-
Bloody Elbow staff picks and predictions for preliminary card
Joseph Duffy vs. James Vick
Anton Tabuena: Good matchup, and it should be fun either way, but I think Duffy is just overall the better fighter here.
Joe Duffy by Decision.
Ryan Davies: Like Eddie said the 6’3” frame of Vick gives lightweights a very unfamiliar look that causes problems. Vick will use his long limbs to maintain the distance on Duffy and utilize his lethal clinch and knees when it comes to close quarters. That being said Duffy is war horse and won’t go out easy, he will pick up steam in the later rounds, but not enough to sway the judges. Vick failed his first test against a top 15 striker, this will be his chance to prove he is ready for upper echelon on the division.
Vick Split Decision
Eddie Mercado: Vick is the tallest opponent that Duffy has ever faced, and I think that will present some new challenges for Irish Joe.
James Vick by Unanimous Decision
Phil Mackenzie: What a fantastic fight. Vick has quietly built a pretty scary offensive boxing game, with a mean jab, hook and fadeaway counters. He's enormous, locks up on the head in scrambles, and keeps a great pace despite being so grotesquely huge. I think his primary weakness in this fight will actually be his size, however: he struggles to keep himself covered up, and Duffy is a ferocious body puncher. The interplay between body shots from Duffy and Vick's step knee and headlock game should be fascinating, but give me
Joseph Duffy by unanimous decision.
Victor Rodriguez: I love this fight so much. Duffy is game, a slick boxer and has a smooth grappling and submission game. Vick is a massive and long lightweight that can crack, and his grappling is more of an overpowering game with great submission hunting instincts. Duffy will have trouble dealing with Vick’s range and output, and I worry about how he’ll fare both in the clinch as well as off his back. The more I think about it, the worse it looks.
James Vick by TKO.
Zane Simon: Big question here is, how well can Vick lock Duffy down with his clinch game inside. If he can do that, he may force this into being a range war where he’s the longer (if still less technical) man. However, if he can’t, his unwillingness to wrestle should give Duffy the perfect opportunities to work a crafty pocket boxing game built around slick body-head combos.
Joe Duffy via TKO, Round 2.
Staff picking Duffy: Bissell, Ram, Phil, Nick, Dayne, Mookie, Anton, Fraser, Zane, Tim
Staff picking Vick: Eddie, Davies, Stephie, Victor
-
Mark Godbeer vs. Walt Harris
Ryan Davies: Walt Harris should collect more than a participation trophy in this match up. Godbeer can take a licking and keep on ticking, but Harris will provide him a licking that he won't soon forget! That sounded a lot tougher in my head.
Harris TKO rd 2
Phil Mackenzie: The basic dynamics haven't changed since last time. Harris is still bigger, more athletic and a cleaner striker.
Walt Harris by TKO, round 1.
Eddie Mercado: WARRRRRR WALTTTTTTTT!!!!
Walt Harris by KO in round 1.
Victor Rodriguez: (Shudders) Godbeer is tough as nails, but Harris is too fast, too strong, and good an athlete to not put him away. Walt puts him on his back and ruins him after a big overhand.
Walt Harris by TKO.
Zane Simon: Godbeer loves to dip his head when he throws, Harris has a mean counter uppercut game.
Walt Harris by KO, round 1.
Staff picking Godbeer: Bissell, Ram
Staff picking Harris: Phil, Nick, Dayne, Eddie, Davies, Mookie, Anton, Fraser, Stephie, Victor, Zane, Tim
-
Corey Anderson vs. Ovince Saint Preux
Ryan Davies: These 2 top 10 light heavyweights are coming off of main event performances with very different outcomes. OSP defeated former title challenger Yushin Okami with his third Von Flue (soon to be St.Preux, sorry Livewire) choke. While Anderson came up short against Jimmi Manuwa. Anderson has trouble with opponents he can’t outwrestle, while OSP doesn’t have the collegiate wrestling credentials, his freak athleticism will help him avoid going to the ground. On the feet Anderson is evolving into a technically proficient striker, but OSP’s unorthodox, freewheeling style will find holes in Anderson’s striking defense to pick up another impressive knockout.
OSP TKO 2nd
Phil Mackenzie: This division is depressing. Anderson is broadly functional but lacks both power and focus. OSP is a mess. I suppose OSP makes more sense as a pick- he's beaten better opponents, and is tougher and more dynamic. But I just don't like his style. Give me jabs, leg kicks and takedowns over counterpunches and Von Flues in a pretty underwhelming fight.
Corey Anderson by unanimous decision.
Eddie Mercado: This is gon get ugly and I don’t care who wins.
OSP, I guess, by sloppy decision.
Victor Rodriguez: OSP is weird. His strikes come from strange angles, his timing is off-beat and his movement is janky. Anderson’s gonna have a hard time trying to figure him out and will undoubtedly get caught with something coming in for takedowns. Corey’s got great top control and makes smart striking choices on the ground, but if OSP ends up on top he’s far more efficient. It’s far likelier that Anderson gets to top position first, but his gas tank won’t hold up as well here. OSP will eventually get either back up to his feet or on top, and do damage from there.
Ovince St Preux by TKO.
Zane Simon: I’m just echoing Phil here. OSP’s game is basically to lose fights until he wins them, if he wins them. Anderson is much more a guy who wins fights right up until he loses them. I’ll take the guy who’s out there winning rounds over the guy who has a funky knack for weird finishes. But not happily.
Corey Anderson via decision.
Staff picking Anderson: Ram, Phil, Dayne, Fraser, Stephie, Zane
Staff picking OSP: Bissell, Nick, Davies, Eddie, Mookie, Anton, Victor, Tim
-
Randy Brown vs. Mickey Gall
Anton Tabuena: Both have looked pretty good in their short UFC careers, and both are still likely improving a lot. It’s a tough pick, but at the end of the day, one guy has been facing far better competition.
Randy Brown by Decision.
Ryan Davies: I am in the minority that see elite potential in the polarizing prospect that is Mickey Gall. It’s true he has not taken on the stiffest of competition, but in his 3 UFC outings he has shown a effortless fluidity of movement in his grappling exchanges and a high fight IQ, staying out of brawling exchanges and fighting to his strengths. Brown is also a intriguing talent with creative and dynamic strikes, but his inability to stop a takedown has prevented him from taking the next step in his career. Gall will play it smart and get this fight to the ground whenever the opportunity presents itself. The submission may come late, but my money would be on a convincing decision.
Gall Unanimous Decision
Phil Mackenzie: Gall is a talent, but really has shown next to nothing apart from being talented in his MMA career thus far because the people he's beaten are just so bad. Brown is athletic and skilled, and has just been fighting much tougher competition. Gall seems to be a natural wrestler, a skillset that continues to give Brown issues- he still seems to be in the process of finding a stable game. Brown is a good striker and reasonably dynamic everywhere, and I can't stress enough the difference between fighting Belal Remember The Name Muhammad and fighting Sage Northcutt.
Randy Brown by submission, round 3.
Fraser Coffeen: Listen, if Gall can dominate CM Punk, then realistically, who can stop him?
Mickey Gall, decision
Victor Rodriguez: Brown’s gonna have to learn early, often and hard to establish the pace here, and it just feels like Gall’s wrestling game and top pressure will be too much. Mickey hits him with the flypaper approach and tries to chain submissions together, but wins the fight via control and ground strikes leading to unsuccessful submission attempts.
Mickey Gall by decision.
Zane Simon: If Brown makes it deep into round 2, he likely wins this fight. Gall is a terribly wooden striker and looked like he was sucking air pretty badly against Northcutt when he dropped him. He is, however, also a fantastically technical wrestle-grappler who chains his shots well and does a great job in the ride and taking the back. I can just see Brown getting taken down early too easily and submitted as he tries to scramble. Still, if he survives, he probably wins.
Mickey Gall via submission, Round 1.
Staff picking Brown: Phil, Dayne, Eddie, Mookie, Anton
Staff picking Gall: Bissell, Ram, Nick, Davies, Fraser, Stephie, Vick, Zane, Tim
-
Curtis Blaydes vs. Oleksiy Oliynyk
Ryan Davies: This match up of high level grapplers will be a passing of the guard of sorts. 26 year old Blaydes will not throw anything at the 40 year old Oliynyk that he has not seen before. However Blaydes does posses the power, explosiveness and stamina to take over this fight with his wrestling while avoiding Oliynyk’s unconventional choke attempts.
Blaydes Unanimous Decision
Phil Mackenzie: Blaydes is clearly not learning striking as fast as people hoped, and he looked dreadfully wooden on the feet in his last fight. However, I'm not a big believer in Oliynyk's gas tank, and if Blaydes doesn't walk his way into a weird choke from bottom, then his youth and athleticism just wears Oliynyk down over time. I think he'll be cautious, but will essentially look to replicate what Omielańczuk did.
Curtis Blaydes by unanimous decision.
Victor Rodriguez: Yeah, I don’t like this. Blaydes can hurt people, man. Oliynyk ate a lot of damage to rally back against Browne, and is a super legit threat no matter what position he’s in. I just don’t think he’ll make it long as a damage sponge with Blaydes being a harder hitter with really good wrestling. This is basically shades of Godbeer/Harris, only Oliynyk has more tools to win and is a smarter fighter. That said, I still don’t like the odds for Oliynyk here.
Curtis Blaydes by TKO, round 2.
Zane Simon: Sure, Blaydes could jump on top of Oliynyk and get himself choked in that way that only Oliynyk opponents seem to get themselves choked, but my guess is that he’s just too much of a physical hulk for that. I feel like Blaydes may have broken his wrestling game a little in learning how to strike, so I think this will just be 3 rounds of wall-n-maul, as Oliynyk wears out quickly and Blaydes stifles him.
Curtis Blaydes by decision.
Staff picking Blaydes: Phil, Nick, Davies, Mookie, Anton, Stephie, Victor, Zane
Staff picking Oliynyk: Bissell, Ram, Dayne, Eddie, Fraser, Tim
-
Ricardo Ramos vs. Aiemann Zahabi
Anton Tabuena: Unfortunately, this might be the only time Firas celebrates tonight.
Aiemann Zahabi by decision.
Ryan Davies: Both of these highly regarded prospects eked out controversial decisions in their debuts. Now they will look to pick up their second win in a more impressive manor. Zahabi, like the majority of Tri Star fighters,is a master of controlling the distance in the striking department. Ramos has shown flashes of brilliance on the feet, but Zahbi will have a noticeable technical striking edge. Ramos does his best work on the mat, however getting Zahabi down will be a bridge too far for the lanky 22 year old. Even if it does go to the ground Aiemann’s many years of coaching up from big brother Firas will have him more than ready to deal with the youngsters submission attempts.
Zahabi Unanimous Decision
Phil Mackenzie: Zahabi feels like a fighter who is incredibly well-coached but is already visibly bumping up against the limits of his athleticism, which don't appear to be very high. He hurt Vieira in his last fight by being better at drawing the shorter line between two points with his punches, but he also got hit quite a lot. Ramos is bigger, and the less technical but the more impactful striker, and is an aggressive, powerful grappler.
Ricardo Ramos by unanimous decision
Victor Rodriguez: I love this fight so much. Zahabi’s been training with top-level guys for years now and his brother’s a genius coach. Ramos is tough and probably a more complete athlete, but Zahabi has more tools to win.
Aiemann Zahabi by decision.
Zane Simon: Zahabi’s defensive instincts don’t seem very sound yet. Which means he has to rely on consistent pressuring or risk getting overwhelmed by his opponent’s offense. That leads nicely into Ramos’ dynamic countering game.
Ricardo Ramos by TKO, Round 2.
Staff picking Ramos: Dayne, Phil, Zane
Staff picking Zahabi: Bissell, Ram, Nick, Davies, Eddie, Mookie, Anton, Fraser, Stephie, Victor, Tim
-
UFC 217: Preliminary Predictions
Kamikaze Overdrive
155lbs- James Vick (11-1-0) vs Joe Duffy (16-2-0)
In the headlining bout of the undercard, James “The Texicutioner” Vick goes head to head with Ireland’s own “Irish Joe” Joe Duffy. Vick has won back to back fights since suffering the first loss of his career- he scored a TKO win over Marco Polo Reyes in his last bout. Duffy is 4-1 inside the Octagon and is also riding a 2-fight winning streak, picking up wins over Mitch Clarke and Reza Madadi.
A very tall Lightweight, Vick is 6’3″ and will be 5 inches taller than Duffy to go along with a 3″ reach. Duffy is the younger fighter by a year.
Vick is developing a well-rounded attack. His striking is solid, incorporating his reach and movement to augment his ever-increasing volume game. He averages just over 4 SLpM compared to 3.38 SApM. The Texas-native is hittable and Beniel Dariush blasted him several times prior to scoring the stoppage. Vick is also a capable grappler, utilizing his long limbs to set up submissions. Unfortunately, he lacks a strong takedown to get his foe to the floor and he has been taken down on multiple occasions. Duffy struggled with the wrestling of Dustin Poirier in his only UFC loss, but he is a pretty solid grappler in his own right. On the feet, he is a smooth striker with good head movement and footwork. Leading with a sharp left jab and following with a power right, his combination striking is strong and he packs good power in his hands. Joe is coming off just his 5th career fight to go beyond the first frame- he is 3-2 in those bouts.
Vick will have the physical advantages and can operate both on the feet and the mat, but his glaring defensive issues will be his undoing. If he had a better wrestling attack, he could put Duffy on the floor, where he might have the edge. Look for “Irish Joe” to work inside the reach of Vick and outbox him, eventually cracking him on the chin
my prediction is Joe Duffy to defeat James Vick by TKO.
265lbs- Walt Harris (10-5-0) vs Mark Godbeer (12-3-0)
In a fight that was originally scheduled to take place at UFC 216, Walt “The Big Ticket” Harris looks to get back on track when he takes on Mark “The Hand of” Godbeer. Godbeer most recently defeated Daniel Spitz at UFC 209 to rebound from his debut loss to Justin Ledet. Harris stopped both Chase Sherman and Cyril Asker prior to suffering a 65-second submission loss to former Heavyweight Champion Fabricio Werdum when he stepped up to the main card at UFC 216.
At 6’5″, Harris is an inch taller than Godbeer, but they will share the same 77″ reach. They are the same age.
This fight will most likely be decided on the feet with both men packing significant power. Harris has finished all 10 of his career wins via knockout- 9 in the opening round. Not to be outdone, Godbeer has stopped his foe via knockout in 9 of his 12 wins- only 3 in the opening round. Harris has looked increasingly more comfortable with his striking offense and the results have been devastating. Godbeer is a capable striker, but he is going to struggle with the speed and athleticism of Harris.
While Harris has far more opening round finishes, he appears to have the superior cardio which will play a role if this fight goes beyond the opening. Either way, look for him to routinely beat Godbeer to the punch and land the more impactful strikes when doing so. Despite the loss to Werdum, this fight should still play out as previously expected to
my prediction is Walt Harris to defeat Mark Godbeer by knockout.
205lbs- #6 Ovince Saint Preux (21-10-0) vs #7 Corey Anderson (10-3-0)
In a battle of top 10-ranked Light Heavyweights, former title-challenger Ovince Saint Preux takes on Corey “Overtime” Anderson. OSP has won back to back fights, submitting both Yushin Okami and Marcos Rogerio de Lima by Von Flue choke. Anderson is coming off a loss to Jimi Manuwa by knockout, but he has won 4 of his last 6 fights.
Saint-Preux is stepping in to replace Patrick Cummins on roughly 2-weeks notice. Both men are 6’3″, OSP has an inch longer reach and Anderson is the younger man by 6-years.
Anderson is coming off his second knockout loss and it is becoming apparent that his chin is a clear vulnerability. Nonetheless, he is still a capable striker utilizing a lot of movement and averaging an impressive 5.01 SLpM. A former NCAA D3 wrestler, “Overtime” does a good job of mixing in his wrestling having secured 25 takedowns over his combined 6 UFC wins. While OSP has proven himself to be a crafty submission fighter from top position, he also struggled when his opposition has looked to take him down. Most notably, Glover Teixeira beat him up on the floor prior to scoring the choke. OSP is an impressive athlete and is dangerous on the feet, but his striking tends to be a little stiff and can result in him slowing down in more demanding fights.
OSP’s short notice will not help his already questionable cardio. Additionally, he has had issues with wrestling and clinch heavy fighters which is a style that Anderson has employed in previous fights. Corey needs to utilize his movement and jab to close the distance and then force Ovince to a close quarters fight to both score points and tire him out. Anderson might be able to score a top position stoppage,
but my prediction is Corey Anderson to defeat Ovince Saint Preux by decision.
170lbs- Mickey Gall (4-0-0) vs Randy Brown (9-2-0)
In the Welterweight division, CM Punk slayer Mickey Gall returns to action to take on fellow Dana White talent search recruit Randy “Rude Boy” Brown. Brown is coming off of a decision loss to Belal Muhammad and is 3-2 inside the Octagon. Gall has yet to taste defeat in his brief pro career, submitting both the aforementioned Punk and Sage Northcutt in his last 2 UFC fights.
At 6’3″, Brown is 1″ taller, but he will have a 4″ reach advantage. Gall is the younger fighter by 2-years.
Brown comes into the fight having finished 2 of his 3 UFC wins- and has stopped 8 of his 9 opponents overall. He has some decent pop in his hands and is improving his use of his reach to keep his opponent on the outside. If his opponent closes the distance, look for “Rude Boy” to clinch up and employ damaging elbow and knee strikes. A BJJ purple belt, Brown has shown a willingness to work on the mat but has also go himself in some trouble on the floor. Gall has an excellent back take and has finished all 4 of his pro opponent’s by submission, all by rear-naked choke. He can do damage with strikes from top position, but we haven’t seen a lot of his vertical striking offense.
Brown has more experience than Gall and appears to have the more well-rounded skill set. That being said, Gall’s strength is Brown’s biggest area of vulnerability. Gall’s wrestling and BJJ games should be more than enough to exploit the holes in Brown’s defensive grappling
my prediction is Mickey Gall to defeat Randy Brown by submission.
265lbs- #9 Oleksiy Oliynyk (52-10-1) vs #12 Curtis Blaydes (7-1-0 1NC)
In the Heavyweight division, rising prospect Curtis “Razor” Blaydes takes on 63-fight veteran Oleksiy “The Boa Constrictor” Oliynyk. Blaydes is on a 3-fight undefeated streak, most recently picking up a decision victory Daniel Omielanczuk. Oliynyk is coming off a submission of the fast fading Travis Browne and is an impressive 13-1 over his last 14 fights.
Blaydes is 2 inches taller and should weigh roughly 20-25 pounds heavier. They have the same 80” reach and Blaydes is the younger fighter by 14-years.
The aging Oliynyk continues to find success on the strength of his submission game. He has finished an astounding 43 opponents via some form of tap out. Averaging 3.71 takedowns per fight, he has showcased some decent wrestling in his Octagon run. Against Browne, he survived the early exchanges and capitalized on Travis’s faltering cardio prior to securing the sub. On the feet, he has decent power but tends to be a little stiff with his technique. Blaydes has good power in his hands, but he primarily focuses his attack on his wrestling. He completed 15-takedowns over his first 3 fights but is coming off a victory spent almost entirely on the feet. Once he does get the fight to the floor he can do a lot of damage with his top position strikes.
Blades is the bigger man and better athlete. If he opts to take Oliynyk down, he has the tools to muffle his submission game- but it still brings him into Oleksiy’s area of strength. Look for the American to use his wrestling in reverse to force the striking exchanges early and if he is unable to score the stoppage, he may opt to wrestle later in the bout
my prediction is Curtis Blaydes to defeat Oleksiy Oliynyk by TKO
-
-
Cody Garbrandt vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Anton Tabuena: Even if we ignore the team drama that surrounds this contest, this is still a really intriguing match up stylistically. On paper, it seems like Garbrandt is faster, has better hands and bigger power, while Dillashaw has more diversity, better footwork, better kicks, and possibly a better judge of distance as well. To add to those clash in styles, both men are very familiar with what each other brings to the table, making it a possible x-factor that bridges the gap in some of these advantages. All in all, those things make this a bout that really piques my interest.
Cruz is a master of footwork, movement and distance, and Garbrandt passed that test with flying colors. TJ is more dangerous offensively than Cruz, but this makes me believe that when others struggle with TJ’s “unorthodox” style and movement, Cody wouldn’t -- especially with the familiarity they have. Couple that with a speed and power advantage, this is why I am leaning towards the champ keeping his belt. I definitely could be wrong, and x-factors like emotion and knowing each other’s tendencies could swing it either way, but I think it will be
Cody Garbrandt by TKO.
Ryan Davies: T.J is the superior striker. Superior footwork, superior timing and superior fight IQ. Garbrandt will get frustrated early when he doesn’t land clean and headhunt the rest of the fight losing every round.
Dillashaw Unanimous Decision
Eddie Mercado: Garbrandt’s recent surgery could be a thing here, but until I see him lose, I can’t really pick against him.
Cody Garbrandt by unanimous decision.
Fraser Coffeen: Great fight here with so much to love about it. I’m a big fan of TJ’s style in there - it’s a style I tend to favor, while Cody seems more of the pure KO artist. Those KO type fighters are always a bit tough to predict in my eyes. Like the first Chuck/Randy fight, it feels like there’s always a path to beating this style of fighter if you can find it. My gut instinct is that Dillashaw can indeed find it, using his movement, volume, and game planning to score the points. What holds me back somewhat is that I could have written that exact same sentence about Dominick Cruz, and he did not find any success. So what does Dillashaw have that Cruz doesn’t? Answer: the knowledge of Garbrandt and the drive. Is that enough to turn the tide? I’m going to say it is.
TJ Dillashaw, decision
Ram Gilboa: It’s a five rounds fight, that’ll play out on the feet. Two very good strikers, I’ll go with the puncher.
Cody Garbrandt by TKO, round 2
Victor Rodriguez: I know that MMAth is for suckers and rubes, but if Cruz couldn’t hurt Cody consistently, how can TJ? Garbrandt not only showed off his boxing skills, but his wrestling was on point and his attacks on the ground were good. We might see Dillashaw on his back eating a few elbows, which would be impressive. I’m not sure that TJ has the answers in his toolkit to deal with the range, length, pressure, and counters that Garbrandt has. The king stays king.
Cody Garbrandt by TKO, round 5.
Zane Simon: Garbrandt can match Dillashaw for speed and footwork, and should be able to scramble with him on the mat. Dillashaw holds the edge in volume striking, but Garbrandt is more capable fighting going forwards and backwards, while Dillashaw has trouble off his back foot. If Dillashaw has to keep coming forward, then he likely has to keep giving Garbrandt chances to counter him and land the better shots each round.
Cody Garbrandt by decision.
Staff picking Garbrandt: Bissell, Ram, Nick, Dayne, Eddie, Mookie, Anton, Stephie, Phil, Victor, Zane, Tim
Staff picking Dillashaw: Davies, Fraser
-
Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas
Anton Tabuena: Much like the main event, this is a bout where I think all the cards are stacked against the challenger, but I’m still hoping they both somehow push through those perceived disadvantages and pull off an improbable victory. After seeing tidbits of her growth and struggles both inside and outside the cage, I just can’t help but root for Namajunas here. Unfortunately, I think it would be very tough to outstrike or create enough nice scrambles to capitalize against Joanna, who has shown to be a dominant striking machine who is incredibly tough to take down and equally dangerous in the clinch.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk by Decision.
Eddie Mercado: I love Rose! Now with that being said, she is going to get outclassed on the feet and will flounder at getting the fight to the ground.
JJ by Unanimous Decision.
Ryan Davies: I would love this fight 2 years from now, Joanna champion is in the midst of her prime and Rose is on the cusp of achieving her potential. Rose won’t be able to out strike Jedrzejczyk and if Andrade couldn’t get Joanna down I don’t see how Namajunas will.
Jedrzejczyk Unanimous Decision
Victor Rodriguez: Rose is a fantastic fighter, but she’s lacking in handspeed and movement compared to what is probably the best pure striker in the UFC right now - male or female. Joanna’s got excellent takedown defense, tremendous pressure, great cardio, and killer finishing instinct. It’s gonna be hard to land shots when you’re dealing with a buzzsaw like JJ. I trust Trevor Wittman to break things down in a manner that allows for Rose to create opportunities for her offense to break through, as well as being mindful of Joanna’s offense. I’m just not sure Rose is ready for this big a step up. Either way, we’re getting a hell of a fight, and you should be amped for this.
Joanna Champion by decision.
Zane Simon: Beyond an edge in striking power, there really aren’t many advantages for Namajunas. Her hands aren’t as fast, her clinch game isn’t as complex, and trying to wrestle JJ is often a recipe for disaster.
Joanna Jedrzejczyk via Decision.
Staff picking Joanna: Bissell, Ram, Phil, Nick, Dayne, Eddie, Davies, Mookie, Anton, Fraser, Stephie, Victor, Zane, Tim
Staff picking Namajunas:
-
Jorge Masvidal vs. Stephen Thompson
Anton Tabuena: If Masvidal actually takes it to Thompson, we might be in for a real treat, but there’s also a decent chance this becomes yet another staring contest sprinkled in with a few fancy kicks. I really hope it’s the former, but if that happens, I think this is where Thompson could shine.
Stephen Thompson by decision.
Eddie Mercado: Man, this is a tough one. I really want to call this a draw, but since Masvidal has an uncanny ability to lose a split decision, I’ll just go ahead with that.
Stephen Thompson by razor thin split decision.
Ryan Davies: This could be a striking masterpiece or two guys waiting around for the other to throw. Masvidal 2.0 is a fighter that isn’t leaving his future in the hands of the judges, but getting overly aggressive against Thompson and his Daniel Russo like skills could spell disaster. Masvidal, in my opinion is top 3 pound for pound when it comes to mma striking,he doesn’t possess one punch power but the cumulative damage will get it done.
Masvidal Knockout 3rd
Phil Mackenzie: This feels like such a Masvidal fight- he could well win it by marching inside, feinting the jab, disrupting Wonderboy's stance with kicks, and attacking in the clinch. Or. He could just hang out at range and wait for Wonderboy to do something weird. The most tragic thing about Masvidal is that in the Henderson or Maia fights, he didn't take his foot off the gas, he just lost, albeit in achingly close decisions. Wonderboy has given us 75 straight minutes of near-unadulterated tedium, apart from the bits where he was getting beaten up. I hope Masvidal can bring (or beat) something more interesting out of him.
Stephen Thompson by split decision
Victor Rodriguez: The only bad thing I can say about this fight is that it’s only three rounds. Masvidal knows he can’t just hang back and wait for the opportunity to counter. He’s going to have to walk Wonderboy down and make him sweat, then connect to the body while checking leg kicks and pressuring against the cage. From there, Masvidal softens him up by limiting his movement and outboxes him. I expect a takedown attempt or two to keep Thompson guessing, but this will mostly be a stand-up affair.
Jorge Masvidal by KO.
Zane Simon: I think this is a better matchup for Thompson than some people are willing to admit. My guess is that Thompson is able to land rangy strikes that frustrate Masvidal that then gets Masvidal to be aggressive and start walking in to exchanges where Thompson can land his counter shots. I’m excited to see if Masvidal can eat those and make Thompson pay in return, but I just don’t think Masvidal is quite explosive enough to take Thompson out of his game.
Stephen Thompson by decision.
Staff picking Masvidal: Ram, Davies, Stephie, Nick, Victor, Tim
Staff picking Thompson: Bissell, Dayne, Eddie, Mookie, Anton, Fraser, Zane
-
Paulo Borrachinha vs. Johny Hendricks
Anton Tabuena: Hendricks should win this one, but I just really have lost faith in seeing him back in his championship form at this point. Bad weight cuts and lack of discipline have done a number on him, and I’m not sure we will ever see that powerhouse wrestler who carries the touch of death on his left hand anymore -- even after a couple of months with Greg Jackson.
Borrachinha by TKO.
Ryan Davies: I would much rather pick this fight post weigh ins, but based on what we have seen out of Hendricks lately it’s near impossible to take him over a star in the making like Borrachinha. If Hendricks can withstand the early onslaught he may be able to win a war of attrition. A 23 year old Borrachinha gassed in a 2 round fight on TUF Brazil 3 losing to eventual finalist “Lyoto” Alexandre. Time, desire, USADA there is just too much stacking up against Hendricks.
Borrichinha TKO 1st
Phil Mackenzie: Am I? Am I really thinking of picking Hendricks? This feels a lot like Maynard-Ishihara, where we have a washed fighter who nonetheless has a fairly overwhelming depth of skill in wrestling, against a one round finisher. If Borrachinha hurts Hendricks it's probably over. If a new(?) and improved(?!?) Jackson-Wink Hendricks takes Borrachinha down in the first? Hmmmm. Wait, no. I just heard that weigh-in rant. He's still struggling to make 185 and he sounds completely nuts.
Paolo Borrachinha by TKO, round 1.
Victor Rodriguez: Hendricks barely made weight, and not every fighter makes drastic improvements in their first fight with a new camp/team. Jackson/Winklejohn have done great things for some fighters, but this is still Johny Hendricks. He’s good, but he’s stubborn and not in the best shape anymore. He’s also undersized and facing a physical specimen that hits hard and has very accurate strikes. Good luck taking him down, too. Besides, it’s not like he’s a slouch on the ground. Again, gotta stay away from the least reliable of the two.
Borranchinha by TKO, round 2.
Zane Simon: Technically, Borrachinha doesn’t have many advantages here. He’s a slightly more potent offensive striker, but not quite a clinical one yet, and with a bad gas tank too. Physically however, he has a ton of advantages. And sometimes the physical side is all that matters.
Paulo Borrachinha via KO, Round 1.
Staff picking Borrachinha: Bissell, Ram, Nick, Eddie, Davies, Mookie, Anton, Fraser, Stephie, Phil, Victor, Zane
Staff picking Hendricks: Dayne, Tim
-
Jedrzejczyk became the first Polish-born champion in UFC history when she defeated Carla Esparza at UFC 185.
Jedrzejczyk is one of nine fighters in UFC history to win a belt with an undefeated record.
Jedrzejczyk’s five consecutive UFC title defenses are second most among current champions behind D. Johnson (11).
Jedrzejczyk’s six victories in UFC title fights are tied with Ronda Rousey for most of any female in company history.
Jedrzejczyk competes in her ninth UFC strawweight bout, the most appearances in divisional history.
Jedrzejczyk’s eight-fight UFC winning streak in strawweight competition is the longest active streak in the division.
Jedrzejczyk’s eight victories in UFC competition are tied with champ Amanda Nunes and Jessica Andrade for most of any female in company history.
Jedrzejczyk’s eight victories in UFC strawweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Jedrzejczyk has earned nine of her 14 career victories by decision. That includes six of her eight UFC wins.
Jedrzejczyk has out-landed her opponents 971-328 in significant strikes over her past six UFC appearances.
Jedrzejczyk is the only fighter in UFC history to land 200 or more significant strikes in two separate bouts.
Jedrzejczyk is one of two fighters in UFC history to land 100 or more significant strikes in five consecutive fights. Dillashaw also accomplished the feat.
Jedrzejczyk’s 225 significant strikes landed against Andrade at UFC 211 are a UFC title-fight record. She also holds the second highest amount with 220 against Valerie Letourneau at UFC 193.
Jedrzejczyk’s 225 significant strikes landed at UFC 211 are second most in a UFC fight behind Nate Diaz’s 238 significant strikes against Donald Cerrone at UFC 141 in December 2011.
Jedrzejczyk’s 75 leg kicks landed against Andrade at UFC 211 are the single-fight UFC record. She also holds the second highest amount with 70 against Letourneau at UFC 193.
Jedrzejczyk’s three fight-night bonuses for UFC strawweight bouts are the most in divisional history.
Namajunas competes in her seventh UFC strawweight bout, tied for the second most appearances in divisional history behind Jedrzejczyk (nine).
Namajunas’ four victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied for third most in divisional history behind Jedrzejczyk (eight) and Tecia Torres (five).
Namajunas has earned five of her six career victories by submission.
Namajunas’ three stoppage victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied with Paige VanZant for the most in divisional history.
Namajunas’ three submission victories in UFC strawweight competition are the most in divisional history.
Namajunas’ submission of VanZant at the 2:25 mark of Round 5 at UFC Fight Night 80 stands as the latest stoppage in UFC strawweight history and the latest stoppage overall in a women’s UFC bout.
Namajunas’ eight takedowns landed against VanZant at UFC Fight Night 80 stand as the single-fight record for a women’s UFC bout.
Namajunas’ 14 successful guard passes against VanZant at UFC Fight Night 80 stand as the single-fight record for a women’s UFC bout.
-
Stephen Thompson (13-2-1 MMA, 8-2-1 UFC) enters the event on a two-fight winless skid. He hasn’t earned a victory since June 2016.
Thompson’s five knockout victories since 2012 in UFC welterweight competition are second most in the division behind Matt Brown (six).
Thompson’s five fight-night bonuses since 2012 for UFC welterweight bouts are tied for second most in the division behind Erick Silva (seven).
Jorge Masvidal (32-12 MMA, 9-5 UFC) is 4-3 since he returned to the welterweight division in July 2015.
Masvidal is one of five fighters in UFC history to finish a bout by submission at the 4:59 mark of Round 2. He accomplished the feat against Michael Chiesa at UFC on FOX 8.
Masvidal has suffered nine of his 12 career losses by decision. That includes all five of his UFC defeats.
-
Johny Hendricks (18-7 MMA, 13-7 UFC) is 1-1 since he moved up to the UFC middleweight division in February.
Hendricks is 1-4 in his past five fights.
Hendricks is one of five fighters in UFC history to record three or more knockout victories in less than one minute each.
Hendricks and Lawler combined for 308 significant strikes landed at UFC 171, tied for second most ever for a UFC title fight behind Jedrzejczyk vs. Letourneau at UFC 193 (323 combined significant strikes).
Paulo Borrachinha (10-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) has earned all 10 of his career victories by stoppage.
Borrachinha has earned nine of his 10 career victories by knockout. That includes both of his UFC wins.
-
Joseph Duffy (16-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has earned 14 of his 16 career victories by stoppage. He’s finished 13 opponents in the first round and eight in less than two minutes each.
Duffy has earned all three of his UFC stoppage victories in the first round.
Duffy’s 25-second submission of Mitch Clarke at UFC Fight Night 90 is the fourth fastest submission finish in UFC lightweight history.
-
Walt Harris (10-6 MMA, 3-5 UFC) competes in his second UFC bout in a 28-day stretch. He lost to Fabricio Werdum at UFC 216 this past month.
Harris is 3-2 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in April 2016.
Harris has earned all 10 of his career victories by knockout.
Harris defends 63 percent of all opponent significant strike attempts in UFC heavyweight competition, the highest rate among active fighters in the weight class.
-
Mickey Gall (4-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) has earned all four of his career victories by submission in a total fight time of 12:32.
Gall’s three-fight submission streak in UFC competition is the longest among active fighters.
Gall’s 45-second submission of Mike Jackson at UFC Fight Night 82 tied the mark for fourth fastest submission in UFC welterweight history.
-
Aleksei Oleinik (52-10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has earned 42 of his 52 career victories by submission. He’s finished 36 of those wins in Round 1.
Oleinik has earned his past 14 victories by stoppage. That includes all four of his UFC wins.
Oleinik is the only fighter in UFC history to earn an Ezekiel choke submission victory. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 103.
-
Corey Anderson (9-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) lands 5.01 significant strikes per minute in UFC light-heavyweight competition, the highest rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Anderson completes 50 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC light-heavyweight competition, the third highest rate in divisional history behind Lyoto Machida (65 percent) and Glover Teixeira (51.4 percent).
Anderson’s 61-second knockout of Matt Van Buren at the TUF 19 Finale stands as the fastest finish in a “TUF” tournament final.
Ovince Saint Preux (21-10 MMA, 9-5 UFC) competes in his second UFC fight in a 42-day span. He defeated Yushin Okami at UFC Fight Night 1117 in September.
Saint Preux’s two-fight UFC winning streak in light heavyweight competition is tied for the second longest active streak in the division behind Mauricio Rua (three) and Volkan Oezdemir (three).
Saint Preux’s nine victories since 2013 in UFC light heavyweight competition are the most in the division.
Saint Preux has earned 16 of his 21 career victories by stoppage. That includes seven of his nine UFC wins.
Saint Preux’s seven stoppage victories since 2013 in UFC competition are most in the light heavyweight division and tied for fourth most in the company behind Cerrone (nine), champ Max Holloway (eight) and Derrick Lewis (eight).
Saint Preux’s four submission victories in UFC light-heavyweight competition are tied with Renato Sobral for second most in divisional history behind Jon Jones (five).
Saint Preux’s three Von Flue choke submissions in UFC/WEC/PRIDE/Strikeforce are the most in combined company history. No one else has more than one.
Saint Preux has earned three of the five Von Flue choke victories in UFC history. Jason Von Flue and Jordan Rinaldi also accomplished the feat.
Saint Preux’s two technical submission victories in UFC competition are tied for second most in company history behind Frank Mir (three).
Saint Preux vs. Okami was just the second fight in UFC history to feature zero combined significant strike attempts. Ilir Latifi vs. Cyrille Diabate at UFC on FUEL TV 6 was the other.
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules
Reply With Quote
