Staff Standings:
Ben Kohn: 75-32 .701
Lucas Bourdon: 9-4 .692
TC Engel: 75-39 .658
Josh Hall: 33-18 .647
Luke Irwin: 130-80 .619
Earl Montclair: 55-37 .598
Nolan Howell: 71-60 .542
Dan Galvan: 5-6 .455
Last Event Winner: Lucas Bourdon (6-2)
UFC Middleweight Championship: Chris Weidman (c) (11-0) vs. Lyoto Machida (21-4)
Luke Irwin: Weidman’s striking is just worlds better than anyone gives him credit for, and he might be the most well-rounded fighter in the world along with Jon Jones. Every fighter that steps in with Lyoto Machida tends to go into a defensive posture and tries to figure him out, eventually getting a foot to the face for their effort. Jones didn’t, Shogun didn’t, and Weidman won’t. I think he’ll charge at Machida the same way Shogun did in their second fight. If he wasn’t scared to pressure Anderson Silva, he won’t be scared to pressure Machida. Weidman via R3 KO.
Earl Montclair: Nothing would make me happier this weekend than seeing Lyoto Machida become the third 2 division champion in UFC history along with Randy and Baby Jay. I’m going to be disappointed though and not because Machida is declining, but Chris Weidman is a special fighter. I think Weidman will be strongly tested by Machida but he will end this fight with authority. Chris Weidman, KO, Round 3.
Ben Kohn: Read my breakdown for a sad :(. Chris Weidman by TKO Round 2.
Nolan Howell: Lyoto Machida by second-round TKO.
UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship: Ronda Rousey (c) (9-0) vs. Alexis Davis (16-5)
Luke Irwin: Ugh. Rousey via R2 Submission.
Earl Montclair: Rousey, Hold #398, Round 1
Ben Kohn: Ronda Rousey by Armbar Round 1.
Nolan Howell: Ronda Rousey by second-round submission.
Heavyweight Bout: Matt Mitrione (7-3) vs. Stefan Struve (25-6)
Luke Irwin: Very, very happy to see Struve back in the UFC cage, and hope to God he has his heart condition under control. As for the fight itself, I think after Struve took a knockout punch from perhaps the hardest puncher in the world, whatever Mitrione throws at him won’t faze him. Struve via R2 Submission.
Earl Montclair: I am so happy to see Struve back in the cage after getting his face split by Mark Hunt and then battling back from that heart ailment. I’ll be very nervous for him but hopefully the health scare will make him value his life a little more and not get battered, beaten and switched off so much. Mitrione is the kind of fighter Struve can strangle with relative ease. I just hope Stefan minimizes the damage he takes before he locks a sub in. Stefan Struve, Triangle Choke, Round 1.
Ben Kohn: Such a difficult fight to pick. Mittrione has lots of power and Struve let’s most people use it against him. It’s also completely unclear how he will look in his first fight back from heart issues. Really torn, I want Struve to make a triumphant return but Mittrione has a technical enough standup game and more than enough power to sleep Struve. Ugh. Matt Mittrione by KO Round 2.
Nolan Howell: Matt Mitrione by first-round KO.
Middleweight Bout: Thiago Santos (9-2) vs. Uriah Hall (8-4)
Luke Irwin: Hall has been breathtakingly underwhelming in the UFC, but look for him to get back on track here. Hall via R2 TKO.
Earl Montclair: Cannot be bothered to give a fuck. Uriah Hall, Lackluster Unanimous Decision.
Ben Kohn: Uriah, please for the love of Kami fight like you did on TUF. Uriah Hall by KO Round 2.
Nolan Howell: Uriah Hall by unanimous decision.
Bantamweight Bout: Marcus Brimage (6-2) vs. Russell Doane (13-3)
Luke Irwin: Main card fight, folks! Dear lord. Neither of these two are fantastic, but Doane is a bit better. Doane via SD.
Earl Montclair: Brimage, Unanimous Decision.
Ben Kohn: I like the Bama Beast a lot, he’s a pretty fun guy to watch in the cage and has good striking. I don’t know too much about Doane though. Brimage also wears a scouter and the reading is he’ll get a win and a bonus of OVER 9000!!!! Marcus Brimage by UD.
Nolan Howell: Marcus Brimage by unanimous decision.
Bantamweight Bout: Alex Caceres (10-5) vs. Urijah Faber (30-7)
Luke Irwin: Fight of the night, right here. This is going to be a hell of a fun grappling battle. Caceres is slick, but Faber has seen and done it all. Faber via R2 Submission.
Earl Montclair: In what should be the 3rd fight on the main card, Alex Caceres faces the biggest challenge of his career in Urijah Faber. Bruce Leeroy has really grown on me in his last few fights and I really hope he puts on a good performance here. Regardless, this is Non-Title Fight Urijah Faber and he is just light years ahead of Alex. This is going to be a snuff film. Urijah Faber, TKO, Round 2.
Ben Kohn: Big step up for Caceres and it won’t end well at all. His rangy striking will get him floored and his scrambling, his best skillset, will be easily nullified by Faber’s superior scrambling. Urijah Faber by whatever he wants, probably a Sub, Round 1.
Nolan Howell: Urijah Faber by second-round submission.
Welterweight Bout: Ildemar Alcantara (20-6) vs. Kenny Robertson (13-3)
Luke Irwin: Alcantara has a few more weapons at his disposal. Alcantara via SD.
Earl Montclair: Alcantara, TKO, Round 2.
Ben Kohn: Alcantara is an enigma to me as a fighter as he performs well some nights and others, he completely shits the bed. Robertson hit the Suloev stretch and it was glorious and his wrestling could pose problems for Alcantara. However, I think the less talented Alcantara takes a win here. Ildemar Alcantara by UD.
Nolan Howell: Kenny Robertson by unanimous decision.
Middleweight Bout: Bruno Santos (13-1) vs. Chris Camozzi (19-7)
Luke Irwin: Santos is a guy I’ve been following on the indies for years. Glad he’s finally gotten his big break, but Camozzi is just too far ahead of him. He’ll grind him down. Camozzi via UD.
Earl Montclair: Chris Camozzi, Unanimous Decision.
Ben Kohn: Camozzi is pretty good and idk who the hell Bruno Santos is. Chris Camozzi by UD.
Nolan Howell: Chris Camozzi by unanimous decision.
Bantamweight Bout: George Roop (15-10-1) vs. Rob Font (10-1)
Luke Irwin: Roop at bantamweight is much, much more improved, going 3-1 and only losing to the cement fists of Cisco Rivera. Roop’s got it here. Roop via UD.
Earl Montclair: There is surely a Comic Sans Corgi joke to be made here but I ain’t doing it. Rob Font, Unanimous Decision.
Ben Kohn: Roop, please win. George Roop by UD.
Nolan Howell: George Roop by first-round TKO.
Middleweight Bout: Guilherme Vasconcelos (3-1) vs. Luke Zachrich (13-3)
Luke Irwin: Never trust TUF fighters. Oh well. Zachrich via R1 TKO.
Earl Montclair: Vasconcelos, Unanimous Decision.
Ben Kohn: TUF vet in Luke Zachrich from season 7, cool beans. Luke Zachrich by Sub Round 2.
Nolan Howell: Luke Zachrich by unanimous decision.
Middleweight Bout: Bubba Bush (8-2) vs. Kevin Casey (8-3)
Luke Irwin: LEGACY FIGHT NEVER DIE! Casey has already had his shot and didn’t deliver. Bush is the hot hand here. Bush via UD.
Earl Montclair: Casey, KO, Round 1.
Ben Kohn: Kevin Casey has improved a ton since being released from the UFC. I expect him to get a quick win here. Kevin Casey by KO Round 1.
Nolan Howell: Bubba Bush by first-round TKO.
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