Your Weekend in Combat Sports

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As always, programming is listed in EST
Live fights are in BOLD.
Premiere programming is in ITALICS.
MMA programming is in ORANGE.
Boxing programming is in RED.
Kickboxing/Muay Thai/Karate programming is in BLUE.
Wrestling/Jiu Jitsu/Grappling programming is in PURPLE.
Misc./Combination combat sports programming is in GREEN.

 

Friday February 15

12:00pm: 2019 OKWA State Championships (FloWrestling)
3:00pm: Chin Chek Promotions: Super Brawl MMXIX Weigh-Ins (FREE Fite.tv)
4:30pm: PBC on FOX Weigh-Ins (Fox Sports 2)
5:00pm: Max on Boxing (ESPN2)
6:00pm: Top Rank on ESPN Prelims (ESPN+)
6:30pm: Bellator 215 Prelims (Bellator.com/DAZN)
7:00pm: Purdue vs. Ohio State (FloWrestling)
7:00pm: Penn State vs. Michigan State (FloWrestling)
7:00pm: Maryland vs. Michigan (FloWrestling)
7:30pm: ShoBox Prelims (UFC Fight Pass)
8:00pm: Invicta Fighting Championship 34 (UFC Fight Pass)
8:00pm: Northwestern vs. Illinois (FloWrestling)
8:00pm: Iowa vs. Indiana (FloWrestling)
8:00pm: North Dakota State vs. South Dakota State (FloWrestling)
9:00pm: Khasan Baysangurov vs. Rob Brant/Mikaela Mayer vs. Yareli Larios (ESPN)
9:00pm: Bellator 215 (Paramount Network/DAZN)
10:00pm: Legacy Fighting Alliance 60 (AXS)
10:00pm: Jesse Angel Hernandez vs. Thomas Patrick Ward/Mykal Fox vs. Shohjahon Ergashev (Showtime)

 

Saturday February 16

7:00am: OneFC: Clash of Legends Prelims (Facebook/Twitter)
8:30am: OneFC: Clash of Legends (OneFC App)
10:00am: 2019 OKWA State Championships (FloWrestling)
11:00am: Columbia vs. Brown (ESPN+)
1:00pm: Hofstra vs. Brown (ESPN+)
3:25pm: Team NGABU: Boxing Fight Night ($7.99 Fite.tv)
4:00pm: Columbia vs. Harvard (ESPN+)
4:00pm: Princeton vs. Penn (ESPN+)
4:30pm: Spence Jr. vs. Garcia Press Conference (Fox)
6:00pm: Hofstra vs. Harvard (ESPN+)
7:00pm: Fight To Win Pro 102 (FloGrappling)
7:00pm: Chin Chek Promotions: Super Brawl MMXIX ($9.99 Fite.tv)
7:30pm: Bellator 216 Prelims (Bellator.com/DAZN)
8:00pm: Leo Santa Cruz vs. Rafael Rivera/Cesar Juarez vs. Ryosuke Iwasa (Fox)
9:00pm: 2019 OKWA State Championships (FloWrestling)
10:00pm: Bellator 216 (DAZN)
11:00pm: Lion Fight 51 (CBS Sports)

 

Sunday February 17

12:00pm: Rutgers vs. Michigan (BigTen)
1:00pm: Ohio vs. Buffalo (ESPN+)
1:00pm: California Baptist vs. Penn (ESPN+)
1:00pm: Michigan State vs. Purdue (FloWrestling)
2:00pm: Ohio State vs. Nebraska (FloWrestling)
2:00pm: Illinois vs. Penn State (FloWrestling)
2:00pm: Minnesota vs. Indiana (FloWrestling)
3:00pm: Wisconsin vs. Iowa (FloWrestling)
5:00pm: Fresno State vs. Oklahoma (FloWrestling)
5:30pm: UFC Fight Night Prelims (ESPN+)
6:00pm: Fight Card Entertainment: Cross The Line ($16.99 Fite.tv)
7:00pm: UFC Fight Night Prelims (ESPN)
9:00pm: UFC Fight Night: Ngannou vs. Velasquez (ESPN)

 

Top-10 Viewing Options: A man hoping against hope that Michael Page counts the lightbulbs on the arena ceiling will probably be let down again.

 

Your Weekend in Combat Sports  1. UFC Fight Night: Ngannou vs. Velasquez: This will be the second Sunday in a row that ESPN has put a fight event on a Sunday. I’ve been saying for years that NFL off-season Sundays are ripe for viewing, since it’s clear the viewers are out there, and if they’re taking advantage of that, finally, I think that’s a damned solid move.

Your Weekend in Combat Sports  2. Bellator 216: Give Bellator this, MVP vs. Page is more hyped and feels bigger than Gastelum vs. Whittaker did, or 90% of the UFC’s title fights these days.

Your Weekend in Combat Sports  3. OneFC: Clash of Legends: Fairly nothing in the realm of MMA from OneFC, but loading the hell up with muay thai Super Series bouts.

Your Weekend in Combat Sports  4. Invicta Fighting Championship 34: A title fight and a tournament? You get me, Invicta.

Your Weekend in Combat Sports  5. Leo Santa Cruz vs. Rafael Rivera/Cesar Juarez vs. Ryosuke Iwasa: Once again, another late-notice dropout, in this case, Miguel Flores out with an ankle injury, and much-less acclaimed Rafael Rivera is in.

Your Weekend in Combat Sports  6. Khasan Baysangurov vs. Rob Brant/Mikaela Mayer vs. Yareli Larios: Rob Brant returning to his native Minnesota as a defending world champion in front of a state that is incredibly passionate about their own should be a damned fun watch.

Your Weekend in Combat Sports  7. Bellator 215: Kharitonov vs. Mitrione is a fine main event for the lesser of the two Bellator cards this weekend.

Your Weekend in Combat Sports  8. Lion Fight 51: Lion Fight used to be must-see TV on AXS. If they can land a regular spot on CBS Sports, it’s definitely a step back towards relevance.

Your Weekend in Combat Sports  9. Fight To Win Pro 102: Their last card, the first featuring judo, was a success, and Fight To Win is keeping with it, to my delight.

Your Weekend in Combat Sports  10. Legacy Fighting Alliance 60: Titles at stake, which means UFC contracts on the line.

 

KICKBOXING/MUAY THAI

5. OneFC Muay Thai Bantamweight Super Series Bout: Alaverdi Ramazanov (58-3) vs. Kongsak PKSaenchaimuaythaigym (162-59-2) [OneFC: Clash of Legends]

4. OneFC Muay Thai Super Series 67.5kg Bout: Chamuaktong Fightermuaythai (145-34-1) vs. Charlie Peters (15-10) [OneFC: Clash of Legends]

3. OneFC Bantamweight Muay Thai Super Series Championship: Han Zi Hao (58-15) vs. Nong-O Gaiyanghadao (257-54-1) [OneFC: Clash of Legends]

2. Lion Fight Cruiserweight Championship: Chip Moraza-Pollard (c) (9-0) vs. Juan Cervantes (30-8-1) [Lion Fight 51]

1. Featherweight Muay Thai Super Series Bout: Jo Nattawut (66-8-2) vs. Samy Sana (132-7-1) [OneFC: Clash of Legends]

 

BOXING

5. Welterweight Bout: John Molina Jr. (30-7) vs. Omar Figueroa Jr. (27-0-1) [PBC on FOX]

4. Bantamweight Bout: Cesar Juarez (23-6) vs. Ryosuke Iwasa (25-3) [PBC on FOX]

3. IBF World Junior Flyweight Championship: Carlos Licona (c) (14-0) vs. DeeJay Kriel (14-1-1) [PBC on FOX]

2. WBA “Regular” World Middleweight Championship: Rob Brant (c) (24-1) vs. Khasan Baysangurov (17-0)

1. WBA Super World Featherweight Championship: Leo Santa Cruz (c) (35-1-1) vs. Rafael Rivera (26-2-2) [PBC on FOX]

 

MMA

5. Vacant Invicta Fighting Championship Flyweight Championship: Pearl Gonzalez (9-3) vs. Vanessa Porto (20-8) [Invicta Fighting Championship 34]

4. Heavyweight Bout: Matt Mitrione (13-6) vs. Sergei Kharitonov (28-6) [Bellator 215]

3. Featherweight Bout: Alex Caceres (14-11) vs. Kron Gracie (4-0) [UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. Velasquez]

2. Heavyweight Bout: Cain Velasquez (14-2) vs. Francis Ngannou (12-3) [UFC on ESPN: Ngannou vs. Velasquez]

1. Welterweight World Grand Prix Quarterfinals: Michael Page (13-0) vs. Paul Daley (40-16-2) [Bellator 216]

 

GRAPPLING/WRESTLING

5. 184lb Bout: #2 Shakur Rasheed (PSU) vs. #7 Emery Parker (ILL) [Penn State vs. Illinois]

4. 184lb Bout: #1 Myles Martin (OSTU) vs. #6 Taylor Venz (NEB) [Ohio State vs. Nebraska]

3. 165lb Bout: #2 Alex Marinelli (IOWA) vs. #3 Evan Wick (WIS) [Iowa vs. Wisconsin]

2. 180lb Black Belt Judo Bout: Garrett Aldrich vs. Jesse Butler [Fight To Win Pro 102]

1. Fight To Win Black Belt Super Heavyweight Championship: Mahamed Aly vs. Max Gimenes [Fight To Win Pro 102]

 

 

Bold, Yet Probably Fruitless Predictions: You say not even two quarters, but I say not a loss in a month! We’ll get there, folks! 48 cents can add value, you know!

 

Best Fight of the Weekend: Michael Page vs. Paul Daley
Most Underrated Fight of the Weekend: Jo Nattawut vs. Samy Sana
If My Life Depended on One Pick: Leo Santa Cruz over Rafael Rivera
Best Card Top-to-Bottom: PBC on FOX
Upset of the Week: Francis Ngannou over Cain Velasquez
Most Disappointing Fight of the Weekend: Cain Velasquez vs. Francis Ngannou

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