg kicks. Although she won’t usually land many takedowns, she averages nearly two submissions attempted per fifteen minutes and is very dangerous on the ground. Training at American Top Team, she has heavy top pressure and never accepts a position, always looking to advance and find a submission. Bueno Silva prefers power to volume, throwing plenty of looping shots and loading up on her punches.

Macy Chiasson rains down ground and pound on Sarah Moras. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Chiasson has won three of her last five fights and has UFC victories over #10 ranked Bantamweight Norma Dumont (11-2-0), #11 ranked Bantamweight Pannie Kianzad (17-8-0), and Gina Mazany (8-6-0). She is a lengthy fighter, using her reach to attack both the head and body, often landing big shots when at range. The winner of TUF season 28, she’s willing to take the fight to the ground, doing plenty of work on the feet while regularly mixing in takedowns. When she does get the fight to the mat, Chiasson uses solid top control to land ground and pound, not usually pursuing submissions. Training at Fortis MMA, she has a decent arsenal of kicks to back up her hands, throwing a good variety of kicks to the head and body, especially front kicks. She favors power to volume, using her size and strength to damage her opponents. Chiasson is always dangerous, with most of her finishes coming after round one.

#10 Anthony Smith vs. #10 (MW) Roman Dolidze

Anthony Smith stuns Jimmy Crute with a jab. Credit: Sportstar.

Light Heavyweight Bout

Anthony Smith: 38-19-0, 19 KO/TKO, 15 Sub.

Roman Dolidze: 12-3-0, 7 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Smith has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #9 ranked Volkan Oezdemir (20-7-0),  Ryan Spann (21-10-0), and Alexander Gustafsson (18-8-0). A well-rounded veteran, he’s highly durable and always pushes a consistent pace. He throws everything with power but remains technical throughout, always keeping his hands high and his shots straight. Smith fights behind his jab, never telegraphs or loads up, and constantly looks to close the distance and let his hands go. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has solid takedowns and top control. Training at FactoyX Muay Thai, he’s patient on top, looking for submission openings without putting himself in dangerous positions. Smith is rarely in a boring fight and always leaves everything in the cage, holding six Performance of the Night bonuses. 

Roman Dolidze cracks Marvin Vettori with a left hand. Credit: MMA Mania.

Dolidze has won four of his last five outings and has wins over #9 ranked Middleweight Jack Hermansson (24-8-0), Phil Hawes (12-6-0), and Kyle Daukaus (14-4-0). He is an accomplished grappler outside of MMA and has a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Sambo background. Averaging over one takedown landed and one submission attempted per fifteen minutes, he is most at home on the mat. Dolidze is excellent in the clinch and very hard to shake off, possessing devastating striking in close, particularly knees. Training at Xtreme Couture, he won’t put out too much ground and pound, choosing to focus on advancing position. He has good power in his hands and prefers to counter-strike when on the feet, not moving his feet a ton but always moving his head. Dolidze gets his best work done in the clinch, often throwing power shots in the pocket while exiting the clinch.

#3 (FW) Brian Ortega vs. #14 (FW) Diego Lopes

Brian Ortega catches Yair Rodriguez with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Lightweight Bout

Brian Ortega: 16-3-0, 3 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Diego Lopes: 24-6-0, 10 KO/TKO, 12 Sub.

Ortega has won two of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Featherweight Yair Rodriguez (16-5-0), #10 ranked Lightweight Renato Moicano (19-5-1), and Frankie Edgar (23-11-1). He’s a well-rounded fighter with technical striking and a slick submission game. He possesses power and speed in his hands, throwing everything tight and straight and never telegraphing his shots. He has a granite chin and excellent cardio, never going away or slowing down during the fight. Ortega advances lightning-fast on the ground, often chaining submissions together and easily transitioning between them. Training at Huntington Beach UTC, he has flashy attacks to back up his technical skill and can land flying knees and spinning attacks. He varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly and regularly landing brutal leg kicks. All of Ortega’s submissions have come via choke, and he is known to have one of the best triangle chokes in MMA.

Diego Lopes blasts Sodiq Yusuff with an uppercut. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Lopes has won four of his last five fights, and has UFC victories over Sodiq Yusuff (13-4-0), Pat Sabatini (18-5-0), and Gavin Tucker (13-3-0). A well-rounded scrapper, he throws every shot with knockout intentions and constantly seeks a finish. He has one-shot KO power on the feet and has excellent accuracy and timing. Lopes has fast, powerful kicks and tends to get wild with his striking. Training at Lobo Gym MMA, he has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is dangerous anywhere the fight goes. He has a vicious submission game on top and bottom, constantly transitioning and looking for openings. Lopes has excellent ground and pound on top, which he’ll often use to set up a submission.

(C) Alex Pereira vs. #1 Jiří Procházka

Alex Pereira fires a jab at Jiří Procházka. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Light Heavyweight Title Bout

Alex Pereira: 10-2-0, 8 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Jiří Procházka: 30-4-1, 26 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Pereira has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #1 ranked Middleweight Sean Strickland (29-6-0), #1 ranked Light Heavyweight Jiří Procházka (30-4-1), and #4 ranked Light Heavyweight Jan Blachowicz (29-10-1). He is a former Glory Kickboxing Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion with a pro kickboxing record of 40-7. He is notorious for having the most devastating left hook in combat sports and loves letting it fly. Pereira has just as heavy kicks to back up his heavy hands, which he’ll often use to find his range before getting into the pocket to throw big hooks and devastating knees. He’s comfortable fighting on the outside of the octagon but is most dangerous when he takes the center and cuts off his opponent. Pereira has shown solid takedown defense and continually improving grappling, but still prefers to keep it standing. Training at Teixeira MMA, he doesn’t move a ton on the feet and sometimes stands straight in front of his opponent, waiting for them to throw something so he can fire back.

Jiří Procházka locks in a rear naked choke on Glover Teixeira. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Procházka has won four of his last five fights and has UFC wins over former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira (33-9-0), #9 ranked Light Heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir (19-7-0), and #14 ranked Light Heavyweight Dominick Reyes (12-4-0). He’s an elusive striker with a unique style and serious power. He has excellent head movement and footwork, never remaining in one spot long and constantly attacking from different angles. Procházka never telegraphs his strikes, always keeping his hands down and throwing every shot with fight-ending intentions. Training at Jetsaam Gym Brno, he’s always coming forward but won’t get sloppy, remaining patient and looking for openings to land strikes. He won’t typically look for takedowns but has solid pressure on top and a great submission game. Procházka hasn’t been to a decision since 2016 and finished his last eleven wins with ten knockouts and one submission.

Best Bets

Anthony Smith Moneyline: One of the more bizarre matchups on the card, this came together on late notice. Dolidze is coming up in weight to fight Smith, usually fighting at Middleweight. Considering Dolidze has a more wrestling-based game, coming up in weight and taking on a potentially bigger, stronger opponent could be a dangerous challenge. Smith is an underrated grappler, possessing a solid submission game and excellent takedown defense. Smith has also gone five rounds multiple times and can handle a grappling-heavy pace for three rounds. Smith should be able to fend off the takedowns and wear out Dolidze to earn a solid victory.

Diego Lopes Moneyline: Another late-notice matchup; this fight was moved from Featherweight to Lightweight recently when Ortega couldn’t make the weight cut. Given the fact that Lopes seems to be the naturally larger fighter, the rise in weight should be to his benefit. Ortega is fantastic on the ground, but Lopes may be one of the few fighters that can match his grappling prowess. I expect these two to have a war on the feet, and with Lopes having the advantage in size and power, he should win most of the exchanges and find a solid victory.

Pereira vs. Procházka Over 1.5 Rounds: We’ve once again been blessed with one of the best matchups in MMA, and I expect an all-out war. Despite that, I expect Procházka to use a more measured, technical style given the outcome of their first fight. Due to this, I expect this fight to last at least to the third round. This is a very rare matchup where no matter who wins, I will be completely satisfied with the result. Thus, I have no desire to pick a winner outright. This will positively be a banger, and I can’t wait to see who takes it.

UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Aliskerov

Robert Whittaker lands a brutal left hand on Paulo Costa. Credit: MMA Fighting.

The UFC returns to Saudi Arabia with a stacked Fight Night card. In the co-main event, two heavy-hitting Russian strikers look to settle some personal issues inside the cage when Alexander Volkov takes on Sergei Pavlovich. In the main event, two highly skilled fighters match up on short notice, Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov. From top to bottom, this card is filled with finishers and fantastic matchups. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

#7 Johnny Walker vs. #9 Volkan Oezdemir

Johnny Walker launches into a flying knee on Anthony Smith. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Light Heavyweight Bout

Johnny Walker: 21-8-0, 16 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Volkan Oezdemir: 19-7-0, 12 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Walker has won three of his last five fights with one No Contest and has wins over #8 ranked Light Heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr. (14-5-0), #10 ranked Light Heavyweight Anthony Smith (38-19-0), and Ryan Spann (21-10-0). With 17 finishes in the first round, he’s clearly at his most dangerous early on. Although very wild upon his promotional debut, he’s become more technical, preferring to stay at range, primarily using his kicks to land damage. Walker is constantly moving and using feints and is at his best when moving forward and leading the fight, often struggling when put on the back foot. He doesn’t seem interested in getting into brawls anymore and is much better off in a technical kickboxing match than a wild scrap. Training at SBG Ireland, he is enormous at 6’6”, even for a Light Heavyweight, and uses his size and reach to keep out of his opponent’s range and land strikes. Although Walker won’t typically take it to the mat, he has a 100% takedown success rate and a solid submission game.

Volkan Oezdemir stuns Paul Craig with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Oezdemir has won two of his last five outings and holds victories over #4 ranked Light Heavyweight Aleksander Rakic (14-4-0), Paul Craig (17-6-1), and Bogdan Guskov (16-3-0). He has a background in kickboxing and held a 5-0 record professionally before entering MMA. While he primarily uses his hands and fights in the pocket, he has powerful kicks and particularly devastating leg kicks. Despite his phonebox-fighting style, Oezdemir stays relatively composed, usually returning to the center of the octagon and resetting after attacking. Training at Allstars Training Center, he has a solid chin and is willing to eat a shot to land one, but he also possesses good head movement. He occasionally initiates grappling exchanges, primarily preferring to remain on the feet, and has denied 80% of takedowns attempted on him in his UFC career. With 12 finishes in the first round, Oezdemir earned the nickname “No Time” and is at his most dangerous early on.

Shara Magomedov vs. Antonio Troccoli

Shara Magomedov cracks Bruno Silva with a head kick. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Middleweight Bout

Shara Magomedov: 12-0-0, 10 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Antonio Troccoli: 12-3-0, 3 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Magomedov is undefeated and has a UFC victory over Bruno Silva (23-11-0). He’s a devastating striker with a fantastic arsenal of kicks. He’s constantly moving and switching stances, never remaining in one spot for long. Magomedov is devastating at range, peppering his opponent with lead leg attacks before blitzing in to throw bombs. Training at GOR MMA, he rarely initiates grappling exchanges, often accepting position on his back and throwing strikes. He regularly looks to land spinning attacks, particularly elbows and backfists. Magomedov has three wins within the first minute of the fight and always comes out guns blazing.

Antonio Troccoli celebrates following a stoppage over Kenneth Bergh. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Trocoli has won two of his last five bouts with one no-contest and is making his UFC debut. An explosive grappler, he won’t waste much time on the feet before shooting a takedown. He uses his length well on the feet, throwing bombs and long straights before closing the distance. Trocoli has excellent trips and throws inside the clinch and advances position quickly on the ground. He’s efficient in top position, rarely wasting energy or putting himself in bad positions. Training at Full House MMA, he’s constantly hunting for submissions and has excellent chokes and backtakes. Trocoli grinds out his opponents in the first round and heats up as the fight continues, with most of his finishes coming in round two or three.

Kelvin Gastelum vs. Daniel Rodriguez

Kelvin Gastelum stuns Israel Adesanya with a jab. Credit: EssentiallySports.

Middleweight Bout

Kelvin Gastelum: 18-9-0, 6 KO/TKO, 5 Sub,

Daniel Rodriguez: 17-4-0, 8 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Gastelum has won two of his last five fights and has victories over former UFC Middleweight champion Michael Bisping (30-9-0), Chris Curtis (31-11-0), and Jacare Souza (26-10-0). He’s a well-rounded fighter who’s highly durable and comfortable wherever the fight goes. He’s constantly moving and feinting on the feet, never staying in one spot or keeping his head on the centerline for long. Gastelum is willing to eat a shot to land one and has solid power, throwing every shot in combination and with purpose. Training at Fight Ready, he’s averaging about one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and has a black belt in BJJ. He has heavy ground and pound and dangerous chokes, with three of his four submissions coming via rear naked choke. Gastelum has earned eight bonuses in his ten-year promotional tenure and is never in a boring fight, win or lose.

Daniel Rodriguez cracks Kevin Lee with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Rodriguez has won three of his last outings and has UFC victories over Mike Perry (14-8-0), Tim Means (33-16-1), and Li Jingliang (19-8-0). He’s an excellent Muay Thai striker who favors kicks over punches. He remains technical throughout the fight, fighting behind his jab and always pushing for a finish without getting sloppy. Training at Syndicate MMA, Rodriguez has great movement and footwork on the feet, attacking from different angles with a variety of strikes. He has exceptionally fast kicks, usually throwing to the legs at the beginning and end of combinations. He’s proven highly durable, regularly surviving in deep waters and finding his way back into fights. Rodriguez is unlikely to initiate grappling but has solid takedown defense and does an excellent job of getting back to his feet where he’s most comfortable.

#3 Sergei Pavlovich vs. #5 Alexander Volkov

Sergei Pavlovich blasts Curtis Blaydes with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Heavyweight Bout

Sergei Pavlovich: 18-2-0, 15 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Alexander Volkov: 37-10-0, 24 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Pavlovich has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Heavyweight Curtis Blaydes (18-4-0), #10 ranked Heavyweight Tai Tuivasa (15-7-0), and #11 ranked Heavyweight Derrick Lewis (28-12-0). One of the most destructive punchers in the sport, he comes out guns blazing, on the hunt for a knockout the second the fight begins. He tends to fight behind his jab and throw in combination, constantly pressuring forward. Pavlovich never throws kicks, always looking to close the distance and let his hands go inside the pocket. Training at American Top Team, he doesn’t need much space to do significant damage and throws everything with bad intentions. He has one-shot knockout power, with all fifteen of his knockouts coming in round one. Pavlovich hasn’t left the first round in nine fights and has the third-highest significant strikes landed per minute in UFC history at 8.21.

Alexander Volkov lands a damaging head kick on Greg Hardy. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Volkov has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #8 ranked Heavyweight Marcin Tybura (25-8-0), #12 ranked Heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik (14-5-0), and #13 ranked Heavyweight Alexandr Romanov (17-3-0). He is a lengthy, technical striker who can land damage at range or inside. He has solid footwork and head movement, tending to skirt along the outside of the cage while picking his opponents apart. Volkov is highly accurate and throws everything with purpose, always keeping his shots tight and straight. His best weapons are his front kick and right straight, which he’s constantly looking to set up. Training with Strela Team, he’s powerful inside the clinch and uses his length very well, making him particularly hard to take down. Volkov possesses classic heavyweight cardio; he keeps his power across all 15 minutes, but his pace decreases as the fight continues.

#3 Robert Whittaker vs. Ikram Aliskerov

Robert Whittaker connects with a powerful right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Robert Whittaker: 26-7-0, 10 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Ikram Aliskerov: 15-1-0, 6 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Whittaker has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Middleweight Jared Cannonier (17-6-0), #5 ranked Middleweight Marvin Vettori (19-7-1), and #8 ranked Paulo Costa (14-4-0). He is an excellent, technical striker in perpetual motion, constantly bouncing and throwing in combination. Utilizing his karate background, he has fantastic lead leg attacks and throws all his shots tight and straight. Training at PMA Martial Arts, Whittaker varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly and never overextending or getting sloppy. He’s elusive, never staying in one spot for long, and always keeps his head off the centerline. He does an excellent job mixing kicks into combinations, making them extremely hard to predict or see before they land. Whittaker has great cardio and remains composed throughout, easily able to go for 25 minutes.

Ikram Aliskerov lights up Warlley Alves along the fence. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Aliskerov has won all his last five fights and has a UFC victory over Phil Hawes (12-5-0) and Warlley Alves (15-8-0). He’s a well-rounded, technical fighter who pushes a consistent pace and is always dangerous. He never telegraphs his attacks, fights behind his jab, and throws everything in combination. Training with the KHK MMA Team, Aliskerov is a former world champion in Sambo and has excellent top control, typically holding half guard and landing brutal ground and pound. He passes quickly and has impressive reversals, often denying takedowns and ending up on top. He does most of his damage on the inside with his punches but has heavy kicks and well-timed knees. Aliskerov has one-shot knockout power and has finished four of his last five fights.

Best Bets

Johnny Walker Moneyline: This is one of the more interesting matchups on the card. Although Walker has reigned in his style significantly, he’s vastly more wild than the highly technical Oezdemir. They have extremely opposing styles and paces, with Walker pushing a frenetic pace while Oezdemir is more comfortable in a slower pace, technical kickboxing match. Oezdemir has struggled when pushed hard, and that’s exactly what I expect Walker’s gameplan to be. Walker should stay in his face from the opening bell, and if he does, he should secure a finish.

Sergei Pavlovich by KO/TKO: There is some personal beef involved in this fight, which always increases the intensity inside the cage. Considering both already push a very heavy pace, I can’t imagine the intensity when they both collide in the octagon. With that said, a wild brawl is definitely to the benefit of Pavlovich. He has the power advantage over nearly anyone in the division, and likely doesn’t have to concern himself with defending takedowns in this matchup. Assuming Volkov uses his typical striking style, Pavlovich should be able to get past the kicks and lengthy striking and do what he does best: land bombs inside the pocket. If he gets his hands going early as he tends to do, I don’t think Volkov will be able to weather the storm for long.

Robert Whittaker Moneyline: Due to the short-notice scheduling of this bout, neither man had much time to prepare for each other. While Aliskerov is an exceptional fighter, this will be just his third appearance in the UFC. He’s had two fantastic performances, but wasn’t facing the highest-level competition, certainly not the caliber of Whittaker. This is a similar situation to Benoit Saint Denis facing Dustin Poirier: while highly talented, he simply wasn’t ready for that significant of a jump up the rankings. Whittaker is a perennial title contender and has been consistently facing the best of the best for a long time. Whittaker is on a higher level, and I expect him to back that up with an impressive victory on Saturday.

UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Imavov Preview

Jared Cannonier cracks Sean Strickland with a left hand. Credit: MMA Mania.

The UFC hits Louisville, Kentucky with an outstanding Fight Night card. In the co-main event, two exciting power punchers collide when Dominick Reyes takes on Dustin Jacoby. In the main event, a quickly rising star, Nassourdine Imavov, faces off against a perennial title contender, Jared Cannonier. The entire card is loaded with great matchups and exciting fighters all looking to earn a highlight-reel victory. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Miguel Baeza vs. Punahele Soriano

Miguel Baeza blasts Matt Brown with an elbow. Credit: DraftKings Network.

Welterweight Bout

Miguel Baeza: 10-3-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Punahele Soriano: 9-4-0, 6 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Baeza has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Takashi Sato (16-7-0), Hector Aldana (4-4-0), and Matt Brown (26-19-0). He’s a dangerous, technical striker with a slick submission game. He stays patient on the feet, chipping away with low kicks while looking for openings to land power shots. Baeza varies his shots well, attacking the head, body, and legs constantly. Training at MMA Masters, he’s defended 100% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC and can find submissions quickly on the mat. If he chooses to initiate a grappling exchange, he won’t waste much time on ground and pound, averaging nearly two submission attempts per fifteen minutes. He’s been awarded a bonus in all his UFC victories and always seeks another highlight victory.

Punahele Soriano catches Dusko Todorovic with a brutal left. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Soriano has won one of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Dusko Todorovic (12-4-0), Oskar Piechota (11-3-1), and Dalcha Lungiambula (11-6-0). He has devastating power in his hands and can produce a flash knockout, with seven of his nine wins coming in the first round. He’s at his most dangerous inside the pocket, throwing massive hooks and letting his hands go. Soriano occasionally mixes in kicks when he leaves the pocket, mainly to the head or body. He’s constantly coming forward and pressuring his opponent, keeping them moving backward while he throws bombs. Training at Xtreme Couture, he loves to headhunt on the feet but has also shown some solid wrestling to complement his striking. Soriano started his career as a Heavyweight and still possesses that power at 185 pounds.

Julian Marquez vs. Zach Reese

Julian Marquez submits Maki Pitolo with an anaconda choke. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Julian Marquez: 9-4-0, 6 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Zach Reese: 6-1-0, 4 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Marquez has won two of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Sam Alvey (34-18-1), Darren Stewart (16-10-0), and Maki Pitolo (15-11-0). He’s a well-rounded brawler who’s always looking to push the action. He’s constantly coming forward, pressuring his opponent, and crashing into the pocket to throw big, looping hooks. Marquez has not attempted a takedown in UFC but is averaging over two submission attempts per fifteen minutes, often finding submissions defensively. He never accepts position on the ground, always looking to improve and find a finish, usually a choke. Training at FactoryX Muay Thai, he tends to headhunt and throw every shot with knockout intentions.  Marquez has scored all of his UFC finishes in round two or three and can survive in deep waters.

Zach Reese lands a stiff left on Eli Aronov. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Reese has won four of his last five fights and is looking to score his first UFC victory. He’s a well-rounded prospect with impressive power and excellent submissions. He uses a very upright stance and comes out guns blazing, blasting his opponent with heavy kicks before blitzing into the pocket with punches. Reese looks to overwhelm his opponent early, using both power and volume to back his opponent up. He has excellent clinch takedowns and can quickly find submissions on top and off his back. Training at W4R Training Center, he has excellent top control, heavy ground and pound, and won’t accept position on the ground. Every fight of Reese’s brief career has ended in the first round, only reaching the second minute of the round once.

Brunno Ferreira vs. Dustin Stoltzfus

Bruno Ferreira lands a brutal knee on Phil Hawes. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Brunno Ferreira: 11-1-0, 8 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Dustin Stoltzfus: 15-5-0, 2 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Ferreira has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Gregory Rodrigues (15-5-0) and Phil Hawes (12-6-0). He is an explosive striker with one-shot knockout power. He’s constantly feinting, switching stances, looking for openings, and attacking from different angles. Ferreira has finished all eleven wins, with just two of his career outings seeing a second round. Training at Evolucao Thai, he prefers power to volume and has excellent head movement along with big-time power in both hands. A true brawler, he regularly attempts risky maneuvers like Superman punches and spinning kicks. Ferreira is willing to grapple and usually takes the fight to the mat via vicious slam takedowns before unleashing hellacious ground-and-pound. He’s very active on the ground and will never accept a position, constantly trying to advance and secure a finish.

Dustin Stoltzfus lands an impressive takedown on Dwight Grant. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Stoltzfus has won two of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Dwight Grant (11-6-0) and Punahele Soriano (9-4-0). He’s a solid wrestler with impressive power who’s always willing to engage in the pocket. He won’t rush on the feet, favoring power to volume and tending to throw kicks at range. Stoltzfus has good distance management and is always coming forward, often using his striking to close the distance and pursue takedowns. He’s averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and is capable of brutal slams. Training at Frankers Fight Team, he advances quickly on top and has solid top pressure, not letting his opponent out from under him. Stoltzfus has heavy ground and pound and a slick submission game, holding a victory via twister on his record.

Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Ricky Turcios

Raul Rosas Jr. rains down ground and pound onto Terrance Mitchell. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Bantamweight Bout

Raul Rosas Jr.: 8-1-0, 2 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Ricky Turcios: 13-3-0, 3 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Rosas Jr. has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Jay Perrin (11-8-0) and Terrence Mitchell (14-4-0). He’s a dangerous submission artist with excellent wrestling and BJJ. He’s averaging over three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and is very active on top, constantly pursuing submissions and advancing position. Rosas Jr. was the youngest debuting fighter in UFC history, debuting at 18 years old in 2022. Training at 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, he pushes a heavy pace on the ground and always finds his way to his opponent’s back, where he’s most dangerous. He has solid power in his hands but typically won’t waste much time before shooting in for a takedown. Rosas Jr. has an excellent arsenal of submissions and is unpredictable on the ground.

Ricky Turcios catches Brady Hiestand with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Turcios has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Kevin Natividad (9-4-0) and Brady Hiestand (8-2-0). The victor of The Ultimate Fighter season 29, he’s a well-rounded scrapper who is excellent at creating chaos. He comes out guns blazing, pushing the pace from the starting bell and making his opponent fight his style of fight. Training at Gracie Barra Woodlands, Turcios is extremely fluid on his back and has an incredible ability to find his way to top position. He excels in deep waters, constantly sweeping, scrambling, and transitioning between submission attempts. Averaging one takedown landed per fifteen minutes; he uses his striking to close the distance and pursue takedowns. He’s more than willing to eat a shot to land one and always makes his fights wild, wherever they end up.

#15 Dominick Reyes vs. Dustin Jacoby

Dominick Reyes fires a head kick at Jon Jones. Credit: MMA Mania.

Light Heavyweight Bout

Dominick Reyes: 12-4-0, 7 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Dustin Jacoby: 19-8-1, 12 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Reyes has won one of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Middleweight Jared Cannonier (17-6-0), #9 ranked Light Heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir (19-7-0), and Chris Weidman (16-7-0). He is a lengthy striker who pursues a knockout from the opening bell, with all of his finishes coming in round one. Training at Teixeira MMA, he often opens up with a barrage of heavy kicks, both high and low, and can damage at range and in the pocket. Despite Reyes’ tendency to find an early finish, he doesn’t push a crazy pace, typically fading as the fight continues. He has excellent takedown defense, having defended 80% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC, and he won’t accept position on the mat. He has decent wrestling but tends to resort to it when he’s hurt, and he has only landed two takedowns in his UFC career. Reyes can find a finish without much volume, holding four victories in the promotion in which he landed 20 or less significant strikes.

Dustin Jacoby stuns Ion Cutelaba with a left hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Jacoby has won two of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Da Woon Jung (15-5-1), Michael Oleksiejczuk (19-8-0), and Kennedy Nzechukwu (12-5-0). He is a former professional kickboxer with a record of 18-8-0, spending time in the premier kickboxing promotion Glory. His experience is visible in his fighting style, possessing excellent footwork and movement, as well as a great variety of attacks. Jacoby is effective both at range and in the pocket but tends to stay at distance where he can use his arsenal of kicks and combinations. Training at FactoryX Muay Thai, his hands seemingly never stop moving, and he is always feinting or throwing punches. He has solid output for a Light Heavyweight but also has excellent cardio, never overexerting himself and keeping the same pace for all 15 minutes. Jacoby is willing to grapple and will occasionally shoot for a takedown but primarily prefers to keep it on the feet where he’s most dangerous.

#4 Jared Cannonier vs. #7 Nassourdine Imavov

Jared Cannonier unloads a body kick onto Kelvin Gastelum. CreditL EssentiallySports.

Middleweight Bout

Jared Cannonier: 17-6-0, 10 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Nassourdine Imavov: 13-4-0, 5 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Cannonier has found victory in four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #1 ranked Middleweight Sean Strickland (29-6-0), #5 ranked Middleweight Marvin Vettori (19-7-1), and #9 ranked Middleweight Jack Hermansson (24-8-0). He has fought at Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight in his promotional tenure and carries that Heavyweight power at 185 pounds. He throws everything with fight-ending intentions, constantly pressuring forward and always willing to eat a shot to land one. Cannonier has excellent footwork and regularly switches stances, typically opening up his combinations with his jab. Training at MMA LAB, Cannonier is fantastic at moving in and out of the pocket and usually won’t stay at range for long, often throwing damaging leg kicks when outside of the pocket. What he lacks in volume, he makes up for in power, and his pace increases as the fight continues. Cannonier is unlikely to take the fight to the mat but can land devastating ground and pound if he gets top position.

Nassourdine Imavov blasts Joaquin Buckley with a head kick. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Imavov has won three of his last five outings with one no-contest and has UFC victories over #11 ranked Middleweight Roman Dolidze (12-3-0), Joaquin Buckley (19-6-0), and Edmen Shahbazyan (13-4-0). He utilizes a fluid kickboxing style on the feet, fighting behind his jab and throwing every shot with power. He constantly comes forward and has excellent distance management, and although he favors power to volume, he won’t telegraph shots or get wild. Imavov has excellent takedown defense and averages just over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes. He advances position exceptionally quickly on the mat, constantly raining down ground and pound and wearing down his opponent. He won’t force submissions, typically focusing on landing damage, but will pursue chokes if the opportunity is presented. Imavov has excellent technical skills but can get emotional in the cage and be drawn into a brawl.

Best Bets

Julian Marquez Moneyline: This matchup is a classic case of the sprinter vs. the marathon runner. Reese pushes a heavy pace and is yet to see a second round in his career, whereas Marquez tends to weather the storm and heat up as the fight continues. Although both methods have proven effective for each fighter, Marquez is much more experienced and tenured. Although Marquez is on a two-fight skid, Reese does not possess the power or technicality of his previous two opponents. Assuming Marquez does what he does best and survives the early storm, I expect a solid bounce-back victory for him.

Brunno Ferreira by KO/TKO: Another matchup of contrasting styles, we have a brawler facing a wrestler. Ferreira loves to push the pace and throw bombs; Stoltzfus would rather pick his shots and find takedowns. Despite this, Ferreira is the more skilled, technical fighter on the feet and won’t waste much time looking for openings. I expect Ferreira to push the action from the opening bell, backing up Stoltzfus until he eventually finds the finishing blow and scores yet another knockout victory.

Nassourdine Imavov Moneyline: This is by far the closest matchup on the card. Imavov is a hot prospect with a well-rounded style, whereas Cannonier is an experienced veteran with a striking-based approach. When placed in a similar stylistic matchup against Joaquin Buckley, Imavov did an excellent job staying on the front foot and controlling the pace. This forward pressure is critical; if you can force power punchers to back up constantly, generating their typical explosiveness is much more challenging. He also has the option to grapple, something Cannonier is unlikely to initiate. I expect Imavov to use all his skills, blending his striking and grappling, to defeat Cannonier and insert himself into the title picture.

UFC 302 Preview

Dustin Poirier cracks Conor McGregor with a left hook. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

The UFC returns to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, with a fantastic pay-per-view card. In the co-main event, two dangerous Middleweight title contenders collide when Sean Strickland takes on Paulo Costa. In the main event, a true legend, Dustin Poirier, makes a final run at gold against the pound-for-pound #1 fighter, Islam Makhachev. This card is loaded with ranked fighters, rising contenders, and established veterans, all vying for a big win under the big lights. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Randy Brown vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos

Randy Brown launches a head kick at Francisco Trinaldo. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Welterweight Bout

Randy Brown: 18-5-0, 7 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos: 24-7-1, 14 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Brown has won four of his last five fights, with wins over Khaos Williams (14-3-0), Francisco Trinaldo (28-9-0), and Muslim Salikhov (19-5-0). He’s a lengthy fighter, constantly throwing combinations at range and adding body kicks at the end of his combinations. He’ll often string together long, technical punch combinations without overextending himself. Brown has solid power in both hands and devastating clinch striking, particularly his knees. Averaging just under a takedown landed per fifteen minutes, he does an excellent job mixing grappling into his striking, often using his length in the clinch to get his opponent to the mat. He has solid top control and a slick submission game, especially his chokes. Training at Kings MMA, Brown is more than willing to eat a shot to land one and can be drawn into a brawl.

Elizeu Zaleski Dos Santos batters Benoit Saint Denis with a left hand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Zaleski dos Santos has won three of his last five outings with one draw and has UFC victories over #1 ranked Middleweight Sean Strickland (28-6-0), #13 ranked Lightweight Benoit Saint Denis (13-2-0), and Abubakar Nurmagomedov (17-4-1). A well-rounded scrapper, he has significant power in his strikes and can produce flashy finishes. A lifetime Capoeira practitioner, he has a fantastic kicking game, regularly mixing them in at the end of combinations without telegraphing. Zaleski dos Santos can damage from range or inside the pocket, blasting kicks from distance before blitzing in with hooks and overhands. Training at CM System, he’s strong in the clinch and very tough to control. He’s defended 68% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC and will often attempt chokes when sprawling. Zaleski dos Santos has picked up nine of his fifteen knockouts in round one but carries his power throughout.

Niko Price vs. Alex Morono

Niko Price throws a jab at Donald Cerrone. Credit: MMA Mania.

Welterweight Bout

Niko Price: 15-7-0, 10 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Alex Morono: 24-9-0, 6 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Price has won one of his last five bouts with one draw and has UFC victories over Tim Means (33-16-1), Alex Oliveira (25-15-1), and Randy Brown (18-5-0). He’s a gritty scrapper, always willing to exchange in the pocket, and is comfortable anywhere the fight goes. He’s constantly looking to close the distance, regularly blitzing in with wide hooks and looping shots. Price fights behind his jab and uses his striking to set up his grappling, striking into the clinch before pursuing takedowns. Training at Roufusport, he has heavy top control and will constantly work on the ground, never accepting position. He’s very tough to control and has a dangerous guard, constantly throwing up submissions off his pack to get out of danger. Price has only seen the judges score cards three times in his career and always pushes a heavy pace. 

Alex Morono sticks Mickey Gall with a left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Morono has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Donald Cerrone (36-17-0), Matthew Semelsberger (11-7-0), and Court McGee (22-13-0). He is exceptionally well-rounded, holding black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Taekwondo. He keeps his guard high and remains technical throughout, always fighting behind his jab and throwing in combination. He has excellent footwork and head movement, often just getting out of the way of strikes and regularly ducking his head to slip and counter. Morono has solid cardio and always pushes a heavy pace, having landed 90 or more significant strikes in a fight six times in the UFC. Training at Fortis MMA, he won’t often initiate grappling exchanges but has a slick submission game and is dangerous on the mat. He's very dangerous early, with eleven of his twelve career finishes coming in round one.

Kevin Holland vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk

Kevin Holland secures a stoppage victory over Santiago Ponzinibbio. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Middleweight Bout

Kevin Holland: 25-11-0, 13 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Michael Oleksiejczuk: 19-7-0, 14 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Holland has won two of his last five fights and has wins over #11 ranked Welterweight Joaquin Buckley (19-6-0), #14 ranked Middleweight Anthony Hernandez (12-2-0), and Michael Chiesa (18-7-0). Willing to engage the fight anywhere, he’s dangerous at all times and is constantly pursuing a finish. He’s an aggressive striker, throwing everything in combination and always willing to brawl. Holland does a great job of moving in and out of the pocket, although he has no problem hanging close to exchange on the inside. Training at Travis Lutter BJJ, he tends to throw kicks at range, using his kicks to set up his hands, often throwing kicks naked or at the start of a combination. He pushes a consistent pace throughout the fight, always coming forward and pushing the action. Holland is averaging 70 significant strikes landed in his last five fights and is always pursuing a finish.

Michael Oleksiejczuk lands brutal ground and pound on Cody Brundage. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Oleksiejczuk has won three of his last five outings, with wins over Chidi Njokuani (23-10-0), Gian Villante (17-14-0), and Modestas Bukauskas (15-6-0). He is an aggressive striker who is always coming forward and throwing combinations. He has an excellent chin and considerable power in his hands, regularly entering the pocket to throw damaging, looping hooks. Oleksiejczuk has excellent head movement and footwork, never wastes energy, and throws everything with purpose. Training at Ankos MMA, he won’t stay at range long and virtually never throws kicks, mainly using his hands to land damage. Eleven of his fifteen career finishes have come inside the first round, so he’s definitely at his most dangerous early. Oleksiejczuk holds the center well and does a great job cutting off the cage, always stalking his opponents and looking for openings to throw big combinations.

#1 Sean Strickland vs. #7 Paulo Costa

Sean Strickland punishes Abus Magomedov with a right hook. Credit: Telecom.

Middleweight Bout

Sean Strickland: 28-6-0, 11 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Paulo Costa: 14-3-0, 11 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Strickland has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #2 ranked Middleweight Israel Adesanya (24-3-0), #8 ranked Middleweight Nassourdine Imavov (13-4-0), and #9 ranked Middleweight Jack Hermansson (24-8-0). He’s an excellent striker, constantly coming forward and letting his hands go. While he prefers to keep the fight standing, he’s willing to grapple, averaging just under one takedown landed per fifteen minutes. Strickland also has solid takedown defense, defending 77% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. He uses a very upright boxing style on the feet, throwing every shot with purpose and in combination. He pushes a heavy pace throughout, landing, on average, 145 significant strikes in his last five fights. Training at Millenia MMA, Strickland tries to keep his opponent on the back foot as much as possible to open up opportunities to land strikes, especially his one-two.

Paulo Costa cracks Luke Rockhold with a jab. Credit: Yahoo Sports.

Costa has won two of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Yoel Romero (16-7-0), Uriah Hall (18-11-0), and Luke Rockhold (16-6-0). He is best known for his devastating power, having won 11 of his first twelve career fights by knockout. He possesses power in both his hands and kicks and is capable of a one-shot KO at any time. Costa has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu but rarely goes to the ground and hasn’t attempted a single submission in the UFC. Training with the Pitbull Brothers, he is at his best when pressuring forward, throwing bombs and powerful kicks, especially to the body. He is more than willing to eat a shot to land one, absorbing an almost equal amount of significant strikes as he lands per minute. Costa slows as the fight continues and will take more risks the deeper the fight goes. 

(C) Islam Makhachev vs. #4 Dustin Poirier

Islam Makhachev blasts Alex Volkanovski with a straight left. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Lightweight Title Bout

Islam Makhachev: 25-1-0, 5 KO/TKO, 11 Sub.

Dustin Poirier: 30-8-0, 16 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Makhachev is on a thirteen-fight win streak, with wins coming over #1 ranked Featherweight Alex Volkanovski (26-4-0), #2 ranked Lightweight Charles Oliveira (34-10-0), and #11 ranked Lightweight Dan Hooker (23-12-0). He is a commanding wrestler who wastes little time taking it to the mat and pursuing a finish. Training at American Kickboxing Academy, he prefers grappling but is a solid striker, landing with 60% of his significant strikes while defending 61% of those attempted on him. Makhachev averages over three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes, using the now-famous Dagestani style of controlling and dominating his opponent against the cage. He relentlessly pursues a finish from top position and can easily control an opponent for five rounds. He has top-notch cardio and can grapple or strike for twenty-five minutes, never truly being out of a fight. Makhachev has finished six of his last seven opponents and seems to constantly improve.

Dustin Poirier stuns Dan Hooker with a left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Poirier has won three of his last five fights and has wins over #2 ranked Featherweight Max Holloway (26-7-0), #3 ranked Lightweight Justin Gaethje (25-5-0), and #6 ranked Lightweight Michael Chandler (23-8-0). He’s been in the UFC for over a decade and has established himself as one of the best boxers in the sport, possessing power and speed in both hands. He pushes a heavy pace, is always willing to eat one to land one, and throws everything with purpose. Along with his exceptional boxing, he holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, making him dangerous everywhere. Training at American Top Team, he’s averaging over one takedown landed and over one submission attempted per fifteen minutes in his UFC tenure. Poirier is a true veteran, having fought nearly every significant name at Featherweight and Lightweight, and he can finish a fight from anywhere.

Best Bets

Kevin Holland by KO/TKO: Holland is one of the rare fighters in the UFC that seems unaffected by wins and losses. Win or lose, he will put on a show, and fans will love him regardless. Considering that, I don’t take much stock in his recent two-fight skid. Both losses were to high-level opponents, much higher level than Oleksiejczuk. Oleksiejczuk is dangerous; he pushes the action, has big-time power, and is always coming forward. Despite this, Holland has a definite advantage in his speed and footwork, as well as his height and reach. I believe he’ll be able to avoid Oleksiejczuk’s power shots and secure another highlight victory.

Sean Strickland by Decision: This is an excellent matchup of nearly opposite strikers. Strickland uses technical forward pressure, whereas Costa would rather have a wild brawl. Although Costa is one of the most potent strikers in the weight class, his brawling tendencies have been detrimental when facing more technical fighters like Whittaker, Vettori, or Adesanya. Strickland will remain technical regardless of the pace Costa pushes, and in a five-round fight, that’s crucial. I expect Costa to come out guns blazing and for Strickland to weather the storm to a decision victory.

Islam Makhachev by Submission: Like most people, I would love to see Poirier finally realize a title. Unfortunately, I’m not letting myself give in to delusion. As talented and well-rounded as Poirier is, Makhachev is the #1 pound-for-pound fighter for a reason. Along with his stellar grappling, his striking seems to be ever-improving, and he’s been securing more finishes in the title picture than he did at the start of his UFC career. I expect some close exchanges on the feet, but it’s only a matter of time before Makhachev attempts and secures a takedown, and that’s typically the beginning of the end. When the fight hits the mat, I expect Makachev to pursue the finish immediately, ultimately securing a submission victory and yet another title defense.

UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy Preview

Edson Barboza cracks Shane Burgos with a left hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.

The UFC returns to their home-base, the Apex, with a fantastic Fight Night card. In the co-main event, two of the most exciting, unpredictable fighters in the Welterweight division collide when Khaos Williams takes on Carlston Harris. In the main event, a legend of the sport, Edson Barboza, takes on surging prospect Lerone Murphy. The card is stacked from top to bottom with excellent matchups that are sure to be fireworks. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

#9 Luana Pinheiro vs. #12 Angela Hill

Luana Pinheiro throws a right hand at Stephanie Frausto. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Women’s Strawweight

Luana Pinheiro: 11-2-0, 2 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Angela Hill: 16-13-0, 5 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Pinheiro has won four of her last five fights and has UFC victories over #13 ranked Strawweight Michelle Waterson-Gomez (18-12-0), Sam Hughes (8-6-0), and Randa Markos (11-12-1). She’s aggressive on the feet, looking to blitz into the pocket and land hooks. She throws every shot with power and rarely throws kicks, doing most of her damage on the inside with her hands. Pinheiro has a black belt in Judo and possesses excellent clinch takedowns and throws. Training at Nova Uniao, she’ll often control her opponent in the clinch before taking them down to land significant ground and pound or a submission. She’s averaging nearly three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and has excellent top pressure. Pinheiro’s seven career finishes came in the first round, making her most dangerous early on.

Angela Hill lans a right hook on Claudia Gadelha. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Hill has won three of her last five outings and has UFC victories over #10 ranked Strawweight Loopy Godinez (12-4-0), Ariane Carnelosi (14-3-0), and Maryna Moroz (11-6-0). She is one of the most experienced and active veterans on the roster, and there’s nearly no spot in a fight she hasn’t been in. A former kickboxer with a professional record of 16-0, she’s an excellent technical striker with a gritty Muay Thai style. Hill pushes a heavy pace, landing, on average, 86 significant strikes in her last five fights. Training at Alliance MMA, she’s exceptionally durable, always willing to eat a shot to land one, and constantly pressuring forward. She’s willing to grapple, possessing solid wrestling both offensively and defensively. Hill has never been knocked out in her career and heats up as the fight continues.

Adrian Yanez vs. Vinicus Salvador

Adrian Yanez blasts Gustavo Lopez with a right hand. Credit: Essentially Sports.

Bantamweight Bout

Adrian Yanez: 16-4-0, 10 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Vinicus Salvador: 14-6-0, 13 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Yanez has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Davey Grant (15-7-0), Tony Kelley (8-3-0), and Randy Costa (7-4-0). He’s an excellent technical boxer who pushes a consistent pace and always pursues a knockout. He fights behind his jab, throwing everything with purpose and accuracy but never loading up. Yanez constantly presses forward, throwing from different angles and varying his attacks. Training at Metro Fight Club, he has not attempted a takedown in the UFC but has a black belt in BJJ and has defended 100% of takedowns attempted on him. He always throws in combination, typically doing most of his work with his hands, rarely throwing kicks. Yanez has been awarded five post-fight bonuses in just seven UFC appearances and is never in a boring fight. 

Vinicius Salvador throws a left hand at CJ Vergara. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Salvador has won three of his last five outings and is looking to score his first UFC victory. He’s a very loose, fluid striker with an unorthodox style. He tends to keep his hands down before throwing power shots with knockout intentions. Salvador constantly blitzes forward with wide, looping hooks, doing a good job of mixing in body shots as well. He pushes a heavy pace from the opening bell, always coming out guns blazing. Training with the Ribas Family, he won't typically initiate grappling exchanges but has excellent clinch striking, particularly his knees. Salvador is always looking to start a brawl and loves to let his hands go in the pocket.

Themba Gorimbo vs. Ramiz Brahimaj

Themba Gorimbo throws a right hand at Takashi Sato. Credit: Yahoo Sports.

Welterweight Bout

Themba Gorimbo: 12-4-0, 2 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Ramiz Brahimaj: 10-4-0, 0 KO/TKO, 10 Sub.

Gorimbo has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Pete Rodriguez (5-2-0) and Takashi Sato (16-7-0). He’s a tenacious grappler constantly looking to get the fight to the mat and find a finish. He’s averaging over three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and is willing to work hard along the fence to secure them. He’s always working to improve and reach an advantageous spot, whether in the top or bottom position. Training at MMA Masters, his grappling sets up his striking, and he has solid power in his hands. He has heavy top pressure and is fantastic at finding his way to his opponent’s back. Gorimbo is most dangerous early on but will push a consistent pace throughout.

Ramiz Brahimaj submits Sasha Palatnikov with a rear naked choke. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Brahimaj has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Micheal Gillmore (6-5-0) and Sasha Palatnikov (8-5-0). He is an explosive grappler who wastes little time on his feet. He’ll typically shoot right away, often landing slam takedowns, averaging nearly two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes in the UFC. Brahimaj advances position at lightning speed and always looks for his opponent’s neck, with nine of his ten submissions coming via choke. Training at Fortis MMA, he greatly prefers submissions to ground and pound, landing either one or zero significant strikes in both UFC wins. He has excellent top pressure and always works for a finish on the mat. He’s at his most dangerous early on, with nine of his ten finishes coming in round one, and tends to fade as the fight continues. 

Khaos Williams vs. Carlston Harris

Khaos Williams stuns Randy Brown with a straight right. Credit: DraftKings Network.

Welterweight Bout

Khaos Williams: 14-3-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Carlston Harris: 19-5-0, 5 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Williams has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Alex Morono (24-9-0), Matthew Semelsberger (11-7-0), and Rolando Bedoya (14-3-0). He’s a lengthy striker with brutal knockout power. He pushes a heavy pace, averaging nearly six significant strikes landed per minute, and will constantly blitz forward to unload combinations. Training at Murcielago MMA, Williams has not attempted a takedown in his promotional tenure but has defended 80% of the takedowns attempted on him. He throws everything in combination and with knockout intentions, constantly pressuring forward. He does most of his work with his punches, occasionally mixing in kicks when at range. William’s first two UFC fights both lasted 30 seconds or less, and he pushes a heavy pace throughout the fight.

Carlston Harris submits Jeremiah Wells with a anaconda choke. Credit: MMA Mania.

Harris has won all four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Impa Kasanganay (16-4-0), Jeremiah Wells (12-4-1), and Jared Gooden (23-9-0). He has serious power in his hands, utilizing an efficient kickboxing style with devastating kicks to match his punches. Along with his power, he’s exceptionally fast, both in his footwork and strikes, and always pursues a finish. Harris has a slick submission game to back up his striking and solid takedown defense. Training at Renovocao Fight Team, he loves anaconda and d’arce chokes, regularly sprawling on a takedown and locking in either choke. He can find a finish anywhere, often securing submissions via defensive grappling, rarely shooting for takedowns. Harris has only gone to decision twice in his last ten fights and fights with a “kill or be killed” attitude.

#12 Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy

Edson Barboza blasts Sodiq Yusuff with a spinning kick. Credit: Punch Newspapers.

Featherweight Bout

Edson Barboza: 24-11-0, 14 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Lerone Murphy: 13-0-1, 7 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Barboza has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #7 ranked Lightweight Beneil Dariush (22-6-1), #11 ranked Lightweight Dan Hooker (23-12-0), and #15 ranked Featherweight Sodiq Yusuff (13-4-0). He is one of the most respected, dangerous strikers in the UFC and has been in the promotion since 2010. He has arguably the most devastating kicks in the UFC, holding multiple finishes via leg and spinning kicks. Barboza never telegraphs or overextends, remaining technical throughout and always throwing in combination. Training at American Top Team, he has the fourth most knockdowns in UFC history and throws everything with impressive speed and power. He rarely takes the fight to the mat but has defended 75% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. Barboza is always dangerous and can produce a seemingly out-of-nowhere highlight reel knockout with ease.

Lerone Murphy finishes off Makwan Amirkhani with ground and pound. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Murphy is undefeated and has UFC victories over Josh Culibao (11-3-1), Makwan Amirkhani (17-10-0), and Douglas Silva de Andrade (29-5-0). He’s a well-rounded scrapper with solid power in his hands. He’s in perpetual motion, constantly feinting and staying at range before blitzing in with looping hooks and overhands. Murphy is patient on the feet, finding openings before throwing combinations and never loading up. He is averaging over one takedown landed and nearly one submission attempted per fifteen minutes. Training at Manchester Top Team, he’s strong in the clinch, never accepts position on the mat, and has excellent scrambles. Murphy’s striking sets up his grappling and vice versa, and he’s never predictable inside the cage.

Best Bets

Adrian Yanez by KO/TKO: Initially, Yanez appeared to be one of the most promising prospects in the Bantamweight division but has recently suffered back-to-back losses and needs a big win. This matchup seems perfect for what he’s looking for; Salvador is very loose and wild, attempting unorthodox attacks and fighting with his hands down. This matchup is ideal for a technical, pressuring striker like Yanez, and I expect him to find Salvador’s chin early and often.

Themba Gorimbo Moneyline: One of the closer matchups on the card; both are excellent grapplers with differing styles. While Brahimaj is a marauder always hunting for an early finish, Gorimbo grinds out his opponent and wears them down over time. Although both of their strong suits are grappling, I believe Gorimbo has the edge on the mat. In Brahimaj’s UFC tenure, he excelled when facing less experienced opponents but struggled when facing veteran grapplers like Court McGee. While Gorimbo is by no means a veteran, he is an excellent grappler and has solid striking as well. Unless Brahimaj secures an early finish, he will be in big trouble by the third or even second round. I expect Gorimbo to out-grapple and out-pace Brahimaj to a victory.

Edson Barboza Moneyline: I was slightly surprised upon seeing Barboza as the underdog in this bout. Murphy is undoubtedly an excellent fighter, but nothing jumped off the screen at me when watching his fights. He isn’t wildly powerful or exceptionally technical, nor is he a particularly dominant grappler: his most impressive skill is blending his abilities together. Unfortunately for him, he’s going against one of the most devastating strikers ever. He has not faced anyone near the experience or skill of Barboza, nor has he ever gone five rounds. Barboza proved in his last outing he still has a solid chin, and I believe he’ll push a pace Murphy won’t be able to match. I expect an impressive win and for Barboza to continue moving up the ranks of the 145-pound division.

UFC 301 Preview

Alexandre Pantoja stings Brandon Moreno with a jab. Credit: MMA Fighting.

This Saturday, the UFC journeys to Rio de Janeiro to host another fantastic pay-per-view card. In the co-main event, one of the greatest to ever do it, Jose Aldo, returns to take on the burning-hot Jonathan Martinez. In the main event, Flyweight’s newest king looks to earn another title defense against a quickly rising star when Alexandre Pantoja takes on Steve Erceg. From top to bottom, there are fantastic matchups packed full of rising prospects and established veterans, all looking for a highlight win. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

#13 Paul Craig vs. #14 Caio Borralho

Middleweight Bout

Paul Craig: 17-7-1, 4 KO/TKO, 13 Sub.

Caio Borralho: 15-1-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Craig has won two of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #2 ranked Light Heavyweight Magomed Ankalaev (19-1-1), #3 ranked Light Heavyweight Jamahal Hill (12-2-0), and #6 ranked Light Heavyweight Nikita Krylov (30-9-0). He’s one of the most accomplished grapplers in the UFC, holding the UFC Light Heavyweight record for triangles with four and the second most Performance of the Night bonuses ever, with 8. He’s a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and is comfortable anywhere on the ground, whether on his back or on top. Training at Higher Level Martial Arts, Craig is highly experienced and always remains calm and technical on the ground, never rushing or putting himself in dangerous spots. On the feet, he tends to throw kicks at range and looks to close the distance and get the fight to the mat. He finds submissions quickly on top and bottom and is very tough to get away from on the ground. Craig is highly durable and can find submissions even in the deepest waters.

Caio Borralho blasts Gadzhi Omargadzhiev with a left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Borralho is undefeated since 2015 and has UFC wins over Michal Oleksiejczuk (19-7-0), Makhmud Muradov (26-8-0), and Abus Magomedov (25-6-1). He is a well-rounded fighter with technical striking and a slick submission game. On the feet, he’s constantly moving and is very elusive, landing, on average, nearly twice as many significant strikes per minute than he absorbs. Training with the Fighting Nerds, Borralho looks to land kicks at range before entering the pocket to land powerful hooks. On the mat, he has excellent top pressure, great sweeps, and constantly pursues a finish. He’s averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and is very explosive, often landing takedowns in open space. Borralho has excellent cardio and pushes a heavy pace throughout the fight, making him dangerous at all times.

Michel Pereira vs. Ihor Potieria

Michel Pereira lands a brutal knee on Santiago Ponzinibbio. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Michel Pereira: 30-11-0, 11 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Ihor Potieria: 21-5-0, 10 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Michel Pereira comes into this bout having won three of his last five and has UFC victories over Niko Price (15-5-0), Khaos Williams (13-2-0), and Danny Roberts (18-5-0). One of the most unique fighters in the UFC, he’s known for his wild antics within the cage. Training with Scorpion Fighting System, he’s always willing to get wild, throwing open-hand slaps, jumping knees and kicks, and even backflips. Pereira’s unorthodox style makes him both elusive and impossible to predict. He has reigned in his style in recent fights, using a much more measured, accurate approach, fighting much more efficiently with improved cardiovascular endurance. He’s averaging over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes, has heavy ground and pound, and dangerous submissions, particularly chokes. Pereira always pushes a heavy pace and constantly pursues a finish, wherever the fight lands.

Ihor Potieria pops Shogun Rua with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Potieria has won two of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Shogun Rua (27-14-1) and Robert Bryczek (17-6-0). He’s a wild striker with an awkward style, throwing everything with power and always pursuing a finish. He’s at his most dangerous early, with seventeen of his 26 career bouts ending in round one. Potieria uses a karate-like stance, keeping his hands low and throwing plenty of single shots and naked kicks. He’s always looking to close the distance and will attack from various angles, often blitzing forward to throw combinations. He has power in both hands and tends to headhunt, throwing lunging straights and overhands while entering the pocket. Potieria always comes forward, often throwing caution to the wind and eating shots to get inside.

#10 Anthony Smith vs. #15 Vitor Petrino

Anthony Smith cracks Jimmy Crute with a left hand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Light Heavyweight Bout

Anthony Smith: 37-19-0, 19 KO/TKO, 14 Sub.

Vitor Petrino: 11-0-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Smith has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #9 ranked Volkan Oezdemir (19-7-0), #11 ranked Ryan Spann (21-10-0), and Alexander Gustafsson (18-8-0). A well-rounded veteran, he’s highly durable and always pushes a consistent pace. He throws everything with power but remains technical throughout, always keeping his hands high and his shots straight. Smith fights behind his jab, never telegraphs or loads up, and constantly looks to close the distance and let his hands go. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has solid takedowns and top control. Training at FactoyX Muay Thai, he’s patient on top, looking for submission openings without putting himself in dangerous positions. Smith is rarely in a boring fight and always leaves everything in the cage, holding six Performance of the Night bonuses. 

Vitor Petrino loads up an elbow against Marcin Prachnio. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Petrino is undefeated and has UFC victories over Tyson Pedro (10-5-0), Marcin Prachnio (17-7-0), and Modestas Bukauskas (15-6-0). He’s an explosive fighter with devastating power and great grappling. He’s constantly coming forward, typically headhunting and throwing single shots, with enough power in both hands to produce a one-shot KO. Training at CM System, Petrino is at his most dangerous early on, constantly throwing overhands and hooks, favoring power to technique. He is averaging nearly four takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and can be a bit of a panic wrestler, resorting to grappling when he’s losing the striking exchanges. He has heavy top control and brutal ground and pound, averaging about one submission attempt per fifteen minutes. Petrino has surprisingly decent cardio and can push a consistent pace throughout the fight.

#13 Jonathan Martinez vs. Jose Aldo

Jonathan Martinez blasts Cub Swanson with a head kick. Credit: MMA Mania.

Bantamweight Bout

Jonathan Martinez: 19-4-0, 9 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Jose Aldo: 31-8-0, 17 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Martinez is on a six-fight win streak and has UFC victories over Cub Swanson (29-13-0), Said Nurmagomedov (18-3-0), and Adrian Yanez (16-4-0). He’s an excellent striker with a diverse kicking game. He constantly throws with his left leg, often opening combinations with kicks and throwing everything with power. Martinez varies his shots well, attacking the head, body, and legs while remaining technical throughout. Training at MTZ Fight Club, he can land damage at range or in the pocket, possessing brutal elbows and knees. He won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges but has solid top pressure, ground and pound, and takedown defense. Eight of Martinez’s nine knockouts have come after round one, and he heats up as the fight continues. 

Jose Aldo blasts Chito Vera with an uppercut. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Aldo returns from retirement with wins in three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Bantamweight Chito Vera (23-9-1), #8 ranked Bantamweight Rob Font (20-8-0), and #10 ranked Lightweight Renato Moicano (19-5-1). Widely considered the Featherweight GOAT, he is a legend of the sport, holding eight victories in title fights and two decades of experience. He’s an excellent technical striker who throws everything with power and in combination. Training at Novo Uniao, Aldo utilizes a mix of devastating leg kicks and punch combinations to batter his opponent. He is one of the best defensive wrestlers of all time and has defended 91% of takedowns attempted on him, dating back to his time in the WEC. He has excellent submissions, heavy ground and pound, and smothering top pressure when the fight goes to the mat. Aldo is one of the most vicious strikers in the sport's history and always hunts for a finish. 

(C) Alexandre Pantoja vs. #10 Steve Erceg

Alexandre Pantoja cracks Askar Askarov with a right hand. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Flyweight Title Bout

Alexandre Pantoja: 27-5-0, 8 KO/TKO, 10 Sub.

Steve Erceg: 12-1-0, 2 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Pantoja has won all of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #1 ranked Flyweight Brandon Royval (16-7-0), #2 ranked Flyweight Brandon Moreno (21-8-2), and #5 ranked Flyweight Alex Perez (25-8-0). He’s a fast starter and an exceptionally well-rounded fighter with solid power in his hands. He’s constantly pressuring forward, throwing everything in combination, and varying his strikes well, attacking the head and body evenly. Pantoja transitions incredibly quickly on the ground and always looks for a finish, typically preferring submissions to ground and pound. Training at American Top Team, he’s never looking just to touch his opponents, always throwing power shots with knockout intentions. He is willing to eat a shot to land one and can get drawn into brawls in the feet, often swinging wildly in the pocket. Pantoja is impressively calm in deep waters and can find a finish anywhere, any time.

Steve Erceg floors Matt Schnell with a left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Erceg is on an eleven-fight win streak and has UFC victories over #11 ranked Flyweight Matt Schnell (16-8-0), #15 ranked Flyweight David Dvorak (20-6-0), and Alessandro Costa (13-4-0). He’s extremely well-rounded, possessing technical striking and a dangerous submission game. He’s constantly pressuring forward, keeping his head off the centerline, and always remaining technical, never telegraphing his shots. Erceg has excellent counterstriking and hides his kicks well, regularly landing brutal leg kicks. Training at Wilkes Martial Arts, he’s averaging nearly two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and can find submissions with incredible speed. With all six submission wins coming via choke, he’ll constantly search for his opponent’s neck on the ground. Erceg has solid cardio and pushes a consistent pace throughout, never getting sloppy or putting himself in bad spots.

Best Bets

Michel Pereira by KO/TKO: This is an odd matchup, but so is any matchup involving Pereira. His style presents problems to any opponent he takes on, and that’s especially true against Potieria. HPotieria tends to drop his hands, using that karate-type stance, which perfectly plays into the game of Pereira. Pereira is faster, stronger, and more technical, and I expect him to secure another highlight.

Jose Aldo Moneyline: While it’s tough to expect a win from anyone coming out of retirement, this isn’t just anyone we’re talking about: it’s Jose Aldo. Jonathan Martinez is an excellent fighter with a fantastic kicking game, but it pales in comparison to Aldo's skill. If he had some terrible skid or fell off before he retired, I wouldn’t have much confidence, but that never happened. Also, despite his incredible tenure in the sport, he’s only 37 years old and definitely has some gas left in the tank. I expect an excellent comeback victory for the King of Rio.

Alexandre Pantoja Moneyline: Arguably one of the most surprising title matchups in a long time, Steve Erceg rose to title contention at an astronomical pace. Although he’s proven highly skilled and well-rounded, this all feels a bit too fast. With just three UFC wins, he goes from facing the #11 ranked Matt Schnell in his last outing to the champion of the world and one of the pound-for-pound best. Pantoja has a wealth of experience at the highest level and is dangerous anywhere the fight goes, so I expect another successful title defense this Saturday.

UFC 300 Preview

Alex Pereira drops Sean Strickland with a right hand. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

The UFC hits T-Mobile Arena to host what may be the most significant card in the history of MMA. Likely the most filled-out card from top to bottom, we’ll see 12 former or current champions go to war inside the Octagon this Saturday. In the co-main event, two devastating Chinese strikers collide in a title affair when Zhang Weili takes on Yan Xiaonan. In the main event, two of the hardest hitters in the promotion do battle for gold, Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill. Let’s take a look at some preliminary bouts, followed by the main card.

Prelims

#8 Calvin Kattar vs. Aljamain Sterling

Calvin Kattar blasts Giga Chikadze with an elbow. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Featherweight Bout

Calvin Kattar: 23-7-0, 11 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Aljamain Sterling: 23-4-0, 3 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Kattar has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #9 ranked Featherweight Giga Chikadze (15-3-0), #12 ranked Featherweight Dan Ige (18-7-0), and Andre Fili (23-11-0). He is a very technical, patient boxer who will fight behind his jab before letting go of brutal combinations with his hands. He pushes an insane pace, averaging over 105 significant strikes landed in his last five fights, and can easily push this pace over five rounds. Training with the New England Cartel, Kattar does a great job of lulling his opponent in by staying patient and not putting out a ton of offense before letting go of big combinations and darting back out to range. While he won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges, he has shown some solid wrestling abilities and has defended 91% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. He has heavy ground and pound and top control when he's on top. Kattar has proven to be one of the toughest fighters in the UFC and has a granite chin.

Aljamain Sterling stuns Henry Cejudo with a head kick. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Sterling has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #3 ranked Bantamweight Cory Sandhagen (17-4-0), #4 ranked Bantamweight champion Petr Yan twice (17-5-0), and #6 ranked Bantamweight Henry Cejudo (16-4-0). He is an excellent grappler, possessing fantastic wrestling and a lethal submission game. He has smothering top control, often using ground and pound to set up his submission attempts. To back up his grappling, Sterling has solid kickboxing on the feet, with great speed in both his hands and his kicks. He has the cardio to push a furious pace for all 25 minutes, whether on the feet or the ground, averaging about 77 significant strikes landed in his last five fights. Training at Serra-Longo Fight Team, he averages two takedowns landed per 15 minutes, along with about one submission attempt, so his most accessible path to victory is apparent. Seven of Sterling’s eight submissions have come via some choke, so he’s extremely dangerous if he can find his opponent’s neck.

#2 Jiří Procházka vs. #5 Aleksandar Rakic

Jiri Prochazka lands a brutal left hand on Dominick Reyes. Credit: New York Post.

Light Heavyweight Bout

Jiří Procházka: 29-4-1, 25 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Aleksandar Rakic: 14-3-0, 9 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Prochazka has won four of his last five fights and has UFC wins over former UFC Light Heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira (33-9-0), #9 ranked Light Heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir (19-7-0), and #14 ranked Light Heavyweight Dominick Reyes (12-4-0). He’s an elusive striker with a unique style and serious power. He has excellent head movement and footwork, never remaining in one spot long and constantly attacking from different angles. Prochazka never telegraphs his strikes, always keeping his hands down and throwing every shot with fight-ending intentions. Training at Jetsaam Gym Brno, he’s always coming forward but won’t get sloppy, remaining patient and looking for openings to land strikes. He won’t typically look for takedowns but has solid pressure on top and a great submission game. Prochazka hasn’t been to a decision since 2016 and finished his last eleven wins with ten knockouts and one submission.

Aleksandar Rakic throws a jab at Jan Blachowicz. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Rakic has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #10 ranked Light Heavyweight Anthony Smith (37-19-0), Devin Clark (14-9-0), and Thiago Santos (22-12-0). He’s a powerful, technical striker with excellent distance management and footwork. He’s constantly looking to draw a reaction out of his opponent and land counterattacks. Rakic favors power to volume, regularly throwing single shots and naked kicks from range. Training at American Top Team, he remains technical throughout, never telegraphing shots or getting sloppy. He’ll often lunge forward and throw long, heavy, straight shots before returning to distance and throwing kicks. Rakic has seven first-round knockouts and can produce a flash finish anytime.

Main Card

Bo Nickal vs. Cody Brundage

Bo Nickal chokes out Jamie Pickett with an arm triangle. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Bo Nickal: 5-0-0, 2 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Cody Brundage: 10-5-0, 5 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Nickal is undefeated and has UFC victories over Jamie Pickett (13-11-0) and Val Woodburn (7-2-0). He is a former three-time NCAA D1 collegiate wrestling champion who is very comfortable in the Octagon despite his inexperience in MMA. Unsurprisingly, he is an excellent grappler who will shoot early and secure an advantageous position very quickly. Nickal transitions at lightning speed on the ground and pursues submissions immediately once the fight hits the mat, using excellent top control to secure a finish. Training at American Top Team, his constant wrestling threat makes him very unpredictable on the feet. He has solid power in his hands and good distance management. Nickal is yet to see a second round in his short career, holding a combined cage time of 3 minutes and 32 seconds in the UFC.

Cody Brundage lifts and slams Zach Reese to score a KO victory. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Brundage has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories coming over Tresean Gore (5-2-0), Dalcha Lungiambula (11-6-0), and Jacob Malkoun (8-3-0). He is a powerful wrestler with some heavy hands. He’s averaging nearly three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and over one submission attempt. Brundage is willing to fight on the feet and throws everything with power, often ducking his head to throw counterstrikes. He uses a great variety of attacks and is a creative striker, with him most commonly throwing overhands and hooks. Training at FactoryX Muay Thai, he often shoots early and has solid takedowns, usually securing them quickly. Brundage is exceptionally explosive and unpredictable, holding one-shot knockout power and regularly jumping guillotines. 

#1 Charles Oliveira vs. #4 Arman Tsarukyan

Charles Oliveira damages Michael Chandler with a right hand. Credit: Essentially Sports.

Lightweight Bout

Charles Oliveira: 34-9-0, 10 KO/TKO, 21 Sub.

Arman Tsarukyan: 21-3-0, 9 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Oliveira has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #2 ranked Lightweight Justin Gaethje (25-4-0), #3 ranked Lightweight Dustin Poirier (30-8-0), and #6 ranked Lightweight Michael Chandler (23-8-0). He’s an exceptionally well-rounded fighter with bricks for hands and deadly submissions. He utilizes technical, crisp Muay Thai on the feet to batter his opponents. Oliveira is averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and nearly three submission attempts. He has solid wrestling skills, can land takedowns in open space, and will advance position incredibly quickly. Training at Chute Boxe, he has proven his ability to stay calm in deep waters, regularly getting dropped in his fights only to come back and find a way to win. Oliveira has only gone to a decision a single time in the last decade and always pushes a heavy pace. 

Arman Tsarukyan stuns Matt Frevola with a right hand. Credit: DraftKings Network.

Tsarukyan has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #7 ranked Lightweight Beneil Dariush (22-6-1), #15 ranked Lightweight Matt Frevola (11-4-1), and Damir Ismagulov (24-3-0). He uses technical kickboxing on the feet, throwing plenty of combos, ending with head kicks, and doing a great job moving in to land shots and back out to range. He will mix in some flashy spinning kicks and spinning back fists, staying calm and picking his opponent apart with quick shots and plenty of leg kicks. Training at American Top Team, Tsarukyan has a solid wrestling background and is willing to initiate grappling exchanges to land ground and pound and pursue submissions. All 5 of the submissions on his record were via choke, so he is very dangerous if he can get a hold of someone’s neck. He’s highly durable and hasn’t been finished in the UFC despite facing top-level competition exclusively. Tsarukyan, on average, lands twice as many significant strikes per minute than he absorbs and is dangerous at all times.

#2 Justin Gaethje vs. #2 (FW) Max Holloway

Justin Gaethje lands a punishing jab on Rafael Fiziev. Credit: MMA News.

Lightweight Bout

Justin Gaethje: 25-4-0, 20 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Max Holloway: 25-7-0, 11 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Gaethje has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #3 ranked Lightweight Dustin Poirier (30-8-0), #6 ranked Lightweight Michael Chandler (23-8-0), and #8 ranked Lightweight Rafael Fiziev (12-3-0). He’s one of MMA's most brutal, vicious strikers and is always willing to throw down. Possessing devastating power in both hands, he’s developed into a much more technical, skillful fighter in his promotional tenure. To match his KO power, Gaethje has some of the hardest leg kicks in MMA and throws them constantly. He has a collegiate wrestling background and solid takedown defense but has only landed a single takedown in the UFC and rarely goes to the mat. He’s exceptionally durable and is always willing to eat a shot to land one. Training with Elevation Fight Team, Gaethje has fantastic cardio and is always dangerous, capable of producing both early and late finishes.

Max Holloway batters Calvin Kattar with a jab. Credit: MMA Mania.

Holloway has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #3 ranked Featherweight Brian Ortega (16-3-0), #4 ranked Featherweight Yair Rodriguez (16-5-0), and #6 ranked Featherweight Arnold Allen (19-3-0). One of the most respected fighters in the sport, he’s a fantastic striker capable of astronomical volume. He pushes a heavy pace and remains technical throughout, fighting behind his jab and never wasting energy. Holloway has excellent distance management and footwork, remaining in perpetual motion and landing damage without receiving much in return. Training at Gracie Technics, he has a solid submission game and has defended 84% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC, but he rarely goes to the ground. He’ll constantly look to counterstrike, slipping his opponent’s attacks before landing his own. Holloway has a granite chin and has never been knocked down in the UFC, always coming forward and engaging the fight wherever it goes.

(C) Zhang Weili vs. #1 Yan Xiaonan

Weili Zhang exchanges blows with Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Strawweight Title Bout

Zhang Weili: 24-3-0, 11 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Yan Xiaonan: 18-3-0, 8 KO/TKO, 1 Sub. 

Weili has found victory in three of her last five outings and has UFC victories over #3 ranked Strawweight Amanda Lemos (14-3-1) and former champions Carla Esparza (20-7-0) and Joanna Jedrzejczyk (16-5-0). She pushes a serious pace, both on the feet and the ground, and is dangerous wherever the fight goes. She is arguably the most powerful puncher in the division, made even more hazardous by her accuracy and ability to stay technical while still throwing bombs. Training at Fight Ready, Weili varies her strikes well, attacking both the head and body and mixing kicks into combinations. She is willing to grapple, averaging over two takedowns landed per fight, and will immediately start punching away if she gets on top of her opponent. Like she does on the feet, she always looks for the finish on the mat, transitioning quickly and throwing devastating ground and pound. Weili has only been finished once in her career and is comfortable anywhere the fight goes.

Yan Xianon tags Jessica Andrade with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Xiaonan has won three of her last five fights and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Strawweight Jessica Andrade (25-12-0), #7 ranked Strawweight Mackenzie Dern (13-5-0), and #12 ranked Strawweight Angela Hill (16-13-0). She has excellent technical kickboxing skills and throws everything in combination. She regularly opens combinations with a lead leg attack, typically a sidekick. Xiaonan never telegraphs her strikes, often keeping her hands down and throwing from her hip. She’s defended 70% of takedowns attempted on her in the UFC and won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges but has solid top control and ground and pound. She’s proven to be highly durable and capable of surviving in deep waters on the feet and the ground. Xiaonan lands, on average, about 78 significant strikes per fight in the UFC and pushes a consistent pace throughout.

(C) Alex Pereira vs. #1 Jamahal Hill

Alex Pereira lands a cracking left hook on Israel Adesanya. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Light Heavyweight Title Bout

Alex Pereira: 9-2-0, 7 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Jamahal Hill: 12-1-0, 7 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Pereira has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #1 ranked Middleweight Sean Strickland (28-6-0), #2 ranked Light Heavyweight Jiří Procházka (29-4-1), and #4 ranked Light Heavyweight Jan Blachowicz (29-10-1). He is a former Glory Kickboxing Middleweight and Light Heavyweight champion with a pro kickboxing record of 40-7. He is notorious for having the most devastating left hook in combat sports and loves letting it fly. Pereira has just as heavy kicks to back up his heavy hands, which he’ll often use to find his range before getting into the pocket to throw big hooks and devastating knees. He’s comfortable fighting on the outside of the octagon but is most dangerous when he takes the center and cuts off his opponent. Pereira has shown solid takedown defense and continually improving grappling, but still prefers to keep it standing. Training at Teixeira MMA, he doesn’t move a ton on the feet and sometimes stands straight in front of his opponent, waiting for them to throw something so he can fire back.

Jamahal Hill blasts Ovince Saint Preux with a left hand. Credit: MMA News.

Hill has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #7 ranked Light Heavyweight Johnny Walker (21-8-0), Thiago Santos (22-12-0), and former UFC champion Glover Teixeira (33-9-0). He’s a bruising striker with one-shot knockout power, constantly pressuring forward. He’ll often look to counterattack, drawing in his opponent before unloading brutal, looping hooks. Hill is accurate, landing 54% of the significant strikes he’s attempted in the UFC, and he throws every shot with purpose. He’s never shot a takedown in the UFC but has defended 73% of them tried on him and has excellent striking in the clinch, especially his knees. Training at Black Lion Jiu-Jitsu, he does a great job of mixing in kicks at the end of combinations, possessing perilous leg and head kicks. Five of Hill’s last six fights have ended via knockout, and he’s always hunting for a finish. 

Best Bets

Jiří Procházka Moneyline: This is an interesting spot to be in for both fighters: Procházka is coming off his first UFC loss, whereas Rakic is returning from a long injury layoff. Rakic was a relatively slower-paced fighter before his injury, never utilizing too much movement inside the octagon. On that alone, this is an excellent matchup for the high-paced, perpetually moving Procházka. Given that his movement could be compromised by his knee injury and his general speed disadvantage, I believe Procházka will walk away with a win.

Justin Gaethje Moneyline: Despite the two title fights, this was the toughest fight for which to pick a winner. This fight is a matchup of two of the best strikers, not just of this generation but of any generation. Ultimately, I see Gaethje taking this one for a few reasons. Holloway struggled against the leg kicks of Volkanovski, which may seem minor, but when you’re facing as prolific of a leg-kicker as Justin Gaethje, it comes to the forefront. Holloway’s two best weapons are his cardio and boxing, two things Gaethje has proven he can match. Although Holloway has an exceptional chin, and I don’t think he’ll get finished, he’s never faced a striker as powerful or aggressive as Gaethje. Ultimately, I think the kicking game and power of Justin Gaethje will earn him the victory.

Weili Zhang by KO/TKO: This matchup is very close in terms of striking. Both are highly technical, with solid power and excellent cardio. The most significant disparity in skill between these two is on the mat: Xiaonan has solid takedown defense, but once she’s down there, she’s not the most experienced grappler, holding a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Weili has proven to have not only fantastic wrestling but devastating ground and pound and slick submissions. Beyond this, Weili has the power advantage on the feet and can put her away there, although I believe her easiest path to victory is through grappling. If Weili wrestles early, not only could she gas out Xiaonan, but she could find herself having a short night at the office.

Alex Pereira by KO/TKO: In a relatively short time, both fighters have shot through the ranks and found themselves fighting for a title. While Hill has more UFC experience, Pereira undoubtedly has the advantage in combat sports experience. Already one of the best kickboxers in the world before joining the UFC, he’s been fighting at the highest level for years. Although Hill is an excellent striker, he’s never faced anyone near Pereira's caliber. While watching Hill’s previous fights, I’ve noticed he tends to keep his chin high in the air when throwing strikes. This lack of head movement hasn’t been a significant issue for him, as he typically holds a reach advantage and lands damage from a distance. He will have neither a height nor reach advantage in this fight and is facing possibly the heaviest-hitting striker in the entire division. Hill also will constantly look to counterattack with hooks, especially his lead hook, and the last person on the planet you want to be exchanging lead hooks with is Alex Pereira. Pereira is more skilled and experienced and should walk away with an impressive finish win.

UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Curtis Preview

Brendan Allen lands a right hand on Sean Strickland. Credit: Yahoo Sports.

The UFC returns to the Apex with the first card of April, loaded from top to bottom. In the co-main event, two Featherweights collide with hopes of climbing the ranks: Alexander Hernandez and Damon Jackson. In the main event, we’ll see a high-level rematch between ranked Middleweights when Brendan Allen takes on Chris Curtis. The main card is stacked with highlight-reel finishers and up-and-coming prospects looking to score a big win on the biggest stage in MMA. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Trevor Peek vs. Charlie Campbell

Trevor Peek unloads a right hand on Chepe Mariscal. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Lightweight Bout

Trevor Peek: 9-1-0, 8 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Charlie Campbell: 8-2-0, 6 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Peek has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Erick Gonzalez (14-8-0) and Mohammed Yahya (12-4-0). He’s a wild striker who is always coming forward and looking for a knockout. He’ll regularly throw standing hammer fists and throws every punch with maximum power. Peek has heavy leg kicks and solid high kicks, although he usually does most of his damage with his hands. Training at Agoge Combatives, he’s averaging nearly two takedowns landed per 15 minutes in his promotional tenure and has great wrestling despite his brawling tendencies. He’ll constantly blitz forward and unload long combinations, mainly wide hooks and overhands. Six of Peek’s eight knockouts have come in round one, and he always comes out with guns blazing. 

Charlie Campbell drops Alex Reyes. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Campbell has won four of his last five bouts and has a UFC victory over Alex Reyes (13-4-0). He’s a heavy-handed striker constantly moving and looking to land power shots. He won’t force anything or overextend, throwing everything with power but remaining technical. Campbell fights behind his jab, typically opening combinations with it before unloading overhands and hooks. He tends to headhunt but has heavy leg kicks and will throw kicks from range. Training at Longo-Weidman MMA, he has power in both hands, will often switch stances, and can produce flash knockouts. Campbell’s last six fights have all ended via knockout, and he rarely sees the scorecards. 

Valter Walker vs. Lukasz Brzeski

Valter Walker celebrates his victory over Alex Nicholson. Credit: Yahoo Sports.

Heavyweight Bout

Valter Walker: 11-0-0, 6 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Lukasz Brzeski: 8-4-1, 6 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Walker is undefeated and making his UFC debut. He’s a powerful wrestler with great takedowns and heavy hands. His striking sets up his grappling, with him constantly blitzing forward, throwing combinations, then clinching up and working his wrestling. Walker is powerful in the clinch and typically lands takedowns quickly but will shoot repeatedly if necessary. Training at GOR MMA, he has excellent top pressure, usually looking to hold half guard and land ground and pound. He has a solid chin and tends to get wild on the feet, throwing looping hooks and head kicks. Walker slows as the fight goes on but will always come forward. 

Lukasz Brzeski lands a jab on Martin Buday. Credit: ESPN.

Brzeski has won one of his last five outings and is looking for his first UFC victory. He’s a powerful striker who always looks to push the pace and land strikes in the pocket. He’s constantly moving, never staying in one spot long or keeping his head on the centerline. Brzeski does an excellent job of evenly varying his shots, attacking the head and body. Training at Universal Fight Team, he fights behind his jab and puts out solid volume for a Heavyweight, constantly throwing straights and overhands. He won’t throw many kicks, preferring to do his damage on the inside with his hands. Brzeski slows as the fight continues, putting out the same volume but with less power.

Ignacio Bahamondes vs. Christos Giagos

Ignacio Bahamondes knocks out Roosevelt Roberts with a wheel kick. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Lightweight Bout

Ignacio Bahamondes: 14-5-0, 9 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Christos Giagos: 20-11-0, 8 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Bahamondes has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Trey Ogden (17-6-0), Rongzhu (25-5-0), and Roosevelt Roberts (12-5-0). He’s a flashy striker capable of producing highlight-reel knockouts at any moment. He has excellent kickboxing, constantly switching stances and throwing quick combinations followed by devastating kicks. Bahamondes does a great job remaining composed at range or in the pocket, willing to exchange strikes anywhere. Although he hasn’t attempted a takedown in the UFC, he’s defended 85% of them attempted on him and has a slick submission game. Training at Valle Flow Striking, he has shown he has both the cardio and the chin to back up his striking tendencies, allowing him to get into wars and throw with volume. Bahamondes, on average, has landed 97 significant strikes per fight in the UFC and is constantly pushing the pace. 

Christos Giagos lands a left hand on Daniel Zellhuber. Credit: Sports Illustrated.

Giagos has won two of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Ricky Glenn (22-8-2), Sean Soriano (14-9-0), and Carlton Minus (12-4-0). He’s a well-rounded, explosive fighter who is always looking to do severe damage. He comes out guns blazing, throwing every shot with immense power and regularly switching stances. Giagos tends to headhunt, constantly blitzing into the pocket and unloading combinations. He’s averaging nearly three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and is a powerful wrestler. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he has heavy ground and pound and dangerous chokes. Giagos’ last five fights all ended via finish, and he’s always willing to get into a knockdown, drag-out brawl. 

Morgan Charrière vs. Chepe Mariscal

Morgan Charrière blasts Manolo Zecchini with a body kick. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Featherweight Bout

Morgan Charrière: 19-9-1, 11 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Chepe Mariscal: 15-6-0, 7 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Charrière has won four of his last five bouts and has a UFC victory over Manolo Zecchini (11-4-0). A bit of an internet celebrity in France, he has accumulated a solid following and is a former Cage Warriors Featherweight champion. Training with Team Chapa Quente, he’s a technical striker with substantial power in his hands and brutal leg kicks. Charrière has excellent footwork and is very defensively sound, never taking much damage and always keeping his head off the centerline. He will remain calm and technical throughout and won’t get pulled into dogfights, typically forcing his opponents to the outside and picking them apart. On the ground, he has great top control and heavy ground and pound, particularly elbows. Charrière has gone five rounds multiple times in his career and has great cardio, often increasing his pace as the fight continues.

Chepe Mariscal pursues a rear naked choke against Trevor Peek. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Mariscal has won all his last five fights and has UFC victories over Jack Jenkins (12-3-0) and Trevor Peek (9-1-0). He’s a well-rounded brawler constantly looking to close the distance and land damage. He throws every shot with power, regularly blitzing forward and unloading hooks and overhands. Mariscal has excellent control and striking in the clinch, typically blasting his opponent with knees and uppercuts. He has great throws and takedowns but seems more focused on landing damage than controlling his opponent on the mat. Training at Elevation Fight Team, he heats up as the fight continues, increasing his pace and intensity. Despite having only two UFC fights, he is well-experienced and fought a bevy of UFC-level competition before joining the promotion.

Alexander Hernandez vs Damon Jackson

Alex Hernandez knocks out Chris Gruetzemacher. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Featherweight Bout

Alexander Hernandez: 14-7-0, 6 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Damon Jackson: 22-6-1, 4 KO/TKO, 15 Sub.

Hernandez has won two of his last five bouts and has wins over #7 ranked Lightweight Beneil Dariush (22-6-1), Francisco Trinaldo (28-9-0), and Jim Miller (37-17-0). He is a technical striker constantly coming forward and pushing a consistent pace across 15 minutes. He’s very light on his feet and has excellent footwork, never remaining in one spot for long. Hernandez has a solid kicking game and varies his shots, attacking the head and body evenly. He can land damage in the pocket and at range with devastating knees, elbows, and straight punches. Training at FactoryX Muay Thai, he’s averaging over one takedown landed per 15 minutes and has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but seems to be more comfortable on the feet as of late. Hernandez has seven first-round knockouts and is most dangerous early, tending to brawl more and kick less as the fight continues.

Damon Jackson loads up ground and pound on Charles Rosa. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Jackson has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Pat Sabatini (18-5-0), Charles Rosa (15-8-0), and Mirsad Bektic (13-4-0). He’s a dangerous grappler with excellent chokes and solid hands. He comes out guns blazing, always moving and throwing every shot straight and tight. Jackson will regularly dip his head and come into the pocket throwing straights. He’s averaging over two takedowns landed per fight and is a powerful wrestler capable of impressive slams. Training at Fortis MMA, he advances position quickly on the ground and has excellent control. Jackson has nine wins via rear naked choke and is constantly hunting for his opponent’s neck. 

#6 Brendan Allen vs. #14 Chris Curtis

Brendan Allen launches a right hand at Andre Muniz. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Brendan Allen: 23-5-0, 5 KO/TKO, 14 Sub.

Chris Curtis: 31-10-0, 17 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Allen has won all of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #13 ranked Middleweight Paul Craig (17-7-1), Andre Muniz (24-6-0), and Jacob Malkoun (8-3-0). He’s an excellent grappler who can end a fight quickly. When on top, he’ll throw heavy ground and pound to open submission opportunities, typically a choke. Training at Kill Cliff FC, Allen is dangerous whether he’s on top or his back and is always looking to finish the fight. He has solid striking to back up his grappling and has decent hands and kicks, using more of a boxing style when he is on the feet. He doesn’t see the judges too often but can go three rounds and is willing to leave everything he has inside of the octagon. With four wins via rear naked choke in his last five fights, Allen is lethal if he can get to his opponent’s neck.

Chris Curtis lands a right hand on Kelvin Gastelum. Credit: MMA Mania.

Curtis has won two of his last five fights with one no-contest and has UFC victories over Rodolfo Vieira (10-2-0), Joaquin Buckley (18-6-0), and his current opponent, Brendan Allen. He is a veteran of the sport, having started his pro career in 2009, and is an excellent technical boxer on the feet. He has one-shot knockout power in both hands and varies his strikes well, attacking the head and body evenly. Training at Xtreme Couture, Curtis is an excellent counter-striker and will often dip his head before returning fire with a barrage of hooks. He throws everything in combination and is at his best when he stays behind his jab and pressures forward, controlling the fight's pace. He’s shown great patience and doesn’t overexert himself on the feet, but he has a solid chin and is willing to eat a shot to land one. Curtis has shown excellent takedown defense and has denied 92% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC, and he also possesses a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

Best Bets

Walker vs. Brzeski to Not Go the Distance: Valter Walker is truly an anomaly: Trains and lives in Russia, fights with a sambo style but hails from Brazil, and his brother is among the sport's wildest strikers. Still, Brzeski has struggled with wrestlers and is coming off a 1st round KO loss. The only advantage Brzeski has is cardio, but if he gets taken down early, I think it’ll be an easy win for Walker.

Ignacio Bahamondes by KO/TKO: This is one of the best matchups on the card, and I expect it to play out on the feet. Giagos gets wild when striking, rushing forward, and throwing big, looping hooks. This style benefits Bahamondes, who has vastly superior kicks, technique, and footwork. If Giagos fights as wreckless as usual, Bahamondes could leave with another highlight.

Brendan Allen Moneyline: As I mentioned earlier, Curtis holds a win over Allen, with the fight having taken place in 2021. In that time, Allen has undoubtedly improved and varied his game significantly, while Curtis is basically the same fighter from their first fight. Due to this, and the overall well-roundedness of Allen compared to Curtis, I think Allen finds the win.

UFC Fight Night: Blanchfield vs. Fiorot

Erin Blanchfield lands a jab on Taila Santos. Credit: MMA Mania.

The UFC returns to New Jersey to put on yet another fantastic Fight Night card. In the co-main event, two of the most exciting fighters in the Welterweight division go toe-to-toe when Vicente Luque takes on Joaquin Buckley. In the main event, we’ll see two of the best female fighters in the world face off for a chance at the title when Erin Blanchfield faces off against Manon Fiorot. This entire card is loaded with excellent matchups and true finishers and should be great from top to bottom. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Chidi Njokuani vs. Rhys McKee

Chidi Njokuani lands ground and pound on Marc-Andre Barriault. Credit: MMA Mania.

Welterweight Bout

Chidi Njokuani: 22-10-0, 14 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Rhys McKee: 13-5-1, 10 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Njokuani has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Dusko Todorovic (12-4-0) and Marc-Andre Barriault (16-7-0). He’s a patient Muay Thai striker, always keeping his guard high and constantly attacking with his lead leg. He constantly feints and stays composed, always looking for openings to unleash combinations. Training at Janjira Muay Thai, Njokuani has excellent knees in the clinch and can land significant damage without much space. He’s very defensively sound, having defended 60% of significant strikes attempted on him. Despite not having the longest UFC tenure, he’s been fighting at the top level of the sport for nearly a decade, having spent four years in Bellator. The majority of Njokuani’s knockouts have come in the first round, and he’s most dangerous early on. 

Rhys McKee lands a jab on Ange Loosa. Credit: MMA Junkie.

McKee has won three of his last five bouts and is looking to score his first UFC victory after a brief detour back to Cage Warriors. He’s a patient striker who always remains technical and pushes a consistent pace. He’s constantly throwing his jab, gauging distance, and looking to set up combinations. McKee varies his shots and angles, attacking the head and body evenly. Training at Next Generation NI, he favors volume to power but won’t often throw long combinations, typically throwing a few straight shots before returning to range. He does most of his damage with his hands but does an excellent job mixing in kicks, never telegraphing anything. McKee is always looking to methodically and efficiently break down his opponents while absorbing as little damage as possible. 

Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson

Bill Algeo cracks Joanderson Brito with a jab. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Featherweight Bout

Bill Algeo: 18-7-0, 4 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Kyle Nelson: 15-5-1, 5 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Bill Algeo has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Joanderson Brito (16-3-1), Alexander Hernandez (14-7-0), and TJ Brown (17-11-0). He uses a karate-like style on the feet, often keeping his hands down and throwing various strikes to both the head and body. Training at Algeo MMA & Kickboxing, he has excellent head movement, hand speed, and solid kick power. Algeo is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with an efficient wrestling game to back it up. He’s skilled on his back and on top, willing to throw ground and pound and pursue submissions, with six wins via rear-naked choke on his record. He’s also shown good takedown defense and clinch work, defending 56% of takedowns attempted on him. Algeo also seems to gain confidence as the fight continues but gets less technical and can be drawn into brawls.

Kyle Nelson throws a front kick at Blake Bilder. Credit: ESPN.

Nelson has won two of his last five outings with one draw and has UFC victories over Polo Reyes (8-9-0), Blake Bilder (8-2-1), and Fernando Padilla (16-5-0). He’s a powerful striker who’s always coming forward and never slows down. He fights behind his jab, throwing it with plenty of power, and is efficient with his striking, rarely wasting energy. Nelson does an excellent job of mixing in kicks, constantly throwing leg kicks and sneaking head kicks at the end of combinations. He has solid footwork, regularly cutting off the cage before entering the pocket to unload looping hooks and overhands. Training at House of Champions, he’s averaging over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and is very strong in the clinch. Nelson throws everything with power and excels at landing kicks on his opponent while they’re attempting a strike.

Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Sedriques Dumas

Nursulton Ruziboev throws a right hand at Brunno Ferreira. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Nursulton Ruziboev: 35-8-2, 13 KO/TKO, 20 Sub.

Sedriques Dumas: 9-1-0, 4 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Ruziboev is on a nine-fight win streak and has a UFC victory over Brunno Ferreira (11-1-0). On the feet, he throws a lot of single shots with plenty of power and loves to throw flashy spinning kicks. He’s constantly pressuring forward and will typically pursue takedowns early, often using his wild offense to set up his wrestling. Ruziboev has a dangerous submission game and can finish the fight on top and his back. He’s highly active on the ground and never stops moving, but he is much more of a wild man than a technician and can put himself in bad spots. Training at Renzo Gracie Philly, he’s always looking to finish the fight, often choosing not to defend takedowns to pursue a kimura instead. Ruziboev has heavy ground-and-pound and is excellent at changing grappling positions, especially reversing position from bottom to top.

Sedriques Dumas lands a takedown on Abu Azaitar. Credit: MMA Aldia.

Dumas has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Abu Azaitar (14-4-1) and Cody Brundage (10-5-0). He’s a technical striker constantly looking to counter his opponent with big punches. He’ll regularly throw kicks at range and has excellent distance management. He prefers power to volume, typically throwing single shots and naked kicks while fighting behind his jab. Dumas has a solid takedown game and decent top control but is much more comfortable on his feet. He’s accurate, never overextending or wasting significant energy. Although he won’t move around too much, he keeps his head off the centerline and remains elusive. He’s averaging just 24 significant strikes per fight in the UFC and is at his best in a technical kickboxing match. 

Chris Weidman vs. Bruno Silva

Chris Weidman lands a right hand on Alessio Sakara. Credit: MMA Nation.

Middleweight Bout

Chris Weidman: 15-7-0, 6 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Bruno Silva: 23-10-0, 20 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Weidman has won one of his last five fights and has UFC victories over former UFC champions Anderson Silva (34-11-0), Vitor Belfort (26-14-0), and Lyoto Machida (26-12-0). He’s a well-rounded veteran with fantastic wrestling, technical boxing, and excellent cardio. He’s a patient striker, constantly feinting and throwing out his jab to draw reactions out of his opponent. Weidman has outstanding punches with his lead hand and will remain technical throughout the fight. Training at Longo-Weidman MMA, he’s averaging over three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and is a tenacious grappler. He has great chain wrestling, heavy top pressure, and is constantly looking to advance position and posture up. Weidman is fighting for the second time since brutally breaking his leg in 2021 and looking to score his first win since the injury. 

Bruno Silva rains down ground and pound on Wellington Turman. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Silva has found victory in three of his last five bouts, with knockout victories coming over Brad Tavares (20-10-0), Jordan Wright (12-5-0), and Andrew Sanchez (15-7-0). He is a brawler who loves to engage in the pocket and pressure forward, throwing looping shots. Training at Evolucao Thai, he throws every shot with power, pursues a finish at all times, and often ducks his head to unleash overhands. Silva does an excellent job of varying his attacks, regularly opening combinations with shots to the body before going to the head. He always starts the fight guns blazing and is most dangerous early on, holding 14 first-round knockout wins. He is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt but rarely initiates grappling exchanges and doesn’t want to spend much time on the mat, usually trying to get up as soon as possible. Despite his black belt, seven of his ten career losses are by submission, so Silva definitely would prefer to keep it on the feet.

#11 Vicente Luque vs. Joaquin Buckley

Vicente Luque locks in a D’arce choke on Michael Chiesa. Credit: MMA Mania.

Welterweight Bout

Vicente Luque: 22-9-1, 11 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Joaquin Buckley: 17-6-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Luque has found victory in three of his last five bouts and holds wins over #2 ranked Welterweight Belal Muhammad (23-3-0), former UFC Welterweight champion Tyron Woodley (19-7-1), and #10 ranked Lightweight Jalin Turner (14-7-0). He is a heavy-handed striker who throws everything with power while remaining accurate. He fights behind his jab and throws everything with purpose, never telegraphing shots or wasting energy. Luque has excellent low kicks and does a great job mixing them into combinations. He can lead the dance or counter-strike but loves to brawl and will eat a shot to land one. He holds black belts in BJJ and Luta Livre and has extremely dangerous chokes. Although Luque won’t often chase takedowns, he regularly finds himself in top position due to knockdowns.

Joaquin Buckley lands a right hook on Alex Morono.

Buckley has found victory in three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Alex Morono (23-9-0), Albert Duraev (16-5-0), and Andre Fialho (16-8-0). He is a highly aggressive striker with serious power in both hands. He perpetually moves and pursues a finish, throwing every shot with bad intentions and often mixing in kicks at the end of combinations. Although Buckley has power in all his shots, he does his best work with his kicks, never telegraphing them and throwing them from anywhere. Training at Murcielago MMA, he throws everything in combination and pushes a frantic pace, willing to throw wild attacks like flying knees and spinning kicks. His UFC finishes have all come in round 2 or later, so he gets increasingly dangerous as the fight continues. He’s averaging over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and has decent takedown defense, but he seems most comfortable on his feet.

#2 Erin Blanchfield vs. #3 Manon Fiorot

Erin Blanchfield submits Molly McCann with a kimura. Credit: DraftKings Network.

Women’s Flyweight Bout

Erin Blanchfield: 12-1-0, 2 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Manon Fiorot: 11-1-0, 6 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Blanchfield is on a nine-fight win streak and has UFC victories over #5 ranked Flyweight Jessica Andrade (25-12-0), #15 ranked Flyweight Miranda Maverick (15-5-0), and Molly McCann (14-6-0). She’s a well-rounded fighter, possessing excellent technical kickboxing and fantastic grappling. Having started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at the age of 7, she possesses a black belt and is visibly experienced and highly comfortable on the ground. Blanchfield is tough to shake off, has excellent control, and often seems one step ahead of her opponent on the ground. Training at Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, she has excellent wrestling and averages nearly three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes in the UFC. She is constantly advancing position when she does get it to the floor. On the feet, she works behind her jab and usually throws in combination. Blanchfield has a solid arsenal of kicks and throws all of them quickly, and she has some especially dangerous high kicks.

Manon Fiorot cracks Mayra Bueno Silva. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Fiorot is on an 11-fight win streak and has UFC victories coming over #3 ranked Bantamweight Mayra Bueno Silva (10-3-1), #6 ranked Flyweight Katlyn Cerminara (18-6-0), and #7 ranked Flyweight Rose Namajunas (13-6-0). She is an efficient, karate-style fighter with serious power and speed. She uses her lead leg excellently, constantly throwing side and head kicks without telegraphing. Fiorot is in perpetual motion and has solid output, but is very accurate and throws everything purposefully. Training with the Boxing Squad, she has excellent footwork and effortlessly moves in and out of the pocket. On average, she lands more than double the strikes she absorbs and has defended 69% of the strikes attempted on her in the UFC. Fiorot has landed at least one takedown in five of her six UFC wins, has excellent wrestling, and will rain down devastating ground and pound when on top.

Best Bets

Chidi Njokuani Moneyline: Rhys McKee has had a tough go of it in the UFC and has yet to find a win. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’ll change this weekend. Njokuani is more powerful, technical, and experienced than McKee, and while I don’t necessarily expect a finish, I expect a sound victory.

Nursulton Ruziboev by KO/TKO: I won’t lie; I desperately want to see Dumas get knocked out. I wouldn’t say I like his style, and with his legal issues outside the cage, I don’t think he has much of a right to even be in the UFC. Beyond that, Ruziboev is an absolute marauder on the ground and the feet, and Dumas has a relatively slow, plodding style. I expect Ruziboev to come forward with power punches and put Dumas away, preferably early.

Erin Blanchfield Moneyline: Despite some of the hate this main event has received online, this is an absolute banger between two possible future champions. While both are well-rounded, Blanchfield is more well-versed and experienced everywhere, whereas Fiorot is more of a striker than anything else. I’m not confident enough to guarantee a finish (although I expect one), but I believe Blanchfield has the skills to walk away with a win and a title shot.

UFC Fight Night: Ribas vs. Namajunas

Rose Namajunas tags Zhang Weili with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

The UFC remains in Las Vegas to put on yet another stellar Fight Night. In the co-main event, we’ll see the classic wrestler vs. striker matchup when Karl Williams takes on Justin Tafa. In the main event, two well-established veterans, Amanda Ribas and Rose Namajunas, will collide to try and climb the ranks. This entire card is loaded with strikers, scrappers, and all sorts of trained killers looking to make their name. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Fernando Padilla vs. Luis Pajuelo

Featherweight Bout

Fernando Padilla throws a front kick at Julian Erosa. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Fernando Padilla: 15-5-0, 5 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Luis Pajuelo: 8-1-0, 7 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Padilla has won three of his last five fights and has a UFC victory over Julian Erosa (28-12-0). He’s a crisp striker who’s constantly coming forward and throwing combinations. He’s a lengthy fighter for the division at 6’1” and uses it well, always fighting behind his jab and keeping his opponent on the outside. Training at Team Oyama, Padilla is constantly looking to close the distance and let his hands go, often throwing kicks at range before crashing in. Despite having more submissions than knockouts, he’s content staying on the feet and won’t typically pursue takedowns. He’s willing to eat a shot to land one and has an excellent chin, having never been finished. Padilla has secured ten of his thirteen finishes in the first round and is most dangerous early on. 

Luis Pajuelo lands a big right hand on Heber Pereyra. Credit: Peru21.

Pajuelo has won all his last five bouts and is making his UFC debut. He’s a brawler, always pressuring his opponent and pursuing a knockout. He throws everything in combination, pushing a heavy pace from the starting bell. He rarely throws kicks, doing most of his damage with his hands, throwing every shot with power, and always coming forward. Pajuelo is at his best in a dogfight, slugging it out inside the pocket and landing brutal hooks. Training at Contacto Livre, he keeps his head off the centerline and regularly varies his shots, attacking the head and body. Pajuelo has finished four of his eight career fights in round one and comes out guns blazing. 

Billy Quarantillo vs. Youssef Zalal

Billy Quarantillo blasts Spike Carlyle with a left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Featherweight Bout

Billy Quarantillo: 18-5-0, 8 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Youssef Zalal: 13-5-1, 4 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Quarantillo has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Gabriel Benitez (23-12-0), Alexander Hernandez (14-7-0), and Damon Jackson (22-6-1). He’s a well-rounded scrapper with fantastic cardio and is always willing to throw down. He’s relentless on the feet, always coming forward, throwing leg kicks, and staying behind his jab. Quarantillo is averaging over one takedown landed, and one submission attempted per fight in his promotional tenure. Training at Gracie Tampa South, he’s a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and strong off his back and top position with excellent scrambles and reversals. He improves as the fight continues and carries his power across all fifteen minutes. He’s landed, on average, 94 significant strikes in his last five fights and constantly pushes the pace.

Youssef Zalal lands a kick on Ilia Topuria. Credit: Essentially Sports.

Zalal has won three of his last five fights with one draw and has UFC victories over Jordan Griffin (18-9-0), Austin Lingo (9-3-0), and Peter Barrett (11-6-0). Returning to the UFC after two years on the regional scene, he’s a well-rounded fighter with solid wrestling and technical kickboxing. He’s constantly moving, using his footwork to hold the center and keep his opponent on the outside. Zalal has excellent elbows and knees and won’t get sloppy, never telegraphing attacks. Training at FactoryX Muay Thai, he has excellent takedowns and is averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes in the UFC. He won’t force anything on the ground, remaining patient and keeping himself in advantageous positions. Zalal has never been finished in his career and is willing to engage the fight anywhere.

Payton Talbott vs. Cameron Saaiman

Payton Talbott lands a brutal right hand on Reyes Cortez Jr. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Bantamweight Bout

Payton Talbott: 7-0-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Cameron Saaiman: 9-1-0, 6 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Talbott is undefeated and has a UFC victory over Nick Aguirre (7-2-0). He is an excellent technical striker who’s constantly coming forward and throwing in combination. At 5’10, he’s lengthy for the division and uses it well, throwing long, straight shots to damage his opponent. Talbott does an excellent job mixing kicks into his combinations and varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly. He fights behind his jab and has excellent distance management, using great footwork and head movement to remain unscathed. Training at Reno Academy of Combat, he remains technical throughout the fight and gets increasingly dangerous, with all his finishes coming in the second or third round. Talbott has an excellent chin, tending to eat shots and continue marching forward unphased.

Cameron Saaiman stuns Mana Martinez with a left hand. Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC.

Saaiman has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Terrence Mitchell (14-4-0), Mana Martinez (10-5-0), and Steven Koslow (6-1-0). He’s an excellent kickboxer with fantastic speed and solid grappling. He throws everything in combination, regularly mixing in kicks and never telegraphing. He pushes a heavy pace across all fifteen but has solid cardio and remains technical throughout. Saaiman does a great job varying his shots, attacking the head and body evenly, and constantly landing brutal body kicks. Training at CIT Performance Institute, he’s averaging one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and has excellent top pressure and ground and pound. Saaiman is incredibly fluid with everything he does, mixing all his skills at all times.

Edmen Shahbazyan vs. AJ Dobson

Edmen Shahbazyan locks in a rear naked choke on Jack Marshman. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Edmen Shahbazyan: 12-4-0, 10 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

AJ Dobson: 7-2-0, 3 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Shahbazyan has won one of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Brad Tavares (20-10-0), Dalcha Lungiambula (11-6-0), and Darren Stewart (16-9-0). He’s a technical kickboxer with significant power and great footwork. He fights behind his jab, favors power to volume, and constantly adds kicks to the end of combinations. He has excellent footwork and distance management and can go in and out of the pocket without absorbing much damage. Shahbazyan has solid offensive grappling, landing, on average, over two takedowns per fifteen minutes, and has brutal ground and pound. Training at Xtreme Couture, he favors power to volume and always seeks a knockout. Ten of Shahbazyan’s eleven finishes have come in the first round, and he’s at his best early on in the fight.

AJ Dobson scores a submission victory over Hashem Arkhaga. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Dobson has won three of his last five fights and has a UFC victory over Tafon Nchukwi (6-4-0). He’s a well-rounded fighter who comes out guns blazing, often exchanging strikes on the inside or shooting for a takedown at the start. He has a very upright stance on the feet and throws lots of single shots, holding good power and speed in his hands. Dobson remains technical throughout the fight, keeping his shots straight and tight and using his length well. His best route to victory is through his wrestling, currently holding 75% takedown accuracy in the UFC and wild, heavy ground and pound. He has excellent top control and is very urgent on top, constantly pursuing a finish. Dobson has good cardio and can push a heavy pace across 15 minutes. 

Karl Williams vs. Justin Tafa

Karl Williams throws a right hand at Lukasz Brzeski. Credit: DraftKings Network.

Heavyweight Bout

Karl Williams: 9-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Justin Tafa: 7-3-0, 7 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Williams is on a six-fight win streak and has UFC victories over Chase Sherman (16-12-0) and Lukasz Brzeski (8-4-1). He’s a dominant wrestler with considerable power in his hands and excellent takedowns. He won’t usually waste much time on the feet, typically shooting and securing takedowns early. Williams is very explosive and can perform big slam takedowns at will. He has heavy ground and pound and a smothering top presence, always working and maintaining position. He’s tenacious and willing to work for a takedown, usually controlling his opponent in the clinch along the fence before bringing it to the mat. Williams has landed nine takedowns in just two bouts in the promotion and will relentlessly try to take it to the mat. 

Justin Tafa cracks Austen Lane with a left hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Tafa has won three of his last five fights with one no-contest and has UFC victories over Parker Porter (14-9-0), Harry Hunsucker (7-6-0), and Austen Lane (12-4-0). With a style reminiscent of his training partner Mark Hunt, he loves to brawl and has one-shot knockout power. He has an excellent chin and constantly throws bombs, often opening combinations with leg kicks. Training at NTG Fight, Tafa is a patient striker who will look for openings but is willing to eat one to land one. He has never been taken down in the UFC or attempted a takedown, so he prefers to keep it on the feet. He has finished all of his wins, and in UFC fights that left the first round, he averaged 80 significant strikes landed. Tafa has shown he has the cardio to go 15 minutes, but two of his three career losses have come by decision, so he’s at his best early on. 

#8 Amanda Ribas vs. Rose Namajunas

Amanda Ribas lands a spinning kick on Luana Pinheiro. Credit: MMA Mania.

Flyweight Bout

Amanda Ribas: 12-4-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Rose Namajunas: 12-6-0, 2 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Ribas has won three of her last five outings and holds wins over #8 ranked Flyweight Viviane Araujo (12-5-0), #9 ranked Strawweight Mackenzie Dern (13-5-0), and Virna Jandiroba (19-3-0). She is a technical Muay Thai striker constantly moving and fighting behind her jab. She has fast, accurate hands and excellent clinch striking, damaging her opponents with flurries of elbows and knees. Everything Ribas throws is straight and tight, never overextending or throwing looping shots. Training with the Ribas Family, she has excellent footwork and throws a solid variety of strikes to the head and body. Ribas has black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Judo and averages about two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes. Ribas is an excellent defensive grappler, defending 88% of takedowns attempted on her.

Rose Namajunas throws a jab at Carla Esparza. Credit: Telecom Asia.

Namajunas has won three of her last five outings and has wins over former UFC Strawweight champions Jessica Andrade (25-12-0), Joanna Jedrzejczyk (16-5-0), and Zhang Weili (24-3-0). She’s a well-rounded fighter with a solid kickboxing game and excellent Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Training at 303 Training Center, she has sneaky power, a sturdy chin, and has proven her ability to go five rounds without slowing. Holding black belts in both Taekwondo and Karate, Namajunas has very educated feet and crisp boxing. Averaging over one takedown landed per 15 minutes, she is willing to engage in grappling exchanges and has great top control to complement her excellent submission game. Six of her last eight bouts have been for titles against some of the fiercest competition in the sport, making her prepared for nearly anything. This will be Namajunas’ second venture to Flyweight after spending her whole career at Strawweight.

Best Bets

Fernando Padilla Moneyline: While neither of these fighters is particularly established, this is one of the most exciting matchups on the main card. Both push the pace and want to spend most of the fight in a phone booth. Ultimately, though, Padilla is much more technically skilled, and I expect him to have many openings to damage Pajuelo.

Cameron Saaiman Moneyline: This is another fantastic striker vs. striker matchup; I expect this to be a barnburner. Talbott is very talented and has a lot of potential, but he is also very unproven and has yet to face any real high-level competition. Saaiman is also young in his career, but he has already fought four times in the UFC and faced some solid opponents. Saaiman’s conditioning, experience, and speed will secure him a victory.

Rose Namajunas Moneyline: There are some things I can’t stop myself from doing, and one of them is betting on Thug Rose. Despite my bias, this is by far the most winnable matchup she has received in years. There’s no disrespect to Ribas; she’s well-rounded and skilled but not quite championship caliber. Rose is, on paper, better everywhere than her opponent, and I think this will be a bounce-back victory for her.

Bonus Bet

Billy Quarantillo Moneyline: I wasn’t entirely confident enough to call this one of my best bets, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t show some love to Billy Q. He pushes a much higher pace than his opponent; Zalal is really at his best in a technical kickboxing or grappling match. Quarantillo turns every fight into a dogfight, and having been out of the UFC for a bit, I don’t think Zalal is prepared for that.

UFC 299 Preview

Sean O’Malley lands a body kick on Marlon Vera. Credit: MMA Mania.

This Saturday, one of the most anticipated pay-per-view events of the year finally reaches the octagon. In the co-main event, we’ll see an established veteran taking on a quickly rising star when Dustin Poirier and Benoît Saint-Denis collide. In the main event, a long-awaited rematch between a gritty brawler and a true technician takes place when Sean O’Malley faces Marlon Vera. The entire main card is filled out with high-profile, ranked matchups and should be fantastic from start to finish. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

#4 Petr Yan vs #7 Song Yadong

Petr Yan lands a jab on Aljamain Sterling. Credit: DraftKings Network.

Bantamweight Bout

Petr Yan: 16-5-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Song Yadong: 21-7-1, 9 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Yan has won one of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #3 ranked Cory Sandhagen (16-5-0), former Featherweight champion Jose Aldo (31-8-0), and Urijah Faber (35-11-0). He’s very well-rounded and highly dangerous at all times. He has excellent technical striking and does a great job of mixing kicks into combinations. Training at Archangel Michael Club, Yan never slows down, always pursuing a finish and throwing with maximum power and speed. He has excellent cardio and can push a crazy pace for 25 minutes, whether grappling or striking. He has excellent takedowns and top control, constantly throwing brutal ground and pound. Yan has faced nothing but the best in his UFC tenure, with a third of his bouts being for a title.

Song Yadong rains down ground and pound on Ricky Simon. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Yadong has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #5 ranked Bantamweight Marlon Vera (23-8-1), #15 ranked Bantamweight Ricky Simon (20-5-0), and Chris Gutierrez (20-6-2). He’s an excellent technical striker who’s constantly pressuring forward and throwing every shot with knockout intentions. He has significant power in both hands, throws everything in combination, and remains technical throughout the fight, usually fighting behind his jab. Training at Team Alpha Male, Yadong varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly and remaining technical at all times. He’s powerful in the clinch and won’t typically pursue takedowns, but he has defended 73% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. He’s always willing to eat a shot to land one, regularly marching through punches to close the distance and throw offense of his own. Yadong has won bonuses in six of his thirteen fights in the promotion and always leaves it all in the cage.

#4 Gilbert Burns vs. #11 Jack Della Maddalena

Gilbert Burns cracks Belal Muhammad with a right hook. Credit: Sports Illustrated.

Welterweight Bout

Gilbert Burns: 22-6-0, 6 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Jack Della Maddalena: 16-2-0, 11 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Burns has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #8 ranked Welterweight Stephen Thompson (17-7-1), #12 ranked Welterweight Neil Magny (29-12-0), and Jorge Masvidal (35-17-0). He’s a decorated grappler with serious power in his hands and is always pursuing a finish. He’s always moving on his feet, constantly looking to close the distance, dip his head, and unleash brutal overhands. Burns has explosive takedowns, excellent top control, and a fantastic submission game. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he has a granite chin and pushes a consistent pace across all 15 minutes. He favors power to volume, throwing everything with knockout intentions, and is always willing to brawl inside the pocket. Burns is in his tenth year in the promotion and is dangerous wherever the fight goes.

Jack Della Maddalena blasts Bassil Hafez with a left hook. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Maddalena is on a sixteen-fight win streak and has UFC victories over #13 ranked Welterweight Kevin Holland (25-10-0), Randy Brown (18-5-0), and Danny Roberts (18-8-0). He is an excellent striker with technical boxing and bricks for hands who carries power going forward and backward. On average, he lands about twice as many significant strikes as he absorbs, using excellent distance management and head movement. Maddalena throws everything in combination and is excellent at changing levels, attacking the head and body evenly. He is one of the most defensively sound strikers, always keeping his guard high and tight, and has defended 67% of strikes thrown at him. Training at Scrappy MMA, he fights behind his jab and often strings together long, seven or 8-piece combinations that badly damage his opponent. While Maddalena won’t usually go to the ground, he’s shown great scrambles, takedown defense, and an ability to escape in deep waters.

#13 Kevin Holland vs. Michael “Venom” Page

Kevin Holland knocks out Santiago Ponzinibbio. Credit: Zuffa, LLC.

Welterweight Bout

Kevin Holland: 25-10-0, 13 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Michael Page: 21-2-0, 13 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Holland has won two of his last five fights and has wins over #13 ranked Middleweight Anthony Hernandez (12-2-0), #14 ranked Welterweight Michael Chiesa (18-7-0), and Joaquin Buckley (17-6-0). Willing to engage the fight anywhere, he’s dangerous at all times and is constantly pursuing a finish. He’s an aggressive striker, typically throwing combinations and always willing to brawl. Holland does a great job of moving in and out of the pocket, although he has no problem hanging close to exchange on the inside. Training at Travis Lutter BJJ, he tends to throw kicks at range, using his kicks to set up his hands, often throwing kicks naked or at the start of a combination. He pushes a consistent pace throughout the fight, always coming forward and pushing the action. In 20 bouts in the promotion, he’s only seen the judges seven times and can produce finishes from anywhere.

Michael Page finishes Goiti Yamauchi with leg kicks. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Page has won four of his last five bouts and is making his UFC debut. Arguably the biggest star in Bellator history, he held a record of 17-2 in the promotion in his decade-long tenure. One of the most dangerous kickboxers in the sport, he has a fantastic arsenal of flashy kicks and flashier celebrations. Training at London Shootfighters, Page is in perpetual motion, keeping his hands down and his stance wide, looking for openings to land devastating kicks or combinations. He never telegraphs his attacks, constantly changes his target, and has fantastic distance management. He won’t typically pursue grappling exchanges but has solid takedown defense and submissions. With 13 finishes in the first round, Page is most dangerous early on. 

#3 Dustin Poirier vs. #12 Benoît Saint Denis

Dustin Poirier lands a left hand on Dan Hooker. Credit: Essentially Sports.

Lightweight Bout

Dustin Poirier: 29-8-0, 15 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Benoît Saint Denis: 13-1-0, 4 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Poirier has won 3 of his last five fights and has wins over former UFC champions Conor McGregor (22-6-0), Max Holloway (25-7-0), and Eddie Alvarez (30-8-0). He’s been in the UFC for over a decade and has established himself as one of the best boxers in the sport, possessing power and speed in both hands. He pushes a heavy pace and always comes forward, averaging about 91 significant strikes landed in his last five wins. He holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu along with his exceptional boxing, making him dangerous everywhere. Training at American Top Team, he’s averaging over one takedown landed per fight and over one submission attempt. Poirier is a true veteran, having fought nearly every significant name at Featherweight and Lightweight, and he can finish a fight from anywhere.

Benoît Saint Denis throws a front kick at Matt Frevola. Credit: Yahoo Sports.

Saint-Denis has won all of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Ismael Bonfim (19-4-0), Thiago Moises (17-7-0), and Matt Frevola (11-4-1). A well-rounded scrapper, he’s constantly pressuring forward with heavy kicks and throwing bombs. He throws everything with fight-ending intentions and uses his striking to get inside and pursue takedowns. Saint-Denis is an excellent grappler, holding a black belt in Judo, a brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and a great variety of submissions on his record. Training at CYFIT, he typically secures takedowns quickly and has heavy top control, always choosing position over submission and rarely putting himself in risky spots. Whether on the feet or the mat, he’s always trying to end the fight and is always dangerous. A decorated veteran and former Special Forces paratrooper, Saint-Denis is incredibly tough and has possibly the best chin in the Lightweight division.

(C) Sean O’Malley vs. #5 Marlon Vera

Sean O’Malley looks to land ground and pound on Aljamain Sterling. Credit: The Independent.

Bantamweight Title Bout

Sean O’Malley: 17-1-0, 12 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Marlon Vera: 23-8-1, 8 KO/TKO, 10 Sub.

O’Malley has won 4 of his last five outings with one no-contest and has UFC victories over #2 ranked Bantamweight Aljamain Sterling (23-4-0), #4 ranked Bantamweight Petr Yan (16-5-0), and Thomas Almeida (22-5-0). He’s a wild, flashy striker, throwing out a variety of spinning and flying kicks seemingly at will. Averaging over seven significant strikes landed per minute; he’s always pursuing a finish, holding knockout wins in more than half of his bouts in the promotion. Training at MMA Lab, O’Malley rarely engages in grappling exchanges, preferring to stay at range and pick his opponent apart with long punches and kicks. Beyond his arsenal of flashy attacks, his most dangerous weapons are his straight punches, often putting them at the end of combinations and regularly resulting in knockdowns or knockouts. O’Malley carries his power throughout the fight and can produce a finish anytime.

Marlon Vera lands a head kick on Rob Font. Credit: Sportskeeda.

Vera has won four of his last five fights and has wins over #9 ranked Bantamweight Rob Font (20-8-0), #12 ranked Bantamweight Dominick Cruz (24-4-0), and his current opponent, Sean O’Malley. He is an experienced veteran with a diverse striking game and a granite chin. In his last five fights, he has absorbed, on average, about 140 significant strikes, something utterly absurd due to the fact that he won four of those bouts. Vera improves as the fight continues and can land damage inside or at range, with some particularly dangerous clinch striking. He stays technical across five rounds and regularly switches stances, holding power in both hands but never telegraphing or loading up. He supplies his opponent with a constant dose of kicks, constantly throwing various attacks with his legs, all with heavy power. Vera has dangerous BJJ and slick submissions, so although he’s most comfortable on the feet, he can find a finish anywhere.

Best Bets

Yan vs. Yadong to Go the Distance: This is easily the closest matchup on the card. Both have incredibly similar styles and granite chins, so while I can’t definitively predict a winner, I’d be shocked to see a finish in this one.

Dustin Poirier Moneyline: Saînt-Denis is undeniably a killer, and it seems the UFC is ready to strap a rocket to his back and send him to the top. Still, he would’ve benefitted from another fight or two before cracking the top five; going from fighting Matt Frevola directly to Poirier is a crazy leap in competition. Poirier has plenty left to give to the sport and will show that this Saturday.

Marlon Vera Moneyline: While I don’t place a ton of stock in their first meeting, I still think Chito is a very tough stylistic matchup for O’Malley. Regardless of what you hit Vera with, he’s going to stay right in your face and make you fight his style of fight. While O’Malley showed a lot of toughness in his fight with Petr Yan, I don’t think he can weather the storm Vera will bring this Saturday.

UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs Gaziev Preview

Jairzinho Rozenstruik lands a left hand on Augusto Sakai. Credit: MMA Fighting.

The UFC returns to the APEX this weekend with another fantastic Fight Night card. In the co-main event, we’ll see two of the most devastating strikers in the Light Heavyweight division collide, Vitor Petrino and Tyson Pedro. In the main event, two explosive, powerful scrappers, Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Shamil Gaziev, will face off. Preceding them are a handful of quickly rising prospects and established names looking to move up the rankings. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

#9 Matt Schnell vs. #12 Steve Erceg

Matt Schnell lands an elbow on Sumudaerji. Credit: MMA Mania.

Flyweight Bout

Matt Schnell: 16-7-0, 2 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Steve Erceg: 11-1-0, 1 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Schnell has won two of his last five fights with one no-contest and has UFC victories over #13 ranked Flyweight Sumudaerji (16-6-0), Tyson Nam (21-14-1), and Louis Smolka (17-9-0). He’s willing to engage the fight just about anywhere, using a technical boxing style on the feet and favoring wrestling in grappling exchanges. He has solid speed and power in his hands, often using his striking to set up his grappling. Schnell excels at capitalizing on his opponent’s mistakes and regularly grabs chokes when defending takedowns. Of his nine career submission wins, seven are chokes, all of which are either a guillotine or triangle. Training at Fortis MMA, he has a black belt in karate, so despite largely boxing when on the feet, he has a kicking game to back up his hands. With nine first-round finishes and four first-round losses, Schnell is extremely unpredictable early on.

Steve Erceg chokes out Soichiro Hirai. Credit: Eternal MMA.

Erceg is on a ten-fight win streak and has UFC victories over #14 ranked Flyweight David Dvorak (20-6-0) and Alessandro Costa (13-4-0). He’s extremely well-rounded, possessing technical striking and a dangerous submission game. He’s constantly pressuring forward, keeping his head off the centerline, and always remaining technical, never telegraphing his shots. Erceg has excellent counterstriking and hides his kicks well, regularly landing brutal leg kicks. Training at Wilkes Martial Arts, he’s averaging two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and can find submissions with incredible speed. With all six submission wins coming via choke, he’ll constantly search for his opponent’s neck on the ground. Erceg has solid cardio and pushes a consistent pace throughout, never getting sloppy or putting himself in bad spots. 

#13 Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Bekzat Almakhan

Umar Nurmagomedov applies a rear naked choke to Sergey Morozov. Credit: Essentially Sports.

Bantamweight Bout

Umar Nurmagomedov: 16-0-0, 2 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Bekzat Almakhan: 17-1-0, 12 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Nurmagomedov is undefeated and has UFC victories over Raoni Barcelos (18-5-0), Nate Maness (15-3-0), and Sergey Morozov (19-5-0). He’s a technical, well-rounded fighter with big power in his hands and dominant wrestling. He’s constantly stance-switching and throwing lead leg attacks, always moving and never staying in one spot for long. Training at AKA, Nurmagomedov has fantastic takedowns and top control, often landing takedowns in open space and quickly advancing position. He’s averaging over four takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and remains patient in top position, always looking for openings to land ground and pound or grab a submission. He has devastating power in his hands and can produce a flash knockout at any moment. Six of Nurmagomedov’s seven submissions have been via rear naked choke, so he’ll regularly look to take his opponent’s back. 

Bekzat Almakhan prepares inside the cage. Credit: Octagon MMA.

Almakhan is on a ten-fight win streak and is making his UFC debut. He’s a wild scrapper who always looks to push the pace and use all his skills. Training at Triumph Fights, he’s constantly moving and feinting, always throws in combination, and throws every shot with power. Almakhan does most of his work inside the pocket, regularly blitzing forward to unload combinations. He has solid wrestling and uses his striking to set up his grappling, often striking into the pocket and securing bodylock takedowns. He stays patient in top position, looking to control his opponent and advance position. Almakhan lets his hands go more as the fight continues and is always willing to throw down on the inside.

#7 Alex Perez vs. #8 Muhammad Mokaev

Alex Perez throws a left hand at Deiveson Figueiredo. Credit: Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Flyweight Bout

Alex Perez: 24-7-0, 5 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Muhammad Mokaev: 11-0-0, 2 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Perez has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Jussier Formiga (24-8-0), Jordan Espinosa (15-10-0), and Mark De La Rosa (11-5-0). Perez is a well-rounded fighter with brutal leg kicks and solid wrestling. He pushes a heavy pace from bell to bell, constantly pressuring forward, dipping his head, and throwing bombs. He varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly and regularly targeting his opponent’s legs. Perez is averaging nearly three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and has heavy top control. He’ll usually pursue a submission over ground and pound, and with six of his seven submissions coming via choke, he’s very dangerous if he finds his opponent’s neck. He’s always pursuing a finish, with eight of his ten UFC fights not seeing the judge’s scorecards. Perez hasn’t gone to the second round in four years and is at his most dangerous early on.

Muhammad Mokaev throws a body kick at Cody Durden. Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC.

Mokaev is undefeated and has UFC victories over #10 ranked Flyweight Tim Elliott (21-13-1), Charles Johnson (14-6-0), and Malcolm Gordon (14-8-0). He’s a dominant grappler with fantastic wrestling and solid striking. He’s a tenacious wrestler, willing to work hard along the cage to secure takedowns. Mokaev has great chain grappling, often stringing together takedowns, especially in the clinch. When he does get the fight to the floor, he’s more likely to pursue submissions than a ground-and-pound finish, using heavy control to keep his opponent beneath him. Training at KHK MMA Team, he has excellent cardio and can easily grapple for 15 minutes. Mokaev pushes a heavy pace and pursues a finish at all times.

Vitor Petrino vs. Tyson Pedro

Vitor Petrino rains down ground and pound on Marcin Prachnio. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Light Heavyweight Bout

Vitor Petrino: 10-0-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Tyson Pedro: 10-4-0, 5 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Petrino is undefeated and has UFC victories over Anton Turkalj (8-3-0), Marcin Prachnio (17-7-0), and Modestas Bukauskas (15-6-0). He’s an explosive fighter with devastating power and great grappling. He’s constantly coming forward, typically headhunting and throwing single shots, with enough power in both hands to produce a one-shot KO. Training at CM System, Petrino is at his most dangerous early on, constantly throwing overhands and hooks, favoring power to technique. He is averaging over four takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and can be a bit of a panic wrestler, resorting to grappling when he’s losing the striking exchanges. He has heavy top control and brutal ground and pound and is averaging about one submission attempt per fifteen minutes. Petrino has surprisingly decent cardio, able to push a consistent pace throughout the fight. 

Tyson Pedro cracks Modestas Bukauskas with a jab. Credit: MMA Mania.

Pedro has won two of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #8 ranked Light Heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr. (14-5-0), #12 ranked Middleweight Paul Craig (17-7-1), and Harry Hunsucker (7-6-0). He is a devastating striker with serious power in everything he throws. He has an excellent arsenal of attacks with particularly damaging head and leg kicks, which he’ll set up with constant feinting and movement. Pedro has great speed for the division and is excellent at using his length, regularly landing damage from distance. While he won’t often initiate grappling exchanges, he has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and possesses a solid submission and takedown game. Training at City Kickboxing, he is patient and technical, never rushing in or overextending on his shots. Pedro has excellent knees and varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly. While he won’t often put out much volume in terms of strikes, he makes up for it with one-shot knockout power.

#12 Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev

Jairzinho Rozenstruik throws a right hand at Alexander Volkov. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Heavyweight Bout

Jairzinho Rozenstruik: 13-5-0, 12 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Shamil Gaziev: 12-0-0, 8 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Rozenstruik has won two of his last five fights, and has UFC victories over Chris Daukaus (12-7-0), Augusto Sakai (16-5-1), and Alistair Overeem (47-19-0). He is a former professional kickboxer with a record of 76-8, with 64 wins by knockout. Nine of his twelve career knockouts have come in the first round, so he’s at his most dangerous early on. Training at American Top Team, Rozenstruik is an excellent counter-striker who looks to draw his opponent into the pocket so he can land big shots with his right hand. He has one-shot KO power but can string together long combinations if he lets his hands go. He has solid takedown defense and has defended 75% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC, always preferring to keep it standing. Rozenstruik has excellent hand speed for a Heavyweight, throws everything with power, and often mixes kicks into the end of combinations.

Shamil Gaziev lands a left hand on Martin Buday. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Gaziev is undefeated and has a UFC victory over Martin Buday (13-2-0). He’s an aggressive striker who’s always coming forward and throwing bombs. He fights behind his jab, throwing everything in combination and with devastating power. He pushes a wild pace from the starting bell, putting out impressive volume for a Heavyweight. Training at KHK MMA Team, Gaziev does most of his work with his hands, always looking to close the distance and let combinations fly. He won’t typically pursue takedowns, often finding himself in top position due to a knockdown. He’s smart on top, waiting to advance position before posturing up or seeking submissions. Gaziev has one-shot knockout power and is most dangerous early in the fight. 

Best Bets

Steve Erceg by Submission: While a less established name than his opponent, Steve Erceg is undoubtedly not less skilled. While Schnell is always in great fights and pushes the pace, I believe the technicality and well-roundedness of Erceg will be too much for him. I expect Erceg to hurt him on the feet, then finish him off with a submission.

Muhammad Mokaev by Submission: While I’ll never go out of my way to pick Dagestanis, this feels like a given. Perez is inactive, pushes a wild pace, and has five losses by submission. I anticipate some back-and-forth on the feet, but Mokaev will inevitably get it to the ground and find a submission.

Shamil Gaziev Moneyline: I just said I don’t typically pick Dagestanis, but sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to do. Rozenstruik is the definition of a glass cannon, and with the ridiculous pace pushed by Gaziev, I don’t think he’ll last too long.

UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs. Royval 2 Preview

Brandon Royval throws a head kick at Brandon Moreno. Credit: Yahoo Sports.

This Saturday, the UFC returns to Mexico City with a loaded Fight Night card. Two rematches top the card, with two of the most well-rounded fighters in MMA colliding again in Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez. In the main event, two of the most exciting, fast-paced fighters in the UFC face off for the second time, Brandon Moreno and Brandon Royval. Preceding this are numerous up-and-coming prospects and trained killers looking to establish themselves on the biggest stage in the sport. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Manuel Torres vs. Chris Duncan

Manuel Torres lands an uppercut on Frank Camacho. Credit: DraftKings Network.

Lightweight Bout

Manuel Torres: 14-2-0, 7 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Chris Duncan: 11-1-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Torres has won all his last five fights and has UFC victories over Frank Camacho (22-10-0) and Nikolas Motta (14-5-0). He’s an explosive striker who throws every shot with knockout intentions and always comes forward. He throws wide, looping hooks, constantly attacks from different angles, and has power in both hands. Training at Entram Gym, Torres has only been to one decision in his career, with all of his other bouts ending in the first round. He has excellent distance management, moving in and out of the pocket without absorbing damage. He’s willing to grapple and is strong inside the clinch, but he is always ready to brawl and can produce a flash knockout at any time. Torres can do significant damage without much space, especially with his elbows.

Chris Duncan throws a right hand at Charlie Campbell. Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC.

Duncan has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Yanal Ashmouz (7-1-0) and Omar Morales (11-4-0). He is a well-rounded fighter with a solid wrestling game and dangerous power in his hands. He’s constantly pressuring forward, remaining patient, and looking for openings before unloading overhands and hooks. Duncan has one-shot knockout power and can produce a knockout at any moment. Training at American Top Team, he is averaging over three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and has solid top and clinch control. He’s always working to improve position or land damage when he’s on top. Duncan has solid cardio and will push a consistent pace across all fifteen minutes.

Yazmin Jauregui vs. Sam Hughes

Yazmin Jauregui lands a left hand on Iasmin Lucindo. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Women’s Strawweight Bout

Yazmin Jauregui: 10-1-0, 7 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Sam Hughes: 8-5-0, 2 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Jauregui has won four of her last five bouts and has UFC victories over Iasmin Lucindo (15-5-0) and Istela Nunes (6-5-0). She’s an excellent striker who throws everything in combination and is always coming forward. She looks to overwhelm her opponents with volume, constantly blitzing forward and unleashing long combinations. Jauregui pushes a heavy pace, is willing to brawl, and constantly pursues a finish. Training at Entram Gym, she has defended 100% of the takedowns attempted on her in the UFC and has heavy ground and pound when in top position. With six of her seven knockouts coming in round one, she’s at her most dangerous early on. Jauregui remains technical despite her brawling tendencies, fighting behind her jab and keeping her shots tight and straight. 

Sam Hughes exchanges punches with Loma Lookboonmee. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Hughes has won three of her last five fights and has UFC victories over Jaqueline Amorim (7-1-0), Elise Reed (7-4-0), and Istela Nunes (6-5-0). She’s a cardio monster, always looking to outpace and wear down her opponent. She fights behind her jab on the feet, constantly pressuring forward and using her striking to set up her grappling. Hughes is averaging over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and is very active on the ground, always looking to damage her opponent or advance position. Training at Fortis MMA, she’s a tenacious grappler willing to work along the fence to get to a takedown. She has heavy top control and does an excellent job of not allowing her opponents to get to the fence to get up. Hughes constantly wears down her opponents and improves as the fight continues.

Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Ricky Turcios

Raul Rosas Jr. rains down ground and pound on Terrence Mitchell. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Bantamweight Bout

Raul Rosas Jr.: 8-1-0, 2 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Ricky Turcios: 13-3-0, 3 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Rosas Jr. has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Jay Perrin (11-7-0) and Terrence Mitchell (14-4-0). He’s a dangerous submission artist with excellent wrestling and BJJ. He’s averaging over three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and is very active on top, constantly pursuing submissions and advancing position. Rosas Jr. was the youngest debuting fighter in UFC history, debuting at 18 years old in 2022. Training at 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, he pushes a heavy pace on the ground and always finds his way to his opponent’s back, where he’s most dangerous. He has solid power in his hands but typically won’t waste much time before shooting in for a takedown. Rosas Jr. has an excellent arsenal of submissions and is unpredictable on the ground. 

Ricky Turcios lands a right hand on Brady Hiestand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Turcios has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Kevin Natividad (9-4-0) and Brady Hiestand (8-2-0). The victor of The Ultimate Fighter season 29, he’s a well-rounded scrapper who is excellent at creating chaos. He comes out guns blazing, pushing the pace from the starting bell and making his opponent fight his style of fight. Training at Gracie Barra Woodlands, Turcios is extremely fluid on his back and has an incredible ability to find his way to top position. He excels in deep waters, constantly sweeping, scrambling, and transitioning between submission attempts. Averaging one takedown landed per fifteen minutes; he uses his striking to close the distance and pursue takedowns. He’s more than willing to eat a shot to land one and always makes his fights wild, wherever they end up.

Daniel Zellhuber vs. Francisco Prado

Daniel Zellhuber locks up an anaconda choke on Christos Giagos. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Lightweight Bout

Daniel Zellhuber: 14-1-0, 7 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Francisco Prado: 12-1-0, 6 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Zellhuber has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Lando Vannata (12-7-2) and Christos Giagos (20-11-0). He’s a lengthy striker with excellent boxing, speed, and power. He fights behind his jab, remaining patient and looking for openings to land damaging shots. Zellhuber has solid cardio and will remain technical throughout, pushing a consistent pace and often improving as the fight continues. Training at Xtreme Couture, he has excellent distance management and footwork, typically controlling the center of the cage for most of the fight. He won’t often initiate grappling exchanges, but he has a solid submission game and has defended 94% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. Zellhuber is tied for the longest reach among active Lightweights and uses it well, constantly doing damage from range with long punches and kicks.

Francisco Prado lands a spinning elbow on Ottman Azaitar. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Prado has won four of his last five outings and has a UFC victory over Ottman Azaitar (13-2-0). He’s an explosive striker who throws every shot with power and is constantly hunting a knockout. He vastly favors power over volume, constantly throwing single shots and naked kicks with KO intentions. Prado tends to headhunt, often blitzing forward to unload looping hooks and uppercuts. Training at Goat Shed Academy, he won’t throw much at range, always looking to close the distance and let his hands go inside the pocket. He does a great job of holding the octagon's center and will constantly look to counterstrike. Prado can do severe damage without much space and has particularly devastating elbow strikes.

#3 Yair Rodriguez vs. #4 Brian Ortega

Yair Rodrigues throws a front kick at Josh Emmett. Credit: DraftKings Network.

Featherweight Bout

Yair Rodriguez: 16-4-0, 6 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Brian Ortega: 15-3-0, 3 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Rodriguez has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #7 ranked Featherweight Josh Emmett (19-4-0), #15 ranked Featherweight Alex Caceres (21-14-0), #10 ranked Lightweight Dan Hooker (23-12-0). He’s one of the most diverse strikers in the UFC, possessing an insane arsenal of kicks and flashy attacks. He throws everything with immense speed and attacks from different angles, constantly moving and switching stances. Rodriguez usually leads with his kicks before letting his hands go, picking his opponent apart at range before entering the pocket to throw combinations. He has excellent distance management and timing and never slows down, consistently putting out a substantial volume of strikes. Training at Valle Flow Striking, he has fantastic clinch striking and some of the most devastating elbows in MMA. Rodriguez won’t usually take the fight to the mat, but he has a great submission game and is dangerous off his back.

Brian Ortega throws a jumping kick at Frankie Edgar. Credit: Esther Linn/MMA Fighting.

Ortega has won two of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #13 ranked Lightweight Renato Moicano (18-5-1), Frankie Edgar (23-11-1), and Chan Sung Jung (17-8-0). He’s a well-rounded fighter with technical striking and a slick submission game. He possesses power and speed in his hands, throwing everything tight and straight and never telegraphing his shots. He has a granite chin and excellent cardio, never going away or slowing down during the fight. Ortega advances lightning-fast on the ground, often chaining submissions together and easily transitioning between them. Training at Huntington Beach UTC, he has flashy attacks to back up his technical skill and can land flying knees and spinning attacks. He varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly and regularly landing brutal leg kicks. All of Ortega’s submissions have come via choke, and he is known to have one of the best triangle chokes in MMA.

#1 Brandon Moreno vs. #3 Brandon Royval

Brandon Moreno lands a right hand on Deiveson Figueiredo. Credit: Marca.

Flyweight Bout

Brandon Moreno: 21-7-2, 5 KO/TKO, 11 Sub.

Brandon Royval: 15-7-0, 4 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.

Brandon Moreno has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #8 ranked Bantamweight Deiveson Figueiredo (22-3-1), #4 ranked Flyweight Kai Kara-France (24-11-0), and his current opponent, Brandon Royval. Training at Brazilian Warriors BJJ, he uses crisp boxing and solid combinations to damage his opponents. He remains patient and looks for openings but is more than willing to throw down in the pocket. Moreno has excellent top control and a slick submission game on the mat. He also possesses great takedown defense, often working out of challenging positions and returning to range. He has fantastic cardio and can push a consistent pace across 25 minutes, let alone fifteen. Moreno is incredibly tough to put away and is dangerous at all times and in any position. 

Brandon Royval lands a knee to the chin of Matheus Nicolau. Credit: MMA Mania.

Royval has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Flyweight Kai Kara-France (24-11-0), #5 ranked Flyweight Matheus Nicolau (19-4-1), and #9 ranked Flyweight Matt Schnell (16-7-0). He’s a well-rounded scrapper who pushes a crazy pace from bell to bell. Training at FactoryX Muay Thai, “Raw Dawg” has been awarded four bonuses in just eight bouts in the promotion, proving he leaves it all in the cage every time. Royval is dangerous on top and off his back, always moving on the ground and searching for submissions. He throws everything in combination on the feet and is always coming forward. He’s more than willing to brawl and has shown an excellent ability to recover from being hurt. Royval’s wild striking game often sets up his grappling, allowing him to land on top or find a submission.

Best Bets

Torres vs. Duncan to Not Go the Distance: While neither of these guys is an established name, they can quickly change that in this matchup. With 28 combined fights and 21 finishes, neither of these men go to the cards often, and I expect someone to earn a highlight-reel finish.

Yair Rodriguez Moneyline: This is a fantastic matchup, and I’m glad it’s getting a rematch after a flukey end to their first fight. Although we couldn’t surmise much from their first meeting, they both have very similar styles. Both are very fluid strikers with excellent variety in their attacks, and both have fantastic BJJ and submission games. Ultimately, I think Rodriguez is the more all-around skilled and has a slight edge on the feet, where I expect this fight to play out mostly.

Brandon Moreno by KO/TKO: This is a tough pick to make: both Moreno and Royval are some of my favorite fighters, easily my favorite flyweights. Moreno won their first matchup rather convincingly, and although both have evolved considerably since 2020, I still think Moreno will find a finish. Royval is incredibly wild and constantly throwing caution to the wind, and I believe Moreno has more weapons to finish him with. I expect Moreno to finish this one on the feet, likely in the first three rounds.

UFC 298 Preview

Alexander Volkanovski attempts a head kick on Max Holloway. Credit: San Diego Union-Tribute.

Finally, one of the most anticipated cards of the year has arrived, and it’s loaded from top to bottom. In the co-main event, two of the most popular and exciting fighters in the Middleweight division collide, Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa. In the main event, Alexander Volkanovski looks to defend his belt against the white-hot Ilia Topuria. Preceding them are numerous established names and top-ten talent, making for what could be one of the best pay-per-views of 2024. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

#15 Anthony Hernandez vs. Roman Kopylov

Anthony Hernandez rains down ground and pound on Edmen Shahbazyan. Credit: MMA Mania.

Middleweight Bout

Anthony Hernandez: 11-2-0, 2 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Roman Kopylov: 12-2-0, 11 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Hernandez has won four of his last five and has UFC victories over JunYong Park (17-6-0), Marc-Andre Barriault (16-7-0), and Edmen Shahbazyan (12-4-0). He’s a relentless grappler who’s always working for a finish and gets better as the fight goes on. He throws in combination on the feet and will use his striking to get into the pocket and either pursue a takedown or damage his opponent in the clinch. Hernandez is extremely tough, able to take a beating and still push a consistent pace, and often finds submissions out of seemingly nowhere. Training at MMAGold Fight Team, he has smothering clinch and top control, great takedowns, and extremely dangerous chokes, especially his guillotine. Five of his seven career submission wins are via guillotine, and he often performs his own modified version of the choke. Hernandez is very fluid on the ground and always finds a way to get to a safe position, always choosing position over submission.

Roman Kopylov lands a head kick on Josh Fremd. Credit: Sports Illustrated.

Kopylov has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Alessio Di Chirico (13-7-0), Claudio Ribeiro (11-4-0), and Punahele Soriano (9-4-0). He’s a sniper on the feet, using precision and power to dismantle his opponents. He won’t use a ton of footwork but is constantly feinting and drawing reactions out of his opponents, opening up opportunities to land strikes. Kopylov does an excellent job of varying his shots, attacking the head and body evely, and often mixing kicks into punch combinations. He never telegraphs shots or loads up but throws everything with devastating power and can produce flash knockouts anytime. Training with Raty Team, he’s unlikely to initiate grappling exchanges, but he has fantastic takedown defense and has defended 92% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. Kopylov is exceptionally explosive, often touching his opponent with single shots before unleashing huge combinations. 

#2 Merab Dvalishvili vs. #3 Henry Cejudo

Merab Dvalishvili lands an elbow on Petr Yan. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Bantamweight Bout

Merab Dvalishvili: 16-4-0, 3 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Henry Cejudo: 16-3-0, 8 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Dvalishvili has won all of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #5 ranked Bantamweight Petr Yan (16-5-0), Jose Aldo (31-8-0), and John Dodson (25-14-0). He has monstrous cardio, relentlessly pursuing takedowns and landing big flurries on the feet. He’s incredibly durable, always willing to eat a shot to land one, and is constantly pressuring forward. Dvalishvili has fantastic cardio and can easily wrestle for five rounds, averaging over six takedowns landed per fifteen minutes. Training with the Serra-Longo Fight Team, his constant wrestling threat helps to mask his striking, often coming forward with powerful hooks and big combinations. He never stops moving on the feet or the ground, constantly looking for a better position or opening to land a shot. Always looking to overwhelm his opponents, Dvalishvili lands, on average, nearly twice as many significant strikes per minute than he absorbs.

Henry Cejudo lands a knee on Marlon Moraes. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Cejudo has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over former Bantamweight champions TJ Dillashaw (18-5-0) and Dominick Cruz (24-4-0), as well as former Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson (25-4-1). One of the most accomplished athletes in MMA, he’s a former UFC double champion (FLW & BW) and former Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling. Unsurprisingly, he’s an excellent grappler, averaging about two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and possessing smothering top control. Training at Fight Ready, Cejudo has fantastic takedowns and scrambles, seemingly always finding a way to top position. He uses a karate-like style on the feet, holding a wide stance, constantly moving and mixing kicks into combinations. All his attacks are lightning-fast, often using his striking to get into the pocket and grapple. Cejudo has excellent takedown defense, having defended 83% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC, and is highly fluid on the ground and in the clinch. 

#8 Geoff Neal vs. Ian Garry

Geoff Neal unloads a left hand on Mike Perry. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Welterweight Bout

Geoff Neal: 14-5-0, 8 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Ian Garry: 13-0-0, 7 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Neal has won three of his last five outings and holds wins over #2 ranked Welterweight Belal Muhammad (23-3-0), #9 ranked Welterweight Vicente Luque (22-9-1), and the “Nigerian Nightmare” Mike Perry (14-8-0). He has serious power in his hands and throws everything in combination, always fighting behind his jab. While an aggressive striker, he remains technical, keeping his punches tight and straight and his guard high. Neal is defensively sound, has excellent head movement, and has defended 58% of significant strikes attempted on him in the UFC. Training at Fortis MMA, he does a great job of varying his shots and attacking from different angles, but his best punch by far is his left straight. He holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has shown some decent wrestling, with a takedown defense percentage of 85%. Neal has proven to have solid cardio, carrying the same speed and power across all 15 minutes.

Ian Garry lands a jab on Gabe Green. Credit: Action Network.

Garry is undefeated and has UFC victories over #12 ranked Welterweight Neil Magny (29-12-0), Daniel Rodriguez (17-4-0), and Song Kenan (20-8-0). He’s an excellent striker with a very fluid style, constantly moving and bouncing on his feet with an almost karate-like stance. He’s highly accurate, having landed 56% of the significant strikes he has attempted in the UFC, and remains patient, always looking for openings. Garry fights behind his jab and has excellent distance management, typically controlling the center of the cage and forcing his opponent to the outside. He has a deadly kicking arsenal and uses them to do significant damage at range, never telegraphing and constantly mixing kicks into punch combinations. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he holds a black belt in Judo and has solid takedown defense but rarely initiates grappling exchanges. Garry benefits from a slower pace, technical fight, having never been pulled into a knockdown, drag-out brawl. 

#3 Robert Whittaker vs. #6 Paulo Costa

Robert Whittaker throws a head kick at Kelvin Gastelum. Credit: MMA Mania.

Middleweight Bout

Robert Whittaker: 25-7-0, 10 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Paulo Costa: 14-2-0, 11 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Whittaker has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Middleweight Jared Cannonier (17-6-0), #5 ranked Middleweight Marvin Vettori (19-7-1), and Kelvin Gastelum (18-9-0). He is an excellent, technical striker in perpetual motion, constantly bouncing and throwing in combination. Utilizing his karate background, he has fantastic lead leg attacks and throws all his shots tight and straight. Training at PMA Martial Arts, Whittaker varies his shots well, attacking the head and body evenly and never overextending or getting sloppy. He’s elusive, never staying in one spot for long, and always keeps his head off the centerline. He does an excellent job mixing kicks into combinations, making them extremely hard to predict or see before they land. Whittaker has great cardio and remains composed throughout, easily able to go for 25 minutes. 

Paulo Costa blasts Luke Rockhold with a left hand. Credit: Yahoo Sports.

Costa has won three of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over Yoel Romero (15-7-0), Uriah Hall (18-11-0), and former UFC Welterweight champion Johny Hendricks (18-8-0). He is best known for his devastating power, having won 11 of his first twelve career fights by knockout. Possessing power in both his hands and kicks, he’s always capable of a one-shot KO. Costa has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu but rarely goes to the ground and hasn’t attempted a single submission in the UFC. Training with the Pitbull Brothers, he is at his best when pressuring forward, throwing bombs and powerful kicks, especially to the body. He is more than willing to eat a shot to land one, absorbing an almost equal amount of significant strikes as he lands per minute. Costa slows as the fight continues and will take more risks the deeper the fight goes. 

(C) Alexander Volkanovski vs. #3 Ilia Topuria

Alexander Volkanovski lands a stiff jab on Max Holloway. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Featherweight Title Bout

Alexander Volkanovski: 26-3-0, 13 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Ilia Topuria: 14-0-0, 4 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Volkanovski has won three of his last five outings and has wins over #1 ranked Featherweight Max Holloway (25-7-0), #2 ranked Featherweight Yair Rodriguez (16-4-0), and #4 ranked Featherweight Brian Ortega (15-3-0). He is an excellent technical striker with serious power in both hands and devastating leg kicks. He’s highly accurate, throws every shot with purpose, and quickly moves in and out of the pocket without taking damage. Volkanovski never telegraphs his attacks and is defensively sound, defending 58% of significant strikes attempted on him. Although elusive, he’s willing to eat a shot to land one and will brawl inside the pocket. Training at City Kickboxing, he has excellent cardio and is constantly pressuring forward, averaging 95 significant strikes landed in his last five fights. Volkanovski also averages nearly two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes, has excellent wrestling with heavy top pressure, outstanding control in the clinch, and an incredible ability to escape submissions.

Ilia Topuria unloads a combination on Josh Emmett. Credit: MMA Mania.

Topuria is undefeated with UFC victories over #7 ranked Featherweight Josh Emmett (19-4-0), #10 ranked Featherweight Bryce Mitchell (16-3-0), and Jai Herbert (12-5-1). He uses a boxing style on the feet, staying composed and fighting behind his jab, and does an excellent job of mixing up his attacks between the head and body. With great power in both hands, he’s always very dangerous on the feet, with 12 of his fourteen wins coming via finish. Training at Climent Club, Topuria is also an excellent grappler with a slick submission game. He has fantastic wrestling, often using double-leg takedowns to bring his opponent down. He has solid top control and does a great job of staying aware of any submission attempts thrown his way while often pursuing multiple submissions, typically chokes. No matter where the fight goes, Topuria always looks for the finish, whether it’s a knockout or a submission.

Best Bets

Hernandez vs. Kopylov to Not Go the Distance: This matchup is much closer than the odds indicate. Hernandez has the grappling advantage, with the striking advantage going to Kopylov. Ultimately, it’ll be decided who can work their strategy better. Regardless, with twenty finishes in 27 fights between the two, I’m pretty confident this doesn’t go to the cards.

Geoff Neal Moneyline: I’d feel like a traitor if I didn’t include this pick. Regardless of my dislike of Ian Garry, I genuinely believe this is his toughest test, and he’s gotten caught on the chin and dropped before. If Neal catches him clean like other fighters have, he could end Garry’s run of terror.

Alexander Volkanovski Moneyline: Per usual, the toughest pick is the main event. I am a massive fan of Topuria and have been since his debut in the promotion, and I’ve been looking forward to his chance at the gold. That said, Volkanovski has been an absolute monster at 145 pounds and looks great coming into this bout. While I know the KO loss to Makhachev made him lose a lot of his luster, he’s still one of the best fighters in the world, and I believe he’ll prove that again on Saturday.

UFC Fight Night: Hermansson vs. Pyfer Preview

Joe Pyfer slams Abdul Razak Alhassan. Credit: MMA Fighting.

We’re back with yet another Apex card loaded to the brim with excellent matchups. In the co-main event, two featherweights look to put their name in title contention when Andre Fili faces off against Dan Ige. In the main event, one of the hottest rising stars in the sport takes on a well-rounded veteran when Joe Pyfer takes on Jack Hermansson. The entire main card is loaded with killers and fighters looking to establish themselves in the world’s foremost MMA promotion. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Rodolfo Vieira vs. Armen Petrosyan

Rodolfo Vieira submits Dustin Stoltzfus. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Rodolfo Vieira: 9-2-0, 1 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.

Armen Petrosyan: 9-2-0, 6 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Vieira has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Cody Brundage (9-5-0), Dustin Stoltzfus (14-5-0), and Saparbeg Safarov (9-3-0). He is among the most credentialed Jiu-Jitsu players in MMA and has won gold medals at the ADCC, World Championships, AJP Abu Dhabi World Pro, and more. He’s averaging nearly four takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and is very explosive, able to land takedowns in open space and along the fence. Vieira has a 100% finish rate, and all of his submission wins have been via choke, making him highly dangerous if he gets a hold of his opponent’s neck. On the feet, he uses basic boxing combinations and stays behind his jab, possessing solid power and typically using his striking to set up his grappling. Training with Team Nogueira, he advances with lightning speed on the ground, has heavy top pressure, and powerful ground and pound. Vieira has shown consistent improvement in his striking and is more willing to engage in striking exchanges, but he is still far more comfortable on the mat.

Armen Petrosyan lands a kick on Kaloyan Kolev. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Petrosyan has won four of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Gregory Rodrigues (14-5-0), AJ Dobson (7-2-0), and Christian Leroy Duncan (8-1-0). A former professional kickboxer, he held a record of 70-22-1 with 27 knockouts. He’s an excellent technical striker who possesses both speed and power. Training at Academy MMA, Petrosyan has great timing and accuracy with his strikes, often able to land shots and slip out of the pocket without taking damage. He does a great job mixing kicks into his combinations and attacks the head and body evenly, as well as providing a steady dose of leg kicks. He’s not likely to initiate grappling exchanges but has shown a solid ability to get off his back and return to his feet, where he’s most comfortable. Petrosyan is a highly active fighter, having fought eight times between 2021 and 2023.

Michael Johnson vs. Darrius Flowers

Michael Johnson cracks Justin Gaethje with a right hand. Credit: MMA Mania.

Lightweight Bout

Michael Johnson: 22-19-0, 9 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Darrius Flowers: 12-6-1, 7 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Johnson has won two of his last five outings and holds victories over #3 ranked Lightweight Dustin Poirier (29-8-0), #13 ranked Featherweight Edson Barboza (24-11-0), and Tony Ferguson (26-10-0). He has been in the promotion since 2010 and is an alumnus of the 12th season of The Ultimate Fighter, with a background in collegiate wrestling. He has fought a who’s who of the Lightweight division and is respected for his well-roundedness and devastating punching power. Training at Kill Cliff FC, Johnson has blazing-fast hands and loves to get into the pocket and throw 4-5 punch combinations. He has power in both hands, with his best weapon being his straights, but he also tends to throw damaging, looping hooks. He has excellent takedown defense, having defended 79% of takedowns attempted on him in his UFC career. Johnson has wrestling ability but only seems to use it when he’s losing on the feet, but he can land brutal ground and pound if he gets on top.

Darrius Flowers finishes Amiran Gogoladze. Credit: Yahoo.

Flowers has won four of his last five bouts, with his most recent win coming on the Contender Series over Amiran Gogoladze (14-3-0). He’s a true brawler, always moving and looking for openings to crash into the pocket and throw bombs. Training at Uprising MMA, he’s constantly looking to set up his right hand, staying at distance before dipping his head and throwing massive shots. Flowers will typically float along the outside of the cage and look for knockout opportunities, never putting out punches just to touch his opponent. Fighting with a true “kill or be killed” style, ten of his nineteen career bouts ended in the first round, and all his losses are by finish. He is willing to grapple and is very powerful in the clinch and top position. Flowers has devastating ground and pound but can get sloppy on the ground, with most of his losses coming by submission.

Brad Tavares vs Gregory Rodrigues

Brad Tavares launches a head kick at Caio Magalhaes. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Brad Tavares: 20-9-0, 5 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Gregory Rodrigues: 14-5-0, 9 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Tavares has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Krzysztof Jotko (24-7-0), Chris Weidman (15-7-0), and Nate Marquadt (35-19-2). He’s an excellent, technical striker, always throwing in combination and keeping all his shots tight and straight. He has great distance management and constantly moves, never telegraphing or loading up. Tavares varies his shots, attacking the head and body evenly and often chewing up his opponent’s legs with kicks. Training at Xtreme Couture, he has fantastic takedown defense, having defended 82% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. He has solid cardio and can push a consistent pace across 15 minutes, using both power and volume. Tavares is at his best when he’s controlling the center of the octagon and the fight's pace. 

Gregory Rodrigues blasts JunYong Park with a right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Rodrigues has won three of his last five fights, with UFC wins coming over Junyong Park (17-5-0), Chidi Njokuani (22-9-0), and Julian Marquez (9-4-0). “Robocop” not only has one of the best nicknames in MMA but also devastating power in his hands. He fights with a powerful kickboxing style, is willing to engage both in the pocket and at range, and has quick kicks for someone his size. Training at Kill Cliff FC, Rodrigues has knockout ability at all times and can seemingly find finishes from nowhere. He has excellent range management and movement and can land in the pocket and return to range unscathed. He has solid accuracy and volume to match his power, landing with 55% accuracy in his UFC tenure. Rodrigues has a solid chin and is more than willing to eat a shot to land one, regularly getting drawn into wild brawls.

Robert Bryczek vs. Ihor Potieira

Robert Bryczek lands ground and pound on Samuel Kristofic. Credit: Oktagon MMA.

Middleweight Bout

Robert Bryczek: 17-5-0, 11 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Ihor Potieira: 20-5-0, 10 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Bryczek has won all his last five fights and is making his UFC debut. He’s a devastating knockout artist on a five-fight 1st-round knockout streak, with ten of his twelve career finishes coming in round one. He utilizes a boxing style, fighting behind his jab and throwing every shot with knockout intentions. Training with Veto Team, Bryczek is constantly pressuring forward, has excellent distance management, and keeps his head off the centerline. He favors power to volume but is exceptionally accurate and varies his attacks well, attacking the head and body evenly. He’s always looking to set up his right hand and is willing to eat a shot to land one. Bryczek constantly throws hooks and overhands, rarely throwing kicks and always hunting a knockout. 

Ihor Potieria lands a right hand on Shogun Hua. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Potieria has won two of his last five bouts and has a UFC victory over Shogun Rua (27-14-1). He’s a wild striker with an awkward style, throwing everything with power and always pursuing a finish. He’s at his most dangerous early on and is yet to see a decision in his promotional tenure. Potieria uses a karate-like stance, keeping his hands low and throwing plenty of single shots and naked kicks. He’s always looking to close the distance and will attack from various angles, often blitzing forward to throw combinations. He has power in both hands and tends to headhunt, throwing lunging straights and overhands while entering the pocket. Potieria always comes forward, often throwing caution to the wind and eating shots to get inside. 

#13 Dan Ige vs. Andre Fili

Dan Ige lands a left hook on Damon Jackson. Credit: MMA Mania.

Featherweight Bout

Dan Ige: 17-7-0, 5 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Andre Fili: 23-10-0, 10 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Ige has found victory in two of his last five bouts and holds wins over #11 ranked Featherweight Edson Barboza (24-11-0), Nate Landwehr (17-5-0), and Damon Jackson (22-6-1). He is a brawler with serious power inside the pocket and excellent technical boxing. He has great footwork and constantly varies his attacks, going to the head and body evenly. While Ige primarily uses his hands to land damage, he also possesses powerful kicks, which he’ll often throw naked or at the end of combinations. He throws every shot with power and deadly intent and has one-shot knockout ability. Although more known for his striking, he has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has landed a takedown in seven of his nine victories in the UFC. While Ige won’t often initiate grappling exchanges, he has shown great defensive grappling and is always active on the ground, never staying in one spot.

Andre Fili lands a left hand on Bill Algeo. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Fili has won two of his last five with one no-contest and has UFC victories over Charles Jourdain (15-7-1), Bill Algeo (18-7-0), and Lucas Almeida (14-3-0). He’s a well-rounded scrapper who will engage in the fight wherever it goes. He’s always coming forward on the feet, constantly switching stances and fighting patiently behind his jab. Fili throws in combination, throwing every shot with accuracy and purpose, and possesses devastating kicks, especially to the head. He’s averaging just over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes in his promotional tenure and is excellent on top. He never telegraphs his attacks and does a great job switching angles, landing damage at range and in the pocket. Fili has solid cardio and won’t get sloppy, pushing a consistent pace throughout the fight.

#11 Jack Hermansson vs. Joe Pyfer

Jack Hermansson rains down ground and pound onto Edmen Shahbazyan. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Jack Hermansson: 23-8-0, 11 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Joe Pyfer: 12-2-0, 8 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Hermansson has won 3 of his last 5, with wins over #13 ranked Chris Curtis (31-10-0), Kelvin Gastellum (18-9-0), and Jacare Souza (26-10-0). Training at Frontline Academy, he is a well-rounded fighter, willing to engage in exchanges on the feet and the ground. He has power in his hands and a dangerous grappling pedigree, making him dangerous wherever the fight goes. While Hermansson has solid striking, he prefers to take the fight to the mat, averaging over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes. When on the top, he is more likely to pursue ground and pound than a submission but will grab a choke when given a chance. On the feet, he uses a boxing style, often throwing a lot of leg and body kicks before letting his hands go. Hermansson is at his most dangerous early in a fight, having five first-round finishes in the UFC, two being knockouts with three submissions. 

Joe Pyfer chokes out Abdul Razak Alhassan. Credit: MMA Mania.

Pyfer has won all of his last five bouts and holds UFC victories over Alen Amedovski (8-4-0), Abdul Razak Alhassan (12-6-0), and Gerald Meerschaert (35-17-0). He is an explosive striker with one-punch knockout power that constantly pursues a finish. He has solid, technical hands, always keeping his guard high, his shots tight, and never telegraphs. Training at Marquez MMA, Pyfer has excellent head movement and footwork, never staying on the centerline, and can land damage going forward or backward. He has a solid grappling game with great takedowns, smothering top control, and submission ability to back up his brutal ground and pound. He does his best work on the inside with his hands but will throw heavy kicks at range, particularly to the legs. Pyfer has six first-round finishes and has only gone to one decision in his career, as well as only seeing the third round once. 

Best Bets

Michael Johnson Moneyline: If you know anything about Michael Johnson, you know he’s the biggest anomaly in the history of MMA. He’s gone toe to toe with the best and even beaten some of them, but he also has some tough losses on his record. This is an excellent matchup for him stylistically, and he should get the win as long as he can keep his chin tucked.

Robert Bryczek by KO/TKO: Although he’s a debuting fighter, it feels like the UFC is setting this guy up for a push. He’s a wild fighter with a ton of first-round finishes and is fighting a guy who’s much less technical than him and hasn’t seen a third round in five years. Bryczek has crazy power and skill, and I expect him to get it done early.

Joe Pyfer Moneyline: This is easily my riskiest pick. Although Pyfer has torn through every guy the UFC has put in front of him, this is by far his toughest test. I believe Pyfer is well-rounded enough to find a victory, and I feel Hermansson won’t be too keen on striking with him.

UFC Fight Night: Dolidze vs. Imavov Preview

Roman Dolidze lands a left hand on Marvin Vettori. Credit: MMA Mania.

This Saturday, we’ll see multiple fights with significant bearing on their divisions. In the co-main event, two tenured veterans look to climb up the rankings when Renato Moicano takes on Drew Dober. Following this, two quickly rising contenders in the Middleweight division look to move themselves closer to the gold when Roman Dolidze collides with Nassourdine Imavov. Prior to these bouts are a handful of established contenders and rising stars all looking for a landmark victory this weekend. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

Gilbert Urbina vs. Charles Radtke

Gilbert Urbina pieces up Orion Cosce. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Welterweight Bout

Gilbert Urbina: 7-3-0, 2 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Charles Radtke: 8-3-0, 3 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Urbina has won two of his last five bouts, with his lone UFC victory coming over Orion Cosce (8-2-0). He’s a fast-paced, well-rounded fighter who comes out guns blazing. He throws everything in combination, is highly accurate, and constantly moves. Training at the BMF Ranch, Urbina has landed multiple takedowns in both his promotional outings and uses his striking to set up his grappling. He’ll often land damage in the clinch before pursuing a takedown and advance his position quickly on top. He constantly throws ground and pound, always choosing position over submission and only attempting submissions when they’re presented to him. Urbina is willing to get wild, brawling in the pocket or attempting flashy attacks on the feet. 

Charles Radtke celebrates his victory over Blood Diamond. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Radtke has won all of his last five fights and scored a victory in his UFC debut over Blood Diamond (3-3-0). He’s an aggressive wrestler, always coming forward and looking to wear down his opponent. He throws everything in combination and with power, rarely throwing kicks and doing most of his damage inside the pocket. Radtke will close the distance with his striking and then break down his opponent in the clinch before attempting a takedown. Training at MMA Masters, he has excellent control both in the clinch and in top position and excellent timing on his takedowns. He’s always willing to eat a shot to land one and is constantly looking to land big, looping hooks. Radtke pushes a consistent pace throughout the fight and will gladly wrestle for all 15 minutes. 

Aliaskhab Khizriev vs. Makhmud Muradov

Aliaskhab Khizriev throws a hook at Denis Tiuliulin. Credit: Sports Illustrated.

Middleweight Bout

Aliaskhab Khizriev: 14-0-0, 5 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Makhmud Muradov: 26-8-0, 17 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Khizriev is undefeated and has a UFC victory over Denis Tiuliulin (10-9-0). He’s a powerful, well-rounded finisher that is dangerous everywhere. He favors power to volume, regularly throwing single shots and naked kicks at range. Khizriev won’t push a wild pace but will systematically break down his opponent with power punches and smothering top pressure. Training at Fight Club Scorpion, he can land takedowns in open space and is constantly working from top position. He’s patient, willing to hold position and land ground and pound until finding an opportunity for a submission. Khizriev’s submission victories are all via rear naked choke, and he finds submissions very quickly if he can reach his opponent’s back.  

Makhmud Muradov lands a right hand on Trevor Smith. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Muradov has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Bryan Barberena (18-11-0), Andrew Sanchez (15-7-0), and Alessio Di Chirico (13-7-0). He’s an explosive, well-rounded fighter who pushes a consistent pace throughout the fight. He has excellent footwork, doesn’t telegraph anything, and throws every shot with knockout intentions. Muradov favors power to volume, throwing lots of single shots, with his best attack being his straight right. Training at Monster Gym, he averages about three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and does a great job setting up his grappling with his striking. He has heavy top control and has the power to land multiple slam takedowns in one fight. Muradov will remain technical throughout, never brawling in the pocket, landing much of his damage from the outside. 

#7 Viviane Araujo vs. #9 Natalia Silva

Viviane Araujo lands a right hand on Roxanne Modafferi. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Women’s Flyweight Bout

Viviane Araujo: 12-5-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Natalia Silva: 16-5-1, 5 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Araujo has won two of her last five bouts and has UFC victories over #14 ranked Flyweight Andrea Lee (13-8-0), Jennifer Maia (21-10-1), and Alexis Davis (21-11-0). She’s a powerful scrapper who’s always coming forward, looking to land damage. She’s at her most dangerous early on, doing most of her work inside the pocket with her hands. Araujo fights behind her jab and throws every shot with power but doesn’t telegraph. Training at Cerrado MMA, she’s averaging nearly two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and is very explosive, able to land slam takedowns in open space. She advances quickly on the ground, constantly working and pursuing a finish. Araujo is averaging about 65 significant strikes landed in her last five outings but slows down as the fight goes on. 

Natalia Silva lands a brutal kick on Tereza Bleda. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Silva is on a ten-fight win streak and has UFC victories over #14 ranked Flyweight Andrea Lee (13-8-0), #15 ranked Jasmine Jasudavicius (10-3-0), and Tereza Bleda (7-1-0). She is a fantastic striker with lightning-fast kicks and excellent footwork. She’s constantly feinting with her hips and switching stances, making her very unpredictable. Silva is highly accurate and throws every shot with power and purpose, usually starting or ending combinations with kicks. Training with Team Borracha, she does an excellent job of holding the center, constantly moving in and out of the pocket without absorbing damage. She’s willing to grapple but tends to keep it on the feet, having defended 92% of takedowns attempted on her in the UFC. Silva pushes a fast pace across the entire fight but will remain technical throughout. 

Randy Brown vs. Muslim Salikhov

Randy Brown lands a jab on Khaos Williams. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Welterweight Bout

Randy Brown: 17-5-0, 6 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Muslim Salikhov: 19-4-0, 13 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Brown has won four of his last five fights, with wins over Khaos Williams (14-3-0), Francisco Trinaldo (28-9-0), and Bryan Barberena (18-11-0). He’s a lengthy fighter, constantly throwing combinations at range and adding body kicks at the end of his combinations. He’ll often string together long, technical punch combinations without getting wild. Brown has solid power in both hands and particularly devastating clinch striking. Averaging just under a takedown landed per fifteen minutes, he does an excellent job mixing grappling into his striking, often using his length in the clinch to get his opponent to the mat. He has solid control and a slick submission game on the ground, especially his chokes. Training at Kings MMA, Brown is more than willing to eat a shot to land one and can be drawn into a brawl. 

Muslim Salikhov lands a spinning kick on Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Salikhov has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Franciso Trinaldo (28-9-0), Andre Fialho (16-8-0), and Nordine Taleb (15-7-0). He holds the rank of Master of Sport in Wushu Sanda (Chinese kickboxing) and a pro kickboxing record of 185-13 with 76 wins by knockout. If it wasn’t obvious, he’s an incredibly dangerous striker, possessing solid power and excellent skill. Salikhov has an impressive arsenal of kicks, particularly his array of spinning attacks that he loves to throw. Training at Berkut FC, he’s also very defensively sound, having defended 73% of strikes attempted on him in his promotional tenure. He is willing to grapple, and averages just over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes, typically raining down devastating ground and pound when in top position. Salikhov is highly experienced and very tough to put away, always coming forward and looking to do damage throughout the fight. 

#13 Renato Moicano vs. #15 Drew Dober

Renato Moicano lands a takedown on Jai Herbert. Credit: MMA News.

Lightweight Bout

Renato Moicano: 17-5-1, 0 KO/TKO, 10 Sub.

Drew Dober: 27-12-0, 15 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Moicano has similarly won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #8 ranked Featherweight Calvin Kattar (23-7-0), Alexander Hernandez (14-7-0), and Cub Swanson (29-13-0). He’s a grappling ace with an excellent submission game but is more than willing to throw down on the feet. With only four of his fourteen bouts in the promotion going the distance, he fights with a “kill or be killed” mentality. Moicano won’t often waste too much time before shooting in for a takedown, usually securing them quickly and immediately advancing position on the ground. He is dangerous on top, especially if he takes his opponent’s back, with all his career submissions coming via rear-naked choke. He’s aggressive on the ground, always trying to move to a better position, but he is also intelligent and rarely puts himself in danger. On the feet, Moicano has solid speed and power in his hands and loves to throw uppercuts and elbows when in close. Training at American Top Team, he will often pick his shots, waiting for openings to land combinations or attempt a takedown.

Drew Dober lands a stiff left on Rafael Alves. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Dober has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #14 ranked Lightweight Bobby Green (31-15-1), Terrance McKinney (15-6-0), and Nasrat Haqparast (16-5-0). He is an excellent striker with a Muay Thai background and a black belt in Taekwondo. He always stays technical and throws all his punches tight and straight, rarely throwing looping shots. Dober throws everything with knockout intentions and carries his power across all three rounds. Training with Elevation Fight Team, he has excellent head movement and varies his shots, attacking the head and body evenly. He’s willing to brawl in the pocket but doesn’t get sloppy, has solid footwork, and is always coming forward. Dober does a great job of moving in and out of the pocket, throwing kicks at range, and landing damaging combinations in close.

#8 Roman Dolidze vs. #11 Nassourdine Imavov

Roman Dolidze lands a straight left on Phil Hawes. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Roman Dolidze: 12-2-0, 7 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Nassourdine Imavov: 12-4-0, 5 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Dolidze has won four of his last five outings and has wins over #10 ranked Middleweight Jack Hermansson (23-8-0), Phil Hawes (12-6-0), and Kyle Daukaus (13-4-0). He has a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Sambo background and is an accomplished grappler outside of MMA. Averaging about two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes, he is most at home on the mat and averages nearly two submission attempts per fifteen minutes. Dolidze is excellent in the clinch and very hard to shake off, possessing devastating striking in close, particularly knees. Training at Xtreme Couture, he won’t put out too much ground and pound, choosing to focus on advancing position. He has good power in his hands and prefers to counter-strike when on the feet, not moving his feet a ton but always moving his head. Dolidze gets his best work done in the clinch and while exiting the clinch, often throwing power shots inside the pocket.

Nassourdine Imavov lands a head kick on Joaquin Buckley. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Imavov has won three of his last five outings with one no-contest and has UFC victories over Joaquin Buckley (17-6-0), Edmen Shahbazyan (12-4-0), and Ian Heinisch (14-5-0). He utilizes a fluid kickboxing style on the feet, fighting behind his jab and throwing every shot with power. He constantly comes forward and has excellent distance management, and although he favors power to volume, he won’t telegraph shots or get wild. Imavov has excellent takedown defense and averages just over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes. He advances position exceptionally quickly on the mat, constantly raining down ground and pound and wearing down his opponent. He won’t force submissions, typically focusing on landing damage, but will pursue chokes if the opportunity is presented. Imavov has excellent technical skills but can get emotional in the cage and be drawn into a brawl. 

Best Bets

Khizriev vs. Muradov to Not Go the Distance: This is one of the more exciting matchups on the card; both guys are more than willing to throw down in the pocket, and it could be a potentially star-making performance for either fighter. I’d be pretty surprised if this one went all three rounds.

Natalia Silva Moneyline: Silva is the biggest favorite on the main card, and it’s for good reason. Stylistically, she’s a brutal matchup for Araujo, who does nearly all her damage with her hands in the pocket. Silva is fantastic on the outside and very tough to reach, so if Araujo can’t get inside, she’ll likely get picked apart.

Nassourdine Imavov Moneyline: This is probably the toughest matchup to predict on the card; Dolidze likely has the grappling advantage, whereas Imavov has the striking advantage. Dolidze is much more limited on the feet than Imavov is on the ground, not to mention Imavov has excellent takedown defense. I expect this fight to stay standing and Dolidze to get lit up by Imavov’s vastly more technical striking.

UFC 297 Preview

Sean Strickland looks to land a right hand on Israel Adesanya. Credit: BVM Sports.

The first pay-per-view card of 2024 has arrived, and it’s a big one. In the main event, the massively popular champion Sean Strickland will attempt his first title defense against the red-hot Dricus Du Plessis. In the co-main event, a new Women’s Bantamweight champion will finally be crowned when established veteran Raquel Pennington takes on the rapidly rising Mayra Bueno Silva. The entire main card is filled out with ranked fighters and exceptional matchups, all vying for a bonus and a chance to establish their name on the biggest stage in MMA. Let’s take a look at the fights on the main card.

#4 Arnold Allen vs. #9 Movsar Evloev

Arnold Allen lands a right hook on Dan Hooker. Credit: New York Post.

Featherweight Bout

Arnold Allen: 19-2-0, 7 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Movsar Evloev: 17-0-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Allen has won four of his last five bouts with UFC victories over #7 ranked Featherweight Calvin Kattar (23-7-0), #10 ranked Lightweight Dan Hooker (23-12-0), and #12 ranked Featherweight Sodiq Yusuff (13-3-0). He is an excellent technical striker, possessing serious speed and power in his hands and a solid arsenal of kicks. He has some of the best striking defense in the UFC, only absorbing about three significant strikes per minute on average, with a significant strike defense percentage of 61%. Allen throws beautiful combinations, rarely throwing single shots, and often mixes in head and body kicks at the end of his combinations. He throws everything with substantial power but remains accurate, allowing him to push a heavy pace across an entire fight. Training at BKK Fighters, he averages over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and seems equally comfortable on the ground as he is on the feet. Allen is seemingly never in the same place, constantly moving and attacking from different angles, which makes him incredibly elusive.

Movsar Evloev lands a flying knee on Dan Ige. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Evloev is undefeated and has UFC wins over #13 ranked Featherweight Dan Ige (17-7-0), Diego Lopes (23-6-0), and Nik Lentz (30-12-2). He’s an excellent grappler, holding the rank of Master of Sport in Greco-Roman wrestling. He’s averaging nearly five takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and has landed multiple takedowns in six of his seven promotional appearances. Evloev has excellent top control and always remains technical, constantly throwing ground and pound and looking to wear his opponent down. Training at American Top Team, he has solid power in his hands and is defensively sound, absorbing less than three significant strikes per minute. He moves in and out of the pocket excellently and never keeps his head on the centerline, often dropping his head and blitzing forward to throw combinations. Evloev has excellent cardio and averaged about 72 significant strikes in his last five fights. 

#14 Chris Curtis vs. Marc-Andre Barriault

Chris Curtis cracks Kelvin Gastelum with a right hand. Credit: MMA Mania.

Middleweight Bout

Chris Curtis: 30-10-0, 17 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Marc-Andre Barriault: 16-6-0, 10 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.

Curtis has won two of his last five fights with one no-contest and has UFC wins coming over #7 ranked Middleweight Brendan Allen (23-5-0), Rodolfo Vieira (9-2-0), and Joaquin Buckley (17-6-0). He is a veteran of the sport, having started his pro career in 2009, and is an excellent technical boxer on the feet. He has one-shot knockout power in both hands and varies his strikes well, attacking the head and body evenly. Training at Xtreme Couture, Curtis is an excellent counter-striker and will often dip his head before returning fire with a barrage of hooks. He throws everything in combination and is at his best when he stays behind his jab and pressures forward, controlling the fight's pace. He’s shown great patience and doesn’t overexert himself on the feet, but he has a solid chin and is willing to eat a shot to land one. Curtis has shown excellent takedown defense and has denied 92% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC, and he also possesses a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 

Marc-Andre Barriault lands a left hand on Julian Marquez. Credit: DraftKings Network.

Barriault has won three of his last five fights, with UFC victories coming over Julian Marquez (9-4-0), Jordan Wright (12-5-0), and Eryk Anders (15-8-0). He’s a striker, preferring to get the job done with his hands, stay in the pocket, and brawl. He has solid power in both hands and mixes in damaging leg kicks in his constant pursuit of a finish. When the fight hits the ground, Barriault has shown decent top control and throws equally as big shots as he does on the feet, rarely pursuing a submission. He has solid defensive wrestling, having defended 67% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he has impressive cardio and can push a heavy pace, averaging about 95 significant strikes landed in his last five victories. Despite this, Barriault still seems to favor power over volume, throwing every shot with fight-ending intentions.

#13 Neil Magny vs. Mike Malott

Neil Magny looks to lock in a choke on Robbie Lawler. Credit: MMA Mania.

Welterweight Bout

Neil Magny: 28-12-0, 7 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Mike Malott: 10-1-1, 4 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Magny has won two of his last five fights and has wins over former UFC Welterweight champions Robbie Lawler (29-16-0) and Johny Hendricks (18-8-0), as well as #8 ranked Welterweight Geoff Neal (14-5-0). He is in his 11th year in the promotion, and his experience shows in the cage, as he’s seemingly comfortable everywhere. He’s tall for the division and uses it well, staying at distance on the feet and picking his opponents apart with his punches. Magny’s best weapon is his cardio; he can and has gone 25 minutes and always pushes a heavy pace, constantly touching up his opponents or working for takedowns. Training at Elevation Fight Team, he is excellent at using his length inside the clinch, often landing knees and elbows and scoring takedowns. Averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes, his most straightforward path to victory is to take it to the mat, which he usually does. Magny stays technical across the entire fight, never overexerting himself or putting himself in significant danger.

Mike Malott throws a left hook at Mickey Gall. Credit: DraftKings Network.

Malott is undefeated in his last five bouts, with his UFC victories coming over Mickey Gall (7-5-0), Adam Fugitt (9-4-0), and Yohan Lainesse (9-2-0). He is dangerous on the feet with a solid kicking game and one-shot knockout power. He’s highly technical and accurate, throwing every shot with purpose and plenty of power. Malott has excellent footwork and typically throws in combination, supplying his opponent with a healthy dose of hooks and overhands. He also does an excellent job of entering and exiting the pocket, often able to land and return to the outside before his opponent can return fire. Training at Niagara Top Team, he’s a solid grappler with good wrestling and tremendous pressure on top. Similar to his striking, Malott stays technical and patient on the ground, looking for openings and quickly advancing position. 

#2 Raquel Pennington vs. #3 Mayra Bueno Silva

Raquel Pennington looks to land a right hand on Ketlen Vieira. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Women’s Bantamweight Title Bout

Raquel Pennington: 15-9-0, 1 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Mayra Bueno Silva: 10-2-1, 1 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.

Pennington has won all of her last five outings and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Bantamweight Ketlen Vieira (14-3-0), #5 ranked Bantamweight Irene Aldana (15-7-0), and #7 ranked Bantamweight Pannie Kianzad (17-7-0). She’s a well-rounded scrapper with excellent boxing and cardio. Averaging 79 significant strikes landed in her last five fights, she pushes a consistently heavy pace and always throws in combination. Pennington is a highly accurate striker, remaining technical throughout and throwing every shot with purpose. Training at Altitude MMA, she has excellent clinch control and sets up her grappling with her striking. She’ll often close the distance with her boxing before clinching up and wearing her opponent down with knees and punches. Despite a lack of KO’s, Pennington has sneaky punching power, often touching up her opponents with jabs and straights before throwing with full power. 

Mayra Bueno Silva lands a knee on Montana De La Rosa. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Bueno Silva has won three of her last five fights with one no-contest and has UFC victories over Wu Yanan (12-6-0), Gillian Robertson (12-8-0), and Mara Romero Borella (12-9-0). She’s a wild, well-rounded fighter in constant pursuit of a finish. She’s perpetually coming forward on the feet, often throwing single shots and naked kicks with serious power. Bueno Silva varies her shots well, attacking the head and body evenly and typically setting up her offense with leg kicks. Although she won’t usually land many takedowns, she averages nearly two submissions attempted per fifteen minutes and is very dangerous on the ground. Training at American Top Team, she has heavy top pressure and never accepts position, always looking to advance and find a submission. Bueno Silva prefers power to volume, throwing plenty of looping shots and loading up on her punches. 

(C) Sean Strickland vs. #2 Dricus Du Plessis

Sean Strickland throws a kick at Krzysztof Jotko. Credit: The Ringer.

Middleweight Title Bout

Sean Strickland: 28-5-0, 11 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Dricus Du Plessis: 20-2-0, 9 KO/TKO, 10 Sub.

Strickland has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #1 ranked Middleweight Israel Adesanya (24-3-0),  #10 ranked Middleweight Jack Hermansson (23-8-0), #11 ranked Middleweight Nassourdine Imavov (12-4-0). He’s an excellent striker, constantly coming forward and letting his hands go. While he prefers to keep the fight standing, he’s willing to grapple, averaging just under one takedown landed per fifteen minutes. Strickland also has solid takedown defense, defending 84% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC. He rarely pursues submissions, typically resorting to ground-and-pound when on top. He uses a very upright boxing style on the feet, throwing every shot with purpose and in combination. Training at Millenia MMA, Strickland tries to keep his opponent on the back foot as much as possible to open up opportunities to land strikes, especially his one-two. 

Dricus Du Plessis throws ground and pound at Robert Whittaker. Credit: The Wright Way Network.

Du Plessis has won all of his last five bouts, with his UFC victories coming over #3 ranked Middleweight Robert Whittaker (25-7-0), Derek Brunson (24-9-0), and Darren Till (18-5-1). He utilizes a kickboxing style on the feet, often throwing a barrage of kicks from distance, especially to the legs. He has one-shot knockout power, with many of his knockouts seemingly coming from nowhere. Training at CIT Performance Institute, Du Plessis has power in both hands and will often blitz forward to throw big combinations. He throws everything with power and never telegraphs his shots, making him dangerous at all times. He often mixes grappling into his attacks, averaging nearly three takedowns landed per fifteen minutes. When on top, Du Plessis stays patient and won’t force anything, focusing on getting to advantageous positions before throwing ground and pound. 

Best Bets

Arnold Allen Moneyline: This is arguably the best matchup on the card. Evloev is undefeated, and Allen was undefeated in the UFC until his most recent loss to Max Holloway. I think that loss is part of why Allen ended up a decent-sized underdog, even though he matches up exceptionally well here. I think he will outpace Evloev on the feet and has the grappling to keep it standing, so I’ll take Allen in this fight.

Raquel Pennington Moneyline: Another underdog I don’t fully understand, Pennington has vastly more experience and a much better resume than Bueno Silva. Pennington has lost exclusively to former champions in her UFC tenure, and I believe this is finally her chance to reach the top of the mountain after over a decade in the promotion. Although she’s certainly at a power disadvantage, she’s much more well-rounded, technical, and better prepared for a five-round fight.

Sean Strickland Moneyline: The build-up to this fight has been very bizarre. Initially, it seemed the beef was serious between these two until this week when they were shown making up and embracing each other on Embedded. Knowing emotions won’t be a primary factor in the cage, I’m far more confident in Strickland’s ability to get the job done. He’s vastly more technical than Du Plessis and has a much better gas tank, so I could see a decision or finish victory for the People’s Champion.

Bonus Bet: Chris Curtis by KO/TKO: This is a fun matchup of two guys who want to go in there and throw down. Barriault is better than many people give him credit for, but Curtis is much more technically skilled and well-rounded. I expect these two to meet in the middle and that Curtis will be the one left standing.

Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2 Preview

Johnny Walker attempts a flying knee on Anthony Smith. Credit: MMA Fighting.

After a month of waiting, the first card of 2024 has finally arrived. We’ll see two hotly-contested rematches at the top of the card: Ankalaev vs. Walker and Nicolau vs. Kape. Jim Miller returns to add to his record-setting 42 UFC fights against Gabriel Benitez. Preceding this are two excellent up-and-coming matchups, and a fantastic undercard. Let’s take a look at the main card for this Saturday’s fight night.

Phil Hawes vs. Brunno Ferreira

Phil Hawes lands an elbow on Deron Winn. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Middleweight Bout

Phil Hawes: 12-5-0, 8 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.

Brunno Ferreira: 10-1-0, 7 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Hawes has won two of his last five outings and has victories over Kyle Daukaus (13-4-0), Nassourdine Imavov (12-4-0), and Jacob Malkoun (7-3-0). With a background in collegiate wrestling, his easiest path to victory is grappling, averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he is very powerful, often landing slam takedowns, and hard to shake off when he’s in top position. Hawes never stops punching when he gets the fight to the mat, preferring a ground and pound finish to submissions. He has shown an increased willingness to strike lately but a tendency to panic wrestle if he gets caught with a big shot. On the feet, he stays patient and fights behind his jab; what he lacks in volume, he makes up for in accuracy and power. Hawes has shown marked improvement in his striking, now throwing head kicks and beautiful short elbows on the inside.

Brunno Ferreira exchanges blows with Leon Aliu. Credit: Insiders Betting Digest.

Ferreira has won four of his last five bouts and has a UFC victory over Gregory Rodrigues (14-5-0). He is an explosive striker with one-shot knockout power. He’s constantly feinting, switching stances, looking for openings, and attacking from different angles. Ferreira has finished all ten of his wins, with just two of his career outings seeing a second round. Training at Evolucao Thai, he prefers power to volume and has excellent head movement and big-time power in both hands. A true brawler, he often throws out risky maneuvers like Superman punches and spinning kicks. Ferreira is willing to grapple and usually takes the fight to the mat via vicious slam takedowns before unleashing hellacious ground-and-pound. He’s very active on the ground and will never accept a position, constantly trying to advance and secure a finish. 

#13 Ricky Simon vs. Mario Bautista

Ricky Simon lands a right hand on Brian Kelleher. Credit: MMA Mania.

Bantamweight Bout

Ricky Simon: 20-4-0, 6 KO/TKO, 4 Sub.

Mario Bautista: 13-2-0, 3 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.

Simon has won three of his last five fights and holds UFC victories over #2 ranked Bantamweight Merab Dvalishvili (16-4-0), Raphael Assuncao (28-10-0), and Ray Borg (16-5-0). He’s a tenacious wrestler, always willing to work for a takedown and nearly impossible to shake off. He averages about six takedowns landed per fifteen minutes and has lightning-quick level changes. On the feet, Simon constantly moves, feints, and switches stances, never keeping his head on the centerline. Training at ATT Portland, he never loads up on shots and throws everything with accuracy and purpose. He can land slam takedowns in open space and is excellent in the clinch, often chaining takedown attempts together. Simon is constantly pursuing a finish and advances position very quickly on the ground, often finding submissions with impressive speed. 

Mario Bautista lands a left hand on Da’Mon Blackshear. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Bautista has won all of his last five fights and has wins over Miles Johns (14-2-0), Brian Kelleher (24-15-0), and Da’Mon Blackshear (14-6-1). He’s incredibly quick and dangerous on the feet, easily moving in and out of the pocket without taking damage. He throws everything with power, keeps his punches tight and technical, and attacks the head and body evenly. Training at the MMA Lab, Bautista always comes forward, throwing combinations and typically a steady flow of low kicks. He’s averaging nearly three takedowns landed per 15 minutes and has landed at least one takedown in his last five fights. He’s as quick on the ground as on the feet, transitioning and passing efficiently and effectively. Bautista has heavy top pressure and will find submissions in the blink of an eye, winning three of his last four appearances by first-round submission. 

Jim Miller vs. Gabriel Benitez

Jim Miller celebrates after knocking out Jesse Butler. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Lightweight Bout

Jim Miller: 36-17-0, 7 KO/TKO, 19 Sub.

Gabriel Benitez: 23-11-0, 9 KO/TKO, 10 Sub.

Miller has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #1 ranked Lightweight Charles Oliveira (34-9-0), Clay Guida (38-21-0), and Donald Cerrone (36-17-0). He’s among the UFC's most well-respected, well-rounded, and accomplished fighters. He has the most wins in UFC history at 25, the most fights in promotional history with 42, and the second-most finishes with 17. Miller varies his shots excellently, attacking the head and body evenly and possessing devastating leg kicks. He’s excellent at timing counterattacks and will eat a shot to land one. He’s averaging over one takedown landed and nearly two submissions attempted per fifteen minutes. Training at Sussex County MMA, Miller has excellent top control and is constantly pursuing a finish. 

Gabriel Benitez lands ground and pound on Charlie Ontiveros. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Benitez has won two of his last five outings and has UFC victories over Jason Knight (23-8-0), Clay Collard (24-11-0), and Charlie Ontiveros (11-8-0). He’s a powerful striker who constantly throws in combination and favors his kicks. He fights behind his jab and never telegraphs his shots, keeping all his attacks technical and straight. Benitez won’t often attempt takedowns but has a slick submission game and a dangerous guillotine choke. If he ends up in top position, he’ll rain down devastating ground and pound until he secures a finish. Training at the American Kickboxing Academy, he’s willing to brawl in the pocket but is at his best when controlling the center and coming forward. Benitez does an excellent job of evenly varying his shots, attacking the head, body, and legs evenly. 

#5 Matheus Nicolau vs. #6 Manel Kape

Matheus Nicolau throws a front kick at Matt Schnell. Credit: MMA Mania.

Flyweight Bout

Matheus Nicolau: 19-4-1, 5 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Manel Kape: 19-6-0, 11 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.

Nicolau has won four of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #9 ranked Flyweight Matt Schnell (16-7-0), #10 ranked Flyweight Tim Elliot (21-13-1), and his current opponent, Manel Kape. He’s highly well-rounded, has a great gas tank, and stays technical throughout the fight. He’s incredibly quick and has fantastic counter timing, often darting in and out of the pocket without absorbing damage. Nicolau constantly varies his shots and attacks from different angles, never telegraphing his next move. Training at Nova Uniao, he’s averaging over one takedown landed and nearly one submission attempted per fifteen minutes. He’s extremely active on the ground, never accepting a position and constantly pursuing a submission. Nicolau is highly skilled on top and off his back and can force wild transitions and scrambles.

Manel Kape lands an uppercut on Zhalgas Zhumagulov. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Kape has won three of his last five fights and holds UFC wins over #14 ranked Flyweight David Dvorak (20-6-0), Ode’ Osbourne (12-6-0), and Zhalgas Zhumagulov (15-9-0). He is a former Rizin Bantamweight champion and has been facing the best of the best for the last seven years of his career. He’s constantly looking to counterstrike, throwing every shot with purpose and deadly accuracy. Kape has excellent distance management, switches stances constantly, and will often blitz in with big shots before returning to range. He has serious power for Flyweight and doesn’t telegraph anything, often timing his shots when his opponent enters his range. Training at AKA Thailand, he won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges but has a solid submission game and can be dangerous off his back. Kape takes some time to get going, but once he finds his rhythm, he heats up and lets his hands go.

#3 Magomed Ankalaev vs. #7 Johnny Walker

Magomed Ankalaev lands a right hand on Ion Cutelaba. Credit: Yahoo Sports.

Light Heavyweight Bout

Magomed Ankalaev: 18-1-1, 10 KO/TKO, 0 Sub.

Johnny Walker: 21-7-0, 16 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.

Ankalaev has won three of his last five fights with a draw and a No Contest and holds victories over #6 ranked Light Heavyweight Nikita Krylov (30-9-0), #9 ranked Light Heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir (19-7-0), and #10 ranked Light Heavyweight Anthony Smith (37-19-0). He holds the rank of Master of Sport in Combat Sambo and is a highly experienced grappler. Despite this, he only averages about one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and will often keep it on the feet. Ankalaev is very patient and often throws plenty of single shots, but he makes up for his lack of volume with massive power. He constantly presses forward and throws every shot with purpose, with his pace increasing as the fight continues. Training at Gorets, he holds the center well and often waits for openings or chances to counter before letting his hands go. When Ankalaev takes the fight to the mat, he is tough to shake off and throws vicious ground and pound until he finds a finish.

Johnny Walker throws a head kick at Thiago Santos. Credit: Yahoo Sports.

Walker has won three of his last five fights with one No Contest and has wins over #8 ranked Light Heavyweight Khalil Rountree Jr. (14-5-0), #10 ranked Light Heavyweight Anthony Smith (37-19-0), and #11 ranked Light Heavyweight Ryan Spann (21-9-0). With 18 knockouts in the first round, he’s clearly at his most dangerous early on. Over time, he becomes more technical, preferring to stay at range, primarily using his kicks to land damage. Walker is constantly moving and using feints and is at his best when moving forward and leading the fight, often struggling when put on the back foot. Despite initially being known for his recklessness, he doesn’t seem to have any interest in getting into brawls and is much better off in a technical kickboxing match than a wild scrap. Training at SBG Ireland, he is enormous at 6’6”, even for a Light Heavyweight, and uses his size and reach to keep out of his opponent’s range and land strikes. Although Walker won’t typically take it to the mat, he has a 100% takedown success rate and a solid submission game.

Best Bets

Hawes vs. Ferreira to Not Go the Distance: While I’m not confident enough to pick a winner, both have massive power and tend to get reckless on the feet. I’d be shocked if the judges end up involved in this one.

Jim Miller by Finish: In case you didn’t know, Jim Miller is the man. There’s no objectivity in this pick, but he’s been hot lately and deserves a quick victory so he can fight at UFC 300. He is a considerably better grappler than Benitez, so it could be a short night at the office.

Magomed Ankalaev by KO/TKO: After a flukey end to their first matchup, I’m sure both guys are ready to throw down. I think Ankalaev is much more skilled and well-rounded, and it seemed the first fight was going his way before the bogus stoppage.

Forgotten UFC Champions

Hoyce Gracie wins the first-ever UFC tournament. Credit: The Independent.

In the history of the UFC, there have been 123 total undisputed champions across the men’s and women’s divisions, 2 Super Fight champions, and 21 tournament champions. In 2023 alone, we’ve seen titles exchange hands six times. With such a rich championship history, it’s understandable how a few champions may have been forgotten over time. Some champions’ names faded with time, while others tarnished their legacy to the extent of being forgotten. Today, we’ll review seven champions whom modern-day UFC fans have overlooked, whether or not they deserve to be.

Dave Menne

Dave Menne defeats Carlos Newton. Credit: John McCarthy.

The UFC’s first-ever Middleweight champion, Menne, is a 60+ fight veteran who fought worldwide in promotions such as the UFC, Bellator, Rings, Shooto, and Cage Rage. Menne’s career spanned from 1997 to 2012, but he was crowned UFC champion in 2001 when he defeated Gil Castillo by Unanimous Decision. Menne truly fought a who’s who of fighters in the 2000s, with victories over Chris Lytle, Carlos Newton, and everyone’s favorite Speedo-wearing fighter, Dennis Hallman. While not finding victory against these opponents, Menne also fought Murilo Bustamante twice, Josh Koscheck, Jake Shields, and Matt Hughes, among others.

Evan Tanner

Evan Tanner lands a knee on Kendall Grove. Credit: MMA Fighting.

Evan Tanner is arguably one of the most interesting characters in the sport’s history, being the third-ever UFC Middleweight champion and still the only Texas-born champion in the promotion’s history. With a wrestling background, Tanner taught himself Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu through instructional tapes, making his grappling and submission prowess extremely impressive. Tanner won the vacant UFC Middleweight title at UFC 51 via a first-round TKO victory over David Terrell, dropping the strap in his next fight to Middleweight great Rich Franklin. Tanner has victories over Ikuhisa Minowa, Shannon Ritch, Phil Baroni, and two over Robbie Lawler. He was also the first American to win Pancrase’s Neo-Blood tournament in 1998 in only his second year as a professional fighter, defeating future UFC fighter Justin McCully by technical submission. Tanner fought at Middleweight and Light Heavyweight, reaching #1 contender status in both divisions at separate points, along with his Middleweight title victory. Tanner was known for being a wanderer, often adventuring into the woods for days at a time. In 2008, Tanner embarked on a solo trip into the California desert and, unfortunately, would never return. His body was recovered by search and rescue teams after his friends reported him missing.

Renan Barao

Renan Barao lands a spinning kick on Eddie Wineland. Credit: MMA Mania.

Renan Barao is a bit of an outlier on this list, having competed in the UFC as recently as 2019, yet is still relatively unknown to casual fans. Barao is best known for his ridiculous 32-fight win streak, with 7 of those wins coming in the UFC. Many of the victories during his win streak came on the Brazilian regional scene, giving him a reputation as a can crusher. Upon entering the UFC, Barao would pick up wins over WEC veterans Brad Pickett and Scott Jorgensen, earning himself an interim title shot against Urijah Faber while undisputed champ Dominick Cruz was injured. Barao would become the UFC interim Bantamweight champion after comfortably beating Faber over five rounds and would defend his interim belt twice, being the only UFC fighter to do so. Eventually, he was promoted to undisputed champion following a TKO victory over Eddie Wineland and would defend the undisputed title once, rematching Urijah Faber. The part of Barao’s story that most people are familiar with is his wild, upset loss to TJ Dillashaw, with Barao being as high as a -800 favorite before the bout. This would launch Dillashaw’s career while simultaneously killing Barao’s; he’d bounce back with a Performance of the Night victory over Mitch Gagnon in his next fight, but it wouldn’t last. After this, Barao would win only 1 of his next eight fights, leading to his release from the UFC.

Maurice Smith

Maurice Smith lands a head kick on Mark Coleman. Credit: The US Sun.

The second-ever UFC Heavyweight Champion, Maurice Smith, is the only person on this list who has been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Before his MMA career, Smith had an extensive kickboxing career with a record of 53-13-5. Smith is best known for his upset title victory over Heavyweight champion Mark Coleman, but he also has wins over Minoru Suzuki, Tank Abbott, Rick Roufus, and Marco Huas twice. Smith is one of the first fighters to cross-train disciplines, working with the legendary Frank Shamrock and Tsuyoshi Kohsaka to form their own fight team, The Alliance. With Smith, an experienced kickboxer, and Shamrock, a grappling specialist, their relationship was mutually beneficial, with both finding greater success after beginning to train together. Smith fought just about everywhere you could in the early days, with bouts in the UFC, Pride, Pancrase, K-1, Strikeforce, Rings, and more. Despite not having the best record at 14-14, Smith’s contributions to the sport are undeniable, and he was the first striker to truly find success in the UFC at a time when grapplers dominated.

Sean Sherk

Sean Sherk lifts up Evan Dunham for a takedown. Credit: Tracy Lee, Yahoo! Sports.

Sean Sherk is the second-ever UFC Lightweight champion, beating Kenny Florian to win the vacant title in his Lightweight debut. Sherk had spent the rest of his career at Welterweight, even challenging Matt Hughes for the title at UFC 42, a bout he went on to lose by unanimous decision. He contended for both the Lightweight and Welterweight titles in his career, making him one of the first UFC fighters to compete for two belts. Sherk would defend his Lightweight title once, defeating Hermes Franca, but would test positive for PEDs after the fight and was stripped of the title. Franca would also go on to test positive for PEDs, making this one of the most infamous title bouts in the promotion’s history. Sherk has wins over Nick Diaz, Manny Gamburyan, Evan Dunham, and Karo Parisyan twice, and also has my favorite nickname of all time, “The Muscle Shark,” made hilariously ironic by his drug test failure.

Murilo Bustamante

Murilo Bustamante with Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

The second-ever UFC Middleweight champion, Bustamante, defeated Dave Menne via TKO to win the belt. He would successfully defend the title once, submitting Matt Lindland, then vacating the title after signing with Pride. Bustamante would not experience the same success in Japan, losing his first three bouts in the promotion, given it was to top-tier competition in Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, Dan Henderson, and Kazuhiro Nakamura. Bustamante is also an accomplished grappler with numerous medal-winning performances in both the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships and the Brazilian National Championships. Although he only had four fights in the UFC, his impact is still felt, as he was one of the first genuinely well-rounded fighters with excellent boxing to back up his BJJ pedigree. He continues to contribute to the sport today, establishing the famed Brazilian Top Team gym in 2000 and continues to train fighters there today.

Nicco Montano

Nicco Montano celebrates after winning the Women’s Flyweight title. Credit: MMA Mania.

Montano, the first UFC women’s Flyweight champion, was awarded the belt after defeating Roxanne Modafferi to win season 26 of The Ultimate Fighter. Montano would never defend this belt, which has earned her a reputation as the worst UFC champion. After several surgeries, Montano was scheduled to defend her belt against future champion Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 228. There were rumors that Montano entered fight week 20 pounds overweight, and the fight was ultimately canceled when Montano was hospitalized due to complications relating to her weight cut. After ten months of waiting, the UFC finally stripped Montano of her title and scheduled Valentina Shevchenko to face Joanna Jędrzejczyk for the vacant belt. Montano would remain on the sidelines until 2019, when she fought Julianna Pena, losing via unanimous decision, and would then be released from the promotion. There’s not much to say about Montano; she went from being a fan-favorite TUF winner to being utterly hated in 10 months. Unfortunately, she will always be remembered as the worst UFC champion.