As always, programming is listed in EST
Live fights are in BOLD.
Premiere programming is in ITALICS.
MMA programming is in ORANGE.
Boxing programming is in RED.
Kickboxing/Muay Thai/Karate programming is in BLUE.
Wrestling/Jiu Jitsu/Grappling programming is in PURPLE.
Misc./Combination combat sports programming is in GREEN.
Friday April 13
7:00am: The Battle Muay Thai (YouTube)
1:00pm: DSF Kickboxing Challenge 14 (DSLive.com)
7:00pm: Bellator 197 Prelims (ParamountNetwork.com)
8:00pm: UFC Fight Night Weigh-Ins (Fox Sports 1)
8:00pm: Danny Garcia: Swift and Dangerous (FREE Fite.tv)
9:00pm: Abel Ramos vs. Jamal James/Dennis Galarza vs. Edner Cherry (Fox Sports 1)
9:00pm: Bellator 197 (Paramount Network)
9:00pm: Rumble In The Cage 58 ($14.99 Fite.tv)
10:00pm: Friday Night Fights (UFC Fight Pass)
11:00pm: 2018 Commonwealth Games: Men’s Boxing (ESPN3)
Saturday April 14
3:00am: 2018 Commonwealth Games: Wrestling (ESPN3)
5:30am: 2018 Commonwealth Games: Men’s Boxing (ESPN3)
7:00am: The Battle Muay Thai (YouTube)
9:00am: 2018 Heartland National Duals (FloWrestling)
1:00pm: KSW 43 ($6 KSWtv.com/$11 Fite.tv)
1:00pm: Glouftsi Fight Series: Germany vs. Greece ($9.99 Fite.tv)
2:05pm: Absolute Championship Berkut Jiu Jitsu 12 (YouTube)
3:30pm: UFC on FOX: Gaethje vs. Poirier Prelims (UFC Fight Pass)
5:00pm: UFC Fight Night Pre-Fight Show (Fox Sports 2)
6:00pm: UFC on FOX: Gaethje vs. Poirier Prelims (FOX)
6:00pm: Cage Titans Fighting Championships 38 (FloCombat)
6:00pm: 2018 Cliff Keen Dream Team Classic (FloWrestling)
7:00pm: KASAI Elite Grappling Championships 2 (FloGrappling)
7:00pm: World Class Kickboxing 13 ($9.99 Fite.tv)
7:30pm: Premier MMA Championship 7 ($14.99 Fite.tv)
8:00pm: UFC on FOX: Gaethje vs. Poirier (FOX)
8:30pm: 2018 Commonwealth Games: Wrestling (ESPN3)
9:00pm: Fusion Fight League: ICF 30 ($14.99 Fite.tv)
10:00pm: UFC on FOX Post-Fight Show (Fox Sports 2)
10:00pm: Victory Fighting Championships 60 (UFC Fight Pass)
11:30pm: 2018 Commonwealth Games: Men’s Boxing Final (ESPN3)
Sunday April 15
2:00am: Pancrase 295 (UFC Fight Pass)
7:00am: Kunlun Fight 72 ($5.99 Fite.tv)
8:00am: Emanuele Felice Blandamura vs. Ryoto Murata/Cristofer Rosales vs. Daigo Higa (ESPN2)
9:00am: 2018 Heartland National Duals (FloWrestling)
9:00am: 2018 New Jersey Freestyle State Championships (FloWrestling)
Top-10 Viewing Options: A man who’s been firmly attached to a paper bag and a defibrillator since playoff hockey started attempts to keep one eyeball on the fights while gnawing my fingers to into dust.
1. UFC on FOX: Gaethje vs. Poirier: BOY, I sure wish Condit was facing Matt Brown, but Condit is still on and Alex Oliveira is a game opponent. Nevertheless, great card on FOX, finally.
2. KASAI Elite Grappling Championships 2: Three superfights featuring gold medalists and a loaded eight-man tournament is must-watch this weekend.
3. Bellator 197: On the same taken, BOY, I sure wish it was Michael Chandler getting his rematch against Brent Primus, but Girtz is a fun replacement. Still.
4. Emanuele Felice Blandamura vs. Ryoto Murata/Cristofer Rosales vs. Daigo Higa: A great card…if you want to get up at 8:00 on Sunday morning. Then again, I bitch all the time about not getting to watch Japanese boxing, so beggars can’t be choosers.
5. Absolute Championship Berkut Jiu Jitsu 12: As usual, ACB delivers an outstanding BJJ card that just happens to be just a step below Kasai’s.
6. Abel Ramos vs. Jamal James/Dennis Galarza vs. Edner Cherry: Not a barnburner by any means, but Friday night boxing is almost soothing in how at home it feels.
7. Pancrase 295: Get your late-night fight fix! You’ll have lots of time to reload or head to Taco Bell and the beer store/weed dispensary/street pharmacist after the FOX card.
8. Kunlun Fight 72: Not they’re most loaded offering, but solid, nonetheless.
9. KSW 43: I’ve been banging the KSW drum for many years now, and although this isn’t their biggest card (and No Khalidov or Narkun), they still offer a damned-fine product.
10. Friday Night Fights: Fight Pass’s foray into muay thai rolls on with FNF live from New York.
Under The Radar: A few things to keep an eye on away from the headlines.
- Lucas Martins, who went 4-3 in the UFC including three stoppages and who should have had his contract renewed, is back in action this weekend in Brazil. He’s 3-0 since being declined by the UFC and should be back very soon. Maybe their next Brazil card.
- Taking a break from their weekly gold medal collection at IBJJF, the Miyao Brothers, Joao and Paulo, two of the best lighter-weight BJJ players in the world, go for bantamweight and featherweight gold at Absolute Championship Berkut’s 12th BJJ offering in Kazakhstan.
4×5: Every week, UCS’s Luke Irwin will list his Top-5 bouts in each of the four major different combat sports that he’s looking forward to the most, regardless of any conventional criteria, merit, or logic.
KICKBOXING/MUAY THAI
5. WKN World Featherweight Championship: Abel Yalmai vs. Andras Szabo [Glorious Fight]
4. 170lb Bout: Eddie Martinez vs. John Morehouse [Friday Night Fights]
3. 52.5kg Bout: Alicia Holzken vs. Guan Acui [Kunlun Fight 72]
2. Kunlun Fight 70kg Championship Qualifier: Tomoyuki Nishikawa vs. Wu Xuesong (27-15) [Kunlun Fight 72]
1. Kunlun Fight 70kg Championship Qualifier: Vlad Tuinov (36-2) vs. Yassin Baitar (78-9-2) [Kunlun Fight 72]
BOXING
5. Junior Lightweight Bout: Dennis Galarza (16-2) vs. Edner Cherry (36-7-2) [Premier Boxing Champions on Fox Sports 1]
4. Welterweight Bout: Abel Ramos (18-2-2) vs. Jamal James (22-1) [Premier Boxing Champions on Fox Sports 1]
3. IBF World Female Junior Featherweight Championship: Marcela Eliana Acuna (c) (46-6-1) vs. Daniela Romina Bermudez (22-3-3)
2. WBA World Middleweight Championship: Ryoto Murata (c) (13-1) vs. Emanuele Felice Blandamura (27-2) [ESPN Boxing]
1. WBC World Flyweight Championship: Daigo Higa (c) (15-0) vs. Cristofer Rosales (26-3) [ESPN Boxing]
MMA
5. Flyweight Bout: John Moraga (18-6) vs. Wilson Reis (22-8) [UFC on FOX: Gaethje vs. Poirier]
4. Middleweight Bout: Israel Adesanya (12-0) vs. Marvin Vettori (12-3-1) [UFC on FOX: Gaethje vs. Poirier]
3. Welterweight Bout: Alex Oliveira (18-4-1) vs. Carlos Condit (30-11) [UFC on FOX: Gaethje vs. Poirier]
2. Lightweight Bout: Brandon Girtz (15-7) vs. Michael Chandler (17-4) [Bellator 197]
1. Lightweight Bout: Dustin Poirier (22-5) vs. Justin Gaethje (18-1) [UFC on FOX: Gaethje vs. Poirier]
GRAPPLING/WRESTLING
5. 95kg Bout: Keenan Cornelius vs. Mahamed Aly [Absolute Championship Berkut Jiu-Jitsu 12]
4. Welterweight Bout: AJ Agazarm vs. Marcos Galvao [KASAI Elite Grappling Championships 2]
3. Featherweight Bout: Geo Martinez vs. Nicky Ryan [KASAI Elite Grappling Championships 2]
2. Kasai Pro Lightweight Championship: Renato Canuto (c) vs. Eddie Cummings [KASAI Elite Grappling Championships 2]
1. Middleweight Championship Tournament [KASAI Elite Grappling Championships 2]
Bold, Yet Probably Fruitless Predictions: A man who took a heavy L last week and is betting on Winnipeg to win the Cup is getting ready to take more!
Best Fight of the Weekend: Dustin Poirier vs. Justin Gaethje
Most Underrated Fight of the Weekend: Geo Martinez vs. Nicky Ryan
If My Life Depended on One Pick: Rydell Booker over Jamal Woods
Best Card Top-to-Bottom: KASAI Elite Grappling Championships 2
Upset of the Week: Michelle Waterson over Cortney Casey
Most Disappointing Fight of the Weekend: Alex Oliveira vs. Carlos Condit
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