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Staff Standings:
Ben Kohn: 52-18 .743
Josh Hall: 27-11 .711
TC Engel: 62-29 .681
Luke Irwin: 84-43 .661
Earl Montclair: 51-31 .622
Nolan Howell: 35-23 .603
Lucas Bourdon: 3-2 .600
Dan Galvan: 5-6 .455
Welterweight Bout: Erick Silva (16-4) vs. Matt Brown (18-11)
Luke Irwin: Silva is a helluva fighter, but Brown is on a mission….from God. Give that man four fried chickens and a coke. Brown via R2 TKO.
TC Engel: Everyone is going to pick Matt Brown and that’s okay but I don’t think Matt Brown is that good and I think Erick Silva is pretty good so I think Erick Silva is going to do violence on Matt Brown’s legs, torso, and face. Silva.
Nolan Howell: Erick Silva has all the tools to win this fight. Speed and mat skills can present Matt Brown some problems. However, Silva can be inconsistent and rely too much on his athleticism to win him the fight. Brown will be too durable here and will make it dirty with some of his excellent Thai clinch work en route to victory. Matt Brown by third-round TKO.
Josh Hall: Everything logical tells me Silva should win this fight, but I can’t shake the feeling that Brown breaks him down if Silva doesn’t get the early finish. Matt Brown via 2nd round TKO.
Ben Kohn: Brown by TKO round 2.
Middleweight Bout: Costa Philippou (12-4) vs. Lorenz Larkin (14-2)
Luke Irwin: I want to say that Costa is more well-rounded, but this is a man who was thoroughly and completely OUTWRESTLED by Francis freaking Carmont. This is the hardest one to pick for me, but I certainly don’t think we’re going to get a finish here. Philippou via SD.
TC Engel: Hey look, it’s Lorenz “I BEAT ROBBIE LAWLER TWO YEARS AGO” Larkin in the co-main. Philippou via UD.
Nolan Howell: Costa Philippou has the tighter boxing and a more traditional striking game, as well as the edge on the mat. That said, I don’t think he is able to close the distance through Lorenz Larkin’s unorthodox kicks and spinning attacks. Lorenz Larkin by split decision.
Josh Hall: I think that Costa has hit his ceiling while Larkin is still growing as a fighter. A year ago I would have taken Philippou, but not now. Larkin via unanimous decision.
Ben Kohn: Larkin by UD.
Lightweight Bout: Daron Cruickshank (14-4) vs. Erik Koch (14-3)
Luke Irwin: There are a few things Koch needs to understand at lightweight. One of which is that there are some nasty, NASTY strikers at 155 and he’s not better than most of them. Koch needs to remember that he knows how to submit people and get his Ws that way, because he won’t enjoy the reach and size advantage he had at featherweight. Will he utilize it? We shall see, but I think he will. Koch via R2 submission.
TC Engel: Koch has less stomach fat. Koch via UD.
Nolan Howell: Erik Koch at lightweight is unproven. Though I think Daron Cruickshank is the type of figher that Koch could knock out at featherweight, he’d be best served to get it to the mat and use his submission game. I think Cruickshank can dictate where the fight takes place though and uses his unorthodox taekwondo game to stun Koch here. Daron Cruickshank by unanimous decision.
Josh Hall: Eric Koch is a legit top 15 at LW or LW, and I think he is too well rounded for Cruickshank here. Koch via 2nd round submission.
Ben Kohn: Koch by TKO round 2.
Welterweight Bout: Neil Magny (9-3) vs. Tim Means (20-5-1)
Luke Irwin: The Dirty Bird is back! Keep the man away from a sauna! Means via UD.
TC Engel: Ahahahaha this is a main card fight wtf Means via UD.
Nolan Howell: This is going to be ugly. Though Neil Magny is rangy, that is negated by the height of Tim Means. Tim Means simply does everything better than Magny. Tim Means by first-round TKO.
Josh Hall: I am not convinced Magny is UFC caliber, and Means is a legit prospect. Both men are very lanky, but I feel that Means uses his range more effectively and hits harder. Means via 1st round KO.
Ben Kohn: Means by KO round 2.
Heavyweight Bout: Ruan Potts (8-1) vs. Soa Palelei (20-3)
Luke Irwin: WAR SLOPPY HEAVYWEIGHT WINGING! Palelei via R1 KO.
TC Engel: Soa via social media.
Nolan Howell: Soa Palelei has a strong top game that he uses to power submissions or ground and pound. Ruan Potts…well, who in the bluest of blazing hell is Ruan Potts? Soa Palelei by first-round TKO.
Josh Hall: HULK SMASH – Soa Palelei via 1st round KO.
Ben Kohn: Palelei by KO round 1.
Flyweight Bout: Chris Cariaso (16-5) vs. Louis Smolka (7-0)
Luke Irwin: I’ve long-called Cariaso the main gatekeeper of the flyweight division, and I think he can defeat anyone who isn’t top-10. Cariaso via UD.
TC Engel: Cariaso via TKO, round 2.
Nolan Howell: Louis Smolka impressed me with his boxing game last time out. His height at flyweight is a tool that he seems to use fairly well. Chris Cariaso does have the ability to get it to the mat and blanket him, but will he be able to get inside for the trip takedowns he tends to go for? I don’t think so. Louis Smolka by unanimous decision.
Josh Hall: Smolka entered the UFC with an impressive win over Alp Ozkilic, and Cariaso has never been able to quite put it all together. Smolka via unanimous decision.
Ben Kohn: Smolka by UD.
Middleweight Bout: Ed Herman (21-10) vs. Rafael Natal (17-5-1)
Luke Irwin: Ladies and gentlemen, THE MOST MIDCARD FIGHT OF ALL-TIME! However, in the most midcard bout ever, Natal has a clear advantage on the feet, which I think will be enough for him here. Natal via R2 TKO.
TC Engel: Man, I like Ed Herman dudes. He should be on the main card and not Neil Magny. Herman via submission, round 1.
Nolan Howell: Rafael Natal by unanimous decision.
Josh Hall: Neither of these guys will be contending any time soon. Natal via unanimous decision.
Ben Kohn: Herman by KO round 1.
Flyweight Bout: Darrell Montague (13-3) vs. Kyoji Horiguchi (12-1)
Luke Irwin: Horiguchi is a bad, bad dude, and is only 23, and Montague can’t outstrike him. Horiguchi via R1 TKO.
TC Engel: Also, Montague is good. He’s good. Horiguppie is not very good. Montague via UD.
Nolan Howell: Kyoji Horiguchi by second-round TKO.
Josh Hall: Toughest fight for me to call on the card, but I’ll take the experience advantage for Montague in a close fight. Montague via unanimous decision.
Ben Kohn: Montague by UD.
Welterweight Bout: Yan Cabral (11-0) vs. Zak Cummings (16-3)
Luke Irwin: Picking someone to submit someone who submitted Sakuraba? BET YOUR SWEET ASS. Cummings via R1 submission.
TC Engel: Cummings more like cumming #BAZINGA #BENKOHN Cummings via UD.
Nolan Howell: Yan Cabral by first-round submission.
Josh Hall: Cummings looked quite impressive in his UFC debut and seems to be finally hitting his stride as a fighter. Cummings via unanimous decision.
Ben Kohn: Cabral by UD.
Bantamweight Bout: Eddie Wineland (21-9-1) vs. Johnny Eduardo (26-9)
Luke Irwin: Eduardo has been on ice for over a year, Wineland is still a dangerous, dangerous motherfucker at bantamweight. Wineland via R1 KO.
TC Engel: WHAT IS WINELAND DOING BELOW CABRAL VS CUMMINGS OMG Wineland via KO, round 1.
Nolan Howell: Great card placement here, folks. Eddie Wineland by first-round KO.
Josh Hall: I have no idea why this fight is happening, and it won’t be close. Wineland via 2nd round KO.
Ben Kohn: Wineland by KO round 2.
Featherweight Bout: Manvel Gamburyan (13-7) vs. Nik Lentz (24-6-2)
Luke Irwin: Manny isn’t going to slap Lentz for what he says. Lentz is going to maul him. Lentz via UD.
TC Engel: The one that doesn’t associate with Ronda Rousey via something.
Nolan Howell: Nik Lentz by unanimous decision.
Josh Hall: Both men are very much griders, but Lentz is the bigger and stronger grinder. Lentz via unanimous decision.
Ben Kohn: Lentz by UD.
Lightweight Bout: Ben Wall (7-1-1) vs. Justin Salas (11-5)
Luke Irwin: Wall was utterly humiliated in his UFC debut, but Salas has been puke in his UFC career. Gah. Let’s go Salas via SD.
TC Engel: Both of these guys are worse than Ben Kohn #JEWJITSU #BAZINGA #BENKOHN Neither of these two deserve to win a UFC fight but I guess I’ll take the guy that doesn’t have a winning percentage that belongs in the AL East. Wall via UD.
Nolan Howell: Justin Salas by unanimous decision.
Josh Hall: The loser likely leaves the UFC. Salas via unanimous decision.
Ben Kohn: Salas by UD.
Welterweight Bout: Albert Tumenov (12-2) vs. Anthony Lapsley (23-6)
Luke Irwin: Lapsley hasn’t had a win over ANY fighter of note since 2008. Tumenov had a pretty good showing in his UFC debut, which isn’t easy to do. Tumenov via R2 TKO.
TC Engel: Tumenov via TKO, round 3.
Nolan Howell: Albert Tumenov by unanimous decision.
Josh Hall: I’m thinking Tumenov will show some of the promise he had in his pre UFC days and win impressively here. Tumenov via unanimous decision.
Ben Kohn: Lapsley by Submission round 1.]]>
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