The Notorious Quote of the Week: “I didn’t think I’d see you again! You’re around!!! Good to see you my friend. I didn’t think I’d see +HIM+ again.”
Lightweight: Saul Rogers (Team Europe) vs. Marcin Wrzosek (Team Europe)
The first of two semi-finals. Wrzosek has the lighter trunks on, Rogers the darker grey. Rogers is showing off his striking game early, forcing the Polish Zombie to step backward, and then he hits a takedown at the one minute mark into guard. Wrzosek scoots his back to the fence looking to get up as John McCarthy looks on. It’s deathly quiet in the gym save for the rattling of the cage and their feet bouncing on the canvas. Rogers takes his back against the fence at 1:52. Wrzosek gets up and gets taken back down again at 2:10. He’s up again and backs away clean at 2:52. Zombie is being a little more aggressive but Rogers is still landing the better shots and gets another single leg at 4:16. He spins to take the back a half minute later but can’t do anything and Wrzosek escapes right before R1 ends.
Rogers is still the more fluid of the fighters in the first minute of R2. He’s acting, not REACTING. You can see it from the motion of his head and shoulders – his muscle memory from years and years of big fights and top level training. He scoops the leg for another takedown at 1:01. Rogers is warned to watch the back of the head as he overwhelms Wrzosek with strikes from behind, forcing him to cover up and drawing impressed whistles from a few people watching. Wrzosek tries to escape and can’t. Rogers sits on one leg and pounds his face, grabs a front headlock, then transitions to the back again. All Zombie can do is cover up. Zombie loses his mouthpiece and McCarthy calls time to let him put it back in but doesn’t stand them up or change their position. He escapes, Rogers takes him down, and jumps to his back immediately. He sinks in the rear naked choke and it’s over at 4:07. They hug.
SAUL ROGERS IS GOING ON TO TONIGHT’S TUF 22 FINALE.
Urijah Faber brings Jose Aldo to the final training session for his team – their last chance to prepare Julian Erosa for his fight with Artem Lobov. Aldo: “He is a great friend mine. We were once opponents but after that we became friends. We always stay in touch. Urijah always has something to teach me and I always have something to teach him.” Aldo shows off positional techniques for how to get dominant positions on the ground, even explaining the technique to go from a triangle to a shoulder lock.
Afterward they play a little soccer in the gym for fun, with some MMA takedowns mixed in. It’s pretty lighthearted – they’re all laughing and having a good time.
Meanwhile for Team McGregor it’s all business for Artem Lobov. He says he wants the hat trick and the third knockout. “This is what pays – knockouts pay.” McGregor says he wants Lobov reacting every time Erosa goes for single shots. He wants him to cut off the cage. “He has good ring knowledge, he just needs to use it. He will use it early and he will knock him out.” Lobov talks about how they were all once so broke they had to share a hotel room for McGregor’s fight and he slept on the floor.
McGregor waxes nostalgic as training winds down, saying he got personally attached even without trying to, and he’ll leave the show with a lifetime of memories. McGregor walks into the gym for the other semi-final fight and sees Jose Aldo sitting on Faber’s bench, and he’s laughing and smiling, but Also just sits there quietly.
Lightweight: Artem Lobov (Team Europe) vs. Julian Erosa (Team USA)
There are under ten minutes left so this isn’t getting out of the first round. McGregor reminds Lobov to be “flowey.” Dana White runs down the rules. Herb Dean signals both men and the fight is underway. Erosa is in the blue and Lobov the gray trunks. Lobov is following his usual MO – he’s head hunting and pressuring his opponent. Lobov rocks him at 57 seconds with a big left, hits him with another huge shot when he tries to get up, and Herb Dean is there to wave it off immediately. McGregor is so happy he rips his pants jumping over the fence!
ARTEM LOBOV ADVANCES TO TONIGHT’S TUF 22 FINALE.…BUT THE SHOW ISN’T OVER.
Dana White: “Saul lied on his visa application and has problems getting into the country and can’t fight on the Finale. Ryan Hall will now get the opportunity!” So the fight is Ryan Hall vs. Artem Lobov on Friday instead.
The second of three straight nights of UFC action takes place on Friday with The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale in Las Vegas. If you didn’t have any luck at UFC Fight Night 80, tonight is your chance to bounce back. Below are out studs, value plays and fighters to avoid when setting your line-up for tonight’s event.
STUDS
Tatsuya Kawajiri ($10,800)
Tatsuya Kawajiri is the biggest favorite on the card and has the highest salary, and I see him as the fighter most likely to score a win on tonight’s card. He has an opponent coming in on short notice in Jason Knight, who, despite being 15-1, hasn’t fought the level of competition that Kawajiri brings. Kawajiri is a finisher and has scored some good points during his UFC bouts. I expect him to get an early finish and he is my top play on the night.
Frankie Edgar ($9,900)
I normally pick fighters with five-figure salaries for the studs spot, but I love Frankie Edgar at his price. It is a closely matched fight against Chad Mendes with Mendes being a $9,500 salary, and he wouldn’t be a bad play either. Where Edgar has the edge is he is going to land a lot of strikes, and that begins to add up over the course of 25 minutes. I fully expect the fight to go the distance, which gives you more scoring opportunities with significant strikes, which Edgar lands a lot of, and a decision win counts the same whether it is three rounds or five rounds. You can’t go wrong with Edgar (or even Mendes) at their prices.
VALUE PLAYS
Joe Lauzon ($8,900)
Joe Lauzon has a tough fight against Evan Dunham and is the underdog despite having more wins inside the Octagon. Both men have been around for a long time and fought tough competition. Lauzon is a bonus hunter and an aggressive fighter who hunts for submissions. His bout with Dunham will likely hit the ground and allow Lauzon to go to work. With his salary and penchant for always searching for submissions, he makes a good value play due to being able to end a fight at any moment by submission.
Ryan Hall ($8,800)
Ryan Hall is a big underdog against Artem Lobov, and that is quite surprising to me. Hall has a slick grappling game and will be hunting for the submission finish. Lobov has an awful record in MMA, but he does have a huge experience edge. Hall doesn’t have the resume that Lobov does, but I think he’s a better fighter. With his ability to finish a fight at any moment by submission, Hall at his salary is an excellent play.
AVOID
Ryan LaFlare ($10,700)
Ryan LaFlare has the second-highest salary of the fighters on the card. I do think he will defeat Mike Pierce. I do think it will go to a decision. Both men are takedown artists, and that will likely negate each other and turn into a boring, prodding match on the feet. LaFlare may score some decent points, but I don’t see his salary justifying a spot on your roster. It’s just too high, so I’m avoiding him.
Gabriel Gonzaga ($9,600)
Gabriel Gonzaga has been around the UFC for a long time as he makes his 21st appearance inside the Octagon. He has struggled mightily recently, having dropped three straight fights. In his 26 fights, he has only been to a decision twice. All of his wins are by stoppage, but eight of his ten losses are by knockout, including his last two. His chin doesn’t seem to be able to hold up these days, and he has a big knockout artist across from him on Friday in Konstantin Erokhin. I see another knockout loss coming.
OUR LINE-UPS
RYAN FREDERICK: Tatsuya Kawajiri ($10,800), Tony Ferguson ($10,300), Frankie Edgar ($9,900), Konstantin Erokhin ($9,800), Ryan Hall ($8,800)
I like Kawajiri to get a quick finish over Jason Knight. I see Edgar scoring a lot of points on his way to a decision win over Chad Mendes. Tony Ferguson is interesting to me as he scores a lot of points and I see him winning a decision over Edson Barboza and landing some takedowns and lots of strikes on his way. Erokhin has a lot of power and is fighting Gabriel Gonzaga, who no longer has a chin. Hall has way too low of a salary and I like him to get a submission win over Artem Lobov.
PAUL FONTAINE: Ryan LaFlare ($10,700), Tony Ferguson ($10,300), Joe Lauzon ($8,900), Ryan Hall ($8,800), Jason Knight ($8,600)
I like Ferguson a lot. He’s got massive power for the division and I feel like Barboza is way overmatched here. Lauzon is very underrated and all but one of his UFC wins has come by finish and I think he does it again Friday. I’m going with Hall as I think his opponent is a terrible fighter who managed to suck opponents into his game on the TUF show. Hall is too smart for that and will submit him quickly. LaFlare is unbeaten in UFC, except for a five round main event against Demian Maia. He has too many tools for Mike Pierce, coming off a 2 ½ yr layoff. Knight is my wildcard. I saw him fight on a Titan show earlier this year and was very impressed. He should be the more hungry fighter and I think Kawajiri is way past his prime.
PEACH MACHINE: Julian Erosa ($10,200), Frankie Edgar ($9,900), Edson Barboza ($9,100), Joe Lauzon ($8,900), Ryan Hall ($8,800)
I got a ton of cash left over! Can I put that in my IRA? Anyway, I like Edgar because he’s made of IRON (Fe)! I think that sadly, he and Aldo will win and we will see the rematch of their first fight, with the exact same outcome. I’d love Edgar to win a title. I like Hall. Even though WE only found out one day ago that he’s fighting, HE knew he was fighting for at least a month. I train with guys who train with him and I’ve heard he’s a beast on the mat. Duh. Let’s hope he doesn’t decide to stand and trade. Barboza is always a tough out and I expect him to continue his winning ways into title contention. I’m taking Erosa because I hate Marcin Wrzosek. Seriously, I’ll be in Vegas and if I bump into him, we may throw down. And in that match, I predict Wrzosek because I’m all talk. The real J-Lo and Dunham are both past their primes but I expect J-Lo to win the battle with his reach.
As you can see, we are all expecting Ryan Hall to score a big outcome. Enjoy the fights and good luck!
It is night number two of UFC action in the biggest UFC fight week in history in Las Vegas. Friday night brings the next edition of the finals of “The Ultimate Fighter”. It will be The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale taking place at The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada. The entire card will air on FS1 as preliminary card action takes place at 8 PM eastern time leading into the main card at 10 PM eastern time.
The event will be headlined by a five-round bout in the featherweight division in what could be the fight of the weekend as former UFC Lightweight Champion and former featherweight title challenger Frankie Edgar takes on former title challenger Chad Mendes. In the finals of TUF 22, it will be Team McGregor’s Artem Lobov taking on Team Faber’s Ryan Hall. Also on the card is an elite lightweight bout as Edson Barboza looks for his second straight win when he takes on Tony Ferguson, winner of six straight fights. Let’s take a closer look at the action and bring you five storylines to keep an eye on during The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale on Friday night.
1. Will Frankie Edgar and Chad Mendes have the best fight of the week?
The main event of The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale is a featherweight bout that could end up being the best fight of the weekend when former featherweight title challengers Frankie Edgar and Chad Mendes meet in a high-level contest that could produce the next title challenger. Edgar is a former champion at 155 pounds who has moved down to 145 pounds. He has fought for the title once at featherweight, dropping a decision to Jose Aldo, but he has since won four straight fights. Mendes has fought for the gold three times, coming up short each time. He has two losses to Aldo, one by knockout and one by decision in one of the best fights of 2014, and a loss in an interim title fight to Conor McGregor at UFC 189 in July. These two are clearly two of the top four fighters in the division alongside Aldo and McGregor, and this is a fight that fans have been looking forward to happening ever since Edgar made the move down.
We have two very similar fighters as both have excellent wrestling credentials and solid striking abilities. Mendes is a better pure wrestler though Edgar may have the better wrestling MMA-wise. Both men are explosive with takedowns. When it comes to the striking, Edgar has some of the best pure boxing in the sport. Mendes is a power puncher and his striking got better while Duane Ludwig was coaching Team Alpha Male. He has better movement on his feet than in the past, but Edgar’s footwork is elite. Edgar has underrated power in his hands, and his kicks are fast and clean. The biggest thing Edgar does is he can leave himself open just enough to get hit, and if Mendes lands a clean right hand, we could see Edgar go into retreat mode like he did in his fights against Gray Maynard.
The thing about those bouts with Maynard was that it showed Edgar come overcome adversity in a fight. Mendes may be the featherweight Maynard to Edgar. Mendes will likely be the one to initiate the takedowns but getting Edgar down will be challenging, and keeping him there will be tougher. Both men have the conditioning to go 25 minutes and have, but Edgar’s gas tank is on another level in MMA. He is arguably the best conditioned fighter in the sport. That may be the key in this bout. Mendes has solid conditioning, barring taking the McGregor fight on short notice, but he likely won’t be able to match Edgar’s pace. That will be the difference maker in a fight that likely goes the distance. I see Edgar winning a very close decision based on winning the latter rounds.
2. Who takes the crown of this season’s “The Ultimate Fighter”?
The most recent season of “The Ultimate Fighter” had a good dynamic between the coaches, Conor McGregor and Urijah Faber, that carried out through the season. The fights on the show were solid battles, and it led to an interesting final. It will be Artem Lobov and Ryan Hall squaring off for the six-figure contract, and it will be the first time that two fighters who were eliminated at one point during the show meet in the finals. Lobov was eliminated in the fights to get into the house, but was selected by McGregor to return to the show in a new wrinkle put forth by Dana White this year. Hall replaces Saul Rogers, the man who eliminated him from the show en route to the finals. Rogers was unable to secure a visa to come to the US to compete in the finals.
It leads to an interesting fight between Lobov and Hall. Hall has excellent grappling credentials and is 4-1 since making the transition to MMA in 2012. Lobov has a spotty record at 11-10-1 with 1 no contest, and he is the main training partner to McGregor. He won his three bouts by knockout after returning to the competition, so he did earn his spot here. He has knockout power and underrated submissions. Hall is a legitmate prospect coming off the show whereas Lobov may not have much to offer in the UFC outside of being someone to put on a card in Ireland. We know Hall will be looking to take the fight down to the mat so it is up to Lobov to show he can keep the fight upright. Lobov has to try to land the big punches, but I see Hall’s grappling being too much for him.
3. Can Tony Ferguson make it seven straight wins against Edson Barboza?
Tony Ferguson is flying under the radar in the UFC’s lightweight division, but he has amassed a six-fight win streak heading into Friday night’s bout against Edson Barboza. Ferguson was originally scheduled to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov at this event, but another injury kept Nurmagomedov from returning to action. Barboza is a high-level replacement who is creeping up on top five status himself. Ferguson is right behind him and looking to leap frog Barboza with a win. Ferguson has posted wins over the likes of Josh Thomson, Gleison Tibau, Abel Trujillo and Danny Castillo during his win streak, and four of those six wins have come by stoppage. Ferguson may be the most underrated “TUF” winner of all-time as he has gone 9-1 in his UFC career. Barboza is 10-3 in his UFC career but remains just on the cusp of title contention after an impressive win over Paul Felder in his last bout.
For all of the great fights going on this weekend, this match-up is one of the best. Barboza has amazing kickboxing skills and great takedown defense. Ferguson is very creative on his feet and is a pressure fighter. He is the type of opponent that Barboza has had trouble with in the past. He also outputs a lot of volume and isn’t afraid to get inside the range of an opponent. Barboza is flashy and will come out with spinning kicks and he doesn’t get hit a lot. Ferguson may look to utilize a clinch and wrestling game to keep Barboza from unleashing his striking. Ferguson can be suffocating and is solid with his submission game. Ferguson is also a pace setter and that is going to make the difference in this fight. Barboza isn’t neccessarily a fighter who will push the pace, and that will allow Ferguson to control the action in the fight. It should be a great fight, but Ferguson has the tools to take home a decisive decision win.
4. Will Joe Lauzon add another bonus to his UFC record?
Joe Lauzon is the UFC bonus king as he has won thirteen post-fight bonus awards during his UFC career, with six “Fight Of The Night”, six “Submission Of The Night” and one “Knockout Of The Night” awards. He will be looking to add to that on Friday night when he takes on Evan Dunham, a man who is also familiar with post-fight bonus awards, having won four during his career. They enter the fight in an interesting position in their careers as both have been firmly established as lightweight gatekeepers. Each were on the cusp of entering the title picture before setbacks have knocked them out of the rankings, but they both will be employed for a long time due to their ability to put on the best fight on any card they are featured on. Both men can still deliver great winning performances as well.
Lauzon is an aggressive fighter who looks to put his opponent on the mat so he can start showing off his high-level submission game. Dunham is an excellent wrestler and he is difficult to put on the mat. Dunham has high-level striking with a lot of output and he is a grinding fighter in the clinch. Lauzon will likely have trouble taking Dunham to the ground, but if it goes down, Lauzon has excellent transitions on the mat. He has some vicious ground-and-pound that he uses to set up the submissions as 17 of his 25 wins have come by submission. Dunham showed real improvement in his recent win over Ross Pearson with his striking and overall game. If he continues to show that, he has the clear path to winning on the feet. It will likely be a close fight but one that should lead to Dunham winning. With this match-up, win or lose, Lauzon has a very good chance at adding to his bonus record.
5. What else is there to look out for on the card?
Outside of three solid match-ups, this middle event of the three-fight week is likely the weakest of the three events. It’s main event keeps this event from being dismissed and there are some showcase bouts to keep an eye on. Tatsuya Kawajiri looks to add another win to his record when he takes on Jason Knight. Knight is a late replacement for Mirsad Bektic, and while he sports a 15-1 record, he has never fought a fighter like Kawajiri. This is Kawajiri’s fight to lose. Another fight that was changed on short notice is a flyweight bout between Joby Sanchez and Geane Herrera. Herrera is a replacement for Justin Scoggins. Neither man may be truly UFC ready at this stage, but Sanchez is more ready than Herrera and should take the win here.
In a welterweight bout, Ryan LaFlare will be looking to rebound from his first career loss when he takes on Mike Pierce. Pierce has been out of action since a submission loss to Rousimar Palhares in October 2013. It was that fight that led to Palhares getting cut from the UFC as he kept holding onto Pierce’s leg for too long after Pierce tapped, and the UFC had enough with his antics. Pierce suffered knee and ankle injuries due to that, but a broken hand was what has kept him out of action for 26 months. He had won four straight prior to the loss to Palhares. Also on the preliminary card is a heavyweight bout between former title challenger Gabriel Gonzaga and Konstantin Erokhin. Gonzaga has lost three straight fights and could be fighting for his UFC career while Erokhin is looking to rebound from a loss in his UFC debut.
Full The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale Fight Card, Betting Odds and Predictions
MAIN CARD (FS1- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT)
Featherweights: (#2) Frankie Edgar vs. (#3) Chad Mendes Betting Odds: Edgar (-130), Mendes (+110) Prediction: Edgar by decision
TUF 22 Lightweight Finals: Artem Lobov vs. Ryan Hall Betting Odds: Lobov (-175), Hall (+145) Prediction: Hall by submission in round 2
Lightweights: (#6) Edson Barboza vs. (#7) Tony Ferguson Betting Odds: Barboza (+175), Ferguson (-190) Prediction: Ferguson by decision
Lightweights: Joe Lauzon vs. Evan Dunham Betting Odds: Lauzon (+170), Dunham (-200) Prediction: Dunham by decision
Featherweights: (#13) Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Jason Knight Betting Odds: Kawajiri (-240), Knight (+220) Prediction: Kawajiri by submission in round 1
Lightweights: Julian Erosa vs. Marcin Wrzosek Betting Odds: Erosa (-140), Wrzosek (+110) Prediction: Erosa by decision
PRELIMINARY CARD (8 PM ET/5 PM PT)
Heavyweights: Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Konstantin Erokhin Betting Odds: Gonzaga (-105), Erokhin (-105) Prediction: Erokhin by knockout in round 1
Welterweights: Ryan LaFlare vs. Mike Pierce Betting Odds: LaFlare (-225), Pierce (+205) Prediction: LaFlare by decision
Flyweights: Joby Sanchez vs. Geane Herrera Betting Odds: Sanchez (-110), Herrera (-110) Prediction: Sanchez by decision
Lightweights: Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Abner Lloveras Betting Odds: Gruetzemacher (-185), Lloveras (+155) Prediction: Gruetzemacher by decision
Welcome to WrestlingObserver.com’s live coverage of UFC Fight Night 80: Namajunas vs. VanZant from The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event is headlined by a five-round women’s strawweight bout as former title challenger Rose Namajunas steps in on short notice to take on rising star Paige VanZant in the first-ever womens’ non-title bout to headline a UFC event. In the co-main event, it will be a lightweight contest as 14th-ranked UFC veteran Jim Miller takes on former “TUF” winner Michael Chiesa. Also on the card is the next UFC appearance of 19-year-old budding star Sage Northcutt as he takes on Cody Pfister. The entire event airs on the UFC’s digital network, UFC Fight Pass, with preliminary card action kicking off at 6:45 PM eastern time before heading into the main card at 10 PM eastern time.
ROUND 1- Both ladies throwing lots of punches right at the start. Kagan has underhooks against the fence but Curran scrambles out. Kagan clinches but Curran with a judo throw but they get right back up as Curran went for mount. Kagan with a knee against the fence. Kagan gets the back on a brief takedown. Kagan unable to get Curran down to the mat. Kagan with a brief takedown but they get right back up. Kagan trying real hard for the takedown but Curran lands knees to the body and a head kick followed by some punches. Kagan clinches back up against the fence. Kagan gets a takedown with just seconds left and ends the round in the guard as Curran went for a triangle. 10-9 Kagan.
ROUND 2- Curran tries to land a knee as Kagan punches her way back to the clinch. They separate and Curran lands a jab. Kagan with a left hand and a head kick. Curran with a knee in the clinch. Curran with a knee to the head in the clinch and they break. Kagan with a combo but not much lands. Kagan lands a left hand. Curran lands a right hand but Kagan counters with a left. Kagan is breathing heavily. They clinch and Curran lands a knee. Kagan gets the fight down but Curran reverses into half-guard. Curran switches to the back and has a hook in. Curran looking for a choke and she submits Kagan! Curran gets her first UFC win with a submission.
Official Result- Kailin Curran def. Emily Kagan by submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:13 of Round 2
ROUND 1- Nover starts off with a high kick. Nover with another head kick. Tukhugov just misses a big right hand, and then misses another. Nover has a head kick checked. Both men missing on kicks. Tukhugov lands a head kick. Nover with a body kick. Tukhogov lands a right hand. Tukhogov with a spinning back kick. Nover with a head kick but Tukhugov grabs it and kicks the leg out from Nover to the mat. They scramble back to their feet. Tukhugov misses a spinning back fist but lands a left hook. Tukhugov with a right hand. 10-9 Tukhugov.
ROUND 2- Tukhugov starts with some kicks. Nover has a head kick checked. Tukhugov clips Nover with a left hook as he rushed in. Nover circles away. Tukhugov with a right hand. Nover with a leg kick and misses a takedown attempt. Tukhugov lands a left hand. Tukhugov with a head kick. Nover with a body kick but Tukhugov comes back with a combo. Tukhugov with a spin kick that barely lands. Tukhugov lands a big right hand and has Nover in trouble. Nover on the mat and eats a right hand but gets back to his feet. Nover with a body kick. Nover with another body kick and Tukhugov rushes in with a combo. Nover with another body kick. Tukhugov lands a left hand and stuffs a takedown. 10-9 Tukhugov, 20-18 Tukhugov.
ROUND 3- Tukhugov with some kicks and punches to start. Nover lands a body kick. Tukhugov lands a right hand. Tukhugov with a head kick. Nover lands a head kick and Tukhugov shakes it off and takes the fight down. Tukhugov in the guard and looking to pass. Nover with another high kick. Tukhugov breathing a little heavy. Nover with another head kick but Tukhugov fires back with a combo. Nover with a deep shot and misses but has the clinch against the fence. They break and Nover lands a left hand. Nover with a body kick. Tukhugov with a nice combo and Nover misses a takedown. Tukhugov with another kick. 10-9 Tukhugov, 30-27 Tukhugov.
Official Result- Zubaira Tukhugov def. Phillipe Nover by split decision (28-29, 30-27 , 30-27)
WELTERWEIGHTS- DANNY ROBERTS (11-1, 0-0 UFC) VS. NATHAN COY (14-5, 0-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- This is the UFC debut for both men and Roberts is a solid prospect. They trade leg kicks. They trade and Roberts lands a big left hand. Roberts with a head kick. Roberts with a leg kick. They trade punches. Roberts with a head kick attempt and Coy eats it and takes Roberts down and is in the guard. Roberts with strikes from the bottom and looking for a triangle. Roberts with the armbar and Coy taps out! Roberts gets the submission win in his UFC debut.
Official Result- Danny Roberts def. Nathan Coy by technical submission (triangle choke) at 2:46 of Round 1
WELTERWEIGHTS- SANTIAGO PONZINIBBIO (20-3, 2-2 UFC) VS. ANDREAS STAHL (9-1, 0-1 UFC)
ROUND 1- Stahl with a leg kick. Stahl with a combo and gets a big takedown and they scramble to their feet. Ponzinibbio with a leg kick and then a body kick. He lands a big combo against the fence and Stahl is covering up. Stahl with another takedown but Ponzinibbio back to his feet. Ponzinibbio with a leg kick and then a combo. Stahl lands a right hand. Ponzinibbio lands a nice combo. Ponzinibbio with another big combo against the fence. Stahl with a head kick but eats some punches from Ponzinibbio. Ponzinibbio drops Stahl with a big right hand and one more punch and this fight is over. Herb Dean stops the fight and Ponzinibbio gets the win by knockout.
Official Result- Santiago Ponzinibbio def. Andreas Stahl by TKO (punches) at 4:25 of Round 1
BANTAMWEIGHTS- (#5) ALJAMAIN STERLING (11-0, 3-0 UFC) VS. (#10) JOHNNY EDUARDO (27-9, 2-1 UFC)
ROUND 1- Sterling is a big-time prospect at 135 pounds, but is in the last fight of his contract. They trade kicks. Sterling with a high kick but the leg is grabbed by Eduardo. Eduardo with a big leg kick. Both missing high kicks but Sterling gets the takedown and pushes Eduardo against the fence. Sterling in the half-guard of Eduardo. Sterling landing some punches from the top as Eduardo is unable to escape from the bottom. Left hands from the top by Sterling. More punches from Sterling as the round ends. 10-9 Sterling.
ROUND 2- Eduardo misses a leg kick. Sterling with a leg kick and follows with a right hand. Eduardo with a body kick. They trade kicks. Sterling misses a spinning back fist. Eduardo with a body kick and Sterling misses a head kick. Sterling with a leg kick. Eduardo with a head kick that is checked. They start trading punches and kicks. Sterling with a high kick. Sterling gets a takedown and some big punches from the top. Dominant from the top with elbows and punches. More big punches and Sterling goes for a choke. He’s got it! Sterling submits Eduardo with a guillotine choke and gets the big win.
Official Result- Aljamain Sterling def. Johnny Eduardo by submission (guillotine choke) at 4:18 of Round 2
MIDDLEWEIGHTS- ANTONIO CARLOS JUNIOR (5-1, 2-1 UFC) VS. KEVIN CASEY (9-3 1 NC, 1-1 1 NC UFC)
ROUND 1- Casey poked right in the eye as this fight begins. And it is stopped. That was weird. Fight stopped due to the eye poke. 11 seconds into the fight.
Official Result- Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Kevin Casey declared a no contest due to an eye poke at 0:11 of Round 1
ROUND 1- Both men missing on kicks but Akhmedov lands a spinning back fist. Moraes misses a high kick. Akhmedov with a big head kick but Moraes shakes it off. Moraes just misses a flying knee. Big left hook from Moraes stuns Akhmedov. Akhmedov with an uppercut. Akhmedov lands an overhand right and then lands a body kick. Akhmedov drops Moraes with a right hand and lands a big punch from the top and a couple of leg kicks. Akhmedov wants him up. Moraes goes for a takedown but it is defended. They trade right hands. 10-9 Akhmedov.
ROUND 2- Akhmedov misses a leg kick and a right hand. Body kick from Akhmedov. Big right hand from Moraes lands. Akhmedov misses some body kicks. Left hook by Akhmedov. Moraes misses a flying knee and may have a hand injury. Pace has slowed in this round. Akhmedov with a body kick. Moraes misses a big right hand. Leg kick by Akhmedov and Moraes counters with his own. Moraes misses a right hand and Akhmedov counters with some punches. Akhmedov with a takedown but Moraes grabs the neck and has a guillotine locked in but the clock runs out. Close round. 10-9 Akhmedov, 20-18 Akhmedov.
ROUND 3- This fight is close and up for grabs. They trade punches and Akhmedov taunts Moraes to come on. Moraes goes for a takedown but it is defended. They are each missing punches. Out of nowhere Moraes lands a big right hand and stuns Akhmedov and after a bunch of punches Akhmedov crumbles to the ground and the fight is stopped. Moraes with the comeback TKO win.
Official Result- Sergio Moraes def. Omari Akhmedov by TKO (punches) at 2:18 of Round 3
WELTERWEIGHTS- TIM MEANS (24-7-1, 6-4 UFC) VS. JOHN HOWARD (23-11, 7-6 UFC)
ROUND 1- Means lands a big left hand and rocks Howard. Howard grabs the fence and takes Means down. They get back up. They trade and Howard lands a big overhand right. They are throwing punches. Each man landing punches. Both men land combos. Howard with a nice combo. They are both still landing hard punches and Howard explodes with a takedown. Howard pulls Means away from the fence but Means gets to his feet. Howard gets another takedown but Means right back up and they break. Means with a knee to the body. Head kick misses from Means. Howard’s right eye is closed a little. Means lands a head kick. Close round. 10-9 Means.
ROUND 2- Means comes out and lands a big left hook and Howard goes out cold. Massive left hand and Means gets the knockout win.
Official Result- Tim Means def. John Howard by knockout (punch) at 0:21 of Round 2
MAIN CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS- ELIAS THEODOROU (11-0, 3-0 UFC) VS. THIAGO SANTOS (11-3, 3-2 UFC)
ROUND 1- Theodorou is a solid middleweight prospect with an undefeated record. Theodorou with a nice head kick but Santos fires back a leg kick. Theodorou looking for that head kick. Theodorou with a combo and high kick. Santos with a leg kick. Theodorou with a leg kick. Santos with a front kick. Theodorou with a big leg kick and a body kick. Theodorou with another series of body kicks. More body kicks from Theodorou. He just misses a head kick. Spinning heel kick from Santos lands. Front kick from Theodorou trips up Santos. They trade kicks again. They clinch against the fence for a moment. Strong round from Theodorou. 10-9 Theodorou.
ROUND 2- They trade kicks. Lots of punches thrown. Santos with a big elbow. Theodorou goes for a takedown but Santos blatantly grabs the fence. Theodorou gets him down. Big knee from Theodorou as they get to their feet. Theodorou working for the takedown but Santos lands a series of elbows. Theodorou still working to take Santos to the mat. Santos landing lots of elbows. They are broken from their clinch. Theodorou goes for another takedown but Santos lands some knees and elbows and landing a lot of strikes. They are clinched against the fence. Santos reverses and gets a takedown and takes the back and lands a knee and some punches. Theodorou ends the round with a takedown. Close round. 10-9 Santos, 19-19.
ROUND 3- They clinch as Theodorou looks for a high-crotch takedown. Theodorou working hard for the takedown. They are broken up by referee Marc Goddard. Santos lands a knee as Theodorou goes for a shot. Theodorou pushes Santos up against the fence. Timeout as Theodorou has a massive cut over his eye. The doctor lets it go. Theodorou goes for the takedown again but Santos making him eat knees. Santos has Theodorou in trouble and lands a big kick and a big knee. Santos looking for the finish but Theodorou surviving and goes back for the takedown. Santos with some elbows. More big shots from Santos but Theodorou is surviving. Timeout as we have an eye poke. Back to action and Santos lands some big shots as the fight ends. Big round for Santos. Good fight. 10-9 Santos, 29-28 Santos.
Official Result- Thiago Santos def. Elias Theodorou by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-27, 29-27)
ROUND 1- Northcutt is one of the future stars UFC is banking on. Pfister gets an early takedown. Pfister in the guard of Northcutt. Pfister with some elbows and punches from the top. Northcutt having trouble getting out from the bottom. They are stood up by the referee. The crowd boos as that was bad. Northcutt immediately gets the takedown. Northcutt working in the half-guard. Northcutt with some elbows and is looking for a choke. Pfister survives with punches from the bottom. We are going to the second after Northcutt lands elbows to end the round. 10-9 Northcutt.
ROUND 2- Northcutt with a takedown and he grabs the neck. Guillotine choke locked in and Pfister taps! Northcutt gets the win by submission.
Official Result- Sage Northcutt def. Cody Pfister by submission (guillotine choke) at 0:41 of Round 2
LIGHTWEIGHTS- (#14) JIM MILLER (25-6 1 NC, 14-5 1 NC UFC) VS. MICHAEL CHIESA (12-2, 5-2 UFC)
ROUND 1- High-level lightweight fight here. They trade combinations. Miller with a big left hand. Miller with a body kick. They clinch and Chiesa gets a takedown. Chiesa in the half-guard. Chiesa with some elbows from the top. Chiesa with top control as Miller looks to grab the leg. Miller reverses to the top. Chiesa looking for the triangle. Miller transitions to the back of Chiesa. Miller looking for a choke and has the body locked. Miller with punches from the back. Miller has the body locked still as he maintains position. Punches from the back as he can’t find the choke. Good round. 10-9 Miller.
ROUND 2- Miller with a leg kick. Miller with a nice left hand. They both land punches and Chiesa ducks under and scores a takedown. Chiesa with punches from the top as Miller looks to roll out from the bottom. Miller is cut open but he looks for a leg lock. Nice defense from Chiesa as he lands punches. Chiesa gets into the mount and is landing a lot of punches. Chiesa has the rear-naked choke locked in. Miller taps! Chiesa with the big win in impressive fashion.
Official Result- Michael Chiesa def. Jim Miller by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:57 of Round 2
WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHTS- (#3) ROSE NAMAJUNAS (3-2, 1-1 UFC) VS. (#7) PAIGE VANZANT (6-0, 3-0 UFC)
ROUND 1- VanZant is the other future young fighter they are banking on to be a star. VanZant with a leg kick and Namajunas with some quick combos. Namajunas gets a takedown and is in half-guard. Big elbows from Namajunas and VanZant is cut on her cheek. VanZant rolls out to her feet. Namajunas with a nice right hand. They clinch and VanZant goes for a takedown but Namajunas takes the back and looks for a choke. Namjunas gets in the mount and lands some elbows and goes to the back and looks for a choke again. VanZant is bleeding badly. VanZant gets to her feet. Namajunas gets the fight back down and is in the guard. Namajunas with more big shots from the top. VanZant somehow survives the round. Big round for Rose. 10-8 Namajunas.
ROUND 2- Namajunas with a nice combination. Namajunas grabs the back of VanZant. Namajunas takes her down and is in side control. Namajunas gets the back and is looking for the choke. VanZant escapes and Namajunas back in side control. Namajunas into the half-guard. They get to their feet. Namajunas with a knee. VanZant gets a brief takedown but Namajunas is able to get to side control. Namajunas has the back of VanZant. They get to their feet and break. VanZant still bleeding badly. VanZant pulls guard and Namajunas in the half-guard. Namajunas with more short elbows from the top. 10-9 Namajunas, 20-17 Namajunas.
ROUND 3- They got back to the mat and Namajunas in the half-guard. They scramble and get to their feet. VanZant with a knee. They both land punches. VanZant misses a spinning back fist and Namajunas grabs the back. They break. They trade kicks. Namajunas with a left hand and then a head kick. They clinch and VanZant lands some knees. Namajunas with a takedown and looking for the back. VanZant rolls and has Namajunas in her half-guard. Namajunas takes the back and locks in a rear-naked choke. She has it in deep but VanZant isn’t tapping. VanZant escapes. VanZant survives the round. 10-9 Namajunas, 30-26 Namajunas.
ROUND 4- VanZant with a kick and they clinch. Namajunas with another takedown, her sixth of the fight. Namajunas in the full guard and postures up. Namajunas grabs the arm and goes for the armbar. VanZant escapes. Namajunas with some elbows and moves to the back. Namajunas locks in another armbar. This one is in deeper. VanZant manages to escape again. No idea how she got out of that one as her arm was all twisted. They get to their feet and Namajunas has VanZant against the fence. Namajunas with a front kick. Namajunas with a takedown. 10-8 Namajunas, 40-34 Namajunas.
ROUND 5- VanZant hanging in there. They trade punches. Namajunas with another takedown and into the half-guard. Namajunas in side control. Namajunas gets the back of VanZant and locks in the rear-naked choke. VanZant taps! Namajunas gets the submission win in a dominant performance and a gutsy performance by VanZant.
Official Result- Rose Namajunas def. Paige VanZant by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:25 of Round 5
Three nights, 34 UFC fights, lots of coffee, some alcohol, and a lot of holiday cheer. MMA grumps? Step off to the side until next week. We got some celebrating to do for the next three days and a lot to talk about after it’s all said and done. The sport will change over the next 72 hours in ways we would never expect. Sunday’s in the horizon, but let’s stay in Vegas for as long as we can.
This is the first of three UFC picks posts you’ll get, kicking off with a fun little show you can legally stream on the Internet if you pay for it. Subscribers can get a 15-minute preview right here.
Our panel:
– Jack Encarnacao (101-41 | .711): Sherdog Rewind host, The Lapsed Fan podcast co-chair
– Josh Nason (83-59 | .585): JNPO host, Wrestling Observer digital media and content guy, WON Twitter enabler
*****
Paige VanZant (6-1) vs. Rose Namajunas (3-2) Strawweights
Ohhhh, man. This is going to be good.
PVZ has proven that she isn’t just a pretty face as she’s looked dominant in all three of her UFC wins. After beating up Felice Herrig for three rounds in April, she followed that up in September with a third round submission win over Alex Chambers. I remember nothing about that fight, but that she held up just fine in her main card PPV debut.
Namajunas is an injury replacement for Joanne Calderwood, and is an apt challenger for PVZ. The 23-year-old returned after a year’s absence to dust strawweight jobber Angela Hill in October, snapping a two-fight losing streak that included a title loss to forgotten memory Carla Esparza in the first ever UFC women’s strawweight title fight.
I said this on my 15-minute show preview, but I’ll say it again: these two are going to fight a few more times in their career.
Jim Miller (25-6-0-1) vs. Michael Chiesa (12-2) Lightweights
Past JNPO guest Chiesa is now ready to kick his career in drive after fighting just twice in 2014 and once this year. He’s coming off a decision win over Mitch Clarke in April and is 5-2 in his UFC career. At just 28 years old, a win here puts him further up the lightweight ladder which is ever shifting.
Miller is now a gatekeeper who has always come justthisclose to getting that elusive title shot. He needs to win here to stay relevant in the division as he’s lost two of his last three and is 32 years old. He is coming off a split decision victory over Danny Castillo earlier this year, and tonight marks his third 2015 fight. Originally scheduled to be the main event on this show, these two bring a combined 21 submissions into what should be a hellacious affair.
Sage Northcutt (6-0) vs. Cody Pfister (12-4) Lightweights
At 19, the undefeated Northcutt is GOD DAMN TEEN SENSATION. Did you ever think you’d see a UFC fighter in Tiger Beat? Well, you will. He notably made his UFC debut in October by blitzkrieging now-former Octagoner Francisco Trevino in less than a minute. Trevino missed weight and got busted for smoking pot, so it was like a real-life instructional video for kids. His opponent doesn’t have a Wikipedia page which explains the huge odds that are in Northcutt’s favor.
Elias Theodorou (11-0) vs. Thiago Santos (11-3) Welterweights
The 27-year-old “Spartan” is looking to remain undefeated and run his UFC record to 4-0 in the process. The TUF Nations winner finished two of his last three by second round TKO and is a decent size favorite against Santos. The 31-year-old Santos was last seen knocking the bejesus out of former hockey enforcer Steve Bosse this summer, extending his win streak to two for the first time in his UFC career. The Canadian Theodorou has to avenge the Bosse defeat for all of Canada, doesn’t he?
Tim Means (24-7-1) vs. John Howard (23-11) Welterweights
Means is coming off that awesome one round July fight with Matt Brown that has managed to get lost in the MMA tapestry of 2015. That loss snapped a four-fight win streak for the 31-year-old, a highlight of his second run in the Octagon. He faces the always puzzling Howard who has the potential to knock people out, but always seems hesitant to let himself go. He’s coming off a dull split decision win over the now-retired Cathal Pendred, a win that snapped a four-fight losing streak. With a loss, Howard could find himself out of the UFC for the second time as roster space is at a premium.
Means (favorite): Nason, Meltzer, Bix, Juon, FRB, Encarnacao, Sawyer, Means Howard: Pollock
Welcome to WrestlingObserver.com’s live coverage of The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale: Edgar vs. Mendes weigh-ins from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada kicking off at 5 PM eastern time. The event airs on Friday on FS1 at 10 PM eastern time. Preliminary card action kicks off on FS1 at 8 PM eastern time. This continues the biggest week in UFC history in Las Vegas and the conclusion of the 22nd US version of the reality show.
The event will be headlined by a five-round bout in the UFC featherweight division as former UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar takes on former title challenger Chad Mendes in a highly anticipated bout that could determine the next challenger. The event also features the finals of The Ultimate Fighter 22 as Artem Lobov takes on replacement Ryan Hall, who fills in for Saul Rogers, who was forced out due to visa issues. Also on the card is a pivotal bout in the lightweight division as Edson Barboza takes on Tony Ferguson, winner of six straight fights.
MAIN CARD (FS1- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT): Frankie Edgar (145.5) vs. Chad Mendes (146) Artem Lobov (155) vs. Ryan Hall (155) – TUF 22 Lightweight Finale Edson Barboza (155.5) vs. Tony Ferguson (156) Joe Lauzon (155.5) vs. Evan Dunham (156) Tatsuya Kawajiri (146) vs. Jason Knight (145) Julian Erosa (155) vs. Marcin Wrzosek (155)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FS1- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT): Gabriel Gonzaga (263) vs. Konstantin Erokhin (230) Ryan LaFlare (171) vs. Mike Pierce (170.5) Joby Sanchez (126) vs. Geane Herrera (125) Chris Gruetzemacher (156) vs. Abner Lloveras (155)
*No one had any issues making weight and everything was very cordial when it came to the staredowns.
Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back today with tons of things to get into, including notes on Breaking Ground and the new season of Lucha Underground, Dave Meltzer’s preview of the weekend UFC main events, plus Blue Pants Leva Bates joins us to talk SHINE this weekend! A fun show as always so check it out~!
The biggest show of the year ends the UFC’s biggest year on pay-per-view and marks the end of three straight nights of action in Las Vegas, Nevada, home of the UFC. UFC 194 takes place on Saturday night with two title fights headlining one of the deepest cards in company history. The main card comes your way on pay-per-view at 10 PM eastern time following preliminary card action starting at 6:30 PM eastern time on UFC Fight Pass before heading to FS1 at 8 PM eastern time.
The most-anticipated fight in UFC featherweight history finally takes place in the main event as long-time UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo takes on his rival, Interim UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor, in a fight that has been over a year in the making. In the co-main event, we have a second title fight as UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman puts his undefeated record on the line in his title defense against the rightful top contender, former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold. Also on the card are numerous ranked fighters including Urijah Faber, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Max Holloway, Gunnar Nelson, Demian Maia, Jeremy Stephens and Yoel Romero. Let’s take a deeper look into this amazing card as we bring you five storylines to keep your eye on at UFC 194 on Saturday night.
1. Can Conor McGregor dethrone Jose Aldo’s reign as the king of the featherweight division?
The fight that has been over a year in the making is finally here after a big false start. The one that all of the fans have been talking about, waiting for, clamoring for. You can argue all you want about whether this is the biggest fight in UFC history, and while it may not be at the very top, it certainly is among the biggest fights in UFC history. It is definitely the biggest fight in the history of the featherweight division, a division that has been dominated since 2009 by UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo. Many have challenged Aldo, some have taken him to the limit, but 18 straight men have fallen victim to him one way or another. Nine straight of those fallen men have come in challenging him for the gold. Through it all, there has been one man wanting, willing, needing to take that championship away from Aldo for good, and he has gotten there by putting down 14 straight men who have been put in his path for gold. That man is Irish superstar Conor McGregor.
After over a year of hype, these two men will finally step foot inside the Octagon across from each other on Saturday night in the UFC 194 main event. When Herb Dean says “let’s fight”, it will finally be on. They were supposed to meet at UFC 189 in July, but Aldo pulled out of the fight two weeks before due to a rib injury. It wasn’t the rib injury that kept him from actually fighting, but it would have likely prevented Aldo from making weight, thus forcing him to pull out. McGregor used this for more ammunition against Aldo, but he was still put with one final task laid out in front of him in the form of Chad Mendes on that July 11 night. No matter the circumstances surrounding how little preparation Mendes had, he still came to fight and controlled the first eight minutes of the fight. McGregor was in positions he had never been in, but he maintained his composure and still did fine work. Mendes gassed out in the second round, and McGregor felt that and finished him in the second round to win the Interim UFC Featherweight Championship.
McGregor is going to have the size advantage over Aldo, with two inches in height and four inches in reach. Aldo is one of the absolute best fighters in the world and has been for a long, long time. He does only have three wins by finish since winning the championship, and one was due to his opponent blowing out his shoulder. He lands a lot of kicks, and he will look to exploit that against McGregor. McGregor will likely let him kick, allowing Aldo some confidence, all while trying to land a counterpunch. Aldo can get hit with counters, and McGregor has some of the best striking in the division. McGregor lands a lot of punches, but he does tend to eat a lot of punches as well. He has shown he has a chin, eating some big right hands from Mendes. Aldo’s ability to vary his strikes between his hands, kicks and knees will play a big factor. Aldo may also go for a takedown, and McGregor can be taken down. Both are effective on the ground.
There is going to be a lot of emotion in this battle. It has been building for a long time. No matter what each may say, they are in the head of each other. Aldo may shrug it off, but he clearly gets more affected by things than McGregor does. There have been rumors that Aldo may be done after this fight, but he has denied that, though any time those talks creep in, you have to worry about mindset. If we are talking about what is best for business, obviously a McGregor win would be huge. He is a superstar whether you like him or not. Everyone has a differing opinion, but the people react to him like he is somebody. His antics, the mouth, the way he is has gotten him the attention, but his fighting has backed it up. It is his chance to put that gold around his waist for good. To do it, he is going to have to beat the best. As they say, to be the man, you’ve got to beat the man.
2. Is this just the first fight in what could be a heated rivalry between Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold?
UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman is undefeated in his career, and he did something that Conor McGregor is attempting to do, and that is beat the long-time king of his division. Weidman scored a stunning knockout over Anderson Silva at UFC 162 in July 2013 to become the champion at 185 pounds. He defended the title over Silva in a rematch five months later, had a classic battle in winning a decision over Lyoto Machida in July 2014, and, most recently, scored a convincing stoppage of Vitor Belfort at UFC 187 in May. Injuries have slowed Weidman from being an active champion as this is only his seventh fight since the calendar turned to the year 2012. At 13-0, Weidman is on the way to being an all-time great, and all-time greats often have a defined career rival. Weidman may have found his in Luke Rockhold.
Rockhold has earned his title opportunity on the heels of four straight stoppage wins, scoring wins over Machida, Michael Bisping, Tim Boetsch and Costas Philippou. He is a former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion and has won 13 of his last 14 fights, with the lone blemish being to a TRT-ridden Belfort. He is the second best fighter at 185 pounds behind Weidman, and may be the man that can turn Weidman’s loss column from zero to one. These two are closely matched and extremely well-rounded. Weidman has a lot of power and can end a fight with one punch, and he has strong wrestling to back it up, with good top position and underrated submissions. Rockhold is a pressure fighter and moves well on his feet, has good takedown defense, and can fight on the ground and off of his back as well. Rockhold has better conditioning of the two.
When it comes to that conditioning, Rockhold is a fighter that cuts a lot of weight. He is a huge middleweight. Weidman is a huge middleweight as well, but he approached this fight differently in being the lightest of his career. He weighed 192 pounds weeks away from the fight, and doesn’t have to do that huge cut he normally does. It should help his conditioning, and that is something that will be needed. Rockhold is going to push the pace with his aggressiveness, and it will be Weidman’s toughest fight to date. It will also be Rockhold’s toughest fight to date. These two men are so evenly matched that if they fought 20 times, they’d probably each win ten. Both have very few weaknesses. In what will likely be the first of many battles, I see Rockhold’s footwork and defense being the key difference in this one. It may get the best of Weidman this time, but they are on their way to being career rivals, and this likely won’t be the last time they fight.
3. Who finds themselves as the next contender at 185 pounds when Ronaldo Souza and Yoel Romero square off?
In a fight that has been brewing for quite some time, middleweights Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Yoel Romero will finally fight after seeing prior bookings between the two being cancelled twice due to injuries to both men. Since the two were originally scheduled to meet in February at UFC 184, they have each fought once. Souza scored a submission win over Chris Camozzi in April after Camozzi replaced Romero, who pulled out due to injury. Romero had the bigger win in scoring a super impressive knockout win over Lyoto Machida in June. Both have firmly established themselves as the top two men at 185 pounds behind Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold, and UFC 194 on Saturday night is being set up as a mini-tournament at middleweight, with the winner of both fights likely to square off next barring the need for a rematch between the Weidman and Rockhold winner.
Both men have some age on them, with Souza being 36 and Romero being 38, and this may be the last time either man has the chance to secure a title shot. They both have decorated backgrounds from where they came from. Souza is a world champion in jiu-jitsu, and Romero is an Olympic medalist in wrestling. Both men have muscular frames, though recent pictures have shown Souza has lost a little bit of size, whether it be due to drug testing or to the elimination of IV’s. When it comes to the fight, Romero is more explosive and has better movement on the feet. The grappling battle will probably be negated as both have strengths, but in the event it goes down, the submission game belongs to Souza. This is a big toss-up but I do see Romero’s power, his ability to pressure a fight and win in the clinch, where Souza struggles, being the different in edging a close decision.
4. Demian Maia and Gunnar Nelson have an interesting battle in front of them. Who takes it?
A big way to tell how stacked this card is the placement of a welterweight bout between Demian Maia and Gunnar Nelson. This could main event a lot of Fight Night cards but is finding itself on the biggest card of the year in what should be a very competitive grappling battle. Maia’s grappling credentials are well-known and he has won three straight fights heading into UFC 194 on Saturday. Nelson is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with a 14-1-1 record, and 13 wins by stoppage, with ten coming by submission. He is an excellent striker with a background in karate and is very adept at closing the distance. Training alongside Conor McGregor has him fully prepared for a striking battle, and his grappling experience has him primed for a ground battle.
This is going to be an interesting battle between two grappling wizards. Maia is the better wrestler of the two, and Nelson is the better striker of the two. Maia works excellently from the top and Nelson works well both on top and bottom. Nelson has better ground-and-pound and is more aggressive than Maia when he has opponents on their backs. Nelson closes well on his feet and has some big power in his hands, but he does leave his hands down and opens himself up for counterstrikes. Maia is not someone who will knockout Nelson, but he will use his boxing to set up the trips and takedowns. This is a tough fight to call and an interesting one to boot. It could turn into a boring and methodical affair, though, and if one makes a mistake, the other will exploit it. I lean toward favoring Nelson due to his striking in what will be a close contest.
5. Is this the best card of all time?
UFC 194 is the card of the year, and it may very well be the best card of all time. All ten of the main card competitors are ranked inside the top 12 of their respective divisions, and we have a handful of ranked fighters competing on the preliminary card. Rounding out the main card is an excellent featherweight bout between Max Holloway and Jeremy Stephens. Holloway has been on quite the rise at 145 pounds, having won seven straight fights to make himself a legitmate title contender. He gets another tough opponent in Stephens, who has vicious knockout power and is coming off a knockout win over Dennis Bermudez in one of the best fights of 2015 at UFC 189 in July.
Urijah Faber headlines the preliminary card, moving back down to 135 pounds and taking on Frankie Saenz, winner of seven straight fights. While not the highest-profile bout for Faber, he has two straight wins at 135 pounds, and finds himself on a collision course for a fight against former teammate T.J. Dillashaw. If Faber and Dillashaw both win their fights, that is expected to be the next title fight at 135 pounds. In women’s strawweight action, undefeated Tecia Torres takes on RFA champion Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger, making her UFC debut on short notice as an injury replacement for Michelle Waterson. The card also features three former “TUF” winners. Warlley Alves puts his undefeated record on the line against another undefeated fighter, Colby Covington. Leonardo Santos takes on rising lightweight Kevin Lee, who has won four straight fights. Finally, Court McGee returns from a two-year layoff to take on Marcio Alexandre Jr. This is a deep card with a lot of fun fights on Saturday night.
Full UFC 194 Fight Card, Betting Odds and Predictions
MAIN CARD (PPV- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT)
UFC Featherweight Championship: (C) Jose Aldo vs. (IC) Conor McGregor Betting Odds: Aldo (-105), McGregor (-115) Prediction: McGregor by knockout in round 3
UFC Middleweight Championship: (C) Chris Weidman vs. (#1) Luke Rockhold Betting Odds: Weidman (-135), Rockhold (+115) Prediction: Rockhold by decision
Middleweights: (#2) Ronaldo Souza vs. (#3) Yoel Romero Betting Odds: Souza (-150), Romero (+130) Prediction: Romero by decision
Welterweights: (#6) Demian Maia vs. (#12) Gunnar Nelson Betting Odds: Maia (-115), Nelson (-105) Prediction: Nelson by decision
Featherweights: (#5) Max Holloway vs. (#8) Jeremy Stephens Betting Odds: Holloway (-550), Stephens (+425) Prediction: Holloway by decision
PRELIMINARY CARD (FS1- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT)
Bantamweights: (#4) Urijah Faber vs. (#13) Frankie Saenz Betting Odds: Faber (-750), Saena (+525) Prediction: Faber by submission in round 2
Women’s Strawweights: (#5) Tecia Torres vs. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger Betting Odds: Torres (-300), Jones-Lybarger (+250) Prediction: Torres by decision
Welterweights: Warlley Alves vs. Colby Covington Betting Odds: Alves (+100), Covington (-120) Prediction: Alves by decision
Lightweights: Leonardo Santos vs. Kevin Lee Betting Odds: Santos (+500), Lee (-700) Prediction: Lee by knockout in round 3
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back today to talk all the news in wrestling and MMA including a preview of a huge weekend ahead for UFC, the future of Daniel Bryan and Sting after their injuries, Smackdown and Tribute to the Troops notes, New Japan results and Tokyo Dome line-up, questions and more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
UFC Fight Night 80 kicks off the biggest fight week in UFC history on Thursday night in Las Vegas. The event is headlined by a five-round women’s strawweight bout between Rose Namajunas and Paige VanZant. Below is our playbook for your daily fantasy line-ups, with our studs, value plays, and fighters to avoid.
STUDS
Sage Northcutt ($11,300)
He is the biggest favorite on the card. He has the highest salary of the 24 fighters competing on the card. He has a ton of hype. He is only 19-years-old. He also happens to be our top play on this fight card. Sage Northcutt is looking for his seventh career win, and seventh win by stoppage. He put up massive points in his UFC debut at UFC 192. He has a soft opponent in Cody Pfister that looks to be a showcase for Northcutt. He is being put in a position to score an impressive win. Pfister has a lot of confidence and is showing a nothing to lose attitude, and that can be dangerous for Northcutt. However, Northcutt is primed to defeat the caliber of fighter that Pfister is. He will eventually have trouble, but, for now, you will want Northcutt in your line-ups.
Elias Theodorou ($10,700)
Elias Theodorou is another undefeated fighter looking to score an impressive win at UFC Fight Night 80. He has the fifth-highest salary, so using him will allow you to spend more on some good value. Theodorou has averaged 87.8 fantasy points in his UFC bouts, the second-highest of the 22 fighters who have had UFC bouts scored for fantasy. He has a tough opponent in Thiago Santos, but one that is primed for a win for Theodorou. Santos has been finished twice in his career and eats a lot of punches. Theodorou is going to be a very solid play in your line-ups.
VALUE PLAYS
Rose Namajunas ($9,200)
Rose Namajunas is interesting on this card. She is an underdog and has a reasonable salary. The discrepancy in salaries between her and Paige VanZant is very interesting, and it makes Namajunas a solid value play allowing you to spend up in your line-ups. She has slick submissions and a very solid striking game, but she won’t be able to match the pressure and takedowns of VanZant. Her best bet is to catch VanZant on a takedown for a submission. It can happen, and honestly, the longer the fight goes, the more it may favor Namajunas. She is definitely worth a look at her salary.
John Howard ($8,500)
John Howard is also interesting on this card. He has a very low salary, especially for someone who has the power in his hands to end a fight at any moment. A lot of it has to do with having lost three straight fights prior to winning his last bout, and his opponent, Tim Means, being 6-2 in his last eight fights. Means is lanky and has good striking, but he can be rocked and finished. Howard has 15 stoppage wins, and when looking for some value, he is a fighter to really look at for your line-ups.
AVOID
Santiago Ponzinibbio ($10,500)
Santiago Ponzinibbio is 20-3 in his MMA career and has scored eleven wins by knockout and six wins by submission. He has a decently high salary for UFC Fight Night 80, and most metrics point to him being someone you should use on your roster. However, I am avoiding him as I don’t think he has been overly impressive in his UFC career. He is just 2-2 inside the Octagon, and he was dominated and finished in his last bout by Lorenz Larkin. His opponent, Andreas Stahl, is 9-1 in his career, but is coming off a very long layoff. Stahl has yet to be finished, and both men haven’t shown the fire in the UFC. I’m avoiding both, but especially Ponzinibbio at his price.
Phillipe Nover ($9,000)
Phillipe Nover is in his second stint with the UFC, and he is coming off of his first UFC win in May in a split decision. He has won four straight fights, but he hasn’t been overly impressive in doing so. He goes to a decision whether he wins or loses more often than not, and he has a tough opponent in Zubaira Tukhugov. Tukhugov hasn’t fought in over 14 months, but he would actually be worth adding to your roster with his potential starting to show. Tough match-up, being one he is likely to be on the losing end of, means I’m keeping Nover away from my line-up.
OUR LINE-UPS
RYAN FREDERICK: Sage Northcutt ($11,300), Aljamain Sterling ($11,000), Paige VanZant ($10,200), Andreas Stahl ($8,900), John Howard ($8,500)
I like Sage Northcutt the most to score a decisive first-round finish and maximize the most points on the card. He is a special fighter right now, and the match-up is perfect. Aljamain Sterling is also as close to a slam dunk win as there will be on the card, but he does have a tough fight against Johnny Eduardo. I think he gets a finish. While I have Rose Namajunas as a value play, I still see Paige VanZant scoring a lot of takedowns and significant strikes en route to a finish. Andreas Stahl and John Howard are sneaky plays at their prices with solid chances of scoring upsets, and they allowed me to spend big on the other three, hoping to score big.
PAUL FONTAINE: Sage Northcutt ($11,300), Aljamain Sterling ($11,000), Paige VanZant ($10,200), Kevin Casey ($8,800), Thiago Santos ($8,700)
It’s the Paige and Sage show so no way I’m having a team without the two darlings of MMA. Seriously though Paige probably lands more strikes than anyone in any division and this could be a five round fight. She also should have a size advantage so as long her cardio doesn’t become a problem, she could pepper Rose with punches for 25 minutes, perhaps scoring a late finish. Sage is a bulldozer and nothing about what I’ve seen thus far from Cody Pfister makes me think it will stop here. Should be a quick finish for Zack Morris 2.0. I’m taking chances with Santos and Casey but I like the chances. Santos has devastating KO power and will likely either get a quick win or be finished quickly, which could blow up in my face. I don’t think that Theodorou has the power to stand with him so all he needs is one good shot and to avoid the takedown or cage clinch. Casey hasn’t lost since his UFC debut (although he did have a result overturned). Carlos Junior is kind of a sloppy fighter and will likely either lose a decision or get knocked out. My final pick is an unbeaten fighter who I can’t believe is buried in the prelims in Aljamain Sterling. 3-0 in the UFC and 11-0 overall, he’s a virtual lock in my opinion and should score his 3rd straight finish here.
PEACH MACHINE: Aljamain Sterling ($11,000), Tim Means ($10,900), Jim Miller ($9,700), Rose Namajunas ($9,200), Phillipe Nover ($9,000)
I like Rose. I think Paige is going to crack under the pressure and Rose is more experienced. Miller is a bulldog and I’ve never been impressed with Chiesa. I expect Miller to get inside and make it a war, and Chiesa has experience being finished. Means did not look good in his last time out, but I expect him to rebound and use his reach to destroy the over matched Howard. Aljamain Sterling is primed for a big win and hopefully this fight gets on the PPV portion of the show. Nover is a grinder and while I personally don’t like him, I think he’ll win since he looked pretty good in UFC re-debut.
As you can tell, we all like Aljamain Sterling, and Sage Northcutt and Paige VanZant get a good amount of play. Good luck to all playing!
