Bellator MMA had it’s first overseas show Saturday from Torino Italy. The show took place at 3 pm eastern and aired on tape delay on SpikeTV with a late 10 pm start time. In terms of star power, it was one of the weaker shows that Bellator has put on since the MTV 2 days but in many ways, the promotion looked more “big league” than ever before.
The show took place in front of a hot crowd in a bigger building than they usually run. The fighters that they were hoping to showcase did what they were supposed to, particularly Alessio Sakara scoring an impressive TKO win in front of his home country. All of the walkouts aired in their entirety, which was a nice change from UFC.
Perhaps the best thing on the show was the opening video montage that was more of a promo for Spike Sports than Bellator MMA specifically but featured mainly Bellator fighters. The tag line of Fighters First was all over the video. Particularly memorable was a Josh Koscheck quote “I can say what I want and I can wear what I want”. This video is worth going out of your way to see although I’m sure it will air before all MMA, Kickboxing and Boxing events on Spike for the next while.
It wasn’t all good news. In the first three fights, the losers looked they belonged nowhere near a professional MMA cage, let alone on national TV. And the main event was a terrible fight with referee John McCarthy even stopping the fight midway through the second while both fighters were standing, warning them that they had to fight. Not sure what he would’ve done if they hadn’t picked it up a bit but they did….only slightly.
The show kicked off with two local fighters making their Bellator debuts. Daniele Scatizzi scored a first round TKO win over Daniele Miceli in a welterweight fight. Scatizzi looked okay but we’ll probably never see either of these guys in a Bellator cage again unless they come back to Italy.
In the second fight, Anastasia Yankova, who they’ve been promoting pretty heavily and could be the face of the new female flyweight division in Bellator dominated Anjela Pink, who was making her pro debut. It was her third submission win in her three fight career.
AJ McKee had a very impressive performance in dominating Italian fighter Danilo Belluardo on his way to a first round TKO win. It was his fourth straight first round finish with all four of his career fights going a combined 10 minutes. He had a great promo after the fight, basically putting the entire division on notice and saying he’s coming for the belt. McKee is the son of MMA vet Antonio McKee and Bellator has high hopes for his future and he did not disappoint on this night.
In what really should’ve been the main event of the show, especially with the benefit of hindsight, Alessio Sakara came out to the biggest pop of the night by far. He was fighting in his home country for the first time in over a decade and did not disappoint. After a first round which he may have lost, he came out strong in the second and stopped Bellator vet Brian Rogers with punches to score a TKO win. The win probably ensures him a few more Bellator fights and the promotion should really have him headline the next show if they ever return to Italy.
The main event was a terrible fight which Bellator mainstay Patricky “Pitbull” Freire won by unanimous decision over the debuting Kevin Souza, who was recently cut from UFC despite a 3-1 record there. Several times referee John McCarthy warned the fighters to pick up the action while on their feet and midway through the second round, he stopped the fight and warned the fighters they had to keep fighting. The fight was very close, despite Freire scoring 30-27 on all 3 judges scorecards, but neither guy impressed at all. Souza took the fight on short notice and Freire is a lifer in Bellator so they’ll probably both be back but after a long day of MMA after the UFC on FOX show, that was a hard fight to sit through.
Overall, I’d say the show was a minor success and something that Bellator should definitely do again. It came across much differently than the normal Friday night shows they run in casinos and more shows like this would make the promotion seem like a viable alternative to UFC in the world of MMA.
Bellator returns to Spike TV on Friday night with Bellator 153. Benson Henderson makes his promotional debut and challenges Andrey Koreshkov in the show’s main event.
Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of UFC On FOX 19: Teixeira vs. Evans from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The event is headlined by a five-round bout in the light heavyweight division as #4-ranked Glover Teixeira takes on former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans. Also on the main card is the return of undefeated lightweight contender Khabib Numagomedov, who has been out of action for two years, plus a rematch between Rose Namajunas and Tecia Torres in strawweight action. Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 4:30 PM eastern time with preliminary action all the way thru the main card.
WELTERWEIGHTS- ELIZEU ZALESKI DOS SANTOS (14-5, 0-1 UFC) VS. OMARI AKHMEDOV (15-3, 3-2 UFC)
First round: Right by Akhmedov., Akhmedov shot in with a double leg takedown. Dos Santos used a heel hook attempt to sweep to the top. Akhmedov working for a Kimura. He reversed to the top and now both on their feet. Low kick by Dos Santos. Left by Akhmedov and right by Dos Santos. Right by Akhmedov. Dos Santos with a body kick. Very close round. 10-9 Akhmedov.
Second round: Low kick by Dos Santos. Good right by Dos Santos. Akhmedov then took him down. Akhmedov with a lot of punches as Dos Santos got up. Left by Akhmedov. Low kick by Dos Santos. Good right by Akhmedov. Now Dos Santos back with a knee. Knee by Dos Santos. Another takedown by Akhmedov. Dos Santos went for a heel hook and got to his feet. Dos Santos went for a kneebar and now he’s on top. Spinning backfist by Akhmedov. Body kick by Dos Santos. Left by Akhmedov. Dos Santos went for a takedown but couldn’t get it. Both swinging and not landing. Another close round. 20-18 Akhmedov.
Third round: Akhmedov went for a takedown by Dos Santos blocked it. Dos Santos with kicks and hard punches. He hurt Akhmedov. Knee by Dos Santos. Traded knees. Hard right by Dos Santos. Akehmedov couldn’t get the takedown. Hard right by Dos Santos. Both swinging wildly. Knees by Dos Santos. Body shots and head shots by Dos Santos. Knee by Dos Santos. Dos Santos pounding him. Knee by Dos Santos and one knee after another before Dan Miragliotta stopped it.
MIDDLEWEIGHTS- OLUWALE BAMGBOSE (6-1, 1-1 UFC) VS. CEZAR FERREIRA (8-5, 4-3 UFC)
First round: Left by Ferreira. Low kick by Ferriera. Bamgbose with a low kick and landed some punches. Bamgbose dropped him with a right and landing hard punches on the ground. Bamgbose landing more punches from the top. Ferriera got back up. Ferriera with a double leg takedown and on top. Bamgbose may have blown his wad on that attempt to finish. Ferriera slipped avoiding a punch and was on his back as the round ended. Bamgbose 10-9
Second round: This is the first time Bamgbose has ever gone into the second round Ferreira with a knee to the body. Ferriera with a takedown. Bamgbose bleeding. Bamgbose with punches from the bottom. Ferreira landing elbows from the top. Another elbow by Ferreira. Ferriera with more elbows. Now he’s landing punches. More elbows by Ferriera. Bamgbose back to his feet. 10-8 Ferreira so 19-18 after two. Not sure many judges would go 10-8 here though.
Third round: Bamgbose has a nasty hematoma on his forehead. Bamgbose with a right. Ferriera took him down but Bamgbose back up. Ferriera took him down. A few punches by Ferriera. Bamgbose got up. Ferreria’s round so should win 29-27.
Scores: 29-28, 29-28 and 29-27 for Ferreira
BANTAMWEIGHTS- (#3 FLW) JOHN DODSON (17-7, 6-2 UFC) VS. MANVEL GAMBURYAN (15-8 1 NC, 6-6 1 NC UFC)Manvel Gamburyan (18-9, 1 no contest) vs, John Dodson (18-7), bw
First round: James Warring referee, one of the few guys ever to do pro boxing, kickboxing, MMA and pro wrestling. He was ranked in boxing and kickboxing as well. Dodosn landing a ton of lefts and finished Gamburyan in seconds. He hurt him on the first left and followed it up with about a 16 or so more in seconds. :47
Dodson said you’re looking at the new bantamweight champion.
PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX- 6 PM ET/3 PM PT)
WELTERWEIGHTS- RANDY BROWN (7-0, 1-0 UFC) VS. MICHAEL GRAVES (5-0, 1-0 UFC)
First round: Graves moved in to attempt a takedown. Brown went for a trip but Graves back up. Both throwing knees that are borderline. Big elbow by Graves. Brown has some good balance. Another knee by Brown. Ref Dan Miragliotta speared them. Wild action with Brown punching and he threw a kick, Graves caught him and took him down. Graves with some punches from the top. Brown went for a triangle late. Graves 10-9.
Second round: Graves took him down again. Graves landing elbows. Graves got his back. Graves got the choke and it’s over.
WELTERWEIGHTS- COURT MCGEE (17-4, 6-3 UFC) VS. SANTIAGO PONZINIBBIO (21-3, 3-2 UFC)
First round: McGee moved in right away. Nice right by McGee. McGee landed another. He failed on a takedown attempt. Santiago with a low kick. Santiago landed a right. McGee back with a right. Right by Santiago. Another right by Santiago. Santiago landing shots. Low kick by Santiago. McGee landed a right. McGee landing. Right by McGee. Santiago dropped him with a right and Santiago landing punches and kicks. Santiago landing more punches and the fight was stopped. Very exciting while it lasted.
First round: Slow open. Pennington landed a right and pushed her against the fence. Left by Pennington. Pennington with a low kick. Nice left by Correia. Body kick by Correia. Right by Pennington. Right by Pennington. Correia landing punches. Pennington 10-9.
Second round: Both landing punches. Nice left by Correia. Pennington went for a takedown and it was easily blocked. Pennington with a knee. Correia starting to land. Both landing shots. Pennington landed a right. Correia moved in with punches. Both trading punches. Both continue to trade elbows. Low kick and left by Correia. Elbow and knee by Pennington. Pennington again trying for a takedown but not getting it. Knee by Pennington. Elbow by Pennington. Close round. Correia’s round, so tied 19-19.
Third round: Left and rihg by Correia. Body kick by Correia. Nice right by Pennington. Elbow by Pennington. Both landing punches. Correia with a big right. Low kick by Correia. Correia going for a takedown but Pennington blocking it. Left by Pennignton. Left by Pennignton. Correia landing shots. Pennington trying for a takedown. Pennington landed several shots. Really good fight. 29-28 Correia but this could go either way.
LIGHTWEIGHTS- (#7) BENEIL DARIUSH (12-1, 6-1 UFC) VS. (#14) MICHAEL CHIESA (13-2, 6-2 UFC)
First round: Nice low kick by Dariush. Body kick by Chissa. Great low kick by Dariush. Left by Dariush. Dariush landing more. Cheisa with a left. Low kick by Chiesa. Low kick by Dariush. Another low kick by Dariush. Right by Dariush. Another low kick by Dariush. Dariush went for a takedown but couldn’t get it. Chiesa landed some punches. Dariush again going for a takedown and Chiesa blocked it again. Chiesa with knees to the body. Dariush landing elbows. Dariush finally got a takedown late in the round and had his back. 10-9 Dariush.
Second round: Two hard low kicks by Dariush. Dariush shot for a takedown. Chiesa got the takedown and got Dariush’s back and he’s going for the choke. He’s not under the neck. Chiesa is squeezing and Dariush tapped out to a facelock. This was the first time Dariush had tapped in MMA.
Chiesa issued a challenge to Tony Ferguson after the match. Joe Rogan then asked him what he wanted next.
MAIN CARD (FOX- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT)
FEATHERWEIGHTS- (#6) CUB SWANSON (21-7, 6-3 UFC) VS. (#10) HACRAN DIAS (23-3-1, 3-2 UFC)
First round: Low kick by Dias. Low kick by Swanson. Low kick by Dias. Low kick by Swanson. Right by Dias. Body kick by Dias. Low kick by Swanson. Swanson with a body kick. Low kick by Dias. Both missing. Dias with a low kick. 10-9 Dias.
Second round: Swanson put him down with a left hook. Swanson throwing big punches on the ground. Swanson wth a left hook. Low kick by Swanson. Left by Dias. Nice right by Dias. Swanson put him down more like a trip. Nice scramble and Dias landed a hard right. Dias with a knee. Swanson with a body kick. Swanson’s round so 19-19 after two.
Third round: Dias with a left. Left to the body by Swanson. Left by Dias. Dias with a right. Spin kick by Swanson but didn’t land it clean. Nice right by Swanson. Nice uppercut by Swanson and dropped him with a left head kick right after getting up. Swanson all over him. Swanson landing punches on the ground. Knee to the butt. Swanson on top. Swanson standing and kicking the legs of Dias who is laying on his back. Swanson with hard shots on the ground. Swanson’s round 29-28, could be 30-27 but Swanson has to win.
Scores: All three had it 29-28 for Swanson.
160-POUND CATCHWEIGHT- (#2 LW) KHABIB NURMAGOMED
First round: Horcher landed a left. Another left by Horcher. Low kick by Horcher. Another left by Horcher. Khabib with a running Stampede. Nurmagomedov moved to side control and landing elbows. Now he’s throwing punches. Nurmagomedov spun to the back, now moved to full mount. Now he’s got Horcher’s back and throwing hard punches. 10-8 Nurmagomedov.
Second round: Horcher bleeding from the back of he head. Judo takedown by Khabib into side control. Khabib landing punches. More punches by Khabib. Now Khabib is pounding on him. Khabib landing punches. Now he’s got Horcher’s back. He’s throwing punches. James Warring stopped it a little late.
WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHTS- (#3) ROSE NAMAJUNAS (4-2, 2-1 UFC) VS. (#4) TECIA TORRES (7-0, 3-0 UFC)
First round: Namajunas staying on the outside and landing. Torres landed several punches when she got inside. Both landing as Torres moved in. Torres landing a lot of punches on the inside. Torres trying to muscle a takedown but not getting it. Namajunas got the hip toss. Good round. 10-9 Torres.
Second round: Low kick by Torres. Front kick by Namajunas. She’s going Diaz with her mannerisms. Nice punch by Torres and Namajunas back with a counter. Namajunas landed a left. Namajunas landed a left again. Left by Namajunas. Front kick by Namajunas. Namajunas with a front kick Namajunas slipped and went down but got back up. Torres moving forward and landed. Nice left by Namajunas and another. Namajunas’ round so 19-19 after two. Good action.
Third round: Overhand right by Namajunas. Left by Namajunas. Another left land by Namajuans as Torres jumped in. Torres landed a combo. Namajunas with a body kick. Namjunas got the takedown. Close round 29-28 Namajunas.
First round: Teixiera landed some punches. Body kick by Teixeira. Teixiera landed a left and followed with a right and it’s over. The left hurt him and the right put his lights out. Good stoppage.
Teixeira challenged Rumble Johnson, saying since Cormier is fighting Jon Jones, let’s make some money, let’s do business. It’s the fight that makes sense.
After our panel took a beating at UFC 196, we’ve taken a month and a bit to regroup and we’re back for the UFC’s return to big FOX. This card looks a lot different than it did when it was originally scheduled and really may be the weakest overall card in FOX history in terms of star power. But it’s UFC and with a sporadic schedule the last six weeks, I know that I at least am jonesing for some UFC action.
At least two fights on the card should have title implications in the next year or so with the Tecia Torres-Rose Namajunas fight probably determining the next strawweight contender and the Beneil Dariush and Mike Chiesa fight sending one of them into the top 5. The main event is two men on the downsides of their careers but still top contenders. A title fight for either of Rashad Evans or Glover Teixeira would be a tough sell but an impressive performance from one of them, particularly Evans, could spark some interest in a title program, should they need a challenger on short notice. The remaining two fights we’ll be picking from are between top 15 contenders in both the featherweight and women’s bantamweight divisions.
Here’s our panel with the 2016 records in parenthesis. We’ve also added a running tally of the records of the favorites going into the fights and the panel consensus picks
John Pollock (20-10; .667) – Fight Network analyst, Live Audio Wrestling co-host, MMA Report co-host
Mike Sawyer (18-12; .600) – Tough Talk MMA
Josh Nason (18-12; .600) – Host of Josh Nason’s Punch Out; writer/editor WrestlingObserver.com , WON Twitter guy
Mike Sempervive (17-13; .567) – Wrestling Observer Live and Big Audio Nightmare co-host
David Bixenspan (17-13; .567) – Figure Four Weekly writer, podcast host
Consensus picks (15-13; .536)
Ryan Frederick (16-14; .533) – WrestlingObserver.com UFC reporter, WON Twitter guy
Favorites (16-14; .533)
Dave Meltzer (15-15; .500)– Wrestling Observer founder
Steve Juon (15-15; .500) – MMA Mania/Wrestling Observer writer. Angry Marks founder
Front Row Brian (13-17; .433) – MMA newsbreaker, Beloved internet personality, Podcast host
Paul Fontaine (12-18; .400) – MMADraws.com founder, WrestlingObserver.com writer
Main Event – Light Heavyweights Rashad Evans (19-4-1) vs Glover Teixeira (21-4)
Evans has only been stopped one time in his long career, having been knocked out in a title loss versus Lyoto Machida in 2009. He’s coming off a decision loss against Ryan Bader which snapped a two fight win streak for the former champion and TUF Season 2 winner. Glover Teixeira took this fight on just a couple week’s notice and agreed to a five round stipulation. He’s hoping it won’t go that long as 11 of his last 12 wins have been by stoppage. It seems likely that Evans will ether outpoint his way to a decision win or Glover will hand Rashad the second stoppage loss of his career.
Strawweights Tecia Torres (7-0) vs Rose Namajunas (4-2)
This is a rematch of a 2013 fight in Invicta that Torres won by decision. Despite that and also despite Torres still being unbeaten in her career, Namajunas comes in as the higher ranked fighter. Torres did have two losses in the TUF 20 strawweight tournament but those were not considered official fights and are not counted against her record. It’s interesting to note that all of her career fights have gone the distance. By contrast, “Thug” Rose has submissions in every one of her pro wins. She had a star-making performance last time out against Paige VanZant in the main event of a Fight Pass show in December. This fight was bumped to the co-main position after Lyoto Machida was pulled from his fight with Dan Henderson after a violation of the UFC’s drug policy.
Featherweights Cub Swanson (21-7) vs Hacran Dias (23-3-1)
Since a 2011 loss to Ricardo Lamas, Swanson has only lost twice and both were to top 5 fighters Frankie Edgar and Max Holloway. Along the way, he’s beaten the likes of Charles Oliveira, Dennis Siver, Ross Pearson and Dustin Poirier, among others. But he did take a beating at the hands of Edgar and how he fares in this fight could show just how much that took out of him. Against lesser competition than Swanson has face, Dias is just 3-2 in UFC but he is on a two fight win streak. He scored a split decision win over Levan Makashvili in his last fight, which followed a dreadfully boring decision win over Darren Elkins.
Lightweights Mike Chiesa (13-2) vs Beneil Dariush (12-1)
This might be the most interesting fight on the card. Both are rising contenders just under the elite in the stacked 155 lb division. Both have recent wins over veteran Jim Miller, a tough out for anyone. Chiesa has a little more UFC experience and is a former TUF winner but Dariush has faced a higher level of competition in his 7 UFC fights. He most recently beat top 5 contender (at the time) Michael Johnson. The winner here should move into the top 5 or at the very least get a top 5 opponent next time out. Dariush is a training partner of the lightweight Champion Rafael Dos Anjos and is on record as saying he won’t fight him.
Women’s Bantamweights Bethe Correia (9-1) vs Raquel Pennington (6-5)
Just looking at the records here, you’d almost think this was a mismatch and it might be…just in the other direction. Correia worked her way through Ronda Rousey’s 4 Horsewomen and talked her way into a title shot but was dismantled by the former champion in vicious fashion. Pennington, meanwhile, took Holly Holm to the limit in a fight many feel she actually won. That loss looks a lot better with hindsight. She followed that up with a submission victory over Jessica Andrade last September to cement her top 10 status in the division. This is an important fight for both as they are just outside the fringe of title contention.
Yet another fight was eliminated from what has become a snake-bit UFC show on FOX tomorrow.
The Islam Makhachev vs. Drew Dober fight is off because shortly after weigh-ins, UFC was informed by USADA that Makhachev had a potential anti-doping violation involving Meldonium, which is listed as of this year as a banned performance enhancing agent.
Meldonium was developed clinically for heart ailments like angina, but like insulin, was discovered to have performance enhancing properties. Like Insulin, it has been listed since the start of the year as a banned Metabolic Modulator. It is the same drug the tennis star Maria Sharapova was recently suspended for.
This marks the second fight on the show in the last three days to be canceled due to the anti-doping policy, the other being the Lyoto Machida vs. Dan Henderson fight, as Machida was suspended for admitting usage of a substance that he didn’t realize was on the banned list which contained DHEA.
Last week the scheduled main event with Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson full through due to a training injury suffered by Ferguson.
The news was first reported by Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting and confirmed by a UFC release tonight.
UFC’s attempts to build the audience of Fight Pass with bigger fights continued with the announcement of the first men’s title fight as an exclusive in the U.S. on the service.
The company announced that its Fight Pass exclusive show on July 7, which is the Thursday of UFC 200 weekend and the first of three straight nights of fight shows in Las Vegas, would be headlined by Rafael dos Anjos vs. Eddie Alvarez for the UFC lightweight title.
The show takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. UFC will run the Grand Garden Arena on Thursday night with the lightweight title fight, then will run Friday night in the same building for the TUF finals and a strawweight title fight with Joanna Jedrzejczyk defending against Claudia Gadelha in a fight that will be built up starting this coming week as the two are rival coaches on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter that debuts on FS 1 on Wednesday night. The Friday show also features the TUF tournament finals which will be men’s light heavyweight fighters and women strawweight fighters.
UFC 200 will take place on July 9 at the T-Mobile Arena, which is basically across the street and will be the new premiere destination for the biggest events in the city with a 20,000-seat set up. That show will feature three major main events, with Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz in a rematch of their 3/5 fight, plus Miesha Tate vs. Amanda Nunes for the bantamweight title and Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar for the interim featherweight title. It will be promoted as the biggest UFC event in history, and also has such undercard fights as Cain Velasquez vs. Travis Browne, Johny Hendricks vs. Kelvin Gastelum, Gegard Mousasi vs. Derek Brunson, Joe Lauzon vs. Diego Sanchez and Cat Zingano vs. Julianna Pena.
UFC’s annual convention and the International Fight Week convention also take place that week in Las Vegas.
The UFC’s Hall of Fame ceremony will also be taking place that weekend.
This is essentially UFC’s version of WrestleMania weekend.
Famous for plenty of combat sports & pro wrestling moments, NYC’s Madison Square Garden will have another monumental event to add to its lists: the debut of the UFC.
After NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo officially signed the bill to legalize MMA in the state Thursday, UFC announced their first show in MSG will be a PPV event on Saturday, November 12th. They also said another live event will be coming to upstate New York by the end of 2016, assumed to be Buffalo due to the proximity to Toronto which features a significant MMA fanbase.
UFC reiterated in a press release that they will run four shows a year in New York State for the first three years post-bill passage. With MSG, Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, Buffalo, Albany, and even Syracuse’s Carrier Dome as a longshot, there’s no shortage of venues available. UFC mentioned those venues as well as Utica and Rochester in the release.
Given the amount of time it took to pass the bill, expect a pretty stacked card — the likes of which people expected with UFC 200. If the cards fall right — always a big ‘if’ with MMA — a Jon Jones/Daniel Cormier rematch or a Conor McGregor/Frankie Edgar featherweight title fight paired with Ronda Rousey’s return to action would be a pretty great start, wouldn’t it? Expect Chris Weidman to also be part of the card depending on his title situation.
The Octagon returns to FOX for their annual April event taking place in Tampa, Florida. The event is headlined by a light heavyweight bout as former title challenger Glover Teixiera takes on former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Rashad Evans. There has been a facelift to this event in recent times, and if you set lineups early, you’ve had to adjust. Below are our studs, value plays and fighters to avoid when making your fantasy lineups for Saturday’s UFC On FOX 19 event.
STUDS
Khabib Nurmagomedov ($11,400)
Despite the fact he hasn’t fought in two years, Khabib Nurmagomedov is the top play on Saturday night’s card. He has the highest salary of all the competitors on the card, and he enters the event with a perfect 22-0 record and was the last man to defeat current UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael Dos Anjos. He was supposed to be in the headline position against Tony Ferguson, but an injury forced Ferguson out, and Nurmagomedov gets a late-notice bout against the debuting Darrell Horcher. That likely works out for him as Nurmagomedov really needs a tune-up after being out of action for so long. The fact he is an undefeated top contender fighting a newcomer makes him a big favorite, but he should get the job done. Remember, Nurmagomedov holds the UFC record for most takedowns in a fight, and whether or not he finishes Horcher, as long as the injuries haven’t slowed him down, he should be able to rack up the points.
John Dodson ($11,200)
John Dodson has the second-highest salary of the competitors on the card, and it is interesting as he is moving back up to 135 pounds on Saturday night after unsuccessfully challenging for the UFC Flyweight Championship twice. Dodson is small for 135 pounds, but he does hold a win over former champion T.J. Dillashaw. Dodson’s only two UFC losses have come to current 125-pound king Demetrious Johnson, and he was competitive in both bouts. Dodson is looking to make a title run at bantamweight, and it begins with a tough opponent in Manvel Gamburyan. Gamburyan has been inconsistent during his UFC career but is 2-0 since making his own move down to 135 pounds. Despite losing one-third of his fights, Gamburyan has only been finished three times in his eight losses. However, Dodson hits very hard, and he finished Dillashaw, the only man to do so. Dodson is a strong bet to score not just a win, but become the first man to finish Gamburyan since Jose Aldo. He is worth having on your roster.
VALUE PLAYS
Michael Chiesa ($9,400)
Michael Chiesa is an excellent value play for this card, coming in at a $9,400 salary. He fights Beneil Dariush, who has won five straight fights, but was gifted a decision in his last bout with Michael Johnson. When you look at a similar recent opponent in Jim Miller, both men scored wins over him, but while Dariush dominated Miller in a decision, Chiesa finished Miller, something that only Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone had done previously. Chiesa and Dariush have similar records in the UFC, but Chiesa has had the tougher road. He really should be favored in this fight, and that makes him a solid value pick to score a win. He may not finish Dariush, but when I look at this card, it screams a lot of decisions. Chiesa is gritty and tough, so while it may go the distance, he is a sneaky pick to score the finish. Either way, I see him winning.
Tecia Torres ($9,200)
Tecia Torres is another good value play at a $9,200 salary. She is undefeated in her seven professional fights, though she has yet to score a finish. She racks up points, though, and she has the edge of holding a prior victory over her opponent, Rose Namajunas. Namajunas has won her last two fights in dominant fashion by scoring finishes, and that has her the betting favorite here. However, she is just 4-2 in her official career, and while she has improved tremendously, Torres likely has her number, especially if this fight stays on the feet. Torres is better with the striking, but Namajunas is world-class for a strawweight on the mat. Tortes would be best served keeping it on the feet and racking up points by strikes. Again, on a card that could feature a lot of decisions, she is a good underdog pick to score a win, and there might not be a lot of those. Risky play, but she has some solid value.
FIGHTERS TO AVOID
Hacran Dias ($9,600)
Hacran Dias has an impressive overall record and will be in a high-profile bout against Cub Swanson on the main card of Saturday’s event. Swanson is still ranked in the top ten despite two straight losses, but those came to current top five fighters in Frankie Edgar and Max Holloway. Swanson has taken a year off to recover from injuries and should come in fresh and is eager to get back into the title picture. Dias has struggled with opponents ranked highly, with UFC losses to Nik Lentz and Ricardo Lamas, and he hasn’t shown the ability to finish opponents inside the Octagon. He isn’t overly flashy and doesn’t rack up a lot of fantasy points, and I see him having trouble with Swanson. Swanson can be finished, but I haven’t seen anything from Dias to make me confident he’ll finish him, let alone take home the victory. Dias is an easy pass for me.
Bethe Correia ($9,500)
Bethe Correia is an easy fighter to avoid. Despite having a 9-1 career record, she just hasn’t shown anything that shows she is a good fighter. Of her three UFC wins, one came over a now retired opponent, one over an opponent who is now more focused on professional wrestling over fighting, and one who has lost four of her eight career fights. Correia folded under the pressure of her first tough match-up against Ronda Rousey, and she has a tough opponent in the gritty Raquel Pennington on Saturday. Don’t let Pennington’s 6-5 record fool you- she is very talented. Despite being just 3-2 inside the Octagon, the two losses came by split decision, including taking now former champion Holly Holm, to the limit, and she could have easily gotten the decision in both losses and be 5-0 inside the UFC right now. Pennington should get this win, and that makes Correia a fighter to definitely avoid on Saturday.
OUR LINE-UPS
RYAN FREDERICK- Khabib Nurmagomedov ($11,400), Oluwale Bamgbose ($10,500), Michael Chiesa ($9,400), Court McGee ($9,300), Tecia Torres ($9,200)
I like Khabib Nurmagomedov as my top play for the event. I’m honestly a little scared of his two-year layoff, but if he hasn’t been slowed by the injuries, he could be champion. With him fighting an opponent making his UFC debut on short notice, it should be an easy night for Nurmagomedov to rack up the points. I also like Oluwale Bamgbose despite the fight he is fighting on just one week’s notice. His opponent, Cezar Ferreira, has been disappointing in his UFC career, has been bouncing between camps and weight classes, and hasn’t shown much of a chin. Bamgbose is a heavy hitter and is a good bet to score a finish. I like Michael Chiesa, Court McGee and Tecia Torres as underdogs primed to win. Chiesa should be favored over Beneil Dariush, and he is a sneaky play to get a win. Tecia Torres has the prior win over Rose Namajunas, and despite her inability to score a finish win, I like her chances in getting a win. Court McGee is a very solid fighter and showed no ring rust in his return from a long layoff. He should be even better in his second return bout, and he has a favorable fight against Santiago Ponzinibbio. I like him to get a finish by submission.
For the record, I was gonna pick Hendo in what I thought was the best value on the card. Such is life, with Lyoto Machidar (not a spelling mistake…sound it out) having spoiled that for all of us. Glover Teixeira should be able to stop Rashad Evans in the main event. I know he’s only been stopped once in his career (at the hands of a cheater who does not deserve two mentions in my paragraph) but Teixeira has looked really good in finishing OSP and Patrick Cummins in his last two fights. Nurmagomedov should make quick work of the debuting Horcher. Horcher is a good fighter who I’ve seen fight several times on smaller shows but Khabib is one of the best in the world and he’s trying to secure a title shot. Tecia Torres and Rose Namajunas is going to be a great fun fight. I think that both Torres is going to light her up and as long as she can keep it standing, she’ll either score a late KO or score over 100 strikes on her way to a decision victory. Former TUF winner Court McGee has won 3 of his last 4, including a win over Robert Whitaker, who’s proving to be one of the best in the division. My final pick is Cub Swanson who will be looking to make an impression after being bumped onto the main card after the Dan Henderson-Cheating Brazilian fight was cancelled. Since 2012 his only two losses have been to Frankie Edgar and Max Holloway, two of the very best fighters in the division. Along the way, he’s scored several KO’s, including wins over Charles Oliveira, Dennis Siver and Ross Pearson….all much tougher competition than he’s facing on Saturday.
PEACH MACHINE- Khabib Nurmagomedov ($11,400), John Dodson ($11,200), Tecia Torres ($9,200), Rashad Evans ($9,100), Drew Dober ($8,800)
John Dodson probably scores more points than any other DK player ever. I’m just guessing, but it makes sense. Maybe DJ scores more because he’s always in five rounders, but Dodson should whip Gambo with his speed. Yes, I call him Gambo. Rashad is my heart pick. I think he should beat Glover with his speed too, but I wouldn’t be taking him if I hadn’t named one of my dogs after him. Nurmo’s oppo is taking this baby on short notice and at a catch weight. That’s great for Nurmo. TT has already beaten Rose, and I like her here to do it again. Dober is another heart pick. I think he’s looked really tough his last couple of fights, and he’s got a tough oppo but Dober always swings for the fences.
In a shocker, former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida (22-7) is out of his Saturday UFC on Fox tilt against Dan Henderson due to out-of-competition use of a banned substance.
UFC released the following Wednesday:
“The UFC organization was made aware today by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, that Lyoto Machida declared the usage of a banned substance during an out-of-competition sample collection last week. Machida stated that he was unaware that the substance was prohibited both in and out of competition and, in accordance with the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, his disclosure of usage will be taken into consideration by USADA during any potential results management and adjudication process.
Given this information, UFC officials have elected to remove Machida from his scheduled bout against Dan Henderson this Saturday in Tampa, Fla. Henderson will be re-booked for a new bout in the near future.”
This is the first drug test failure for the 13-year fighter. The 37-year-old was looking to snap a two-fight losing streak against Henderson, whom he had beaten by split decision in February 2013.
The main card has been decimated by injury and now, this. The main card on Fox is expected to now be:
– Rashad Evans vs. Glover Teixeira – Rose Namajunas vs. Tecia Torres – Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Darrell Horcher – Cub Swanson vs. Hacran Dias
While Machida hasn’t commented publicly yet, Henderson did on Twitter:
Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of UFC Fight Night 86: Rothwell vs. Dos Santos from Arena Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia. The event is headlined by a five-round bout in the heavyweight division as #4-ranked Ben Rothwell puts his 4-fight win streak on the line when he takes on former UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior Dos Santos. In the co-main event, it is another heavyweight battle as Derrick Lewis takes on Gabriel Gonzaga. Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 10:30 AM eastern time with preliminary action all the way thru the main card.
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 10:30 AM ET/7:30 AM PT)
WELTERWEIGHTS- ALESSIO DI CHIRICO (9-0, 0-0 UFC) VS. BOJAN VELICKOVIC (13-3, 0-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- Both men are making their UFC debuts. They trade punches and both looking to establish their range. Di Chirico misses a kick but lands a left hand. Di Chirico with a leg kick. Not much happening two minutes in. Velickovic lands a leg kick. Di Chirico with an overhand right and then lands a left. Di Chirico misses a big right hand but lands an inside leg kick. Velickovic with a leg kick and then lands another and then lands a left hand. Velickovic with another leg kick left hand combo. They trade punches. Velickovic just misses a head kick. He lands one then a right hook. 10-9 Velickovic.
ROUND 2- Each man landed a nice punch. Velickovic lands a left hand but Di Chirico lands a counter left hook. Di Chirico lands a left hand. Di Chirico lands a nice combo. Velickovic lands an inside leg kick. Di Chirico lands a right hand. Velickovic goes for a takedown and finishes it against the fence. Di Chirico gets right back up and they clinch against the fence. They break. Velickovic lands an inside leg kick but Di Chirico is eating him up with some punches. Di Chirico with a high kick. Velickovic misses a spinning head kick and Di Chirico lands a counter punch. Both men are landing punches but no power shots. Di Chirico gets a nicely timed takedown. Velickovic swwpes over and is looking for a kimura. Time runs out on the round though but Di Chirico was in trouble. 10-9 Di Chirico, 19-19.
ROUND 3- Di Chirico with a leg kick. He lands a kick to the body. Velickovic with an inside leg kick but Di Chirico checks. Velickovic grabs a leg looking for a takedown but it is defended. Di Chirico lands a left jab. Velickovic gets a brief takedown but they get right back up. Di Chirico scrambles up and lands a punch. Di Chirico lands a right hand. Velickovic lands a nice punch and goes for a takedown. They clinch and Velickovic lands some knees before they break. They trade punches. Velickovic looks for a takedown but it is defended. Di Chirico lands a big straight left hand. Velickovic with a leg kick. Di Chirico gets a late takedown and stands up and lands a big right hand. Di Chirico with a leg kick. Velickovic gets back up and both men are swinging at the end of the fight. Close fight. 10-9 Velickovic, 29-28 Velickovic.
Official Result- Bojan Velickovic def. Alessio Di Chirico by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
HEAVYWEIGHTS- JARED CANNONIER (7-1, 0-1 UFC) VS. CYRIL ASKER (7-1, 0-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- Asker is making his UFC debut. First of five heavyweight fights on this card. Cannonier with a leg kick. Asker goes for a takedown but it is defended and they clinch against the fence. They break and both are swinging big. Both men land big punches. Cannonier with a body kick and then a leg kick. Cannonier lands a left hand. Cannonier drops Asker with a big left hand and then some elbows from the top and this is over! Asker is down and bloodied and Cannonier gets the big finish.
Official Result- Jared Cannonier def. Cyril Asker by knockout (strikes) at 2:44 of Round 1
FEATHERWEIGHTS- ROBERT WHITEFORD (12-3, 2-2 UFC) VS. LUCAS MARTINS (15-3, 3-3 UFC)
ROUND 1- Whiteford lands first with a right hook. Whiteford lands a nice combo. They trade punches and Martins misses a head kick. Whiteford with an inside leg kick. They are both looking to land something big. Martins with a body kick. Whiteford lands a nice combo but Martins counters with a right hand. Martins misses a head kick. Whiteford with a leg kick. Whiteford misses a left hook and Martins rocks him with a right hand. They clinch against the fence and Whiteford looking for a takedown. Whiteford with some knees to keep busy but they are separated. 10-9 Martins.
ROUND 2- Whiteford starts with a combo. Martins with a high kick. Whiteford with a leg kick. Martins lands a body kick and Whiteford rocks him with a right hook. Body shot from Whiteford and Martins lands a left hook. Whiteford grabs a leg and both men punch each other. Martins with a leg kick. They trade leg kicks and Whiteford tries a clinch but Martins pushes him off. Whiteford lands a left hand. They trade punches as Martins lands a counter right hand. They trade and Martins lands a flying knee against the cage. Martins with a big right hand. Whiteford gets a big takedown but they get back up. Whiteford landed a lot of punches on the way up though. Whiteford with some knees in the clinch before they break. 10-9 Martins, 20-18 Martins.
ROUND 3- They trade and Whiteford is kicking the lead leg of Martins. They trade punches and Whiteford lands a right hand. Whiteford misses a left hand as Martins lands a right hand. Whiteford misses a leg kick and Martins lands a big one. Not a lot going on as both men look tired. Martins with another big leg kick. Whiteford misses a left hook. Whiteford goes for a takedown but it is defended as they clinch against the fence. Whiteford with some left hands in the clinch. Martins misses a jumping front kick. Martins with a leg kick. 10-9 Martins, 30-27 Martins.
Official Result- Lucas Martins def. Robert Whiteford by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX SPORTS 1- 12 PM ET/9 AM PT)
BANTAMWEIGHTS- DAMIAN STASIAK (8-3, 0-1 UFC) VS. FILIP PEJIC (10-1-1, 0-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- Stasiak gets a quick takedown at the start but Pejic gets right back to his feet against the fence. Stasiak with a trip and he ends up on top in the half-guard. Stasiak moves to side control and looks to pass to mount. Stasiak takes the back and looks for the hooks. Stasiak with a big right hand from the top and he has the back looking for the choke. Stasiak has the choke in and looking for the finish and he gets it. Pejic taps out and Stasiak gets the win by submission.
Official Result- Damian Stasiak def. Filip Pejic by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:16 of Round 1
ROUND 1- Taisumov with a leg kick to start. Taisumov with a head kick then another leg kick. Taisumov with a jab and a leg kick. Hadzvoic with a left hand. Taisumov with a head kick. Taisumov with a right hand and then another and then a leg kick. They trade solid punches. Hadzovic lands a right hand. Taisumov lands an overhand right. Taisumov lands a right hand that hurts Hadzovic and then lands another big right hand. Taisumov then lands a big uppercut and Hadzovic is down and the referees stops the fight. Taisumov with the walk-off knockout win and that is four straight knockout wins for him.
Official Result- Mairbek Taisumov def. Damir Hadzovic by TKO (punch) at 3:44 of Round 1
BANTAMWEIGHTS- IAN ENTWISTLE (9-2, 1-1 UFC) VS. ALEJANDRO PEREZ (16-6, 2-1 UFC)
ROUND 1- Entwistle goes for a sweep to start off and it allows Perez to get on top. Entwistle still looking for a leg lock but they scramble up. Entwistle complains that Perez is greased but the referee clears him and they get back to action. Entwistle with a big right hand. Entwistle still looking to grab a leg and Perez drops him with a big right hand. Entwistle is able to tie Perez up on the mat and is still looking for a heel hook. Perez rolls and Entwistle still looking for a heel hook. Perez escapes again. Entwistle ends up on top and still looking for a leg lock. Perez is able to get on top and is landing right hands. Perez with big punches from the top as he is escaping the leg locks. Entwistle still has the leg and isn’t covering up the punches. Perez with a bunch of punches from the top. Entwistle in a lot of trouble. Perez with more punches and the referee stops the fight. Perez with the TKO win from the top. Entwistle still complaing after the fight that Perez’ legs were greased. It is announced during the decision that Perez actually won by verbal submission.
Official Result- Alejandro Perez def. Ian Entwistle by verbal submission (punches) at 4:04 of Round 1
WELTERWEIGHTS- NICOLAS DALBY (14-0-1, 1-0-1 UFC) VS. ZAK CUMMINGS (18-4, 3-1 UFC)
ROUND 1- Dalby starts with a head kick and is going right after Cummings. Dalby just misses a head kick but lands a body kick. Cummings lands a left hand. Cummings with a left hand. Dalby with a leg kick. Cummings with a combo that drops Dalby. Cummings with some standing leg kicks and he gets to side control. Dalby looking to scramble out from the bottom. Cummings working for a D’arce choke. Cummings with a guillotine but Darby escapes and they get back to their feet. Dalby with a head kick and then lands a left hand. Dalby with a side kick to the face of Cummings. Cummings with another left hand and then another. Cummings with a leg kick. They each land a left hand. Dalby lands a left hand. 10-9 Cummings.
ROUND 2- Dalby comes out with a front kick to the body and both men are swinging. Cummings with a nice combination. Both men land punches. Cummings with a leg kick. Dalby with a body punch. Cummings with another solid combo. Dalby with a head kick. We have an eye poke as Cummings got Dalby. Cummings with a double jab and then follows with a left hand. Dalby just misses a big head kick. They trade left hands. Dalby with a body kick and then a side kick to the body. Dalby with a leg kick. Cummings with a body kick and Dalby lands one. 10-9 Cummings, 20-18 Cummings.
ROUND 3- Cummings lands some solid punches and looks for a takedown against the fence. Dalby defends well. Dalby tries to trip but it leads to a separation. Cummings lands a left hand. Dalby with a big head kick. Dalby lands another and then a side kick. Dalby just misses a head kick and Cummings lands a body punch. Dalby with a leg kick and then slips to the mat. Cummings with a standing leg kick to the downed Dalby. Cummings goes into Dalby’s guard. Cummings passes to side control. Dalby with some backward knees to the body. Dalby scrambles out to their feet. Dalby with some big right hands and then a couple of knees. They are clinch and Cummings pushes Dalby against the fence. Dalby with a knee and they fall to the mat with Cummings in half-guard. Both men with body punches and Cummings lands from top as fight ends. 10-9 Cummings, 30-27 Cummings.
Official Result- Zak Cummings def. Nicolas Dalby by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
ROUND 1- Stanciu with a flying knee and a right hand that pushes Moroz against the fence. Stanciu has the advantage against the cage. Stanciu with a knee. Moroz reverses and Stanciu grabs the neck and pulls guard looking for a guillotine. Stanciu loses position. Moroz ends up on top and lands some punches. Stanciu looking for a leg lock but Moroz gets out. Stanciu with some upkicks. Moroz gets on top and lands punches to the body. Moroz gets in the guard and lands some right hands. They get to their feet. Moroz with a nice combo. Moroz with a left hook and they clinch. Moroz with a takedown and is on top. Moroz with elbows to the body. Moroz gets the back and is looking for a choke. Moroz unable to get it but ends in dominant position. 10-9 Moroz.
ROUND 2- They trade punches after Stanciu misses a head kick. Stanciu lands a head kick after not much action. Pace has really slowed as Stanciu looks a little tired and Moroz isn’t capitalizing. Moroz with a combo but Stanciu fires back with some punches. Moroz with a combo. Stanciu tries a kick but Moroz grabs the leg and they go to the mat. Stanciu tries a leg lock but Moroz gets out. Moroz takes the back and is working for a choke. Moroz with some punches from the back. Moroz with an elbow from the top. She gets another. Stanciu scrambles out and they get to their feet. Moroz with a left hand. 10-9 Moroz, 20-18 Moroz.
ROUND 3- They come out trading punches. Moroz with a body kick. Stanciu with a leg kick. They trade punches again and Moroz landed nicely. Moroz goes for a trip but Stanciu reverses and ends up on top. Moroz throws her legs up looking for an armbar. Moroz has the arm and is looking to extend it but Stanciu is defending well. Moroz is going to run out of time as Stanciu was able to survive until the end. 10-9 Moroz, 30-27 Moroz.
Official Result- Maryna Moroz def. Cristina Stanciu by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS- IGOR POKRAJAC (28-12 1 NC, 4-7 1 NC UFC) VS. JAN BLACHOWICZ (18-5, 1-2 UFC)
ROUND 1- Pokrajac is back in the UFC after being cut. Both men come out swinging and landing and Blachowicz scores a takedown and is in the guard. Blachowicz with some body punches. Blachowicz with more body punches as he pushes Pokrajac against the fence. Blachowicz postures up and gets into half-guard. Pokrajac rolls and gives up his back and Blachowicz takes advantage. Pokrajac shakes him off and ends up on top. Porkajac with an elbow. Another couple of elbows from Pokrajac. Blachowicz with an armbar attempt but Pokrajac gets out. Pokrajac with more punches from the top. Pokrajac gets to the half-guard. Blachowicz looking to scramble out but the fence is in the way. Pokrajac with some body punches and looks for a choke but its escaped as the round ends. 10-9 Pokrajac.
ROUND 2- They come out trading punches. Pokrajac lands a right hand and Blachowicz lands an uppercut and Pokrajac goes for a takedown but it is defended. They break and Blachowicz lands a right hand. Pokrajac goes for another takedown and they clinch and Blachowicz reverses. Blachowicz with some body punches. Big combo from Blachowicz and they swing wildly. Blachowicz with a big uppercut and then another and he has Pokrajac rocked. They clinch and Blachowicz is unloading. Pokrajac counters back and rocks Blachowicz who is bleeding from above the eye. Blachowicz with a takedown. He moves to the back and is landing. They get to their feet. Pokrajac with a left hand and he rocks Blachowicz but Blachowicz gets a takedown. Both men are tired. Blachowicz working with punches from the top. Blachowicz gets to his feet and goes back to the side and Pokrajac gives up his back. They get to their feet. They trade punches. They clinch and each land body shots. Blachowicz with a knee. Pokrajac with an uppercut and they tee off again. Great round. 10-9 Blachowicz, 19-19.
ROUND 3- Both men are tired headed to a crucial final round. They trade punches. Blachowicz with a left hook and misses a flying knee. They clinch against the fence. Blachowicz with a big uppercut as they break. Pokrajac lands a combo and Blachowicz counters with a takedown. Blachowicz with punches from the top as he looks to transition to side control. Blachowicz with elbows and punches from the top and doing enough to keep the fight on the mat. Blachowicz with more punches from the top. Blachowicz remains on top and should get this round and we have the fight for him. Good fight. 10-9 Blachowicz, 29-28 Blachowicz.
Official Result- Jan Blachowicz def. Igor Pokrajac by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
HEAVYWEIGHTS- TIMOTHY JOHNSON (9-2, 1-1 UFC) VS. MARCIN TYBURA (13-1, 0-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- The first of four heavyweight fights to close out the card. Tybura with a body kick. They trade punches. They trade punches. Tybura with a body punch. They clinch and Johnson lands some body punches and they tie up against the fence. They trade body punches and Johnson lands some knees. They are broken up by the referee. They trade punches. Tybura with a right hand. Johnson lands a right hand. They trade punches and both looking for a big punch. Johnson misses a big left hook. They each miss on a punch. Not an eventful round. 10-9 Johnson.
ROUND 2- They trade punches. Tybura lands a nice jab. Johnson with a left hand. They trade big punches. Tybura is bleeding but lands a right hand. They clinch and work up against the fence. Each man working for underhooks. Tybura with some knees to the legs. Tybura working for a takedown but Johnson landing body punches and defending. They break. They trade punches. Tybura with a jab and a body kick. Not much happening in this fight. Tybura with a right hand. They miss on punches. Tybura with a front kick to the body. Johnson with some punches that hurt Tybura as he looks to finish the round strong. 10-9 Johnson, 20-18 Johnson.
ROUND 3- Johnson misses a lunging right hand. Tybura with a body kick. Tybura gets a takedown and moves to the back of Johnson. Johnson is able to get out and they get back to their feet. They clinch against the fence. Both men are very tired and not a lot is happening. Tybura with short punches. They break a clinch. Tybura with a big kick that hurts Johnson and Tybura going for a finish. They clinch as Johnson slows him down. They break and Tybura lands a front kick. Tybura with a head kick and lands a right hand. Not a great fight at all. 10-9 Tybura, 29-28 Johnson.
Official Result- Tim Johnson def. Marcin Tybura by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
HEAVYWEIGHTS- FRANCIS NGANNOU (6-1, 1-0 UFC) VS. CURTIS BLAYDES (5-0, 0-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- Blaydes lands a quick jab that stuns Ngannou. Blaydes looks for a takedown but it is defended. They clinch against the fence but break. Blaydes with a leg kick. Ngannou with a left hand. Ngannou just misses an uppercut. Ngannou with a big left hand and Blaydes wobbles. Ngannou drops Blaydes with a big left hand but Blaydes recovers quickly and clinches. Ngannou with a foot stomp and body punches before they break. Blaydes with a big takedown but not doing much with it. He keeps Ngannou down. They get to their feet. Ngannou lands a combo and then a left hand at the end of the round. 10-9 Ngannou.
ROUND 2- Blaydes lands a left hand. Ngannou with a combo. Blaydes fires back with a left hand. Both land and Ngannou hurts Blaydes with a left hand. Blaydes is bleeding from his right eye. Ngannou defends a takedown attempt from Blaydes and lands a left hand. Blaydes gets a takedown and is in side control. Ngannou gets the fight back to the feet and has the back of Blaydes. Ngannou with some uppercuts from the clinch and they break. Ngannou with a right hand. Blaydes’ right eye is completely shut. Ngannou with an uppercut and then a right hand. Ngannou with a right hand. He lands another. Ngannou with an inside leg kick. He defends a takedown attempt from Blaydes. 10-9 Ngannou, 20-18 Ngannou.
The fight was stopped in between rounds as Blaydes couldn’t see. Blaydes wanted to continue but the doctor could tell that he was having trouble seeing. Blaydes is hugely disappointed but it was the right call.
Official Result- Francis Ngannou def. Curtis Blaydes by TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of Round 2
HEAVYWEIGHTS- DERRICK LEWIS (14-4 1 NC, 5-2 UFC) VS. GABRIEL GONZAGA (17-10, 12-9 UFC)
ROUND 1- Lewis with a head kick and Gonzaga initiates a clinch. Gonzaga gets a takedown and is in side control. Lewis tries to scramble out but gives up his back in the process. They get to their feet but Gonzaga has his arms around Lewis’ back. Lewis reverses and they are clinched against the fence. Lewis with an elbow as Gonzaga looks for a takedown. Not much happening as Gonzaga is stalling and they are split by the referee. Gonzaga with a right hand and he clinches again. The crowd is booing as Gonzaga is doing nothing. They are broken up. Lewis then rocks Gonzaga with a combo ending with a big right hand and Gonzaga is out! Lewis with a big knockout win over Gonzaga.
Official Result- Derrick Lewis def. Gabriel Gonzaga by knockout (punches) at 4:48 of Round 1
HEAVYWEIGHTS- (#4) BEN ROTHWELL (36-9, 6-3 UFC) VS. (#5) JUNIOR DOS SANTOS (17-4, 11-3 UFC)
ROUND 1- Dos Santos definitely looks different from when he was champion so let’s see if he’s a different fighter still. Not much happening in the first round. Dos Santos lands a left hook. Rothwell with a big right hand and Dos Santos circles away. They each land a punch. Dos Santos with a right hand to the body and follows with a body shot. Rothwell with a leg kick. Rothwell with an overhand right. Rothwell lands another. Dos Santos with a right hand. They exchange in the pocket. Dos Santos with a left hand to the body. Rothwell lands a big right hand. Dos Santos with more punches to the body. Rothwell with a leg kick. 10-9 Dos Santos.
ROUND 2- Rothwell with a right hand and he slips for a moment but gets right back up. They are trading punches but Rothwell isn’t changing stances. Rothwell’s right eye is starting to swell. Dos Santos with a Superman punch. He lands a straight right hand. Rothwell with a leg kick. Dos Santos with a right hand to the body. Rothwell pokes Dos Santos in the eye and we have a break in action. Back to fighting and Rothwell lands some leg kicks. Dos Santos with a right hand. Dos Santos with a left hand and then lands a right hand. Dos Santos with a big right hand and then a front kick to the body drops Rothwell but the round ends. 10-9 Dos Santos, 20-18 Dos Santos.
ROUND 3- Dos Santos with more body punches and he lands a nice combo. Rothwell misses a head kick. Dos Santos with a body punch. Rothwell with a nice combination. Dos Santos lands a straight right hand. Dos Santos with a jab to the body. Rothwell with a right hand. Dos Santos is starting to land a lot more right now. Dos Santos with a spinning kick to the body and then more punches to the body of Rothwell. Dos Santos with a right hand. Rothwell is missing on his punches. Dos Santos with another spinning kick to the body and he just misses a right hand. Rothwell barely lands a right hand. 10-9 Dos Santos, 30-27 Dos Santos.
ROUND 4- Dos Santos going back after the body and he lands a left hook. Dos Santos with a right hand. They trade side kicks to the body. Dos Santos with a right hand and then another. Rothwell is in a lot of trouble. Dos Santos goes back after the body with punches. Dos Santos continuing after the body with punches. Rothwell is just unable to land anything and is eating a lot of shots. Rothwell then lands a big right hand and just misses a head kick. Dos Santos with some jabs and then a right hand to the body. Rothwell misses a right hand. Dos Santos with more body punches and he is controlling this fight big. 10-9 Dos Santos, 40-36 Dos Santos.
ROUND 5- Rothwell needs a finish. Dos Santos with the jab. Rothwell tries to land a right hand but Dos Santos is circling away well. Rothwell with a body punch. Dos Santos lands a left hand. Dos Santos with more attacks to the body. Rothwell just misses a head kick. Dos Santos lands a knee and then goes back to the body. Dos Santos with more body punches. This is the best he has looked in many years. Dos Santos with a straight left hand and then a right hand. Rothwell lands a left hand but has been unable to do much else. Rothwell lands a left hook but then stumbles into the cage. Dos Santos with more left hands to the body and then an overhand right. Dos Santos with a spinning wheel kick that lands. Dos Santos with a front kick and then a combo to end the fight. Great performance from Dos Santos. 10-9 Dos Santos, 50-45 Dos Santos.
Official Result- Junior Dos Santos def. Ben Rothwell by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
The Octagon comes to Croatia for the very first time on Sunday with UFC Fight Night 86 airing on FOX Sports 1 from Zagreb Arena in Zagreb, Croatia. The main event will be a five-round heavyweight battle as Ben Rothwell puts his 4-fight win streak on the line against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior Dos Santos. Below are our studs, value plays and fighters to avoid when making your line-ups for your Draft Kings team on Sunday.
STUDS
Mairbek Taisumov ($11,400)
Mairbek Taisumov has the highest salary and is the top play on this slate of fighters, and he is also our biggest stud for the fight card. He is a solid 4-1 inside the Octagon, and he has won three straight, all by stoppage. He is also facing an opponent making his UFC debut in Damir Hadzovic. Taisumov deserved a better opponent, but visa issues have limited him to fighting exclusively overseas, and it has hurt his growth inside the division. However, he should be too much for Hadzovic to handle. Hadzovic is a striker at heart while Taisumov mixes a well-rounded approach, and he can score a lot of takedowns and has a lot of power. I expect Taisumov to make easy work of Hadzovic, and with three straight finishes and 23 finishes in his 24 wins, Taisumov is a good bet to add to that. He is at the top of my play list.
Francis Ngannou ($9,800)
There are a lot of heavyweight fights on this card, five in total out of the thirteen fights. That could equal a good number of finishes, or could bring a lot of lackluster action to Zagreb. One heavyweight fighter I like to score a finish is Francis Ngannou. He has a low salary, but his UFC debut was very impressive, and he is facing an opponent in Curtis Blaydes making his UFC debut on short notice. The biggest question facing Ngannou is if he will be able to handle the wrestling of Blaydes, who was a junior-college champion. On the feet, with his striking ability and reach, Ngannou should get the win. He isn’t excellent on the mat, though, and it could pose trouble. I do think the fight will be primarily on the feet and that Ngannou’s power will come out early. I like him to get an early stoppage win.
VALUE PLAYS
Derrick Lewis ($9,100)
At the time of this writing, Derrick Lewis is a betting favorite over Gabriel Gonzaga, yet his salary is very low, that of an underdog, and is in a big contrast to Gonzaga. His salary makes Lewis an excellent value play. Lewis is a big striker with heavy hands and is a finisher. All 14 of his wins have come by stoppage, 13 by knockout. Gonzaga has lost a step and isn’t the same fighter he was, and his chin isn’t what it once was. He can be finished as eight of his ten losses have come by knockout. Gonzaga would be best served to try and grapple with Lewis, but Lewis has excellent defense. Lewis is taking this fight on short notice, but he has been impressive. With it being a heavyweight battle, there is still power on both sides, but Lewis is bigger, more explosive and hard to wear down. I see him getting a big finish.
Nicolas Dalby ($9,000)
Nicolas Dalby is another value play, and it is surprising that he is an underdog against Zak Cummings. Cummings has a lot of experience and is 3-1 inside the Octagon, but he is also taking the fight as an injury replacement without a full training camp. Meanwhile, Dalby is undefeated in 15 career fights, but he is coming off a draw with Darren Till in his last bout. This is a solid striker against wrestler fight as Dalby is very good and fluid on his feet. Cummings does have good power but he will likely lose a striking battle with Dalby, so he will be looking to get the fight to the mat. Dalby lands with a lot of volume, and those strikes will add up if it goes the distance. If it doesn’t go the distance, it likely ends with Dalby getting a finish. His salary makes him a very solid value play.
FIGHTERS TO AVOID
Lucas Martins ($10,200)
Lucas Martins seemed like a blossoming prospect early in his career, starting off with a 15-1 record. His loss came on short notice in his UFC debut to Edson Barboza, but he won three straight after that. He bounced between weight classes, and has fought in three weight classes so far in the UFC, but he has found a home at 145 pounds. Unfortunately, he has since dropped two straight fights. They came to solid foes in Mirsad Bektic and Darren Elkins, and now he takes a step down in competition to take on Robert Whiteford. Whiteford is 2-2 in his UFC career and is also coming off a loss to Elkins. Martins is the better finisher of the two, but Whiteford can hold his own. Martins has been disappointing recently, and though he is favored to win, I don’t see a finish happening here, and there are a lot of potential finishes on this card. I suggest avoiding Martins on this card.
Igor Pokrajac ($8,800)
Igor Pokrajac being back in the UFC is kind of perplexing. He lost his last five fights inside the Octagon (though one got overturned to a no contest), and he won just four of his 12 UFC bouts. He hasn’t scored a UFC win in almost four years. He has won three fights since being cut from the UFC roster, all by first-round stoppage, and perhaps he’s being brought back just due to the event being in his native Croatia. He is 37-years-old, and his best days are behind him, and he doesn’t get an easy bout in his return when he takes on Jan Blachowicz. Blachowicz has his back against the wall with two straight losses, and he knows he needs to win here. The match-up favors him, and he throws a lot more strikes than Pokrajac does. Pokrajac will have a hard time scoring a win here, so I would avoid him at all costs.
OUR LINE-UPS
RYAN FREDERICK- Mairbek Taisumov ($11,400), Jared Cannonier ($10,700), Francis Ngannou ($9,800), Derrick Lewis ($9,100), Nicolas Dalby ($9,000)
I like four of my fighters to score finishes on a show where they are a lot of chances for finishes with heavyweight bouts and not a lot of UFC experience inside the Octagon. Mairbek Taisumov is my top pick, and with three straight finishes and 23 total in his 24 wins, coupled with the fact he’s facing a UFC newcomer, he is set up for a big win. Jared Cannonier is a heavyweight with a lot of power, and while he hasn’t fought in over 15 months, he hits hard and faces a UFC newcomer as well. Francis Ngannou is a power house, and if he can avoid the ground with Curtis Blaydes, his power will lead him to a finish. Derrick Lewis is a beast, and Gabriel Gonzaga doesn’t have much left in the tank. Short notice or not, Lewis finishes Gonzaga. Nicolas Dalby rounds out my team. He is undefeated, but he is getting a tested veteran in Zak Cummings. Dalby should keep this fight on the feet and get the win, whether by knockout or by going the distance.
PAUL FONTAINE- Mairbek Taisumov ($11,400), Maryna Moroz ($11,200), Ian Entwistle ($9,300), Derrick Lewis ($9,100), Igor Pokrajac ($8,800)
Taisumov is a bonafide G and a certified stud and you…..can’t…..teach….THAT. Sorry, a little WrestleMania hangover. But I do like him and his 4-1 UFC record with 3 straight KO’s here. Pokrajac has something to prove and returns to UFC competition after 3 straight first round finishes and his opponent, Blachowicz, has looked pretty bad in his last couple of fights. Moroz is a sparkplug with a lot of power at 115. Her loss to Valerie Letourneau looks a lot better in hindsight after Letourneau went five rounds with Joanna Champion. I like her to rebound here with a quick KO win. Speaking of quick KO’s, that’s what Derrick Lewis should get against Gabriel Gonzaga, who I truly believe is done. Rounding out my team is the Brit Ian Entwhistle, who has scored quick submission wins in 4 of his last 5 fights. Coincidentally, his opponent Perez was submitted in his only UFC loss.
PEACH MACHINE- Mairbek Taisumov ($11,400), Jan Blachowicz ($10,600), Junior Dos Santos ($9,700), Robert Whiteford ($9,200), Derrick Lewis ($9,100)
This is the perfect team. I used all 50,000 exactly. JDS, while on his way out, is still much faster than Rothwell. Speed kills. Same argument for Lewis, and Gonzaga is done. I’ve always like Whiteford, and I like him more at middleweight than welterweight. Taisumov is a killer. He should finish. Blachowicz should be motivated to come out strong against a returning Pokrajac. Who could possibly care about this show…
