Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back tonight with special guest Filthy Tom Lawlor to talk all of the matches from UFC 195 top-to-bottom, the amazing main event, RIZIN results and commentary, Tokyo Dome and TNA previews, Raw Monday and tons more! A fun show as always so check it out~!
Dana White said he believed Carlos Condit won the fight 3 rounds to 2. Media scores had 15 for Condit, three for Lawler and two had it a draw.
Every judge agreed that Lawler won rounds two and five and Condit won one and four. It came down to the third round, where Tony Weeks gave it to Condit, while Chris Lee and Derek Cleary gave it to Lawler.
The big surprise post-match is that Condit talked of retiring.
“It’s not an emotional thing,” said Condit, who didn’t appear mad at all about losing the decision, even though he said he felt he won rounds one, three and five. “I’m not really dejected. I have to evaluate, but there’s a possibility this fight will be the last one. I’ve been doing this a long time, over 40 professional MMA fights. I came up short tonight. I don’t know. Tonight was kind of a do-or-die moment for my career. I was all in. If I got the strap, I was going to keep on fighting. If I didn’t, I’d have to see if I can continue to do this.”
White pushed pretty strongly that he agreed Stipe Miocic deserved the next heavyweight title shot, but was noncommittal about whether Condit would get a rematch.
We will have more on this story, UFC 195, the Tokyo Dome and more weekend news on the new Wrestling Observer Radio.
Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of UFC 195: Lawler vs. Condit from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the first event for the UFC in 2016 and airs on pay-per-view as UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler makes his second title defense against former Interim UFC Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit in the main event. The co-main event is a heavyweight bout that could secure the winner a title shot as Stipe Miocic takes on former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski. Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 6:30 PM eastern time with the preliminary action all the way thru the main card.
We are looking for your thoughts on the event, so send a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best fight and worst fight to Dave Meltzer.
UFC 195 Weigh-In Results
UFC 195 5 Storylines To Watch
UFC 195 DFS Playbook
UFC 195 Observer Picks & Preview
Coverage provided by Dave Meltzer
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT)
WELTERWEIGHTS- SHELDON WESTCOTT (8-3-1, 0-2 UFC) VS. EDGAR GARCIA (14-4, 0-3 UFC)
First round: Wescott with a bodylock takedown Wescott throwing lefts. He’s got the back and working for a choke. Wescott landing all kinds of punchex from back position. Wescott landing a ton of punches. I’m surpised it wasn’t stopped. This is too many punches. It was stopped way too late. Not as bad as the Sakuraba fight, but it was feeling like the same kind of nightmare.
BANTAMWEIGHTS- JOE SOTO (15-4, 0-2 UFC) VS. MICHINORI TANAKA (10-1, 1-1 UFC)
First round: Holy crap does Mario Yamasaki look like he hasn’t slept in a month. Soto using low kicks. Soto tried a takedown, Tanaka blocked and landed punches. Tanaka landed a right. Soto with another low kick. Hard low kick by Tanaka. Nice left by Soto. Low kick by Tanaka and Tanaka took him down. Soto working for a googplata. Elbows by Soto. Tanaka out of trouble. Tanaka escaped and had a huge smile on his face. Soto 10-9, but close.
Second round: Head kick by Tanaka. Tanaka missing punches. Tanaka staring to land now. Knee by Tanaka but Soto back with a punch. Soto with a hard low kick. Body kick by Soto. Tanaka’s left leg is all red from the low kicks. Knee by Tanaka and a judo hip toss took Soto down. Soto working for a guillotine now. Tanaka cleared it and on top. Tanaka landing some elbows. Nice groundwork by Tanaka. Tanaka with some punches and elbows. Tanaka with more punches. Tanaka’s round so 19-19.
Third round: Tanaka landing some punches. Knee by Tanaka. Left by Soto. Left by Tanaka. Tanaka landing more punches and Soto back with a left. Tanaka with a takedown attempt but Soto back up. Left by Soto. Left by Tanaka as Soto taunted him. Tanaka with a takedown. Soto again working for a guillotine. Soto has a body triangle as well. Tanaka escaped and on top. Soto back up. Soto with a left and right. Crowd really into this. Uppercut by Soto. Trading punches but Soto landing more solidly. Nice left by Soto. Tanaka bleeding from the nose and mouth. Takedown by Soto and he got mount and his back and is working for a choke as time ran out. The crowd really liked the fight, 29-28 Soto.
Scores: Tony Weeks 29-28 Tanaka Adelaide Byrd 29-28 Soto, Chris Lee 29-28 Tanaka. Bad call. Not terrible call but bad call.
LIGHTWEIGHTS- (#12) DUSTIN POIRIER (18-4, 9-3 UFC) VS. JOSEPH DUFFY (14-1, 2-0 UFC)
First round: Poirier landing good shots from a clinch. Duffy with punches. Leg kick by Duffy. Body kick by Poirier. Right by Duffy. Big right by Duffy hurt Poirier to the body. Poirier looks out of trouble. Duffy with a body shot. Two right uppercuts by Duffy. Another right by Duffy. Poirier landing shots from the clihch. Both swinging. This is geat. Takedown by Poirier. Duffy bleeding from the nose. Duffy bleeding from the nose Poirier with a shot. Punch and knee by Poirier as Duffy got up. Hard elbow by Duffy. Both landed good rights. Close round, Poirier 10-9.
Second round: Poirier with a takedown. Poirier bleeding badly from the nose. Blood is pouring out of Poirier’s nose all over Duffy, who is on the bottom. The nose looks broken. Poirier just bleeding all over him. Poirier with an elbow from the top. Nice elbows from the top by Poirier. More hard elbows by Poirier. Lots of elbows by Poirier. Hard elbows by Poirier. Now Duffy bleeding badly from the elbows. He’s got a ton of different cuts. Big rights from the top by Poirier 10-8 round I’ve got so 20-17 Poirier
Third round: Poirier with a low kick. Good body shot by Duffy. Poirier took him down again. Duffy tried to roll out. Duffy went for a heel hook. Poirier escaped and back on top. The ref ordered a standup. There was no reason and fans booed that call. Duffy now landing punches. Left and right to the body. Poirier with a punch and takedown. Poirier with an elbow. Duffy with a triangle right as the fight ended. Really good fight. 30-26 Poirier.
Scores: 30-26, 30-27 and 30-27 for Poirier.
Poirier said he’s coming after the strap. Poirier said I don’t get triangled, I’ve got double jointed shoulders and I don’t get tired.
PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX SPORTS 1- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT)
LIGHTWEIGHTS- SCOTT HOLTZMAN (8-0, 1-0 UFC) VS. DREW DOBER (15-7 1 NC, 1-3 1 NC UFC)
First round: Dober with a left. Body kick by Holtzman. Holtzman tied him up in a clinch. Holtzman has him against the cage. Holtzman trying for a takedown but Dober blocking the attempts. Dober with a takedown. Dober with another takedown. Dober 10-9.
Second round: Elbow by Dober hurt him. Dober shot in for a takedown but Holtzman blocked it this time. Dober with elbows standing. Holtzman with a shin to the face. Takedown by Holtzman. Another takedown by Holtzman. Holtzman with ground and pound. Holtzman with good punches from the top. Holtzman with more punches and elbows from the top. Holtzman’s round for sure so 19-19.
Third round: Dober with a nice left. Dober looking for a takedown and got him down after a struggle. Spinning backfist by Holtzman. Dober took him down again. Holtzman all bloody from an elbow and Herb Dean stopped the fight for the doctor to check on him. Head kick by Hotlzman and Dober back with a punch. Right by Dober. Another right and left by Dobrer. Dober working for a takedown and got it. Hotltzman back up. Another takedown by Dober. He’s got his back. Dober 29-28.
Scores: All three have it 29-28 for Dober. All three rounds were clear.
WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHTS- JUSTINE KISH (4-0, 0-0 UFC) VS. NINA ANSAROFF (6-4, 0-1 UFC)
First round: Ansaroff got poked in the right eye. Kish’s left thumbs went right in the eye. Ansaroff landing punches and kicks. Kish blocked a takedown. Both trading. Kish with elbows. Kish now landing punches. Kish with a knee to the body. Body kick by Ansaroff. Ansaroff with punches. They traded knees to the body. Takedown by Kish. Body kick by Ansaroff and Kish with punches. Ansaroff with some punches. Very close round. 10-9 Ansaroff.
Second round: Kick by Kish. Low kicks by Kish. Both landing hard shots. Ansaroff hurt him with a left hook and a kick. Left jab by Ansaroff. Right by Ansaroff. Kish used a headlock takedown. Kish’s round 19-19, but this round was close as well as Ansaroff was getting the better of the standup before the takedown.
Third round: Ansaroff with a takedown. Kish thought armbar but Ansaroff cleared it. Nice escape by Kish. Kish with punches. Kish with the takedown. Kish with punches from the top. Kish moved to the mount. Now she’s got her back. Ansaroff reversed to the top. Ansaroff’s comeback at the end made it close. I’ve got Kish 29-28 and she should win, but we’ll see.
Scores: 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27 Kish. You could go 30-27 as the first round was close.
WELTERWEIGHTS- KYLE NOKE (22-7-1, 6-3 UFC) VS. ALEX MORONO (11-3, 0-0 UFC)
First round: Morono was taking this fight on 11 days notice. Noke with a kick. Noke with a right. Nice spin kick by Morono. Noke landed a left as Morono was off balance. Big right by Noke. Side kicks by Noke. Morono landed a good right moving in. Noke 10-9.
Second round: Spin kick by Morono. Morono with a Superman punch. Noke missed a kick and Morono landed punches. Morono landing punches. Noke jumped on his back. Morono shook him off. Morono going for a heel hook. Noke out of it and on top. Noke with a knee to the body and punches. Noke 20-18.
Third round: Noke told his corner his nose was broken. Noke kicked the body. Both throwing punches. Morono with a hard right. Trading punches. Noke landing punches. Spinning elbow by Noke. Takedown by Noke. Morono working for an armrbar. Noke escaped. Morono so 29-28 Noke I’ve got. Morono winning would be possible.
Scores: Sal D’Amato has it 29-28 Morono, Patricia Morse Jarman has it 30-27 Noke, Chris Lee has it 29-28 Morono. Morono was shocked he won. Crowd doesn’t like it.
BANTAMWEIGHTS- (#8) MICHAEL MCDONALD (16-3, 5-2 UFC) VS. MASANORI KANEHARA (25-12-5, 1-1 UFC)
First round: McDonald with a big right. Kanehara shot for a takedown and got it. McDonald working for a guillotine with a body triangle. Kanehara out of trouble. Kanehara moved to mount. Kanehara 10-9.
Second round: Left and right by McDonald. Kanehara took him down off a kick. Kanehara moved to side control. Kanehara with knees to the body. Kanehara with a head and arm choke. McDonald escaped and got his back and is working for a choke. Kanehara tapped. Wow. McDonald was losing the entire fight, escaped a submission and then got the win.
MAIN CARD (PPV- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT)
LIGHTWEIGHTS- ABEL TRUJILLO (12-7 1 NC, 3-3 1 NC UFC) VS. TONY SIMS (12-3, 1-1 UFC)
First round: Both threw. Sims landed a right. Sims with a left and right. Sims took him down but Trujillo has a guillotine and tapped him out.
FEATHERWEIGHTS- DIEGO BRANDAO (20-10, 6-3 UFC) VS. BRIAN ORTEGA (9-0 1 NC, 1-0 1 NC UFC)
First round: Brandao swinging wildly. High slam and Ortega tried an uma plata, but Brandao is out of trouble. Brandao with a hard low kick. Hard right by Brandao. Takedown by Brandao. Brandao with punches. Right by Brandao. Both landing punches but Brandao’s shots are crisper. Body kick by Ortega. Brandao 10-9.
Second round: Brandao with a left. Body kick by Brandao. Ortega with a right. Big right by Brandao. Right by Brandao. Ortega with punches. Body kick by Ortega. Brandao took this round as well so up 20-18. Ortega looks to need a finish.
Third round: Both out swinging. Ortega went for a takedown but Brando ended up on top. Brandao let him up and took him back down. Ortega working for a choke. Brandao escaped. Ortega went for a triangle for the submission. It was an Anaconda choke and moved to a mount, went for a guillotine, let it go and did a great triangle set up for the submission. That finish was bonus worthy.
WELTERWEIGHTS- LORENZ LARKIN (16-4 1 NC, 3-4 UFC) VS. ALBERT TUMENOV (16-2, 4-1 UFC)
First round: Nothing happening early. Larkin caught the kick. Low kick by Larkin. Another low kick by Larkin. Tumenov moving in with a big flurry. Right and left by Tumenov. Low kick by Larkin. Hard kick by Tumenov. Front kick by Larkin. Big right by Tumenov. Low kick by Larkin. Another low kick by Larkin. Low kick by Larkin. Larkin 10-9. Close round.
Second round: Larkin with a body kick. Larkin with a low kick. Larkin throwing low kicks. Right by Larkin. Tumenov in with punches. Tumenov landing to the body hard. Larkin with a low kick and Tumenov switched his stance. Tumenov landing lefts to the body. Larkin with a right. Both missing big punches. Tumenov landed a head kick. Big left by Tumenov. Left and right by Tumonev. Tumenov’s left leg is hurt. Tumenov’s round 19-19.
Third round: Tumenov with punches. Larkin with spinning low kicks. More low kicks by Larkin. Spin kick to the thigh by Larkin. Right by Tumenov. Larkin destroyed Tumenov’s left leg. Tumenov with a right. Larkin shot in for a takedown attempt. Tumenov blocking. Right by Larkin as Tumeonv went for the takedown. Larkin 29-28. Another close one.
Scores: Juichiro Kamijo 29-28 Tumenov, Adelaide Byrd 29-28 Larkin, Derek Cleary 29-28 Tumenov.
HEAVYWEIGHTS- (#3) STIPE MIOCIC (13-2, 7-2 UFC) VS. (#2) ANDRE
First round: Arlovski kicking the knee. Miocic hurt him with two punches and finished him with punches on the ground. Right to the left ear, a right to the jaw and a left and Arvloski was down and a few punches on the ground and it was over. :54
Miocic is demanding a title shot and with this one, he deserves it.
UFC WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP- (C) ROBBIE LAWLER (26-10 1 NC, 11-4 UFC) VS. (#4) CARLOS CONDIT (30-8, 7-4 UFC)
First round: Condit with a body kick. Low kick by Condit. Lawler landing good punches. Condit landed a left and a push and Lawler went down. Body kick by Condit and a knee. Condit is hurting him. Body kick by Condit. Another body kick by Condit. Lawler with a right. Knee by Condit. Body kick by Condit. High kick by Condit. Condit with a left and kick. Low kick by Condit. Low kick again by Condit. Body kick and left hook by Condit. Condit 10-9
Second round: Slower second round. Condit with some low kicks. Lawler landed a punch but Condit back with punches Body kick by Condit. Lawler blasted him with a left and Condit went down and he’s inn trouble. Condit tied him up. Lawler wanted him to get up. Made sense for him to do so. Left by Lawler. Head kick by Condit. Lawler with a hard left. Lawler missing big punches. Big left by Lawler. Lawler’s round 19-19.
Third round: Condit with low kicks. Body kick by Condit. Both swinging and Lawler getting the better of it. Knee by Condit and hard punch, Both swinging like crazy. Body kick by Condit. Lawler with a hard elbow. Condit missing a flurry. Head kick by Condit but didn’t land hard. Condit with a knee to the body. Body kick by Condit. Low kick by Lawler. Condit 29-28.
Fourth round: Lawler threw a left. Body kick by Condit. Body kick by Condit. Lawler slipped. Lawler landed a left. Both throwing big punches. Lawler threw a kick and Condit with a low kick and Lawler went down. Head kick by Condit. Condit with a right. Jumping knee by Condit short. Front kick by Condit and hard body kick by Condit. Low kick by Condit. Punches and low kick by Condit. Condit hurt him and Condit trying to finish him. Spinning backfist, knee and a flurry of punches by Condit. Condit landing more punches and a knee. Lawler with a big left. Condit 39-37.
Firth round: Lawler rushed in but Condit landed a few punches. Lawler throwing hard punches but Condit out of the way and came back. Front kick by Condit. Lawler landed big punches. Condit in with punches and elbows. Condit landed several punches and a body kick. Condit landing more punches. Condit landing a lot of punches now. Front kick by Condit. Lawler with a left and right. Body kick by Lawler. Condit back with punches. Condit landing a ton of punches. Head kick by Condit more punches. Lawler with a big right. Big left by Lawler. Condit back. Lawler big left rand big right by Lawler. Knee by Lawler. Big left by Lawler. Head kick by Lawler. Condit with a right. Condit back with punches. One of the best rounds of all-time. Condit back with punches and Lawler with punches. Condit with a right and a left. Both throwing as time ran out. Lawler’s round. This was a match of the year and then some. Lawler’s round I’ve got 48-47 for Condit.
Scores: Tony Weeks has it 48-47 Condit, Chris Lee has it 48-47 Lawler, Derek Cleary has it 48-47 Lawler.
They need a rematch.
I just rewatched round three. This could have gone either way. You could go with Lawler in the third, he landed the best shots even though Condit landed far more. I can’t call it a bad decision although I’d go for Condit. A rematch is the way to go.
After a great year in terms of both business and fight action, UFC rings in the New Year with UFC 195. While this show won’t break any business records, it’s quite likely that we’ll get an early contender for Fight of the Year in the main event as welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler defends his belt against Carlos Condit. We’ve also got a de facto #1 contender bout at heavyweight as Andrei Arlovski tries to turn back the hands of time and get another shot at a UFC title in the latter part of his career. But he’ll have to get past the ultra-tough Stipe Miocic, coming off a brutal 5-round destruction of Mark Hunt.
There are some changes to our panel this year and also in terms of the fights we’ll be picking. With UFC putting more emphasis on their Fight Pass streaming service, the biggest fights aren’t always going to be on the main card. In this case, we’ll be looking at three fights from the main card, one from the Fox Sports One prelims and one from the Fight Pass portion.
Here’s the panel this year. With 2015 Champion Jack Encarnacion retiring after a great 2015, Stevie J is the man to beat from this group:
*****
> UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler (26-10-0-1) vs. Carlos Condit (30-8)
Lawler won the title after battling former champion Johnny Hendricks in two straight five round wars that most had as a dead heat. He defended the belt against Rory McDonald at UFC 189 in the co-main event underneath Conor McGregor-Chad Mendes in what most consider the fight of the year. Condit is the former WEC welterweight champion and UFC interim welterweight champion who will try to reclaim title glory here. He was last seen knocking out Thiago Alves in a two round destruction back in May upon his return.
Lawler(very slight favorite): Stevie J, Nason, Fontaine, Bix, Pollock. Sempervive
Condit: Front Row Brian, RFred, Sawyer, Meltzer
> Stipe Miocic (13-2) vs. Andrei Arlovski (25-10-0-1)
Heavyweights
Miocic destroyed Mark Hunt in his last fight, a fight that was probably stopped about a round and a half late. He’s seemingly been on the verge of a title fight for years now but with a win here is virtually guaranteed to get it. Arlovski returned to UFC in 2014 and has since rung up four straight wins, last beating Frank Mir in a lackluster three round fight last September. It would be a great story if he were to win, but our panel doesn’t give him much of a chance.
Miocic (big favorite): Stevie J, Front Row Brian, RFred, Sawyer, Nason. Bix, Pollock, Sempervive, Meltzer
Arlovski: Fontaine
> Brian Ortega (9-0-1) vs. Diego Brandao (20-10)
Featherweights
Ortega is an unbeaten fighter who competes for the third time in UFC on Saturday night. He was first seen with a dominant submission win that was later overturned due to a drug test failure in 2014. He returned to KO Thiago Tavares after serving his suspension. Brandao is a former TUF winner who has rattled off two straight early KOs since being knocked out by Conor McGregor in the main event of the first UFC Dublin show.
Ortega(favorite): Stevie J, RFred, Sawyer, Nason, Fontaine, Bix, Pollock, Sempervive, Meltzer
Brandao: Front Row Brian
> Michael McDonald (16-3) vs. Masanori Kanehara (25-12-5)
Bantamweights
The big story here is that Michael McDonald returns after over 2 years away. The former title challenger is still just 24-years old and could be a player in that division with an impressive win here. Kanehara is not being given much of a chance by our panel or the oddsmakers. He is coming off a decision loss to non-contender Rani Yahya, so perhaps that opinion is not unwarranted. Who knows if the ring rust will be a factor here for McDonald though?
McDonald (massive favorite): Stevie J, Front Row Brian, RFred, Sawyer, Nason, Fontaine, Bix, Pollock, Sempervive, Meltzer
> Dustin Poirier (18-4) vs. Joe Duffy (14-1)
Lightweights
This will be the Fight Pass “headliner” and in the eyes of many, it’s the third biggest fight on the card. This fight was originally scheduled to headline the Fight Pass show from Dublin a few months back but Duffy had to pull out due to injury so we get the fight here on Saturday night. Poirier has looked absolutely unstoppable since moving to 155, scoring dominant first round KO’s in both of his fights. Prior to losing his last featherweight fight to current champion Conor McGregor, he’d also rung up two straight KO’s at 145. Duffy is, of course, the last man to beat McGregor (early in both men’s careers) and has looked great in UFC, kicking off his career with 2 straight first round stoppage wins. This fight should be quick and violent.
Poirier: Front Row Brian, RFred, Pollock
Duffy (moderate favorite): Stevie J, Sawyer, Nason, Fontaine, Bix, Sempervive, Meltzer
*****
The show kicks off at 6:30 eastern with the UFC Fight Pass portion of the show. At 8 pm eastern, action moves over to FS 1 for the prelims and the PPV kicks off at 10 pm eastern. Dave Meltzer will have live fight coverage here and Ryan Frederick will provide live Twitter updates throughout the show as well.
The UFC kicks off 2016 on Saturday with UFC 195 from Las Vegas. It also marks the second year of UFC action on DraftKings, and they are celebrating with a big contest. Below are our studs, value plays and fighters to avoid in helping you set your line-ups for this weekend’s big event.
STUDS
Michael McDonald ($11,000)
Michael McDonald is the biggest favorite and has the highest salary of all of the fighters on the UFC 195 card, and for good reason. Despite being out of action for just over two years, McDonald is still one of the best bantamweights in the world, with knockout power and good submission skills. He is still young at just 24-years-old. He gets a fairly beatable test in his return to action in Masanori Kanehara. Kanehara hasn’t shown to be much of a threat at 135 pounds yet, and is a journeyman fighter of 42 career bouts, but just two in the UFC. He also doesn’t have the most impressive record. This fight is set up as a perfect bounce back for McDonald, and we expect him to get the job done quickly.
Brian Ortega ($10,300)
Brian Ortega is a rising featherweight with an undefeated record, and he gets showcased on the main card of UFC 195 as the UFC looks to build his resume. It will be another tough bout for him as he takes on former TUF winner Diego Brandao. Ortega passed a tough test in finishing Thiago Tavares in his last fight, but he was pushed to the limit. Brandao will be a foe that pushes him to the limit too. However, Brandao tends to crack under pressure, and Ortega will bring the pressure. Brandao has never put it together against a top opponent, and while Ortega isn’t there yet, he will be one day. I like Ortega’s chances of finishing Brandao, and he’s a good pick at his salary.
VALUE PLAYS
Dustin Poirier ($8,800)
It is surprising that Dustin Poirier is as big of an underdog as he is to Joseph Duffy, and his salary shows that. I actually think the betting line should be closer, but to his credit, Duffy is 14-1 in his career while Poirier is 6-3 in his last nine fights. Poirier has looked outstanding since making the move up to 155 pounds with two first-round finishes, and his striking has looked crisp. Poirier is a finisher and so is Duffy. It is rare for a higher-ranked fighter to be an underdog, and with Duffy being the one to pull out the last time they were scheduled to fight, that could provide Poirier more motivation to finish Duffy. I like Poirier at his salary.
Kyle Noke ($8,500)
This is one everyone should be taking advantage of. When the salaries were originally released for the event, Kyle Noke was scheduled to fight Kelvin Gastelum. He was a big underdog, and his salary reflected that. Gastelum, however, was forced out of the fight. Noke now fights Alex Morono, and DraftKings policy is to not change salaries after they are released, so Noke retains his low salary. With him fighting an opponent making his UFC debut on short notice, Noke is actually a big favorite in the fight. He is coming off a first-round finish of Peter Sobotta in his last bout. With his salary remaining low, Noke should be a must-play on your roster.
AVOID
Sheldon Westcott ($10,200)
Sheldon Westcott is still in search of his first UFC win, and he finds himself in a must-win situation in the opener of UFC 195. His opponent, Edgar Garcia, is in the same position. The loser of the bout is likely cut from the promotion. Westcott hasn’t been impressive during his time inside the Octagon and isn’t a fighter who racks up a lot of points during his bouts. He may get the win over Garcia, but he doesn’t strike me as someone who will maximize value at his salary. I will be avoiding him in my line-ups.
Nina Ansaroff ($8,700)
Nina Ansaroff has an umimpressive 6-4 record in her career, but she has won five of her last six bouts. She did lose her UFC debut to Juliana Lima, and had her last fight cancelled the day of the fight when she fell ill during rehydration. She missed weight for that scheduled fight against Rose Namajunas. She makes her return against Justine Kish, a 4-0 strawweight making her UFC debut after dealing with a knee injury. Kish is a solid fighter and a big favorite, and she should get the win. With that, I’m fading Ansaroff in my line-ups.
OUR LINEUPS:
RYAN FREDERICK: Michael McDonald ($11,000), Stipe Miocic ($10,500), Brian Ortega ($10,300), Dustin Poirier ($8,800), Kyle Noke ($8,500)
I like Michael McDonald to get an impressive and quick finish in his UFC return. Stipe Miocic has a good salary and I think he finishes Andrei Arlovski. He is also a volume striker with good takedowns and will come at Arlovski a lot while the fight lasts. Brian Ortega should get the finish of Diego Brandao. I like Dustin Poirier against Joseph Duffy at his salary. Finally, I’m going with Kyle Noke. His salary is too good to pass up against a late replacement who will come in overmatched. I’m sensing all five of these guys winning, and winning by stoppage.
PAUL FONTAINE: Joseph Duffy ($10,600), Albert Tumenov ($10,100), Abel Trujillo ($10,000), Robbie Lawler ($9,800), Andrei Arlovski ($8,900)
Robbie Lawler and Carlos Condit should have a war with a ton strikes thrown and someone getting KO’d. My money’s on the champion here. Arlovski is a bit of a chance but if he connects, Miocic could get dropped early and Miocic has had a tendency to choke when he gets close to a title shot, as he is now. Tumenov is one of the most underrated fighters in any weight class, although not here by the people that sest the Draft Kings salaries. I like the Russian to ring up his fifth straight UFC win as he marches toward the top 10. Trujillo is either going to get knocked out or knock someone out and I think this is his turn to do the latter. Sims looked good in his UFC debut against Steve Montgomery but not so much in his follow-up fight. I like Trujillo to come out with an early blitz and finish Sims. My last pick may be the fight I’m most looking forward to and that’s Joseph Duffy. I love this fight and I think either guy could win but I think the extra size and power of the Irishman is going to come into play here and end up with a 3rd straight stoppage win for the last man to beat Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor (couldn’t get through this without saying that!).
PEACH MACHINE: Scott Holtzman ($10,400), Albert Tumenov ($10,100), Abel Trujillo ($10,000), Robbie Lawler ($9,800), Dustin Poirier ($8,800)
I love Lawler to light up Condit big time and score mega points en route to a late stoppage. Poirier is gonna waffle this kid. Just because he’s Irish, everyone’s super into Duffy. DP is gonna stick a potato in his ear. Holtzman is a late replacement but he’s been training solidly for a fight since his first tilt in August and actually asked for a match on short notice. I saw him live in August and just saw him train in Glendale. He’s going to be too fast for Dober and get a finish. Tumenov is going to ground and pound Larkin for three rounds. Trujillo will bounce back from a loss and smash Tony Sims. I’m actually feeling pretty good about my picks this week.
Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of the UFC 195: Lawler vs. Condit weigh-ins from the Marquee Ballroom at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The fighters will hit the scale at 7 PM eastern time. The card airs on Saturday with the main card on PPV at 10 PM eastern time. Preliminary card action kicks off at 6:30 PM eastern time on UFC Fight Pass before heading over to FOX Sports 1 at 8 PM eastern time with additional preliminary bouts. This event marks the first fight card for the UFC in 2016.
The event is headlined by a UFC Welterweight Championship bout as current UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler makes his second title defense, this time defending against fourth-ranked welterweight and former Interim UFC Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit. In the co-main event, it will be a potential title eliminator in the UFC’s heavyweight division as third-ranked Stipe Miocic takes on second-ranked former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski, winner of his last six fights. Also on the card, in a highly featured bout on UFC Fight Pass, will be lightweights Dustin Poirier and Joseph Duffy.
MAIN CARD (PPV- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT):
Robbie Lawler (170) vs. Carlos Condit (169) – UFC Welterweight Championship
Stipe Miocic (241.5) vs. Andrei Arlovski (246.5)
Lorenz Larkin (171) vs. Albert Tumenov (171)
Diego Brandao (146) vs. Brian Ortega (145.5)
Abel Trujillo (156) vs. Tony Sims (156)
PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX SPORTS 1- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT):
Michael McDonald (136) vs. Masanori Kanehara (135)
Kyle Noke (170.5) vs. Alex Morono (170)
Justine Kish (116) vs. Nina Ansaroff (116)
Scott Holtzman (155.5) vs. Drew Dober (155.5)
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT):
Dustin Poirier (155.5) vs. Joseph Duffy (155)
Joe Soto (135.5) vs. Michinori Tanaka (135.5)
Sheldon Westcott (170) vs. Edgar Garcia (170)
After a big 2015, the UFC kicks off 2016 with three events in the month of January. As the Octagon made more international appearances over the years, this month is special in the sense that all three events will take place on American soil. Kicking things off on January 2 will be UFC 195 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Following that will be UFC Fight Night 81 on January 17 in Boston, Massachusetts, and UFC On FOX 18 wraps things up for the month on January 30 in Newark, New Jersey. At this point, there are 37 bouts on the fight schedule for the month, so we are going to take a look at ten fights UFC fans should be on the look out for during a fun month of January.
Honorable Mentions:
Michael McDonald vs. Masanori Kanehara- UFC 195
Ben Saunders vs. Patrick Cote- UFC Fight Night 81
Tarec Saffiedine vs. Jake Ellenberger- UFC On FOX 18
10. Sage Northcutt vs. Andrew Holbrook- UFC On FOX 18- January 30
19-year-old rising prospect Sage Northcutt is taking the UFC by storm, garnering a lot of attention and being promoted heavily by the promotion. It may be unjust to some due to his age and inexperience, but there is a lot of marketability to the kid. He will be fighting for the second straight month, and the third time since making his UFC debut in October. This time he will be featured in primetime on the FOX network. He is being slowly built facing opponents near the bottom of the division, but he gets an undefeated opponent in his next fight in Andrew Holbrook. Holbrook is 11-0 and is coming off a win in his UFC debut, a split decision over Ramsey Nijem in July. This will be a test for Northcutt and also will show if coming back seven weeks after his last fight is too quick of a UFC turnaround.
9. Albert Tumenov vs. Lorenz Larkin- UFC 195- January 2
These men throw down with exciting fights and look to finish with every punch and kick they throw, and that is why the fight between Albert Tumenov and Lorenz Larkin is featured prominently on the main card of UFC 195, the first event of the month on Saturday. They are both finishers and both are strong on their feet. They have a chance to provide a lot of excitement and fireworks when they step inside the Octagon across from each other. Tumenov has won four straight fights while Larkin has won his past two since making the move down to welterweight. Unfortunately for them, they may not have the most exciting welterweight bout of the month, but the odds are pretty good they have a good shot at winning “Fight Of The Month”. This should be a barnburner.
8. Travis Browne vs. Matt Mitrione- UFC Fight Night 81- January 17
Travis Browne and Matt Mitrione are both at interesting points in their careers. Browne was thought to be a future title challenger in the heavyweight division, but has always seemed to take a step back when facing a top-five opponent. Mitrione was climbing up the rankings, but made a mental mistake that cost him his last fight against Ben Rothwell. Mitrione now comes into his fight against Browne on January 17 as an impending free agent, and he has been outspoken about a lot of issues in recent months. How will that affect him? Browne has also been in the news a lot, between charges of domestic abuse from his estranged wife and his new relationship with Ronda Rousey. How that all affects him remains to be seen as well. Inside the Octagon, both men throw heavy hands and in a heavyweight bout, a finish seems likely. Both men are at pivotal crossroads in their careers, and both have a lot to prove.
7. Dustin Poirier vs. Joseph Duffy- UFC 195- January 2
Originally scheduled to headline the UFC’s event in Dublin in October, a fight week injury to Joseph Duffy caused cancellation of his bout against Dustin Poirier. They were rebooked to fight at UFC 195 on Saturday, and they will be headlining the UFC Fight Pass preliminary card as the UFC makes a big push for their digital network in 2016. Duffy has gotten a lot of attention being the last man to defeat Conor McGregor, and he has scored two impressive UFC wins in his first two UFC bouts. A fight against Poirier is a big step up for Duffy, who fought Ivan Jorge and Jake Lindsey in his first two UFC bouts. Poirier was close to a title shot at 145 pounds, and he has two straight first-round finishes since moving up to lightweight. Both men are trying to break into the top ten in a crowded 155-pound division, and the winner will rocket up the rankings.
6. Josh Barnett vs. Ben Rothwell- UFC On FOX 18- January 30
Ben Rothwell has been looking for a fight for a long time, and it looks like he finally will get one at the end of January. He was supposed to fight Stipe Miocic in October, but Miocic pulled out due to injury. Rothwell tried to get many fights in the meantime, but nothing was materializing. He became even more upset when Miocic was quickly rebooked against Andrei Arlovski, who Rothwell tried to get booked with. In steps Josh Barnett, who will be looking to capitalize following a dominant win over Roy Nelson in September. It is interesting that Barnett took the fight as he talked about taking time away from the sport, again, following the Nelson win. He looked really good in that win, and Rothwell has looked sharp during his three-fight win streak. The winner will move one step closer towards a title shot.
5. Stipe Miocic vs. Andrei Arlovski- UFC 195- January 2
Speaking of title shots in the heavyweight division, the aforementioned Stipe Miocic and Andrei Arlovski square off in the first co-main event of 2016 with a title shot hanging in the balance. Miocic is coming off a dominant win over Mark Hunt and is 4-1 in his last five fights. Arlovski has enjoyed a career resurgence, winning his last six fights, including four straight since returning to the UFC. He was in one of 2015’s most exciting bouts against Travis Browne, but his last win, over Frank Mir, was a disappointment. It set him up for a title eliminator against Miocic, who looks to make a statement and earn that title shot that has loomed him. With many big heavyweight bouts in January, this one will have the most importance on future title challengers.
4. Anthony Johnson vs. Ryan Bader- UFC On FOX 18- January 30
Light heavyweights will close out the month of January as Anthony Johnson and Ryan Bader will meet in the main event of the FOX event on January 30 in Newark. Johnson is looking to get back into a title fight after a second-round knockout win over Jimi Manuwa at UFC 191 in January. Bader can make a strong argument that he deserves a title shot as he has won five straight fights, something that has been very hard to do in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. He is coming off a convincing win over Johnson’s teammate, Rashad Evans, at UFC 192 in October. Unfortunately for both men, current champion Daniel Cormier is going to be occupied by former champion Jon Jones for a while as Jones makes his return. The winner of this bout is almost guaranteed to be next in line, so this is a pivotal bout for both.
3. Anthony Pettis vs. Eddie Alvarez- UFC Fight Night 81- January 17
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis makes his long-awaited return to the Octagon for the first time since losing the title to Rafael Dos Anjos, and his road back to a title shot begins with a bout against former Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez. Alvarez is looking for his second straight win over a former champion after defeating Gilbert Melendez in June and will be looking to make his case for a title shot. This fight has the potential to be a great clash as we have two top-five lightweights going at it with a potential title shot on the line. Pettis has long been one of the most exciting fighters in the sport and Alvarez is no slouch himself. In a month crowded with potential title eliminator bouts, this one has the best shot at being the best fight of the bunch.
2. Robbie Lawler vs. Carlos Condit- UFC 195- January 2
The first main event of 2016 has excitement written all over it. UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler is coming off his first title defense over Rory MacDonald in 2015’s “Fight Of The Year”. It is the second straight year that Lawler has been involved in the “Fight Of The Year”, and him and former Interim UFC Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit are looking to get a jump start on potentially winning that honor for 2016. It is one of the most interesting and compelling match-ups on the horizon for the UFC as it features two welterweights involved in some of the best fights in 170-pound division history. Both men are strong finishers, and both are equally as tough to finish. This one could be an all-time classic.
1. T.J. Dillashaw vs. Dominick Cruz- UFC Fight Night 81- January 17
The man who never lost the UFC Bantamweight Championship inside the Octagon will finally get his chance to get that championship back in our top fight to watch for the month. Dominick Cruz was forced to relinquish the championship after knee injuries kept him out of action for nearly two years. He returned in September 2014 and quickly finished Takeya Mizugaki, showing he hadn’t lost a step. However, another knee injury forced him out of action for all of 2015, but he finally comes back with a chance to win the belt he never lost. That championship is now held by T.J. Dillashaw, who is coming off his second title defense after a dominant win over the man he beat for the championship, Renan Barao, in July. Dillashaw has been in the news more recently for his ugly split with teammate Urijah Faber, who happens to be a big rival of Cruz. Faber is waiting in the wings for the winner, but Dillashaw and Cruz have their work ahead of them first. Their match-up on January 17 in Boston has the chance to be one of the best fights in the history of the bantamweight division, and the winner will be the rightful champion.
The UFC kicks off 2016 on Saturday night for their traditional New Year’s event from Las Vegas, Nevada with UFC 195, headlined by the UFC Welterweight Championship being defended when Robbie Lawler defends against Carlos Condit. The action kicks off with preliminary card bouts on UFC Fight Pass before moving over to FOX Sports 1 for more preliminary card fights leading into the main card on pay-per-view. The action will kick off on Saturday at 6:30 PM eastern time, and we will have coverage for you here on F4WOnline.com. Also on the card is a pivotal bout in the heavyweight division as Stipe Miocic takes on Andrei Arlovski. Let’s take a deeper look into the night’s card and present you five storylines to keep your eye on during UFC 195 on Saturday night.
1. Welterweight gold on the line in the main event
The first UFC event of 2016 is headlined by a title fight that could be an early contender for “Fight Of The Year” as the UFC Welterweight Championship is on the line. Robbie Lawler comes off his first title defense in 2015’s “Fight Of The Year” against Rory MacDonald and gets another big challenge in the form of Carlos Condit, a former Interim UFC Welterweight Champion. This fight is a much anticipated one for hardcore fans as Lawler and Condit are two of the most exciting 170-pound fighters on the planet, which is a big reason why the fight was put together. Condit is just 2-3 in his last five fights and missed 14 months of action due to a serious knee injury, but it looked like he hadn’t missed a step with a dominant win over Thiago Alves in May. It helped him leapfrog fellow contenders such as Tyron Woodley and Johny Hendricks, but the styles clash between Lawler and Condit is just too interesting to pass up. That could breed a war for the ages for the first main event of 2016.
Lawler is coming off of that war with MacDonald in July and has been in quite a few wars over the last few years. His comeback story is one for the ages- written off coming back from Strikeforce, he has gone 7-1 since then to become champion and has been involved in the last two “Fight Of The Year” winners. He has had a lot of mileage put on him since the beginning of 2014, and it will be interesting to see if that has caught up to him. Condit will come in with a masterful gameplan with coaching from Greg Jackson. Both men, at times, start slow, but both have the conditioning to go a full 25 minutes. Condit may be more technical on the feet, but Lawler has more power in his hands. Both men can end a fight at any moment with their striking, and both men are equally as tough to finish. Condit has a better ground game.
Needless to say, this has the makings of a war. On a card not big on star power, especially after the bonanza of fight cards in December, this is a fight fan’s dream battle in a month of more solid UFC action. It should be a battle for the ages, and the man who walks out of the Octagon with the gold around his waist at the end of Saturday night will have gone through hell to get it, but will be a deserving champion.
2. A heavyweight title shot hangs in the balance
The co-main event bout is a battle in the heavyweight division that could determine the next man in line to challenge for the UFC Heavyweight Championship. Current champion Fabricio Werdum defends against former champion Cain Velasquez at UFC 196 next month, but first, Stipe Miocic and Andrei Arlovski will step inside the Octagon and do battle. Miocic is coming off of one of the most dominant performances in UFC heavyweight history in his fifth-round TKO win over Mark Hunt in May. He set the record for most strikes landed in a UFC bout, landing 361 total strikes over the course of nearly 23 minutes. Miocic has won four of his last five fights, with the lone loss being a close bout against Junior Dos Santos that was an all-out war. Miocic is ranked third in the division rankings, and a win has him primed to finally score that title shot.
A title shot is something that many wouldn’t have expected Arlovski to ever receive again. But, here he is, on the verge of earning one following wins in six straight fights, including four straight since returning to the UFC. He may have earned one had his win over Frank Mir at UFC 191 in September been more impressive, but that performance set him back just a bit and put him in a title eliminator position. Arlovski has held UFC gold before, and his comeback story is proof you can never count a fighter out in this sport. Training under Greg Jackson has done wonders for him, and Jackson could be leading him towards gold. He has a tough opponent ahead of him in Miocic, and both men are heavy-handed strikers. Arlovski’s chin has held up after taking several beatings years ago, but Miocic lands with a lot of power and volume. This is going to be one tough test for both men, and the winner deserves a title shot.
3. Young, exciting fighters highlight the main card
Two potential barnburners highlight the main card on pay-per-view featuring some exciting prospects. In a welterweight bout, dynamic strikers Albert Tumenov and Lorenz Larkin will square off. Tumenov has won four straight bouts, and he looks like a big threat at 170 pounds after a dominant first-round knockout win over Alan Jouban at UFC 192 in October. Ten of Tumenov’s last eleven wins have come by knockout, and he boasts serious power. Larkin also boasts serious power, and his striking is more flashy and comes from every angle. He has won two straight since moving to welterweight, both by knockout, and both earning him post-fight bonus awards. The move down is what Larkin needed after three straight losses, and he seems comfortable at 170 pounds. This fight is one that could send the winner into the top 15 rankings at 170 pounds.
In a featherweight bout, former TUF winner Diego Brandao will be looking for his third straight win as he looks to end the perfect record held by fast-rising prospect Brian Ortega. Ortega is undefeated in ten career bouts, though he has a blemish on his mark with a win overturned due to a drug test failure. He is coming off a third-round knockout win over Thiago Tavares in June in one of the best fights of 2015, and at 24-years-old, he has a bright future ahead of him. He hasn’t had an easy road in recent UFC bouts with his second straight tough veteran fighter, and Brandao is out to prove he is no stepping stone. He has two straight first-round wins, but he has seemed to always falter when he has the spotlight on him. He does again with a main card bout, and Ortega will be out to prove that he is ready to be solidified as a title contender.
4. A big lightweight bout on Fight Pass
2016 looks like there will be a lot of emphasis on UFC Fight Pass with some big fights already planned for the digital network. It won’t just be main events for exclusive events, but also big preliminary bouts being positioned on the network. That starts on Saturday with a lightweight title between Dustin Poirier and Joseph Duffy taking place on UFC Fight Pass. They were originally scheduled to headline the event in Dublin in October that aired on Fight Pass, but the fight was cancelled the week of the event as doctors wouldn’t allow Duffy to fight after he had suffered a concussion one week prior to the event. Several fighters campaigned to fight Poirier on short notice, but he was pulled from the October event so the fight with Duffy could be rescheduled. They get their chance to throw down on Saturday night.
Poirier and Duffy are both exciting fighters with a lot of potential. Poirier has adjusted well in moving up to the lightweight division as he doesn’t have the drastic weight cut, and his power has seemingly gotten better with the move up. Duffy has proven capable of finishing opponents in his two UFC bouts, but this is a giant step up in competition. Known as the last man to defeat Conor McGregor, Duffy is looking to carve himself a name as a threat at 155 pounds. He is a big favorite over Poirier, and that is very surprising considering Poirier has fought much tougher competition in his career. Poirier is another fighter who has faltered in the spotlight, and he has to prove that is in the past from competing at 145 pounds. These men can make a statement about the card very early on in the evening, and fans tuning in on Fight Pass not just for UFC 195, but for future events, are in store for a treat.
5. Mayday back in the bantamweight fold
After being out of action for just over two years, former bantamweight title challenger Michael McDonald will be making his return to action in the featured preliminary bout on Saturday night. McDonald has been nursing hand injuries throughout his entire career, and hand and wrist surgeries cost him the last two years. He was last seen in December 2013 being submitted by Urijah Faber, one of only two losses in the UFC, the other coming to Renan Barao in a title fight in February 2013. McDonald is still just shy of his 25th birthday, and with him returning along with Dominick Cruz, the bantamweight division is getting a much needed input of exciting fighters.
McDonald will be taking on Masanori Kanehara, who is 1-1 in UFC competition. Kanehara is coming off a tough split decision loss to Rani Yahya in July. This is a perfect bounce back fight for McDonald, who is an exciting knockout artist with good well-rounded skills. The long layoff has cost McDonald in the rankings as he has dropped to eighth following the rise of such prospects as Thomas Almeida and Aljamain Sterling. Even though he has already fought once for the title, McDonald is still very young and his name should be propped in with those two as young fighters to keep an eye on in the future. With his injury issues hopefully behind him, he is primed to make a run and remind fans why he is a much hyped fighter at 135 pounds.
Full UFC 195 Fight Card, Betting Odds and Predictions
MAIN CARD (PPV- 10 PM ET/7 PM PT)
UFC Welterweight Championship: (C) Robbie Lawler vs. (#4) Carlos Condit
Betting Odds: Lawler (-110), Condit (-110)
Prediction: Condit by decision
Heavyweights: (#3) Stipe Miocic vs. (#2) Andrei Arlovski
Betting Odds: Miocic (-230), Arlovski (+190)
Prediction: Miocic by knockout in round 2
Welterweights: Albert Tumenov vs. Lorenz Larkin
Betting Odds: Tumenov (-240), Larkin (+200)
Prediction: Tumenov by decision
Featherweights: Diego Brandao vs. Brian Ortega
Betting Odds: Brandao (+190), Ortega (-230)
Prediction: Ortega by knockout in round 1
Lightweights: Abel Trujillo vs. Tony Sims
Betting Odds: Trujillo (+105), Sims (-125)
Prediction: Trujillo by knockout in round 3
PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX SPORTS 1- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT)
Bantamweights: (#8) Michael McDonald vs. Masanori Kanehara
Betting Odds: McDonald (-550), Kanehara (+425)
Prediction: McDonald by submission in round 1
Welterweights: Kyle Noke vs. Alex Morono
Betting Odds: Noke (-300), Morono (+250)
Prediction: Noke by knockout in round 1
Women’s Strawweights: Justine Kish vs. Nina Ansaroff
Betting Odds: Kish (-265), Ansaroff (+225)
Prediction: Kish by decision
Lightweights: Drew Dober vs. Scott Holtzman
Betting Odds: Dober (+140), Holtzman (-160)
Prediction: Holtzman by submission in round 2
PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 6:30 PM ET/3:30 PM PT)
Lightweights: (#12) Dustin Poirier vs. Joseph Duffy
Betting Odds: Poirier (+165), Duffy (-190)
Prediction: Poirier by knockout in round 2
Bantamweights: Joe Soto vs. Michinori Tanaka
Betting Odds: Soto (-110), Tanaka (-110)
Prediction: Soto by decision
Welterweights: Sheldon Westcott vs. Edgar Garcia
Betting Odds: Westcott (-160), Garcia (+140)
Prediction: Westcott by decision
A heavyweight bout with title shot ramifications has been added to UFC 195. Contenders and top-five ranked fighters Stipe Miocic (13-2, 7-2 UFC) and Andrei Arlovski (25-10 1 NC, 14-4 UFC) will meet in the co-main event of the January 2 event from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC confirmed the news on Wednesday following an initial report by the Los Angeles Times.
Miocic was scheduled to fight on this Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 76 event from Dublin, Ireland, against Ben Rothwell, but was forced out of the bout due to injury. Miocic said he wouldn’t be out of action for long, and was quickly booked for a different fight against Arlovski. Rothwell campaigned for the fight with Arlovski, but ultimately didn’t get it, and he is rumored to be on stand-by in the event Junior Dos Santos or Alistair Overeem are forced out of their scheduled bout on December 19.
Miocic is coming off a dominant fifth-round TKO win over Mark Hunt at UFC Fight Night 65 in May. He is 4-1 in his last five fights, with the lone loss coming to Junior Dos Santos in a close fight that won “Fight Of The Night” honors at UFC On FOX 13 in December.
Arlovski will go into the bout riding a six-fight win streak, one that was thought to have secured him the next potential title shot. However, after his lackluster win over Frank Mir at UFC 191 in September, he will be looking to solidify his title shot opportunity with a win over Miocic. Arlovski is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion who found himself out of the promotion for years, but he has won four straight fights since returning to the company in 2014.
UFC 195 will air on pay-per-view and be headlined by UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler making his second title defense, this time against former Interim UFC Welterweight Champion Carlos Condit.