UFC 178 Staff Picks

Last Event Winner: Luke Irwin/Nolan Howell (10-2)

Lucas Bourdon: 9-4 .692
Ben Kohn: 129-58 .690
TC Engel: 83-46 .643
Luke Irwin: 203-120 .628
Josh Hall: 35-21 .625
Earl Montclair: 96-65 .596
Nolan Howell: 118-87 .576
Naomi Kamornick: 6-5 .545
Dan Galvan: 5-6 .455

UFC Flyweight Championship: Demetrious Johnson (c) (20-2-1) vs. Chris Cariaso (17-5)

Luke Irwin: Cariaso is a hell of a fighter, a great top-level gatekeeper, but he’s not championship material. DJ doesn’t fight with a ton of urgency, so he won’t finish him early, but after he’s done breaking him, I think he takes a neck or a limb. Johnson via R3 Submission.

Earl Montclair: Cariaso is out to prove he deserves this fight and Johnson is there to not put on an underwhelming performance against someone he should manhandle. DJ will be able to take Cariaso down if Chris tries to kick with him so I think it ia bad news for Cariaso wherever this fight goes. Demetrious Johnson, TKO, Round 2.

TC Engel: This is the cherry on top of an amazing card. But the cherry’s anti-climatic if you eat it last. That’s why it’s on top, to give you a good taste. Johnson is going to rail Cariaso. DJ, TKO 2.

Nolan Howell: Yup. Demetrious Johnson by second-round submission.

Lightweight Bout: Donald Cerrone (24-6) vs. Eddie Alvarez (25-3)

Luke Irwin: For all the tools Cerrone has, he can still get starched by a crisp, talented striker, which is precisely what Eddie is. Alvarez via R2 TKO.

Earl Montclair: Ectoplasm. So much ectoplasm. This is really a wonderful fight that makes me pants fit funny. I honestly can see this fight going every possible way. I’m only making a prediction because I have to. If anyone needs me, I’ll just be in a corner with my pants aroumd my ankles. Donald Cerrone, Unanimous Decision.

TC Engel: I cannot remember a more difficult fight to pick between two more bipolar fighters. When either is on, they’re near unstoppable. If they’re both on, we’re in for a generational fight. Cerrone UD.

Nolan Howell: Very tough matchup. I like Eddie Alvarez to pressure Donald Cerrone and keep him moving back. Then again, Cerrone has looked like a stone-cold killer in his past few. Alvarez does tend to get dropped each fight and Cerrone will jump on his back and choke him out if that does happen here. Tough call, but I like the pressure striking of Alvarez here. Eddie Alvarez by unanimous decision.

Featherweight Bout: Conor McGregor (15-2) vs. Dustin Poirier (16-3)

Luke Irwin: Picking with my heart over my head here. Diamond is the best submission artist that McGregor has faced thus far. Poirier via R2 Submission.

Earl Montclair: I hate the thought of this so much but I have no choice: Conor McGregor, TKO, Round 2.

TC Engel: HOO BOY. I cannot give an objective opinion on this fight. McGregor is a phenomenal striker, and Poirier is just an all-around bad dude. Heart over head. Poirier TKO 2.

Nolan Howell: Unfortunately, don’t see much chance for Dustin Poirier here. His striking packs some pop, but he can be stiff as a board with no head movement. Against a guy like Conor McGregor, that doesn’t bode well. I hope differently, but this looks to be all McGregor here. Conor McGregor by first-round TKO.

Middleweight Bout: Tim Kennedy (18-4) vs. Yoel Romero (8-1)

Luke Irwin: Tim Kennedy is a very, very underrated to me. Kennedy has only lost to the best of the best, and Romero isn’t in that category. Kennedy is a cardio monster that will box circles around Romero and keep him at bay easily. Kennedy via UD.

Earl Montclair: Both these Strikeforce vets have been tremendous since coming to the UFC but I just can’t go against Tim here. I think he has the smarts and the gas tank to win a very hard fought match. Tim Kennedy, Unanimous Decision.

TC Engel: Romero pooped himself, lol. Kennedy UD.

Nolan Howell: Tim Kennedy is the more well-rounded fighter and can take it easily if he survives the blitz of Yoel Romero. Tim Kennedy by unanimous decision.

Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Amanda Nunes (9-3) vs. Cat Zingano (8-0)

Luke Irwin: Roll of the dice here, as nobody knows how Cat will handle being back in the cage mentally or physically. I think she warms herself back up to her former level, but I don’t expect her to come flying out of the gate. Zingano via SD.

Earl Montclair: Alpha Cat is finally returning to the cage after a catastrophic knee injury and an unspeakable family tragedy. She is also just wonderful and here to earn back the title shot she never lost. After a tentative start I see Cat Zingano, TKO, Round 3.

TC Engel: Fuck me, Earl Montclair. Alpha Cat, UD.

Nolan Howell: Cat Zingano should be too strong here for Amanda Nunes. Cat Zingano by unanimous decision.

Bantamweight Bout: Dominick Cruz (19-1) vs. Takeya Mizugaki (20-7-2)

Luke Irwin: Mizugaki doesn’t excel in any one facet of the MMA game, and pure hustle isn’t going to work against a moving target like Cruz, even if he isn’t 100% or the same fighter. Cruz is too smart of a fighter. Mizu is game as hell, but he doesn’t have nearly the gifts that Cruz does. Cruz via UD.

Earl Montclair: Speaking of catastrophic knee injuries, Dominick Cruz has still not been forced to pull out of this fight! If there is ever a chan e for Takeya To beat Cruz this is it. I just cant trust Cruz until I see him fight again. It’s been too many things and too long of an absence. Takeya Mizugaki, Split Decision.

TC Engel: Is Cruz back? Is Mizugaki going to be able to fight again after being mercilessly KO’d by Cisco in his last fight? Tune in, this Saturday night, only on PAY PER VIEW. Cruz UD.

Nolan Howell: Assuming Dominick Cruz is still the same fighter, and that’s very iffy, this should be his fight. Takeya Mizugaki will put up a great fight though. Dominick Cruz by unanimous decision.

Lightweight Bout: James Krause (21-5) vs. Jorge Masvidal (27-8)

Luke Irwin: Josh Hall said it best, that Masvidal is great at beating the guys he’s supposed to. This is the kind of fights where he cruises. Masvidal via UD.

Earl Montclair: Masvidal should handle this with ease. Jorge Masvidal, Unanimous Decision.

TC Engel: I want to pick the underdog here badly. AND I DO WHAT I WANT. Krause, UD.

Nolan Howell: Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision.

Welterweight Bout: Patrick Cote (20-8) vs. Stephen Thompson (9-1)

Luke Irwin: Cote is past his expiration date and, even at welterweight, moves like whale shit. I think, unfortunately, Thompson just styles on him for three rounds. Thompson via UD.

Earl Montclair: Blech. Stephen Thompson, Unanimous Decision.

TC Engel: Thompson is overrated. The demise of Pat Cote has been overestimated. Cote, UD.

Nolan Howell: Stephen Thompson by first-round TKO.

Welterweight Bout: Brian Ebersole (50-16-1) vs. John Howard (22-9)

Luke Irwin: Strange matchup. Not sure how it’s going to go, but I know it’ll be ugly. Howard via SD.

Earl Montclair: The combined designs of these men and their hair (Howard with his head hair and Ebersole with the Hairrow) is good eniugh for me, I reckon. John Howard, lopsided Unanimous Decision.

TC Engel: John Howard is going to kill a man on Saturday night. Howard.

Nolan Howell: John Howard by unanimous decision.