UFC Women’s Featherweight Championship: Germaine de Randamie (6-3) vs. Holly Holm (10-2)
Luke Irwin: This will really come down to which Holly Holm shows up. The confident, quick, sharp Holm that faced Rousey and most of Tate, or the lackluster, gunshy, sluggish Holm we saw against Shevchenko. de Randamie is a hell of a striker, but all things equal, I think Holm gets the job done. Holm via UD.
Nolan Howell: If styles win fights, de Randamie might be the winner here with Holm being a more karate type fighter in MMA striking and that motion-based, almost point-fighting style has proven to be mismatched against Muay Thai fighters often if you look at Shogun vs. Machida as an example. However, Holm has fought the better competition while de Randamie has been given showcase fights. Having been tested and showing the ability to strategize against specialists before, I think Holm is able to plan accordingly and perhaps demonstrate some of the boxing that got her to the game en route to a clear win. Holly Holm by unanimous decision.
Middleweight Bout: Anderson Silva (33-8) vs. Derek Brunson (16-4)
Luke: I mean, how do you even judge what Anderson Silva is as a fighter in 2017? His last fight was against the Light Heavyweight champ on a literal day’s notice, and he still looked decent. Brunson is a top-shelf middleweight, but he’s coming off a TKO loss, so this is an absolute mystery to me. Brunson via SD.
Nolan: Silva is a frustrating case because he refuses to acknlowedge his regression. Silva tries to incorporate unique styles into his game still, but at his age and with his wear and tear, bringing Kali Escrima isn’t going to cut it when you are facing the elite of the elite. Fortunately, Brunson seems to lack the fight IQ that gives Silva a chance here. If Brunson decides to properly use his wrestling game, he should be able to drag Silva into deep waters. His past performances seem to suggest otherwise. Anderson Silva by first-round KO.
Middleweight Bout: Ronaldo Souza (23-4) vs. Tim Boetsch (20-10)
Luke: Listen, you won’t find a bigger Tim Boetsch guy than this fella right here, but Boetsch is what he is, meanwhile, you can make a very good argument that Jacare is the best middleweight in the world. Sorry, Tim. Souza via R1 Submission.
Nolan: Souza has become too competent on the feet for Boetsch to be able to take this, aside from a power shot that sneaks through. Perhaps Boetsch’s durability allows him to hang in there for a Hail Mary, but it seems more likely that Jacare gets him down some way or another and takes him out early. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza by second-round submission.
Light Heavyweight Bout: Glover Teixeira (25-5) vs. Jared Cannonier (9-1)
Luke: This, to me, is a case of what Glover has left. At his best, Glover takes this in a couple minutes, but we’re not witnessing Glober at his best. He’s 37 and just got pasted by Rumble in thirteen seconds. Cannonier made the right call coming down to the barren light heavyweight division, but I don’t think Glover’s arrow is pointing to “E” enough for him to lose this. Teixeira via R2 TKO.
Nolan: Not prepared to call Teixeira done and not prepared to say Cannonier is an elite fighter. Considering Cannonier was slept by Shawn Jordan, I assume Teixeira has something in his tool belt to be able to land on Cannonier and put him down. Glover Teixeira by second-round TKO.
Lightweight Bout: Dustin Poirier (20-5) vs. Jim Miller (28-8)
Luke: Fight of the night here, and it was #1 in my Top-25 of the weekend. This is going to be an absolute barn-burner that will end quickly and spectacularly. Poirier via R3 Submission.
Nolan: While Poirier can get himself in trouble fighting too loosely, everything tells us that Miller is on the decline and Poirier continues to show improvements in his game. The grappling exchanges could be close, but Poirier’s improved boxing should be able to allow him to dictate where the fight takes place and win it where he has the advantage. Dustin Poirier by unanimous decision.
Welterweight Bout: Belal Muhammad (10-2) vs. Randy Brown (9-1)
Luke: Belal is game and Brown is way overhyped, but he’s a short-notice replacement, and I think Randy uses that to get him down and find a submission. Brown via R2 Submission.
Flyweight Bout: Ulka Sasaki (19-3-2) vs. Wilson Reis (21-6)
Luke: Reis is a title challenger and shouldn’t be in this. The only hiccup would be if he takes this too lightly. Reis via UD.
Lightweight Bout: Islam Makhachev (13-1) vs. Nik Lentz (27-7-2)
Luke: A true fight for the hardcores, and that’s why I’m looking forward to this one a whole bunch. Lentz is a fighter’s fighter, a true grinder, and always underrated. Makhachev is the rare fighter who can keep up with Lentz on the ground, and I think we’ll have a Lentz vs. Oliveira-esque scramble fest. Makhachev via SD.
Flyweight Bout: Ian McCall (13-5-1) vs. Jarred Brooks (12-0)
Luke: I still doubt this is going to happen with McCall’s propensity for pulling out of fights last-minute. That being said, if it does happen, McCall gets tooled. Brooks via UD.
Welterweight Bout: Roan Carneiro (21-10) vs. Ryan LaFlare (12-1)
Luke: Carneiro via UD.
Featherweight Bout: Phillipe Nover (11-7-1) vs. Rick Glenn (18-4-1)
Luke: Interesting stylistic matchup between two underrated fighters. Glenn has some submission chops, but we’ll see if he uses those or tries to keep it standing against Nover. Nover via SD.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
