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  • UFC On FOX 18 Newark live results: Anthony Johnson vs. Ryan Bader

    Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of UFC On FOX 18: Johnson vs. Bader from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The event is headlined by a title elminator bout in the UFC’s light heavyweight division as former title challenger Anthony Johnson takes on Ryan Bader, winner of five straight fights. In the co-main event, it will be former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett taking on Ben Rothwell. Also on the main card is the FOX network debut of rising lightweight star Sage Northcutt. Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 3:30 PM eastern time with preliminary action all the way thru the main card.

    We are looking for your thoughts on tonight’s show, so send whether you think the show was a thumbs up, a thumbs down, or a thumb in the middle as well as a best fight and a worst fight to dave@wrestlingobserver.com”>Dave Meltzer.

    UFC On FOX 18 Weigh-In Results
    UFC On FOX 18 DFS Playbook
    UFC On FOX 18 Observer Picks & Preview

    Coverage provided by Ryan Frederick

    PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 3:30 PM ET/12:30 PM PT)

    LIGHTWEIGHTS- TONY MARTIN (9-3, 1-3 UFC) VS. FELIPE OLIVIERI (14-4 1 NC, 0-0 UFC)

    ROUND 1- Olivieri starts off with a leg kick. Another big kicks from Olivieri drops Martin for a second. Big leg kick from Olivieri and Martin clinches them up against the fence. Martin lifts him up and takes him down but Olivieri back to his feet. Martin takes him back down. Olivieri gets to the fence and wall walks up to his feet. Olivieri with an elbow as Martin looks for another takedown. Olivieri defends and lands another elbow and a couple more. They are broken up by the ref. Olivieri lands a leg kick that hurts Martin and Martin grabs the leg. Olivieri with some hard elbows. Martin working for the takedown against the fence. Olivieri with some knees to the body. Olivieri with another series of leg kicks. Back fist from Olivieri. 10-9 Olivieri.

    ROUND 2- Olivieri with another leg kick to start. Olivieri with an overhand right and a high kick. More leg kicks from Olivieri and Martin isn’t checking them. Martin lands a leg kick of his own. Leg kicks from Olivieri but Martin lands a straight right hand. Martin lands a combo. Olivieri lands another leg kick. Martin lands a right. They trade punches and Olivieri lands a high kick. Martin lands a nice combo. They trade right hands. They trade punches and Martin stuns him with a right hand. Martin with a nice combo that hurts Olivieri. Olivieri looks for a desperate takedown but Martin defends as the round ends. 10-9 Martin, 19-19.

    ROUND 3- Olivieri lands a combo and ends with a leg kick. Martin with a nice combo. Olivieri lands a right hand. Olivieri lands a body kick. Martin shoots for a takedown and pushes Olivieri against the fence. Martin gets a trip and takes Olivieri down to the mat. Martin looking for control on the ground. Olivieri gives up his back and Martin looks to get the hooks in. Martin looking for the choke and has it locked in. Olivieri is out cold and Martin wins by submission!

    Official Result- Tony Martin def. Felipe Olivieri by technical submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:02 of Round 3

    FEATHERWEIGHTS- DAMON JACKSON (9-1 1 NC, 0-1 1 NC UFC) VS. LEVAN MAKASHVILI (7-2, 1-1 UFC)

    ROUND 1- Jackson comes out swinging. Jackson lands a right hand. Makashvili lands a right hand. They clinch against the fence. They battle for position. They trade knees against the fence. They are broken up by the referee. Makashvili lands a nice combo. Jackson shoots for a takedown but it is defended. They battle for underhooks against the fence. Jackson is cut. Makashvili with some left hands in the clinch. Jackson works hard for the takedown. It is defended. 10-9 Makashvili.

    ROUND 2- Jackson with the jab. They trade strikes. Jackson lands a right hand. They trade kicks. Makashvili lands a left hook. They trade punches. Jackson lands a combo. Jackson lands a knee but eats some punches in the clinch. They clinch and Makashvili lands a knee. They battle in the clinch against the fence. They are broken up by the ref. They trade punches. Makashvili grabs the right leg off a kick and lands some punches. Jackson goes back for a takedown. They clinch against the fence again. Jackson lands an elbow on the break and they clinch up again. 10-9 Makashvili, 20-18 Makashvili.

    ROUND 3- Jackson comes out swinging. Jackson with a knee to the body. Makashvili goes for a takedown but Jackson reverses the clinch against the fence. They trade knees against the fence. They are broken up again by the ref. Makashvili with a head kick and gets a takedown. Jackson grabs the neck looking for a choke. They scramble to their feet. Makashvili with a high kick. They clinch against the fence. Makashvili gets a takedown. Jackson looks to scramble out. They get to their feet and Makashvili lands an illegal knee and we have a timeout. Back to action with no point taken away. No we have an eye poke by Makashvili and another timeout. Makashvili has a point taken away due to the two fouls in five seconds. That could play a big difference in the outcome. Jackson misses a head kick as we get back to action. Both come out swinging as the fight ends. 9-9 Makashvili with the deduction, 29-27 Makashvili.

    Official Result- Damon Jackson vs. Levan Makashvili declared a majority draw (29-27 Jackson, 28-28, 28-28)

    WELTERWEIGHTS- MATT DWYER (8-3, 1-2 UFC) VS. RANDY BROWN (6-0, 0-0 UFC)

    ROUND 1- Brown is from Dana White’s new television show. Dwyer with a leg kick. Brown lands a left hand. Dwyer with a leg kick. Dwyer with another. Dwyer lands a big right hand. Brown with a high body kick. Dwyer lands another right hand. Brown with a front side kick. Brown with a front body kick. Dwyer lands a punch but eats a jab from Brown. Brown misses a spinning kick. Dwyer with a leg kick. Brown with a leg kick. 10-9 Dwyer.

    ROUND 2- Dwyer with two leg kicks. They clinch and switch around. Not much happens and they are broken up. Brown with a right hand. Dwyer lands a right hand. They each land right hands. Brown with a big throw takedown and he is looking for a choke. Brown had it deep but lets go and they get to their feet. Dwyer pushing for a takedown. Brown defends but Dwyer is able to score the takedown. They get back to their feet and Brown lands a series of big elbows. Brown with a knee. 10-9 Brown, 19-19.

    ROUND 3- Brown may have poked the eye but he is landing punches as Dwyer is backing up. The fight goes down and Dwyer takes the back of Brown and they get to their feet. Brown transitions and takes the back of Dwyer. Brown with an elbow and Dwyer lands a right hand. They are trading and Brown lands a low knee and we have a break in action. They go back to the mat and Brown has the neck but lets go. They get to their feet and Dwyer looking for another takedown. Dwyer tries to drag it down but Brown ends on top and they scramble to their feet. Brown with some elbows and a knee. Close fight. 10-9 Brown, 29-28 Brown.

    Official Result- Randy Brown def. Matt Dwyer by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

    PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX SPORTS 1- 5 PM ET/2 PM PT)

    FEATHERWEIGHTS- ALEX CACERES (10-8 1 NC, 5-6 1 NC UFC) VS. MASIO FULLEN (10-5, 1-1 UFC)

    ROUND 1- They trade kicks. Caceres with a leg kick and then one to the body. Fullen lands a short right hand. Caceres with a jumping head kick and misses a spin kick. They trade punches. Caceres with a head kick and then lands a left hand. They trade punches and Caceres lands a 360 roundhouse kick. Fullen is rocked and Caceres clinches them up against the fence and lands a knee. They battle for position and Caceres trips Fullen to the mat. They get back up. Caceres with a high knee. Knee to the body on the break by Caceres. Fullen with a right hand. 10-9 Caceres.

    ROUND 2- Caceres with some kicks but Fullen lands a right hand. Fullen with a spin kick to the body of Caceres and then lands a right hand. They clinch against the fence. Caceres lands a left hand. Each lands a combo and Caceres lands a nice body kick. Caceres with a leg kick and then one to the head and then another. Caceres keeps going high then low then back high again. They each land a punch. Caceres with a flying knee. Some nice combos landed by Caceres. 10-9 Caceres, 20-18 Caceres.

    ROUND 3- Fullen may need a finish and he comes out swinging. Each lands a leg kick. Short uppercut by Caceres and then a left hand. Fullen with a side kick to the body. Caceres with some more combos. Fullen with a leg kick. Fullen lands a left hand as Caceres lands a leg kick. Caceres with a leg kick. Caceres with a left hand and a knee to the body and then a high kick. Caceres looks good with his footwork and combos. Caceres with two left hands but Fullen catches him with a left hook. Caceres tags Fullen with an uppercut and lands some punches. Caceres goes to the body and back to the head. Fullen with a spin kick. Caceres with a combo to end. 10-9 Caceres, 30-27 Caceres.

    Official Result- Alex Caceres def. Masio Fullen by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    WELTERWEIGHTS- GEORGE SULLIVAN (17-4 1 NC, 3-1 UFC) VS. ALEXANDER YAKOVLEV (22-6-1, 1-2 UFC)

    ROUND 1- Sullivan starts off with a couple of leg kicks. Yakovlev comes back with some leg kicks of his own and then scores a takedown. Sullivan gets back to his feet. Sullivan with a leg kick and Yakovlev is able to counter with a takedown. Yakovlev gets full mount and Sullivan gives up his back. Sullivan gets to his feet but Yakovlev still has the back and lands a knee to the head. Sullivan with a body kick. They trade kicks. Yakovlev drops Sullivan with a right hand and three more punches on the ground and the fight is stopped. Yakovlev with the big knockout.

    Official Result- Alexander Yakovlev def. George Sullivan by knockout (punch) at 3:59 of Round 1

    FLYWEIGHTS- (#9) DUSTIN ORTIZ (15-4, 4-2 UFC) VS. (#12) WILSON REIS (19-6, 3-2 UFC)

    ROUND 1- They trade some punches. Ortiz lands a right hand. Reis with an inside leg kick and Ortiz counters with a combo. They clinch up and each lands a punch on the break. They trade punches. Reis with a leg kick. Reis goes for a takedown and they go to the mat but Ortiz lands some elbows. Reis still has the body locked and gets Ortiz down and takes the back. Ortiz shakes him off and they get to their feet and Reis lands a right hand. Reis lands a solid left hand. Reis with a body kick and Ortiz returns a head kick. Ortiz with a knee to the body as he defends a takedown. Reis has Ortiz pushed against the fence. Reis defends a takedown attempt from Ortiz and grabs the back. Ortiz was a back elbow. Ortiz with a right hand and Reis gets a takedown as the round ends. 10-9 Reis.

    ROUND 2- They exchange and Reis lands a left hand. Ortiz with a body kick. Ortiz goes for a takedown but Reis scrambles. Ortiz with a Superman Punch and Reis counters with a right hand. Reis shoots for a takedown and has Ortiz against the cage. They break and Ortiz lands a body kick. They trade kicks. Reis with a leg kick. Ortiz lands a solid right hand. Ortiz goes for a takedown but it is defended. Reis with a brief takedown. Ortiz with a deep shot but Reis sprawls. Reis lands a left hand after they break a clinch. Reis gets a takedown and takes the back and has full back mount. Reis looks for a choke but Ortiz is defending. Reis looks to switch to an armbar and works for it but the round ends. 10-9 Reis, 20-18 Reis.

    ROUND 3- Ortiz with a head kick attempt but Reis checks it. They trade punches and Reis goes for a takedown but it is defended. Reis gets the fight down and takes the back of Ortiz. They get to their feet and Reis gets a trip takedown. Reis gets the back and looks for the choke. They get back to their feet. They trade punches. Ortiz lands a left hand. Reis grabs the body and looks for the back. Reis trips Ortiz down and has the back. Ortiz with a back elbow. They get up and Reis with a solid takedown. Reis with some knees to the body. Ortiz gets a quick takedown but they get up. Ortiz with a short elbow and some punches but Reis is able to get a takedown and goes into full mount. Reis is landing big punches from the back as Ortiz tries to scramble up. They get to their feet. Reis has the back and lands some punches. 10-9 Reis, 30-27 Reis.

    Official Result- Wilson Reis def. Dustin Ortiz by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

    MIDDLEWEIGHTS- (#15) RAFAEL NATAL (20-6-1, 8-4-1 UFC) VS. KEVIN CASEY (9-3 2 NC, 1-1 2 NC UFC)

    ROUND 1- They trade punches and Casey lands a head kick. Natal with a leg kick. They clinch against the fence as both battle for underhooks. Natal lands a punch on the break. Natal with a right hand. Casey with a left hand and uppercut. Natal gets a takedown and is in the full guard of Casey. Natal with some punches from the top. They scramble to their feet. Natal goes for a takedown but Casey reverses and grabs the back. They get to their feet. Casey lands a left hand on the break. Casey lands a good combo and Natal drops Casey right as the round ends. 10-9 Casey.

    ROUND 2- Natal with a kick that hits the groin and we have a timeout. We get back to action. Natal lands a big right hand and then gets a takedown and is in the full guard of Casey. Natal with some punches from the top. Natal goes into the half-guard and lands some hard punches. They get to their feet but Natal grabs the body and lands a knee. Natal with some hard knees to the body against the fence. They break and Natal lands a big leg kick. Natal ducks under a punch and gets a takedown into the guard of Casey. Natal with a big hammerfist. More hammerfists from Natal. Natal with more control and punches from the top. Natal with big hammerfists as he looks to finish the fight late. Casey able to sweep Natal away as the round ends. 10-9 Natal, 19-19.

    ROUND 3- Natal with a big leg kick and lands a hard right hand. Natal with a leg kick. Natal with the jab. Casey lands a right hand but Natal comes back with a takedown. Natal passes to half-guard. Natal with punches from the top. Natal looking to set up a choke as Natal moves to full mount. Natal has an arm-triangle attempt but lost it. Natal just smothering. Natal landing big punches from the top and Casey is bleeding. This fight is close to being finished and it is. TKO win by Natal.

    Official Result- Rafael Natal def. Kevin Casey by TKO (punches) at 3:37 of Round 3

    LIGHTWEIGHTS- OLIVIER AUBIN-MERCIER (7-1, 3-1 UFC) VS. CARLOS DIEGO FERREIRA (11-2, 2-2 UFC)

    ROUND 1- Ferreira had to shave his head to make weight. Aubin-Mercier with two nice body kicks. Ferreira with a right hand. They trade punches. They trade kicks. Aubin-Mercier with a head kick but Ferreira tags him with a big punch. Ferreira with a kick and Aubin-Mercier catches it and lands some punches and then a body kick. Aubin-Mercier with a head kick. They clinch and move up against the fence. Ferreira lands a punch on the break. Aubin-Mercier with a body kick. Ferreira just misses a head kick. 10-9 Ferreira.

    ROUND 2- Ferreira with a body kick. They trade punches and Aubin-Mercier lands an uppercut. Aubin-Mercier with a high kick and Ferreira pushes him down but they get back to their feet. Aubin-Mercier pins him against the fence but they break and Ferreira sprints away. Aubin-Mercier with a solid combo. They trade punches and Ferreira lands a flush head kick. They clinch for a moment but break. Ferreira with a body kick. They trade some solid punches. Aubin-Mercier with a short uppercut. Ferreira with a quick takedown and lands a knee on the way up. Aubin-Mercier with a body kick and then a head kick. Short uppercut lands by Aubin-Mercier and then a body kick and then a head kick. Ferreira with a head kick. 10-9 Aubin-Mercier, 19-19.

    ROUND 3-Ferreira with an inside leg kick. Aubin-Mercier with a body kick followed by a head kick and lands an uppercut. They scramble to the mat but get right back up. Aubin-Mercier gets a takedown but Ferreira scrambles to the top in the half-guard. Ferreira transitions and takes the back and has the hooks in. Ferreira with some punches from the back. Ferreira looking for the choke. Ferreira had it over the chin but Aubin-Mercier escapes and scrambles to half-guard. Ferreira with some elbows. Ferreira has the back again and looking for the choke. Ferreira with big punches and elbows from the back. Aubin-Mercier survives but clear round for Ferreira. 10-9 Ferreira, 29-28 Ferreira.

    Official Result- Carlos Diego Ferreira def. Olivier Aubin-Mercier by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

    WELTERWEIGHTS- (#11) TAREC SAFFIEDINE (15-4, 1-1 UFC) VS. JAKE ELLENBERGER (30-10, 9-6 UFC)

    ROUND 1- Saffiedine with a leg kick. Ellenberger with some dirty boxing. They trade leg kicks. Ellenberger connects with some punches. Saffiedine with a front kick to the face. Saffiedine with a leg kick and then a high kick. Ellenberger lands a big right hand that stuns Saffiedine. Saffiedine recovered and missed a head kick. Saffiedine with a high kick. Saffiedine with a high kick again and then lands a left hand. 10-9 Ellenberger.

    ROUND 2- They trade punches as both look for the slightest opening. Both miss on punches. Saffiedine with a high kick. Ellenberger lands a left hand. Saffiedine with a high kick and then lands a leg kick. Saffiedine looks for a takedown but Ellenberger defends. Saffiedine lands a knee to the groin and we have a timeout. Saffiedine with two high kicks that land to the forearms of Ellenberger. Saffiedine lands a left jab. Ellenberger lands a late takedown but Saffiedine gets right back up. 10-9 Saffiedine, 19-19.

    ROUND 3- Saffiedine with a high kick. He lands another but hits the forearms. Ellenberger clinches up against the fence. They break. Neither are initiating that much and the crowd is booing. Saffiedine lands a right hand and a leg kick. Ellenberger misses a big right hand. Saffiedine lands two leg kicks. Saffiedine lands another left hand and Ellenberger is bleeding. They clinch and Saffiedine with a knee to the body. Saffiedine lands another and Ellenberger lands one as well. Ellenberger goes for a desperate takedown and Saffiedine grabs the back and looks for the choke. Ellenberger defending and is out. They get up in the final seconds. Ellenberger lands a combo as the fight ends. Not much of a fight. 10-9 Saffiedine, 29-28 Saffiedine.

    Official Result- Tarec Saffiedine def. Jake Ellenberger by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

    MAIN CARD (FOX- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT)

    WELTERWEIGHTS- SAGE NORTHCUTT (7-0, 2-0 UFC) VS. BRYAN BARBERENA (10-3, 1-1 UFC)

    ROUND 1- Northcutt with some right hands and clinches but they break. They kick each other at the same time and Barberena slips. Northcutt drops Barberena with a right but they get right back up and clinch. Northcutt with a takedown and takes the back. Barberena on his feet but Northcutt on his back. Northcutt lets go and they clinch along the cage. They trade punches on the break. Northcutt with some big right hands and Barberena nailed him with a right. Northcutt with a takedown and looks for the back. Barberena is cut. Northcutt with a body kick. Barberena gets a takedown and is on top. They get up. They trade. Barberena lands a nice right hand. They trade again. 10-9 Northcutt.

    ROUND 2- Northcutt with a leg kick. Northcutt misses a punch and Barberena is able to get in his guard on the ground. Barberena with some punches and elbows from the top. Barberena steps over looking to go to side control from half-guard. Barberena with short elbows and still looking to pass to side control and lands another hard elbow. Barberena looking for an arm-triangle. Northcutt taps out! It didn’t even look that deep but Barberena taps Northcutt out with the arm-triangle from half-guard.

    Official Result- Bryan Barberena def. Sage Northcutt by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:06 of Round 2

    BANTAMWEIGHTS- (#14) IURI ALCANTARA (33-6 1 NC, 7-3 1 NC UFC) VS. JIMMIE RIVERA (18-1, 2-0 UFC)

    ROUND 1- Rivera has won 17 straight fights and is another good prospect at 135 pounds. They come out swinging. Alcantara with a knee to the body. Rivera counters with a right hand. Big chants for Rivera, who is from New Jersey. Alcantara lands a left hand and Rivera counters with a big right hand. Rivera with a nice combo on Alcantara up against the fence. Rivera lands to the body and goes to the head. Alcantara looking to counter and lands a body kick and left hand. Alcantara pokes Rivera in the eye and quick timeout. Back to action. They trade punches. Rivera gets a big takedown slam right at the end of the round. 10-9 Rivera.

    ROUND 2- Alcantara with a body kick and Rivera lands a crisp combination. Alcantara faked a jumping knee and Rivera tagged him with a left hand. Alcantara with a body kick. Rivera with a right hand. Rivera with a side kick. Rivera with a combo and initates a clinch against the fence. Rivera with a knee to the body and then to the legs. Rivera with some short left hands. They break. Alcantara lands a body kick and stuffs a takedown attempt from Rivera. Alcantara with a straight left and Rivera goes down for a moment. Rivera gets up and scores a takedown. Rivera takes the back but they get up. 10-9 Rivera, 20-18 Rivera.

    ROUND 3- Alcantara comes out with a head kick. They trade punches. Alcantara with a leg kick and then a body kick. Rivera gets Alcantara down to the mat for a moment but they get right back up. Alcantara with a body kick and Rivera fires back a body kick. Alcantara with a leg kick and then a front kick to the body. Rivera with a big leg kick. Alcantara lands a left hand and Rivera drops for a moment. Rivera gets up and lands a takedown but they get right back up. Alcantara with a front kick to the body. Rivera grabs the leg and pushes up against the fence. They trade punches as the fight ends. 10-9 Rivera, 30-27 Rivera.

    Official Result- Jimmie Rivera def. Iuri Alcantara by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

    HEAVYWEIGHTS- (#8) JOSH BARNETT (34-7, 6-2 UFC) VS. (#7) BEN ROTHWELL (35-9, 5-3 UFC)

    ROUND 1- Rothwell with a low kick. Barnett with a right hand. Rothwell with a leg kick. Barnett with a leg kick and then a punch to the body. Rothwell with a leg kick. Barnett lands a stiff jab. Barnett with a short elbow. They clinch and Rothwell pushes against the fence but they break. Rothwell bleeding from the nose. Barnett connects with a left hand. Barnett with a stiff jab. Rothwell lands a right hand. Barnett with a punch and elbow and Rothwell counters with a leg kick. Barnett with a straight left hand. 10-9 Barnett.

    ROUND 2- They clinch against the fence. Rothwell lands some uppercuts. They break. Rothwell with an uppercut. They trade punches. Not a lot of action going on. Rothwell misses a head kick. Barnett with a body kick. They trade punches. Barnett looking for a takedown. Rothwell has the neck as he drops to the mat. Rothwell has the guillotine choke and Barnett taps! That was a completely unexpected result.

    Official Result- Ben Rothwell def. Josh Barnett by submission (guillotine choke) at 3:48 of Round 2

    LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS- (#2) ANTHONY JOHNSON (20-5, 11-5 UFC) VS. (#4) RYAN BADER (20-4, 13-4 UFC)

    ROUND 1- Bader goes for a quick takedown but Johnson stuffs and takes the back. Bader looking for a kimura from the bottom. Johnson is able to mount Bader. Bader lets go of the arm and is stuck against the cage. Johnson dropping punches from the top and it is already over! Johnson knocked Bader out cold from the back mount.

    Official Result- Anthony Johnson def. Ryan Bader by knockout (punches) at 1:26 of Round 1

  • UFC on FOX 18 Observer Panel Picks Anthony Johnson vs Ryan Bader

    UFC on FOX 18 airs Saturday evening, or afternoon depending on where you are. The first big FOX show of 2016 brings us a #1 contender’s bout at Light Heavyweight between former title challenger Anthony “Rumble” Johnson and perennial contender Ryan Bader. Two interesting bouts in the Heavyweight and Bantamweight division involving fighters just outside of title contention are also featured. In the opener of the main card, it should be the coming out party for “Super” Sage Northcutt, as he has his first fight on TV in the UFC after his first two aired on Fight Pass.

    It should be fun card with title implications  both in the near and distant future. The show kicks off on Fight Pass at 3:30 pm eastern with 3 fights. The action moves over to FS 1 at 5 with that portion of the prelims and the main card kicks off on FOX at 8.  

    Here’s our panel with the 2016 records in parenthesis. We’ve also added a running tally of the records of the favorites going into the fights and the panel consensus picks:

    • John Pollock (8-2; .800) – Fight Network analyst, Live Audio Wrestling co-host, MMA Report co-host
    • Mike Sawyer (7-3; .700) – Tough Talk MMA
    • Josh Nason (6-4; .600) – Host of Josh Nason’s Punch Out; writer/editor WrestlingObserver.com , WON Twitter guy
    • Steve Juon (6-4; .600) – MMA Mania/Wrestling Observer writer. Angry Marks founder
    • Mike Sempervive (6-4; .600) – Wrestling Observer Live and Big Audio Nightmare co-host
    • Ryan Frederick (6-4; .600) – WrestlingObserver.com UFC reporter, WON Twitter guy
    • Consensus picks (5-4; .556)
    • Front Row Brian (5-5; .500) – MMA newsbreaker, Beloved internet personality, Podcast host
    • Paul Fontaine (5-5; .500) – MMADraws.com founder, WrestlingObserver.com writer
    • Favorites (5-5; .500)
    • Dave Meltzer (4-6; .400)– Wrestling Observer founder
    • David Bixenspan (4-6; .400) – Figure Four Weekly writer, podcast host

    Light Heavyweights Anthony Johnson (20-5) vs Ryan Bader (20-4)

    Ryan Bader has been on a tear, running up 5 straight wins as he works his way toward the title shot that’s eluded him his entire career. He hasn’t looked terribly impressive in doing so, however. Should he get past Rumble, there’s no way he can be denied that shot though. Johnson has perhaps the best power of anyone in all of MMA and has competed in every weight class from Welterweight all the way up to Heavyweight. He’s found his sweet spot at 205 and while making weight has been an issue in the past, he weight in yesterday with his jeans on so he obviously felt confident he’d make it with no issues.

    Johnson (big favorite) – Sempervive, Nason, Sawyer, Juon, Frederick, Pollock, Meltzer

    Bader – Front Row Brian, Fontaine, Bixenspan

    Heavyweights Josh Barnett (34-7) vs Ben Rothwell (35-9)

    Barnett is a former UFC champion who is coming off a very impressive win over top 10 fighter Roy Nelson. It would’ve seemed unlikely that Barnett would ever get back into title contention but with the combination of a weak heavyweight division and the impressive wins he’s had, he could get there with a win over Rothwell. Rothwell has 3 straight wins over top competition and got a lot of attention with his post-fight promo last time out. He’s been very vocal about wanting a title shot and, like Barnett, he’s only one or two wins away from getting there. This is a big fight for both guys.

    Barnett (slight favorite) – Sempervive, Sawyer, Juon, Frederick, Fontaine, Bixenspan

    Rothwell – Nason, Front Row Brian, Pollock, Meltzer

    Bantamweights Iuri Alcantara (33-6) vs Jimmie Rivera (18-1)

    These two got some screen time in the “Road to the Octagon” special that aired online as well as on FOX last weekend. Rivera in particular came off extremely likeable. He’s kind of come out of nowhere with that impressive record but he’s a tough veteran who should have the support of the locals in New Jersey. Alcantara’s been a title contender since moving over from WEC in 2011 but a couple of key losses have kept him away from the elite in the division. The title picture at 135 seems pretty tied up with the Dillashaw/Cruz/Faber trio but the winner here could end up right at that next level of contenders once all  of that shakes out.

    Rivera (moderate favorite) – Sempervive, Nason, Sawyer, Front Row Brian, Juon, Frederick, Fontaine, Meltzer, Bixenspan

    Alcantara – Pollock

    Welterweights Sage Northcutt (7-0) vs Bryan Barberena (10-3)

    Northcutt, aka Zack Morris 2.0, is a future star in case you didn’t know. He’s finished every one of his pro opponents, including both of his UFC fights. He’s starting to get some negative backlash from fans who feel he’s overpushed and also that his squeaky clean image, including quoting bible verses in his promos, may be a little fake. All that aside, he’s relentless in the Octagon and this should be a showcase fight for him. Barbarena took the fight on two weeks notice and as a result, it’s being contested at 170, rather than at 155 where these two normally fight. Barbarena has looked okay in his two previous UFC fights but anything but a stoppage win for Northcutt would be a big surprise and a blow  to the UFC’s future plans.

    Northcutt (big favorite) – Sempervive, Nason, Sawyer, Front Row Brian, Juon, Frederick, Pollock, Fontaine, Meltzer

    Barberena – Bixenspan

    Welterweights Tarec Saffiedine (15-4) vs Jake Ellenberger (30-10)

    A battle of veteran Welterweights headlines the FS 1 prelims and rounds out our panel picks. Saffiedine is back after nearly 16 months away. He was last seen getting KO’d by Rory McDonald at UFC Halifax and will be in his first non-Main event for UFC here. The former Strikeforce Champion is still just 29 and could be a future title challenger should he rack up a few big wins. Ellenberger is probably fighting for his job tonight. He suffered a brutal first round KO at the hands of Wonderboy Thompson last time out and that was his 4th loss in his last 5  fights. That said, the guys he lost to were all top names in the division in Robbie Lawler, Rory McDonald, Kelvin Gastelum and Thompson. Ellenberger may have lost a step but can he dip into the well and pull out a win here? We’ll have to see, although odds are certainly against it.

    Saffiedine (big favorite) – Sempervive, Nason, Sawyer, Juon, Frederick, Pollock, Meltzer, Bixenspan

    Ellenberger – Front Row Brian, Fontaine

    Ryan Frederick will be providing live coverage of the show starting with the Fight Pass prelims. In the meantime, check out the following content relating to this show:

    UFC on FOX 18 Draft Kings Playbook

    UFC on FOX 18 weigh-ins results and video

  • UFC On FOX 18: Johnson vs. Bader weigh-in results and live video

    Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of the UFC On FOX 18: Johnson vs. Bader weigh-ins from the Prudential Center at the MGM Grand in Newark, New Jersey. The fighters will hit the scale at 4 PM eastern time. The card airs on Saturday with the main card on FOX at 8 PM eastern time. Preliminary card action kicks off at 3:30 PM eastern time on UFC Fight Pass before heading over to FOX Sports 1 at 5 PM eastern time with additional preliminary bouts. This will be the Octagon’s seventh visit to Newark.

    The event is headlined by a title eliminator bout in the UFC’s light heavyweight division as #2 ranked Anthony “Rumble” Johnson takes on #4 ranked Ryan Bader, winner of five straight fights. In the co-main event, it will be a pivotal bout in the heavyweight division as former UFC Heavyweight Champion and #8 ranked Josh Barnett takes on #7 ranked Ben Rothwell. Also on the main card is the FOX network debut of rising 19-year-old prospect Sage Northcutt, who meets Bryan Barberena in a welterweight bout.

    MAIN CARD (FOX- 8 PM ET/5 PM PT):
    Anthony Johnson (205.25) vs. Ryan Bader (205)
    Josh Barnett (241) vs. Ben Rothwell (265)
    Iuri Alcantara (135.25) vs. Jimmie Rivera (135)
    Sage Northcutt (170) vs. Bryan Barberena (170)

    PRELIMINARY CARD (FOX SPORTS 1- 5 PM ET/2 PM PT):
    Tarec Saffiedine (169.75) vs. Jake Ellenberger (170)
    Olivier Aubin-Mercier (155) vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira (156)
    Rafael Natal (185) vs. Kevin Casey (185.25)
    Dustin Ortiz (125) vs. Wilson Reis (126)
    George Sullivan (171) vs. Alexander Yakovlev (171)
    Alex Caceres (145) vs. Masio Fullen (145)

    PRELIMINARY CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS- 3:30 PM ET/12:30 PM PT):
    Matt Dwyer (169) vs. Randy Brown (171)
    Damon Jackson (145) vs. Levan Makashvili (145)
    Tony Martin (155) vs. Felipe Olivieri (155)

  • 10 UFC Fights to Watch in January 2016

    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.

  • Sage Northcutt vs. Andrew Holbrook added to UFC On FOX 18

    A lightweight bout between rising prospect Sage Northcutt (7-0, 2-0 UFC) and fellow undefeated fighter Andrew Holbrook (11-0, 1-0 UFC) has been added to the next UFC on FOX event, which takes place next month in Newark, New Jersey. Ariel Helwani reported the bout on tonight’s UFC On FOX 17 broadcast. It will be on the main card of the event.

    It is a quick turnaround for Northcutt, who is coming off a second-round submission win over Cody Pfister at last week’s UFC Fight Night 80 event in Las Vegas. It will be his third UFC bout in just under four months after he scored a quick first-round TKO win over Francisco Trevino in his UFC debut at UFC 192 in October. It will be his first fight televised on the FOX network as the UFC continues the big push of the rising 19-year-old prospect out of Katy, Texas.

    Holbrook will fight in the UFC for the second time after scoring a split decision win over Ramsey Nijem at UFC On FOX 16 in July. It was the first time Holbrook had gone the distance in a fight as his prior ten wins all came by stoppage, with nine wins in the first round. While still young in his career, he represents another small step up in competition for Northcutt.

    UFC On FOX 18 takes place on January 30 from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It will be headlined by a five-round light heavyweight bout as Anthony Johnson takes on Ryan Bader.