Topic: UFC 268
UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2
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- Saturday 11.06.2021 at 10:00 PM ET
- U.S. Broadcast: Pay Per View | Prelims: ESPN
- Promotion: Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Ownership: Endeavor
- Venue: Madison Square Garden
- Location: New York City, New York, United States
- Enclosure: Octagon
- TV Announcers: Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier
- Ring Announcer: Bruce Buffer
- Post-Fight Interviews: Joe Rogan
- Ticket Revenue (live gate): $9,903,557
- Attendance: 20,715
- PPV Buys / Buyrate: 700,000 | TV Ratings:
- MMA Bouts: 14
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Promotion Links:
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Event Links:
| Bout | Info | |
|---|---|---|
| Kamaru Usman defeats Colby Covington via Decision, Unanimous | 5 Rounds, 25:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Rose Namajunas defeats Weili Zhang via Decision, Split | 5 Rounds, 25:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Marlon Vera defeats Frankie Edgar via KO/TKO, Front Kick | 3:50 Round 3 of 3, 13:50 Total Bout Page | |
| Shane Burgos defeats Billy Quarantillo via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Justin Gaethje defeats Michael Chandler via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Alex Pereira defeats Andreas Michailidis via KO/TKO, Flying Knee | 0:18 Round 2 of 3, 5:18 Total Bout Page | |
| Bobby Green defeats Al Iaquinta via KO/TKO, Jab-cross to Ground Strikes | 2:25 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page | |
| Chris Curtis defeats Phil Hawes via KO/TKO, Counter Left | 4:27 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page | |
| Nassourdine Imavov defeats Edmen Shahbazyan via KO/TKO, Elbows From Crucifix | 4:42 Round 2 of 3, 9:42 Total Bout Page | |
| Ian Machado Garry defeats Jordan Williams via KO/TKO, Counter Right | 4:59 Round 1 of 3 Bout Page | |
| Chris Barnett defeats Gian Villante via KO/TKO, Wheel Kick to Ground Strikes | 2:23 Round 2 of 3, 7:23 Total Bout Page | |
| Dustin Jacoby defeats John Allan via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Melsik Baghdasaryan defeats Bruno Souza via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page | |
| Ode Osbourne defeats CJ Vergara via Decision, Unanimous | 3 Rounds, 15:00 Total Bout Page |
Responses Page 15
11.02.2021 | 12:04 AM ET
Predictions: 10 of 14 Winners, 1 Perfect, 570 Points | Tied for 2402nd
Sure, but he is going to lose his job if he loses this fight (which he will) so it’s just a stupid fight for him to take. He’s gonna get knocked out, lose his job, and only walk away with like 20k along with a clip on Jacobys highlight reel.
"“Unfortunately you can’t talk like that on FOX” - Joe Rogan"
11.02.2021 | 1:17 AM ET
Predictions: 9 of 14 Winners, 1 Perfect, 545 Points | Tied for 2730th
What do people think of a little bet on Chito by 2nd round finish, it at +700. Chito is a slow starter and Frankie is pretty frail, Chito also finish most of his wins so he pretty dangerous
* Edited at 11.02.2021, 1:21 AM ET *
"Quack quack quack"
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- Baldric Eggling
11.02.2021 | 1:26 AM ET
Predictions: 8 of 14 Winners, 2 Perfect, 515 Points | Tied for 3075th
It's a decent price for that prop but I'm not convinced Chito is going to win. Frankie has lost to the absolute creme de la creme. I like Chito a lot but he's not on the level of any of those guys.
11.02.2021 | 4:56 AM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 10 of 14 Winners, 4 Perfect, 615 Points | Tied for 1759th
Hawes vs. Curtis
Phil Hawes, TKO, R1
Hawes lock of the night.
Baghdasaryan vs. Souza
Melsik Baghdasaryan, TKO, R1
Melsik is a best striker in the UFC. Real dark horse!
Vergara vs. Osbourne
C.J. Vergara, TKO, R2
Vergara is up front in all segments of the fight and I think he's up to the foreplay. Upset of the night!
Phil Hawes, TKO, R1
Hawes lock of the night.
Baghdasaryan vs. Souza
Melsik Baghdasaryan, TKO, R1
Melsik is a best striker in the UFC. Real dark horse!
Vergara vs. Osbourne
C.J. Vergara, TKO, R2
Vergara is up front in all segments of the fight and I think he's up to the foreplay. Upset of the night!
* Edited at 11.02.2021, 4:57 AM ET *
11.02.2021 | 6:19 AM ET
Gaethje is ******…?
Predictions: 2 of 6 Winners, 1 Perfect, 125 Points | Tied for 4502nd
This fight ultimately comes down to whether or not Chandler will take a safe approach or not, and frankly, I don’t think he will. Michael is a knockout artist, and his ability to finish people has been finely tuned. He doesn’t just throw hands and hope for the best, he sets up small and simple combinations to make you think he won’t follow it up with another strike, only to do the polar opposite. Best examples of this strategy working is of course Dan Hooker and Benson Henderson. Add that with his wrestling background and Michael might as well be wearing brass knuckles instead of gloves, that padding ain’t doing **** for him.
Do I see Chandler being able to knockout Gaethje? Yeah, but if he wants to win this, Michael has to play this safe. He’s gotta use his wrestling or take the leap of faith against Gaethje’s hands. Chandler has stated in interviews he sees Gaethje as his scariest opponent. This to me, implies two things:
1. Chandler is aware of the risk, but doesn’t fear it and is still insistent on having an exciting, short lived career ahead of his chance at the title before he retires.
2. Chandler is aware of the risk, and will instead wrestle Gaethje, choosing his only chance at the title ahead of an exciting bout.
3. Neither and I’m just over-analyzing stupid ******** that doesn’t matter.
Considering my track record, probably number 3. Still fun to think about though.
Do I see Chandler being able to knockout Gaethje? Yeah, but if he wants to win this, Michael has to play this safe. He’s gotta use his wrestling or take the leap of faith against Gaethje’s hands. Chandler has stated in interviews he sees Gaethje as his scariest opponent. This to me, implies two things:
1. Chandler is aware of the risk, but doesn’t fear it and is still insistent on having an exciting, short lived career ahead of his chance at the title before he retires.
2. Chandler is aware of the risk, and will instead wrestle Gaethje, choosing his only chance at the title ahead of an exciting bout.
3. Neither and I’m just over-analyzing stupid ******** that doesn’t matter.
Considering my track record, probably number 3. Still fun to think about though.
This user is suspended from posting until 9 years, 2 months, 3 weeks, 5 hours, and 24 minutes from now.
11.02.2021 | 6:28 AM ET
I think chandler is gonna tap to gaethjes patented boston crab after gaethje hits him with a clothesline
"Say perhaps to drugs"
11.02.2021 | 7:59 AM ET
Predictions: 10 of 14 Winners, 1 Perfect, 570 Points | Tied for 2402nd
My hot take, but I think chandler actually beats Gaethje. Hard to pick cuz Gaethje is one of the most exciting fighters to watch, but I think chandler has what it takes to beat him. My biggest concern is chandlers chin is pretty suspect, but hes going to have a power advantage and likely is going to be the first to shoot for a takedown. While he might get booed from the crowd, I think it would be dumb for chandler to not go to his wrestling, as he has a distinct advantage there. He also has plenty of submissions on his record and I think is more comfortable on the ground than Gaethje is
"“Unfortunately you can’t talk like that on FOX” - Joe Rogan"
11.02.2021 | 9:17 AM ET
Predictions: 9 of 14 Winners, 1 Perfect, 505 Points | Tied for 3137th
Usman has improved a lot since their last fight but let's not forget that Burns tagged Usman in their fight. This was with the better training camp. It is not out of the realm of possibility that Colby can do the same. Usman took Burns striking lightly and could do the same with Colby.
"The only thing predictable about MMA is that it is unpredictable."
11.02.2021 | 9:46 AM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 10 of 14 Winners, 1 Perfect, 570 Points | Tied for 2402nd
Usman vs. Covington II
Kamaru Usman, TKO, R3
This one is also really hard to predict and I think its going to come down to who has improved more. I had Colby 3-1 before the stoppage and obviously everyone is conflicted on what the score really was but as it stands; they both fought their hearts out. Usman has been really active since that fight, fighting 3 times to Colby's 0. Now I think its impossible to assume that Colby didn't improve in-between the first fight and now, but we haven't seen what improvements hes made. It also gets even harder to see how he wins when you see the improvements that usman has made since then. He was already a dominant force when they fought the first time, but now Usman has learned how to strike, making him even more intimidating.
Namajunas vs. Zhang II
Rose Namajunas, SUB, R4
This one is also really hard to predict. Both ladies are very skilled and while rose had that phenomenal ko, it doesn't really prove who the better fighter is. Rose is a very well rounded fighter, having multiple different belts in different martial arts such as karate and BJJ, and she's been showing that as of late. She's always been known for her bjj, but her striking has also improved significantly. However, Zhang is going to have an advantage on the feet; her striking is phenomenal, she never backs down and lands at an impressive clip of 6.36 sig strikes per minute. She loves to throw knees and elbows as well. She did switch her camp to fight ready, which I think is a great idea as she can get training partners and experience that she would not be able to get in china.
Gaethje vs. Chandler
Michael Chandler, TKO, R2
I already explained my reasoning for this in another post, but I think chandlers wrestling will make the difference here. While he has a suspect chin, Gaethje is more of a volume striker, where chandler throws bombs. Chandler is also a freak athlete, I mean look at him. His wrestling is also going to be the difference here. While Gaethje also has a wrestling background, he doesn't shoot at all. he has also shown he can be taken down, and while having a good tdd, chandler will be able to take him down if he so chooses. I dont know if he is a black belt, but he has 7 subs on his record so he could easily outmatch Gaethje on the ground. Also it doesn't have any implications on the fight but, I did see a stat that chandler has never lost a non title fight so make of that what you will.
Burgos vs. Quarantillo
Shane Burgos, DEC
This is one of the hardest fights for me to pick. burgos is an animal, but he has taken a disgusting amount of damage in his last two fights, and the Ufc isn't doing him any favors against billy q. They both have similar styles in that they are going to throw with everything they have and never back down. Both are super durable and have great cardio. Billy Q is more of a wrestler than burgos, as he takes his opponents down and then wails on them, but hes not going to be able to do this as effortlessly as burgos's tdd is sitting at 89% rn. Burgos also has one of the best chins in all of MMA, but as I said, hes taken an unprecedented amount of damage in these last two fights while also making a quick turnaround from his last fight, so I dont know how its going to hold up here. Billy Q doesn't hit nearly as hard as Barboza or Emmett, but hes going to be able to match burgos's pace. However, I think Burgos will pull this out with his tdd being the difference here.
Edgar vs. Vera
Frankie Edgar, DEC
I really like chito as a fighter. He always brings the fight, never backing down and is also very well rounded. Hes also gaining a lot of valuable experience in the octagon; in the past few years, barring the horrible yarding robbery, hes only lost to Jose Aldo in a fight where he was winning until Aldo backpacked him in the third round. I also think that people are counting out Frankie Edgar. I dont blame them either as he should be on a 4 fight losing streak. But, we do have to look who hes losing to: first, he literally fought for a title just two years ago against max Holloway, in what wasn't a shutout, but Holloway was clearly the better fighter. Then he got destroyed against TKZ, switched to bantamweight and had a competitive fight, but it was a complete robbery. In his most recent fight, he got put on a highlight reel when Sandhagen ko'ed him in 30 seconds. While it sounds dire and he is getting destroyed, vera is a massive step down in competition. He could be live for a finish, as Frankies durability is not what it was, but I think his experience is going to shine through here.
Michailidis vs. Pereira
Alex Pereira, TKO, R1
This is a fight that could very easily end in a massive upset for pereira. Hes still a very green fighter and Andreas, while he might not be the greatest Ufc fighter, is still a massive step up in competition and is easily the best person pereira has fought in MMA. Michalidis has pretty good striking, he isn't very technical but he puts a lot of power into everything he throws. He isn't a wrestler, but he is definitely live for shooting for takedowns and thats the part that worries me. Being a kickboxer, pereira is always going to have a problem on the ground (pretty much the same for any kickboxer who goes to MMA). However, in the tape I've seen, when he gets taken down, he is able to get back up and he has also shown some decent tdd. What I do like about him is he trains with glover texiera, a phenomenal grappler in his own right, and I believe pereira is actually a black belt himself. But if this stays on the feet, michalidis is ******. Pereira is a massive middleweight and not only that but he literally has the touch of death. His left hand is absolutely disgusting and he sleeps everyone with it. He also loves to throw knees when in the clinch.
Iaquinta vs. Green
Bobby Green, DEC
I actually think the matchmaking is kind of weird here; Its an outstanding fight but seems like a mismatch. Al is a former top 15 LW but he hasn't fought in 2 years, and they're also giving him one of the best unranked LWs on the roster. Al has great cardio and pretty good wrestling. He also brings the fight everytime and can keep up with anyone because of his durability, but, he is coming off of a massive layoff and looked horrible in his previous fights; getting destroyed against both cowboy and dan hooker. For bobby green, his record is very deceptive. He loses a lot of fights that he probably should win, likely because of his showboating and also the judges tend to score his fights weirdly. But he is very skilled besides this fact; hes got a great wrestling pedigree and is also an incredible striker. In his last fight, he was able to outstrike Rafael fiziev in an absolute barn burner; I think anyone who can not only stand with tiger muay thais striking coach, but also outsrike them is a force to be reckoned with. Also green has stayed very active which is going to play a part in this decision.
Hawes vs. Curtis
Phil Hawes, DEC
I like this fight but its kind of weird that they kept it together; they probably did it because hawes wanted to fight but no one was available. Curtis originally took this fight on 24 hours notice so thats why hes fighting hawes instead of a guy outside the top 15. Curtis is a pretty good fighter; he throws a lot of volume, is super durable, and super active, already having fought four times this year with this fight being his 5th. However, I think hawes is going to beat him here. Hawes has been making so many improvements and has been looking phenomenal recently. He originally used to bring everything in his fights and eventually gas out, but in his last fight he not only dominated, but he didn't even look tired after it. I really like Curtis and I think he will bring the fight to hawes, but I just think hawes is the better fighter in this situation.
Shahbazyan vs. Imavov
Edmen Shahbazyan, TKO, R2
fading the favorite here. imavov is a very good and well rounded fighter, but it seems weird for him to get a top 15 opponent so quick. His last fight was very impressive, especially becoming the first person to ko Ian heinisch, but it doesn't make me forget the fact that he lost to Phil hawes only a year ago. Not that Phil hawes is bad, but he got grapple ****** the entire fight and only had success in the third round because of hawes gassing. I think people are also counting out edmen here. Yeah hes been on an awful skid, but he fought Derek Brunson, who has legitimately earned his top 5 spot, and then the Ufc tried to kill him by giving him an equally as good fighter in jack Hermansson. Shahbazyan is very dangerous in the first round; he throws with bad intentions and hits very very hard. However, this does mean that he slows down very badly after the first round, not only that, he also does not have success against wrestlers. One thing that really gives me hope is that edmen is actually trying to better his career and left Glendale fight club to train at AKA. This is only going to improve him, and I think hes going to show there's a skill difference here against imavov.
Williams vs. Garry
Ian Garry, TKO, R3
Williams is ******. I thought he was an ok fighter who got a tough debut, but after dropping to welterweight I really didn't like what I saw; he made mickey gall look like a worldbeater. He has complications making weight because of his diabetes, but even more so, I think it compromises his chin too. One good thing about Williams is he is a pretty good volume striker, but thats about it. Hes also facing an animal in Ian Garry. Garry had an undefeated run in CW where he ran through everyone he faced. he gained notoriety for winning a world title without his team in his corner. Hes already a very talented prospect, but now that hes training at sanford MMA, hes only going to get better. I expect him to dominate Williams the entire fight.
Villante vs. Barnett
Chris Barnett, TKO, R1
such a low level fight. Barnett is a meme fighter and the best way to describe his fighting style is "fatletic". Hes a very small heavyweight and really hasn't fought great competition, but he has solid striking. He will constantly throw spinning attacks and crazy kicks. In his debut, he looked terrible, but it was on short notice and was also against ben Rothwell, a very solid heavyweight who also had a massive height and reach advantage. Barnett did gas out, but I think that was because he cuts weight and took that fight on short notice. He definitely has to have a cardio advantage against Gian villante however. Villante is a former LHW who moved up to heavyweight because of old age. Hes so bad, currently 0-2 at heavyweight with some pretty embarrassing losses; he got out struck by a former middle weight and, in an even worse loss he got subbed while in full mount, in a fight that he was going to win against mo Greene. It wasn't even really a choke he just seemed to tap from being tired. That just shows you he doesn't even really care about winning, he just fighting for a check. Barnett isn't great but at least hes looking for a win here.
Jacoby vs. Allan
Dustin Jacoby, TKO, R1
I dont even know why Allan accepted this fight. Jacoby is coming in on short notice as well, but that shouldn't be a concern as he has great cardio from training in Colorado. Hes also just levels above Allan and should be fighting a top 15 or just outside of it. Jacoby is a great kickboxer and has some nasty hands; I really wasn't expecting him to ko Darren Stewart in his last fight. One problem I have with Jacoby is his poor tdd, but luckily he doesn't really have problems getting up. Allan is a striker and also has problems on the ground (I mean he got subbed by ******* Vinicius moriera) but he has shot for takedowns before. Hes not a super effective wrestler but even then Jacoby shouldn't have much problem defending them. Hes likely going to murder Allan on the feet before he can even do anything tho.
Baghdasaryan vs. Souza
Melsik Baghdasaryan, TKO, R1
Souza is a decent fighter but I dont think hes Ufc ready. I thought he should have lost to kamuela Kirk and in his fight with mike Hamel he was getting destroyed the entire fight before getting a win after Hamel threw an illegal blow. Souza is a good kareteka, but hes facing one of the nastiest prospects in featherweight on less than a weeks notice. Melsik was a former k1 champ and has disgustingly good striking. My only problems for melsik are his cardio and tdd, but we really haven't seen those tested yet, and I dont think Souza will shoot for takedowns nor will he be able to stand in front of melsik long enough for him to gas out.
Vergara vs. Osbourne
Ode Osbourne, SUB, R1
Such a tough debut for Vergara. He looked really impressive on DWCS when he destroyed bruno Korea (a guy who I thought is Ufc ready). He is a great striker and has multiple finishes in the late second and third round, so he can keep a pace. Hes getting a very tough out for a first opponent however. Osbourne is a massive flyweight and could easily fight at featherweight (something he has actually done before). He also brings crazy power and has a decent ground game too. While he did get knocked out in his last fight, I had him winning the round against an incredibly skilled manel kape. One thing I dont like about Osbourne is I dont know where his cardio is at because he hasn't left a first round since 2016. I think hes going to outpoint Vergara here in the first round, but if it goes to the second round I will be interested to see if Osbourne can match vergaras output.
Kamaru Usman, TKO, R3
This one is also really hard to predict and I think its going to come down to who has improved more. I had Colby 3-1 before the stoppage and obviously everyone is conflicted on what the score really was but as it stands; they both fought their hearts out. Usman has been really active since that fight, fighting 3 times to Colby's 0. Now I think its impossible to assume that Colby didn't improve in-between the first fight and now, but we haven't seen what improvements hes made. It also gets even harder to see how he wins when you see the improvements that usman has made since then. He was already a dominant force when they fought the first time, but now Usman has learned how to strike, making him even more intimidating.
Namajunas vs. Zhang II
Rose Namajunas, SUB, R4
This one is also really hard to predict. Both ladies are very skilled and while rose had that phenomenal ko, it doesn't really prove who the better fighter is. Rose is a very well rounded fighter, having multiple different belts in different martial arts such as karate and BJJ, and she's been showing that as of late. She's always been known for her bjj, but her striking has also improved significantly. However, Zhang is going to have an advantage on the feet; her striking is phenomenal, she never backs down and lands at an impressive clip of 6.36 sig strikes per minute. She loves to throw knees and elbows as well. She did switch her camp to fight ready, which I think is a great idea as she can get training partners and experience that she would not be able to get in china.
Gaethje vs. Chandler
Michael Chandler, TKO, R2
I already explained my reasoning for this in another post, but I think chandlers wrestling will make the difference here. While he has a suspect chin, Gaethje is more of a volume striker, where chandler throws bombs. Chandler is also a freak athlete, I mean look at him. His wrestling is also going to be the difference here. While Gaethje also has a wrestling background, he doesn't shoot at all. he has also shown he can be taken down, and while having a good tdd, chandler will be able to take him down if he so chooses. I dont know if he is a black belt, but he has 7 subs on his record so he could easily outmatch Gaethje on the ground. Also it doesn't have any implications on the fight but, I did see a stat that chandler has never lost a non title fight so make of that what you will.
Burgos vs. Quarantillo
Shane Burgos, DEC
This is one of the hardest fights for me to pick. burgos is an animal, but he has taken a disgusting amount of damage in his last two fights, and the Ufc isn't doing him any favors against billy q. They both have similar styles in that they are going to throw with everything they have and never back down. Both are super durable and have great cardio. Billy Q is more of a wrestler than burgos, as he takes his opponents down and then wails on them, but hes not going to be able to do this as effortlessly as burgos's tdd is sitting at 89% rn. Burgos also has one of the best chins in all of MMA, but as I said, hes taken an unprecedented amount of damage in these last two fights while also making a quick turnaround from his last fight, so I dont know how its going to hold up here. Billy Q doesn't hit nearly as hard as Barboza or Emmett, but hes going to be able to match burgos's pace. However, I think Burgos will pull this out with his tdd being the difference here.
Edgar vs. Vera
Frankie Edgar, DEC
I really like chito as a fighter. He always brings the fight, never backing down and is also very well rounded. Hes also gaining a lot of valuable experience in the octagon; in the past few years, barring the horrible yarding robbery, hes only lost to Jose Aldo in a fight where he was winning until Aldo backpacked him in the third round. I also think that people are counting out Frankie Edgar. I dont blame them either as he should be on a 4 fight losing streak. But, we do have to look who hes losing to: first, he literally fought for a title just two years ago against max Holloway, in what wasn't a shutout, but Holloway was clearly the better fighter. Then he got destroyed against TKZ, switched to bantamweight and had a competitive fight, but it was a complete robbery. In his most recent fight, he got put on a highlight reel when Sandhagen ko'ed him in 30 seconds. While it sounds dire and he is getting destroyed, vera is a massive step down in competition. He could be live for a finish, as Frankies durability is not what it was, but I think his experience is going to shine through here.
Michailidis vs. Pereira
Alex Pereira, TKO, R1
This is a fight that could very easily end in a massive upset for pereira. Hes still a very green fighter and Andreas, while he might not be the greatest Ufc fighter, is still a massive step up in competition and is easily the best person pereira has fought in MMA. Michalidis has pretty good striking, he isn't very technical but he puts a lot of power into everything he throws. He isn't a wrestler, but he is definitely live for shooting for takedowns and thats the part that worries me. Being a kickboxer, pereira is always going to have a problem on the ground (pretty much the same for any kickboxer who goes to MMA). However, in the tape I've seen, when he gets taken down, he is able to get back up and he has also shown some decent tdd. What I do like about him is he trains with glover texiera, a phenomenal grappler in his own right, and I believe pereira is actually a black belt himself. But if this stays on the feet, michalidis is ******. Pereira is a massive middleweight and not only that but he literally has the touch of death. His left hand is absolutely disgusting and he sleeps everyone with it. He also loves to throw knees when in the clinch.
Iaquinta vs. Green
Bobby Green, DEC
I actually think the matchmaking is kind of weird here; Its an outstanding fight but seems like a mismatch. Al is a former top 15 LW but he hasn't fought in 2 years, and they're also giving him one of the best unranked LWs on the roster. Al has great cardio and pretty good wrestling. He also brings the fight everytime and can keep up with anyone because of his durability, but, he is coming off of a massive layoff and looked horrible in his previous fights; getting destroyed against both cowboy and dan hooker. For bobby green, his record is very deceptive. He loses a lot of fights that he probably should win, likely because of his showboating and also the judges tend to score his fights weirdly. But he is very skilled besides this fact; hes got a great wrestling pedigree and is also an incredible striker. In his last fight, he was able to outstrike Rafael fiziev in an absolute barn burner; I think anyone who can not only stand with tiger muay thais striking coach, but also outsrike them is a force to be reckoned with. Also green has stayed very active which is going to play a part in this decision.
Hawes vs. Curtis
Phil Hawes, DEC
I like this fight but its kind of weird that they kept it together; they probably did it because hawes wanted to fight but no one was available. Curtis originally took this fight on 24 hours notice so thats why hes fighting hawes instead of a guy outside the top 15. Curtis is a pretty good fighter; he throws a lot of volume, is super durable, and super active, already having fought four times this year with this fight being his 5th. However, I think hawes is going to beat him here. Hawes has been making so many improvements and has been looking phenomenal recently. He originally used to bring everything in his fights and eventually gas out, but in his last fight he not only dominated, but he didn't even look tired after it. I really like Curtis and I think he will bring the fight to hawes, but I just think hawes is the better fighter in this situation.
Shahbazyan vs. Imavov
Edmen Shahbazyan, TKO, R2
fading the favorite here. imavov is a very good and well rounded fighter, but it seems weird for him to get a top 15 opponent so quick. His last fight was very impressive, especially becoming the first person to ko Ian heinisch, but it doesn't make me forget the fact that he lost to Phil hawes only a year ago. Not that Phil hawes is bad, but he got grapple ****** the entire fight and only had success in the third round because of hawes gassing. I think people are also counting out edmen here. Yeah hes been on an awful skid, but he fought Derek Brunson, who has legitimately earned his top 5 spot, and then the Ufc tried to kill him by giving him an equally as good fighter in jack Hermansson. Shahbazyan is very dangerous in the first round; he throws with bad intentions and hits very very hard. However, this does mean that he slows down very badly after the first round, not only that, he also does not have success against wrestlers. One thing that really gives me hope is that edmen is actually trying to better his career and left Glendale fight club to train at AKA. This is only going to improve him, and I think hes going to show there's a skill difference here against imavov.
Williams vs. Garry
Ian Garry, TKO, R3
Williams is ******. I thought he was an ok fighter who got a tough debut, but after dropping to welterweight I really didn't like what I saw; he made mickey gall look like a worldbeater. He has complications making weight because of his diabetes, but even more so, I think it compromises his chin too. One good thing about Williams is he is a pretty good volume striker, but thats about it. Hes also facing an animal in Ian Garry. Garry had an undefeated run in CW where he ran through everyone he faced. he gained notoriety for winning a world title without his team in his corner. Hes already a very talented prospect, but now that hes training at sanford MMA, hes only going to get better. I expect him to dominate Williams the entire fight.
Villante vs. Barnett
Chris Barnett, TKO, R1
such a low level fight. Barnett is a meme fighter and the best way to describe his fighting style is "fatletic". Hes a very small heavyweight and really hasn't fought great competition, but he has solid striking. He will constantly throw spinning attacks and crazy kicks. In his debut, he looked terrible, but it was on short notice and was also against ben Rothwell, a very solid heavyweight who also had a massive height and reach advantage. Barnett did gas out, but I think that was because he cuts weight and took that fight on short notice. He definitely has to have a cardio advantage against Gian villante however. Villante is a former LHW who moved up to heavyweight because of old age. Hes so bad, currently 0-2 at heavyweight with some pretty embarrassing losses; he got out struck by a former middle weight and, in an even worse loss he got subbed while in full mount, in a fight that he was going to win against mo Greene. It wasn't even really a choke he just seemed to tap from being tired. That just shows you he doesn't even really care about winning, he just fighting for a check. Barnett isn't great but at least hes looking for a win here.
Jacoby vs. Allan
Dustin Jacoby, TKO, R1
I dont even know why Allan accepted this fight. Jacoby is coming in on short notice as well, but that shouldn't be a concern as he has great cardio from training in Colorado. Hes also just levels above Allan and should be fighting a top 15 or just outside of it. Jacoby is a great kickboxer and has some nasty hands; I really wasn't expecting him to ko Darren Stewart in his last fight. One problem I have with Jacoby is his poor tdd, but luckily he doesn't really have problems getting up. Allan is a striker and also has problems on the ground (I mean he got subbed by ******* Vinicius moriera) but he has shot for takedowns before. Hes not a super effective wrestler but even then Jacoby shouldn't have much problem defending them. Hes likely going to murder Allan on the feet before he can even do anything tho.
Baghdasaryan vs. Souza
Melsik Baghdasaryan, TKO, R1
Souza is a decent fighter but I dont think hes Ufc ready. I thought he should have lost to kamuela Kirk and in his fight with mike Hamel he was getting destroyed the entire fight before getting a win after Hamel threw an illegal blow. Souza is a good kareteka, but hes facing one of the nastiest prospects in featherweight on less than a weeks notice. Melsik was a former k1 champ and has disgustingly good striking. My only problems for melsik are his cardio and tdd, but we really haven't seen those tested yet, and I dont think Souza will shoot for takedowns nor will he be able to stand in front of melsik long enough for him to gas out.
Vergara vs. Osbourne
Ode Osbourne, SUB, R1
Such a tough debut for Vergara. He looked really impressive on DWCS when he destroyed bruno Korea (a guy who I thought is Ufc ready). He is a great striker and has multiple finishes in the late second and third round, so he can keep a pace. Hes getting a very tough out for a first opponent however. Osbourne is a massive flyweight and could easily fight at featherweight (something he has actually done before). He also brings crazy power and has a decent ground game too. While he did get knocked out in his last fight, I had him winning the round against an incredibly skilled manel kape. One thing I dont like about Osbourne is I dont know where his cardio is at because he hasn't left a first round since 2016. I think hes going to outpoint Vergara here in the first round, but if it goes to the second round I will be interested to see if Osbourne can match vergaras output.
"“Unfortunately you can’t talk like that on FOX” - Joe Rogan"
11.02.2021 | 11:18 AM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 11 of 14 Winners, 3 Perfect, 650 Points | Tied for 1310th
Jacoby vs. Allan
Dustin Jacoby, TKO, R1
Confident in Jacoby, Allan presses forward but can get hit and with Jacoby's precise hands and good kicks I think he's getting a finish here comfortably, I don't like Allan's striking at all compared to Jacoby's and I think the timing and volume will get the finish early
Dustin Jacoby, TKO, R1
Confident in Jacoby, Allan presses forward but can get hit and with Jacoby's precise hands and good kicks I think he's getting a finish here comfortably, I don't like Allan's striking at all compared to Jacoby's and I think the timing and volume will get the finish early
11.02.2021 | 11:42 AM ET
Predictions: 10 of 14 Winners, 1 Perfect, 580 Points | Tied for 2250th
Usman vs. Covington II
Kamaru Usman, KO, R3
I don't see any way Covington wins this fight(even though the first fight was close). He needs to try and use his wrestling this time but I don't think it will work, and on the feet Usman is looking better and better while Covington's never been able to develop any real power.
Namajunas vs. Zhang II
Rose Namajunas, KO, R3
Uhh...IDK. Namajunas blew Joanna out of the water in their first fight and went to decision in the second. I'm expecting her to not do as well against Weili in the second fight either but I have her by finish for some reason when I was thinking decision. Maybe I'll change my pick method.
Gaethje vs. Chandler
Justin Gaethje, TKO, R3
I think Gaethje is better than Chandler on the feet. Chandler also seems like the type to get sucked into a firefight rather than being smart and using his wrestling and submission game.
Burgos vs. Quarantillo
Shane Burgos, TKO, R3
Burgos is better than Quarantillo everywhere IMO. Burgos has taken a ton of punishment but I don't think Quarantillo hits as hard as the guys who have managed to finish Burgos. Actually could see Quarantillo being the one who gets finished late.
Edgar vs. Vera
Frankie Edgar, DEC
Hoping Edgar remembers he can wrestle here. If he stands it will be rough for him but Vera didn't have any answer to Aldo's ground game and Aldo barely even uses it.
Michailidis vs. Pereira
Alex Pereira, KO, R1
When I picture this fight I picture myself interrogating someone in a dark basement. "DOES PEREIRA HAVE TAKEDOWN DEFENSE??" I YELL. If he has any he should win this fight easily.
Iaquinta vs. Green
Bobby Green, DEC
This is a pretty great fight. Picking Green because Iaquinta, while good, has always struggled with technical strikers and Green looked fantastic his last fight against a hard hitting technical striker in Fiziev.
Hawes vs. Curtis
Phil Hawes, KO, R1
Hawes should smesh Curtis. I like Curtis but he has struggled against top competition and against hard hitters. Hawes is looking like both lately, I actually think he's a real dark horse in the division.
Shahbazyan vs. Imavov
Edmen Shahbazyan, TKO, R2
Shahbazyan is getting faded here for losing twice but he lost to Brunson and Hermansson, guys who are top 10 and not bottom of the top 10 either. Imavov got a huge win over Heinisch in his last fight but lost to Hawes who is worse than the guys Shahbazyan lost to. I also think Imavov will stand with Shahbazyan which will go poorly for him.
Williams vs. Garry
Ian Garry, KO, R1
Williams is a guy who gets finished pretty fast when he loses. Garry is a serious finisher. Garry has also gone 5 rounds so I don't expect him to gas out or anything.
Villante vs. Barnett
Chris Barnett, KO, R1
Why is Villante still in the UFC? God he sucks ass. Barnett hasn't been particularly impressive but I hope he can put Villante out of his misery before the fight goes to the second round and the fans experience misery instead.
Jacoby vs. Allan
Dustin Jacoby, TKO, R1
Late notice fight but Jacoby should still wreck. Allan looked decent against Mike Rodriguez but Rodriguez isn't UFC level and Allan was on steroids in that fight. Also Allan lost to Vinicius Moreira(who has to be one of the worst fighters to get signed by the UFC in recent memory) on DWCS Brazil.
Baghdasaryan vs. Souza
Melsik Baghdasaryan, TKO, R2
Never actually seen Souza fight but after Melsik destroyed Anglin in his debut I'm favoring him against just about any guy coming up from the US regionals.
Vergara vs. Osbourne
CJ Vergara, TKO, R2
Vergara impressed me by destroying Bruno Korea. Vergara also has serious KO power for a flyweight in general. Osbourne is solid but has a tendency to get round 1 finished in his losses and just got his **** wrecked by Kape 3 months ago...probably should have taken more time off.
Kamaru Usman, KO, R3
I don't see any way Covington wins this fight(even though the first fight was close). He needs to try and use his wrestling this time but I don't think it will work, and on the feet Usman is looking better and better while Covington's never been able to develop any real power.
Namajunas vs. Zhang II
Rose Namajunas, KO, R3
Uhh...IDK. Namajunas blew Joanna out of the water in their first fight and went to decision in the second. I'm expecting her to not do as well against Weili in the second fight either but I have her by finish for some reason when I was thinking decision. Maybe I'll change my pick method.
Gaethje vs. Chandler
Justin Gaethje, TKO, R3
I think Gaethje is better than Chandler on the feet. Chandler also seems like the type to get sucked into a firefight rather than being smart and using his wrestling and submission game.
Burgos vs. Quarantillo
Shane Burgos, TKO, R3
Burgos is better than Quarantillo everywhere IMO. Burgos has taken a ton of punishment but I don't think Quarantillo hits as hard as the guys who have managed to finish Burgos. Actually could see Quarantillo being the one who gets finished late.
Edgar vs. Vera
Frankie Edgar, DEC
Hoping Edgar remembers he can wrestle here. If he stands it will be rough for him but Vera didn't have any answer to Aldo's ground game and Aldo barely even uses it.
Michailidis vs. Pereira
Alex Pereira, KO, R1
When I picture this fight I picture myself interrogating someone in a dark basement. "DOES PEREIRA HAVE TAKEDOWN DEFENSE??" I YELL. If he has any he should win this fight easily.
Iaquinta vs. Green
Bobby Green, DEC
This is a pretty great fight. Picking Green because Iaquinta, while good, has always struggled with technical strikers and Green looked fantastic his last fight against a hard hitting technical striker in Fiziev.
Hawes vs. Curtis
Phil Hawes, KO, R1
Hawes should smesh Curtis. I like Curtis but he has struggled against top competition and against hard hitters. Hawes is looking like both lately, I actually think he's a real dark horse in the division.
Shahbazyan vs. Imavov
Edmen Shahbazyan, TKO, R2
Shahbazyan is getting faded here for losing twice but he lost to Brunson and Hermansson, guys who are top 10 and not bottom of the top 10 either. Imavov got a huge win over Heinisch in his last fight but lost to Hawes who is worse than the guys Shahbazyan lost to. I also think Imavov will stand with Shahbazyan which will go poorly for him.
Williams vs. Garry
Ian Garry, KO, R1
Williams is a guy who gets finished pretty fast when he loses. Garry is a serious finisher. Garry has also gone 5 rounds so I don't expect him to gas out or anything.
Villante vs. Barnett
Chris Barnett, KO, R1
Why is Villante still in the UFC? God he sucks ass. Barnett hasn't been particularly impressive but I hope he can put Villante out of his misery before the fight goes to the second round and the fans experience misery instead.
Jacoby vs. Allan
Dustin Jacoby, TKO, R1
Late notice fight but Jacoby should still wreck. Allan looked decent against Mike Rodriguez but Rodriguez isn't UFC level and Allan was on steroids in that fight. Also Allan lost to Vinicius Moreira(who has to be one of the worst fighters to get signed by the UFC in recent memory) on DWCS Brazil.
Baghdasaryan vs. Souza
Melsik Baghdasaryan, TKO, R2
Never actually seen Souza fight but after Melsik destroyed Anglin in his debut I'm favoring him against just about any guy coming up from the US regionals.
Vergara vs. Osbourne
CJ Vergara, TKO, R2
Vergara impressed me by destroying Bruno Korea. Vergara also has serious KO power for a flyweight in general. Osbourne is solid but has a tendency to get round 1 finished in his losses and just got his **** wrecked by Kape 3 months ago...probably should have taken more time off.
* Edited at 11.02.2021, 11:43 AM ET *
"When Conor fought Cowboy, he looked like a lion. When he fights stronger opponents, he looks like a scared chicken." - Khabib
11.02.2021 | 1:16 PM ET
Joke artists
Predictions: 11 of 14 Winners, 3 Perfect, 655 Points | Tied for 1203rd
How are you dumbasses picking usman by finish in any round before the 5th if even that. This fight is going to the judges and that's where Colby upset comes from. COLBY DIDNT EVEN GET FINISHED AND HIS JAW WASNT FULLY BROKEN HE SHOWED THE XRAYS PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION. Goddard called that way to soon and Colby lost a potential decision
This user is suspended from posting until 9 years, 1 month, 4 weeks, 9 hours, and 27 minutes from now.
11.02.2021 | 1:17 PM ET
Predictions: 5 of 10 Winners, 4 Perfect, 400 Points | Tied for 3938th
Colby did fight in between btw. He dominated Woodley. Although it was hard to see if he made any improvements against a Woodley on his way out. Seemed like the same old Colby.
11.02.2021 | 1:28 PM ET
Predictions: 10 of 14 Winners, 2 Perfect, 605 Points | Tied for 1895th
That fight was against a washed up Tyron Woodley.
11.02.2021 | 2:19 PM ET
Predictions: 7 of 10 Winners, 0 Perfect, 350 Points | Tied for 4075th
Agree with Tepid, ain't no way in hell Colby is making it
11.02.2021 | 3:58 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 7 of 14 Winners, 0 Perfect, 350 Points | Tied for 4075th
Usman vs. Covington II
Kamaru Usman
usman -310. colby +240.
Namajunas vs. Zhang II
Weili Zhang
-110, rose. -110 zhang.
Gaethje vs. Chandler
Justin Gaethje
-195 justin. +155 chandler.
Burgos vs. Quarantillo
Shane Burgos
-200 burgos. +165 billy.
Edgar vs. Vera
Frankie Edgar
+145 frankie. -165 marlon.
Michailidis vs. Pereira
Alex Pereira
+205 andreas. -255 alex.
Iaquinta vs. Green
Al Iaquinta
+135 al. -160 green.
Hawes vs. Curtis
Phil Hawes
-350 hawes. +270 curtis.
Shahbazyan vs. Imavov
Nassourdine Imavov
+110 edmen. -130 imavov.
Williams vs. Garry
Ian Garry
+270 jordan. -350 ian.
Villante vs. Barnett
Chris Barnett
-110 gian. -115 chris.
Baghdasaryan vs. Souza
Bruno Souza
-280 melsik. +220 souza.
Vergara vs. Osbourne
C.J. Vergara
+135 cj. -160 ode.
Kamaru Usman
usman -310. colby +240.
Namajunas vs. Zhang II
Weili Zhang
-110, rose. -110 zhang.
Gaethje vs. Chandler
Justin Gaethje
-195 justin. +155 chandler.
Burgos vs. Quarantillo
Shane Burgos
-200 burgos. +165 billy.
Edgar vs. Vera
Frankie Edgar
+145 frankie. -165 marlon.
Michailidis vs. Pereira
Alex Pereira
+205 andreas. -255 alex.
Iaquinta vs. Green
Al Iaquinta
+135 al. -160 green.
Hawes vs. Curtis
Phil Hawes
-350 hawes. +270 curtis.
Shahbazyan vs. Imavov
Nassourdine Imavov
+110 edmen. -130 imavov.
Williams vs. Garry
Ian Garry
+270 jordan. -350 ian.
Villante vs. Barnett
Chris Barnett
-110 gian. -115 chris.
Baghdasaryan vs. Souza
Bruno Souza
-280 melsik. +220 souza.
Vergara vs. Osbourne
C.J. Vergara
+135 cj. -160 ode.
11.02.2021 | 4:16 PM ET
Predictions: 11 of 14 Winners, 4 Perfect, 730 Points | Tied for 428th
To say Colby doesn't have a chance is dumb in my opinion, he was up 3-1 before the 5th in my opinion and Usman has looked far from unbeatable losing the first round to Jorge and getting dropped by Burns. Still going for Usman round 4 ko
"Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once." - Julius Caesar.
11.02.2021 | 4:35 PM ET
Predictions: 10 of 14 Winners, 1 Perfect, 570 Points | Tied for 2402nd
I want colby to win it’s just that idk how you beat Usman. Colby can’t go to the wrestling or at least he won’t be successful as no one has taken Usman down, colby probably has better conditioning but Usman would never as out, and he throws more volume but usmans striking has improved so much
"“Unfortunately you can’t talk like that on FOX” - Joe Rogan"
11.02.2021 | 5:32 PM ET
Prediction Comments
Predictions: 11 of 14 Winners, 3 Perfect, 650 Points | Tied for 1310th
Villante vs. Barnett
Gian Villante, DEC
Absolutely no idea what to make of this fight, picking Villante to win but I don't know, not confident whatsoever. Villante has better hands, both guys can get hit and both have decent chins but I think Villante can get away with keeping things a bit tighter offensively whilst Barnett throws looping hooks. This fight is up in the air, anyone can win this and I don't know how either guy will look but yeah, got Villante
Gian Villante, DEC
Absolutely no idea what to make of this fight, picking Villante to win but I don't know, not confident whatsoever. Villante has better hands, both guys can get hit and both have decent chins but I think Villante can get away with keeping things a bit tighter offensively whilst Barnett throws looping hooks. This fight is up in the air, anyone can win this and I don't know how either guy will look but yeah, got Villante
11.02.2021 | 6:02 PM ET
Colby vs Usman was the best fight i have ever seen. Will probably be my favourite fight until i die. What memories
"Say perhaps to drugs"