UFC on ESPN+ 23: Edgar vs. Korean Zombie

This is a really deep, quality card. Barcelos vs Nurmagomedov has me the most interested......******* great fight! 

Brian Ortega   vs.   Chan Sung Jung 
Chang Sung Jung, KO/TKO R2.


Is Oretga going to outsrike KZ? No. No he isn't. Is Oretga hittable? Yes. Very. He's been wobbled by big punchers before, but I don't think he's ever been hit by someone with the power. timing or counters KZ has. We're talking about the guy who literally murdered Renato with one. Max put one of the worst shellackings I've seen on Ortega. That has to have taken a toll. Brian will have to try and win this by sub...but KZ has never been subbed, and I can't even remember seeing him in a position where it looked he was going to be. I think The Zombie hits another brutal finish here relatively early.


Volkan Oezdemir   vs.   Aleksandar Rakić  
Rakic, KO/TKO R3.


Tough, tough bout to call.I thought Ooze was robbed Horribly against Reyes....that decision was horse ****. Now, I will preface this by saying anyone who says they are confident in the outcome of this fight is either deluded or full of ****, because both guys have clear paths to victory.. Oezdemir can end anyone. Fast. And Rakic's tendency to hang around in the poket too long, or exit out-of-time because he wants to throw a backfist or spinning elbow is something that is going to produce big yields or horrible self-inflicted destruction this fight. That stated, I am supremely confident that if Rakic somehow gets to mount on Oezdemir he will pound him out. I also give Rakic the best chance of winning a dec. He is more high output, and has the better gas tank. Bit of a coin toss.


Said Nurmagomedov   vs.   Raoni Barcelos
Barcelos, sub R2.

This is a bad fight for baby Nurmy. Barcelos has everything required to really **** up Said's night. Big power, explosiveness, dangerous subs, very good counter reads. It will be tough for Nurmagomedov to beat him in a three rounder. I've taken Barcelos by sub but a KO/TKO is equally possible. Said isn't a finisher. It will be extremely hard to control the beast that is Barcelos en route to a decision win. Every single entry will put him in danger, and if he doesn't hit a TD right and end up getting his back taken it is probably good night Irene.


Da Un Jung   vs.   Mike Rodriguez 
Da Ung Jung, KO/TKO R2.


I'm far from impressed with Roriguez. Yeah he got that flying knee finish on the contender series, but he won't be pulling that **** on Jung, who is really just a better fighter from where I stand. Roriguez is a pretty standard muay thai fighter, really. Jung has a more interesting Karate base and remind me of Machida in some ways. He's got very good good straights,  seems to carry power in both hands, and is effective when pressuring.. Rodriguez is more of a dance-around-and-wait-for-an-opening kind of guy that slips in the occasional oblique/calf kick. I think he gets beaten up and finished here.



Alexandre Pantoja   vs.   Matt Schnell  
Pantoja, KO/TKO R3.

I'm a Pantoja fan. Doesn't have any quit in him. What concerns me about this fight is Schnell's grappling game, which I believe is underrated. I don't like how Figueredo was able to control Pantoja from the top. as easily as he did. It's possible that Schnell can hit TD's early in each round and hump Pantoja like a randy turtle for the majority, ultimately winning  a majorly soft-on inducing decision. That said, if he can't do that, Pantoja will beat the piss out of him. Much better striker. I'm going with hypothetical future B.



Suman Mokhtarian   vs.   Seung Woo Choi
Choi, Dec.

Mokhtarian sucks. It's just that simple.He shouldn't be in UFC. He should be selling Kebabs out of a cart in western suburbs Sydney. Choiisn't amazing either, but he can take a punch, never stops coming forward and has a good right overhand hook thing. He's pretty OK on the ground, too, and does well from top position. I'll take him here.


Omar Morales   vs.   Dong Hyun Ma
Morales, KO/TKO R2.

i like Ma. He turns up to fight...but Morales is an animal. Nasty, nasty power coming in bunches, and if he gets his opponent hurt he can choke them out too, even standing. Ma is hittable, especially early, and he's quick to get baited into a firefight. I can see him getting absolutely ******* blitzkrieged within one

* Edited at 11.21.2019, 8:23 PM ET *