Staff Standings:
Last Event Winner: Ben Kohn (7-4)
Lucas Bourdon: 9-4 .692
Ben Kohn: 88-40 .688
TC Engel: 75-39 .658
Josh Hall: 33-18 .647
Luke Irwin: 139-86 .618
Earl Montclair: 67-46 .593
Nolan Howell: 82-71 .536
Dan Galvan: 5-6 .455
Lightweight Bout: Donald Cerrone (23-6) vs. Jim Miller (24-4)
Luke Irwin: These two are stylistically extremely similar. Both are great muay thai strikers, and once the fight hits the ground they’re both awesome submission strategists. In this case, Cerrone is just a bit better on the feet and Miller is trending a little downward. Both guys are too tough to get knocked out, and I think it goes five rounds, but Cerrone does a little more. Cerrone via UD.
Earl Montclair: Miller is on the decline and Cerrone is holding stready as his unpredictable and entertaining self. This fight should be a lot of fun and I am glad it is happening but I think Donald is too much for him here. Heavy on the leg kicks will Donald Cerrone be, Joe. Donald Cerrone, Submission, Round 3.
Lightweight Bout: Edson Barboza (13-2) vs. Evan Dunham (14-5)
Luke Irwin: Don’t like this matchmaking. Dunham is 1-3 in his last four and he doesn’t have the striking chops to sneak in a good shot on Barboza like Cerrone did to get him on the mat, and I think he plods and wades around long enough for Barboza to catch him. Barboza via R2 TKO.
Earl Montclair: Barboza is the overwhelming favorite among MMA pundits but the betting odds aren’t nearly as lopsided. Dunham has what it takes to make this a really ugly fight. Barboza looks fantastic when he can fight at range, dictate the pace and unleash his arsenal of strikes. I think Dunham is going to get the job done here. It won’t be pretty but it will be effective. Evan Dunham, Unanimous Decision.
Welterweight Bout: Leonardo Mafra Teixeira (11-1) vs. Rick Story (16-8)
Luke Irwin: This…fight should probably not be happening. Story via R1 KO.
Earl Montclair: Story is one of the great wasted talents of the last few years. If only he got with a real, top level camp he really could have done some things. Alas, he has not and as a result has been unable to make the leap to the top tier of the division. Regardless, Rick Story, Unanimous Decision.
Lightweight Bout: Joe Proctor (9-2) vs. Justin Salas (12-5)
Luke Irwin: After Salas’s KO of Ben Wall, I’m guessing Salas becomes a little too infatuated with his hands, and Proctor has a much better chin than the glass-jawed Wall, and Proctor will be able to take advantage of Salas’s newfound love of his striking. Proctor via R2 Submission.
Earl Montclair: Proctor, Unanimous Decision.
Flyweight Bout: Alptekin Ozkilic (9-2) vs. John Lineker (23-7)
Luke Irwin: AWWWW YEAH LINEKER ON WEIGHT! Lineker via R1 KO.
Earl Montclair: Lineker made weight for once so he better finish early. John Lineker, KO, Round 1.
Featherweight Bout: Alex White (10-0) vs. Lucas Martins (14-1)
Luke Irwin: Pretty evenly-matched fight, it’ll be interesting to see who can move to the next level with the win, but I really, really like what I’ve seen from White and I’m pushing my chips to the middle of the table with him. White via R2 KO.
Earl Montclair: Lucas Martins, Nasty KO, Round 2.
Lightweight Bout: Gleison Tibau (28-10) vs. Pat Healy (29-19)
Luke Irwin: Where is this fight? On the prelims? Ok then, that’s where the Patron Saint thrives. Right in his atmosphere. Tibau via UD.
Earl Montclair: It’s Gleison Tibau, It’s on the undercard. Gleison Tibau, Unanimous Decision.
Women’s Bantamweight Bout: Jessamyn Duke (3-1) vs. Leslie Smith (6-5-1)
Luke Irwin: Leslie Smith is good for putting on a great show, but there’s not a whole lot beyond that. Duke via UD.
Earl Montclair: Jessamyn Duke, Unanimous Decision.
Bantamweight Bout: Aljamain Sterling (9-0) vs. Hugo Viana (8-1)
Luke Irwin: I really, really like Sterling. I think CFFC is a monster factory and has produced some of the best fighters in the world. Viana is going to be a speedbump. Sterling via R1 Submission.
Earl Montclair: Aljamain Sterling, Unanimous Decision.
Lightweight Bout: Jerrod Sanders (14-1) vs. Yosdenis Cedeno (9-3)
Luke Irwin: Normally I never pick a guy making his UFC debut, but Cedeno lost to Ernest Chavez, and that is….certainly something. Sanders via R2 TKO.
Earl Montclair: Jerrod Sanders, Submission, Round 1.
Women’s Strawweight Bout: Claudia Gedelha (11-0) vs. Tina Lahdemaki (5-0)
Luke Irwin: Gedelha is a top-5 strawweight in the world and would have been on TUF if it wasn’t for the language barrier. She’s going to roll here. Gedelha via R1 Submission.
Earl Montclair: Claudia Gedelha, Unanimous Decision.
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