Staff Standings:
Ben Kohn: 25-10 .714
TC Engel: 24-11 .686
Josh Hall: 15-8 .652
Luke Irwin: 29-18 .617
Nolan Howell: 21-15 .583
Earl Montclair: 18-17 .524
Dan Galvan: 5-6 .455
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship: Ronda Rousey (8-0) vs. Sara McMann (7-0)
Luke Irwin: I’d feel a lot better about this if McMann hadn’t been coming off of a huge layoff and a short camp. Rousey via R2 submission.
TC Engel: In a perfect world, could McMann beat Rousey? Absolutely. Outside of Cyborg, McMann is the biggest threat to Ronda. Unfortunately, between the ring rust and her relative greenness, I don’t see a way Rousey loses this fight. Rousey, armbar, round 2, Luke Irwin suicide, round 3.
Earl Montclair: Yeah, um….welp, shit. This fight will happen and it will draw badly. I will be stunned if it clears 200k buys. My official prediction on buys is 160k. There has been no promotion for this card and there is no real reason for the casual fan to tune in. Im probably the most indifferent person on staff in regards to Ronda but even to me her schtick is wearing painfully thin. Sara is a future champ but I think right now over the course of 25 minutes Ronda will lock her up and finish. Then please PLEASE get Cat Zingano in there to unleash #demknees. Ronda Rousey, arm-BAR, off her back this time, Round 2.
Ben Kohn: Look, McMann can pull this off and I believe she will. She has the wrestling to get Ronda to hesitate a bit on the feet and catch her with her powerful right hand and Ronda’s defense is still not very good at all. Sara can stop Rousey from taking her down as well as she hasn’t been taken down yet. This card will be the truest measure of Ronda’s drawing power. If she does well despite the shitty promotion and supporting cast, she’s a true star. If not? Luke will be happy. Sara McMann by (T)KO Round 2.
Light Heavyweight Bout: Daniel Cormier (13-0) vs. Patrick Cummins (4-0)
Luke Irwin: I’d really like to see an intense performance like his Strikeforce fights, but he’s been vanilla in the UFC. Maybe the weight cut and his distaste of Cummins will change that, but I doubt it. Cormier via UD.
TC Engel: I was hyped for Cormier and Evans. This fight is certainly a professional mixed martial arts match. Cormier via KO, round 1.
Earl Montclair: This is stupid. DC’s LeBron James Hairline, Donkey Kong TKO, Round 1.
Ben Kohn: Lol what the hell. Dan Cormier by whatever the fuck he wants but probably a KO Round 1.
Welterweight Bout: Demian Maia (18-5) vs. Rory MacDonald (15-2)
Luke Irwin: FOTN here if either guy is awake. Rory has gone from one of my favorite fighters on the planet to one of my least-favorite over the course of his last two fights in which I’m not entirely sure he had a working pulse. Maia matches his opponent’s energy, so we shall see. MacDonald via UD.
TC Engel: Rory MacDonald kind of sucked against Lawler. I could see it happening again, but I think a retired GSP has put everything into Rory, and I think he pulls off an incredibly boring decision win. MacDonald via UD.
Earl Montclair: Rory, you are entering a world of pain. If you step in the cage with Maia you are entering a world of pain. This is a Maia v Fitch remake set to happen as Rory seems compelled to do the bare minimum these days in the cage. Demian Maia, Dominant UD.
Ben Kohn: Oh this is interesting. Maia’s striking is nowhere near as powerful or as good as Lawler’s and that means he will need to get this to the ground to win. Rory’s game off his back against Lawler was…uninspiring to say the least. Rory’s ability to keep the distance with the jab and his kicks worries me though but I feel Maia will be able to secure the clinch and drag him to the ground. Demian Maia by Unanimous Decision.
Welterweight Bout: Mike Pyle (25-9-1) vs. TJ Waldburger (16-8)
Luke Irwin: Seeing someone nearly die ten feet from you tends to change your view on that person. I don’t know how Waldburger can bounce back from something like that. Pyle via R1 TKO.
TC Engel: WHATABURGER via kimura, round 2.
Earl Montclair: I am stoked for this fight. Waldburger is one of the slickest, most creative submission guys in the company and Pyle has seen everything over the course of his long career. I think Pyle’s experience pushes him over his younger opponent but this should be lots of fun. SCRAMBLES! Mike Pyle, Unanimous Decision.
Ben Kohn: Pyle is better than Waldburger at his own specialty of grappling and he most definitely is the better striker. After watching TJ nearly get decapitated in his last fight, I expect Pyle to easily crack his chin and put him away. Mike Pyle by KO Round 1.
Welterweight Bout: Robert Whittaker (11-3) vs. Stephen Thompson (8-1)
Luke Irwin: Never going to pick Thompson. Never. Not once. Whittaker via SD.
TC Engel: This shit is going to be fun. Whittaker via UD.
Earl Montclair: I just feel like Whittaker is better adjusted to MMA at this stage than Thompson. I think he can ugly this one up (not to the level of Matt Brown) enough to drag Thompson out of his comfort zone and get the nod. Robert Whittaker, Unanimous Decision.
Ben Kohn: This is going to be an interesting fight and despite his Karate background, Thompson has pretty good boxing that’s far more effective in recent fights than his kicks. I think it will be competative and a fun fight for sure that is a sleeper for FOTN. Stephen Thompson by Unanimous Decision.
Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Alexis Davis (15-5) vs. Jessica Eye (10-1)
Luke Irwin: Eye skated by with a rather helpful decision last time, and she won’t have anything here that Davis hasn’t seen before in spades. Davis via UD.
TC Engel: Davis via UD.
Earl Montclair: Jessica Eye lost to Sarah Kaufman, scorecards be damned and that coupled with all the pot marijuana failed drug test distractions, this one is Davis’ for the taking. Alexis Davis, Submission, Round 2.
Ben Kohn: After the shit Eye has pulled recently, I not only think she will lose but really want her too as well. Alexis Davis by Submission Round 1.
Bantamweight Bout: Pedro Munhoz (10-0) vs. Raphael Assuncao (21-4)
Luke Irwin: Munhoz is an undefeated RFA champion getting his call up to the big leagues, but this is just a terrible debut fight for him. Assuncao via UD.
TC Engel: Assuncao via UD.
Earl Montclair: Assuncao has rattled off 5 straight in the UFC and is knocking on Renan Barao’s door for the next title shot. Munhoz is the RFA Bantamweight Champ but this is a MASSIVE step up in competition. Raphael Assuncao, Unanimous Decision.
Ben Kohn: Munhoz is an excellent grappler and Assuncao is no slouch on the ground but the striking advantage should be heavily in his favor in this match. I don’t expect a finish but I do expect him to win his 6th fight in a row and possibly earn a title shot. Raphael Assuncao by Unanimous Decision.
Bantamweight Bout: Aljamain Sterling (8-0) vs. Cody Gibson (11-3)
Luke Irwin: I’ve actually been a fan of Gibson for a few years now and always hoped he’d get his break. It’s here, and I doubt he disappoints. Gibson via UD.
TC Engel: Sterling via UD.
Earl Montclair: 2 high action 135’ers are making their UFC debuts in this fight which should be awesome. Gibson last fought in Tachi Palace Fights (home of the hawtest ring girls on the planet) while Sterling has been fighting through the ranks of Cage Fury Fighting Championships. I am giving Sterling the edge here with a superior camp being the final deciding factor for me. Aljamain Sterling, Submission, Round 2.
Ben Kohn: Sterling gonna steamroll Gibson. Aljamain Sterling by Submission Round 1.
Flyweight Bout: Joshua Sampo (11-2) vs. Zach Makovsky (17-4)
Luke Irwin: I really like this fight a lot, and it will be a great bout between two relative unknowns, but Makovsky is better than Sampo at everything, and he’ll take this one. Makovsky via UD.
TC Engel: Makovsky via UD.
Earl Montclair: Makovsky is the truth, you guys. Zach Makovsky, Submission, Round 1.
Ben Kohn: Why the hell is this not higher up the card? Makovsky made a big splash by beating Scott Jorgenson on short notice in his UFC debut. His striking looked crisp and his takedowns were on point. Sampo is a very good grappler as well but he’s not as polished on the feet. I expect Zach to be able to comfortably outstrike Sampo for the whole fight. Zach Makovsky by Unanimous Decison.
Lightweight Bout: Erik Koch (13-3) vs. Rafaello Oliveira (15-6)
Luke Irwin: This fight should really, really be higher on the card. Oliveira is hanging on by the slimmest of threads, however, and Koch is going to be a more comfortable weight with more power behind his strikes. Koch via R2 TKO.
TC Engel: Koch via TKO, round 2.
Earl Montclair: Huge bounce back fight for Koch here after getting dumptrucked by Lamas and dropping a decision to Poirier. Oliveria is a solid fighter but Koch should light him up something brutal on the feet. Erik Koch, KO, Round 1.
Ben Kohn: How the mighty have fallen. Koch was so close to a title shot and now he’s got a chance to try and rebuild his stature in the UFC. Rafaello is a solid opponent who can’t be slept on but Koch’s striking should be miles ahead of his and he needs to make a statement anyway. Erik Koch by KO Round 1.
Lightweight Bout: Ernest Chavez (6-0) vs. Yosdenis Cedeno (9-2)
Luke Irwin: Yeah, neither of these guys are going above this slot in their UFC careers, but of the two, Cedeno has a bit better resume. Cedeno via UD.
TC Engel: Cedeno via UD.
Earl Montclair: Any dude nicknamed “Pink Pather” is solid in my book. Yosdenis Cedeno, Unanimous Decision.
Ben Kohn: Yosdenis Cedeno has a cooler name and nickname. Aside from that, idk shit about this fight. Yosdenis Cedeno by Unanimous Decision.
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