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- Jul 8, 2021
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Marcin Tybura vs Jailton Almeida – Marcin Tybura is theoretically a nightmare opponent for Jailton, or Jailton proves once again what an amazing wrestler he is and just buzzsaws through the Polish fighter. Tybura doesn’t present the same heavy striking threat Curtis Blaydes did, and he also looked to drop a few pounds ahead of a fight with Tuivasa… how this plays out will be very telling for both fighters.
Tai Tuivasa vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik – 4 defeats in a row for Tai, all finishes, this man has his back to the wall in a big way! However, I think he gets another fight, but he can’t afford to lose in a fight that is a stylistic gift against Jairzinho. If he gets counter-punched and face-planted, he’s likely done – but he has a real chance to bounce back here while defending his ranking.
Bryan Battle vs Khaos Williams – Man, forget wasting time on that rematch, I understand why Battle is frustrated tonight, but he decimated Ange Loosa and got the last word. ‘No Contest’, maybe, but book it like a win. Battle needs to move on, he looked huge, sharp, really, really good tonight. Khaos Williams is next.
Ange Loosa vs Gabriel Bonfim – Gabriel Bonfim tried to make a pretty big leap up the ladder when they put him against Nicolas Dalby, and he lost. That doesn’t wreck his career or anything, but it does just temper expectations a little. Bonfim is a killer, he finishes fights – but when he doesn’t, what then? Ange Loosa is tough as nails and while he was losing tonight, he wasn’t close to getting finished – so he’s a pretty tough test for Bonfim. Also, I do think he took the easy way out, and seeing if he can stand up to Bonfim’s fire is fully justified!
Ovince St Preux vs Marcin Prachnio – OSP gets the nod, rightfully so, in a close and surprisingly entertaining fight! Give OSP Marcin Prachnio next, the Polish veteran won last time out against Devin Clark, who has since left the UFC. Prachnio has won 4 of his last 6, but he’s been losing to a similar calibre of opponent as OSP – including, as a shared opponent, Philipe Lins (who beat both). It just seems fair to give these guys the chance to put a streak together.
Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Jimmy Crute – Jimmy Crute is on a horror run that saw him momentarily retire. When you factor in the level of opposition, though, it’s not nearly as bad as it looks numerically – Anthony Smith, Jamahal Hill and Alonzo Menfield all occupy spots in the top 12, and Hill is fighting for the title. Nzechukwu has lost to warhorses Dustin Jacoby and OSP back-to-back, and maybe he’s found his ceiling too – but which of these ‘Brutes’ prevails in this one, surely an entertaining scrap?
Christian Rodriguez vs Hyder Amil – Oh, you know it! CRod has claimed three 0’s in a row, but he also has to answer for the weight misses at bantamweight. Now, after beating Dulgarian at featherweight on some frankly puzzling cards, I absolutely insist he faces another undefeated beast in Hyder Amil (9-0) who smashed Fernie Garcia in his UFC debut. I just love this run, but after this I think it’s time for CRod to take a step up.
Isaac Dulgarian vs Gabriel Santos – Santos is a study in ‘there are no easy fights in the UFC’ after losing back-to-back to Lerone Murphy (Split Decision) and David Onama, two utter monsters. He’d be so unlucky to go 0-3, but as I say: this is the UFC, baby! Give him Isaac Dulgarian who looked great in defeat (more probably a draw?), an inexperienced fighter who looked awesome for 2 rounds of chain wrestling and grappling.
Macy Chiasson vs Ketlen Vieira – This was originally slated to take place in January, but Ketlen had to withdraw. After Chiasson’s really slick display of grappling to go 2-0 against Pannie Kianzad (both subs), I like her to try to improve on her newly won #6 ranking by facing off with the #3 Ketlen. Rebook it! Coincidentally, both beat Pannie last time out
Pannie Kianzad vs Karol Rosa – Tough defeat for Pannie and a repeat of the first fight in terms of that RNC submission. Give her Karol Rosa, both women have been struggling for consistency lately, but remain pretty high level bantamweights. Winner gets back in the win column and the chance to look back up the rankings.
Gerald Meerschaert vs Marc-Andre Barriault – Great win tonight for GM3 against a wily old veteran, snapping a 2-fight skid. GM3 is a terror when it comes to chokes, but can he get it done against another tough guy a little closer to his prime? Marc-Andre has only been tapped once, by Anthony Hernandez, but if GM3 gets the chance, he’ll get it done too – the question is, does the opportunity present itself against the durable Canadian? For Barriault, this would probably be a career-best win, too, so the motivation is absolutely there for both.
Bryan Barberena – CUT! Too bad for Bryan, but that’s 4 defeats in a row. He’s still got the basics down okay, but he lacks the athleticism at this stage to be a serious threat.
Mike Davis vs Steve Garcia – Mike Davis has won 4-in-a-row and his sole UFC defeat was against Gilbert Burns. Quality isn’t his nemesis, it’s been strength of schedule with only 5 fights in 5 years. I’d like to give him a bigger step up, but 4-2 Steve Garcia feels right for now after winning 3 straight fights himself. A high level lightweight banger, if Davis can make it in a reasonable timeframe, he could creep very close to the top 15 with a win here – but it’s all about staying active and relevant at this point.
Natan Levy vs Chris Duncan – Both fighters had a 2-fight win streak snapped lately, with Duncan losing to Manuel Torres, and Natan Levy being bested tonight by Mike Davis. Both guys are entertaining and aggressive, and I think their contrasting striking styles could mesh nicely. Duncan will mix in takedowns, which is something kick-heavy Levy is going to have to start dealing with.
Chelsea Chandler vs Julia Avila – Chelsea Chandler may have won, but if there’s one division you cannot afford to miss weight in, it’s the WMMA 135 division. With featherweight a thing of the past, there’s nowhere to go if you can’t get down to the limit. Getting things right on the scale will be just as important as the performance going forward, but I’d give her Julia Avila next for that #12 spot. Avila lost to Miesha Tate last time out, so needs to defend her ranking.
Josiane Nunes vs Luana Santos – The bantamweight division really is a case of 2 wins and you’re almost ranked, or in the case of Melissa Mullins (nee Dixon), 1 fight and you’re in. Santos is 2-0 with a finish to her name, so that’s reason enough to pit her against 3-1 Josiane Nunes for that current #14 spot. Wins over Juliana Miller and Stephanie Egger isn’t a bad way to lead into this all-Brazilian encounter.
Jafel Filho vs Su Mudaerji – Filho looked great tonight and easily dismantled an 8-fight UFC veteran in Ode Osbourne. No problem at all, the Brazilian has looked great even since that R3 Sub defeat to Muhammad Mokaev, now I’d like to see him fight a ranked opponent in Su Mudaerji. Su is 0-2 in his last 2 outings, and absolutely is the right candidate to defend his #14 ranking. Filho is a terror on the ground, but can he hang with Su’s striking?
Ode Osbourne vs Jimmy Flick – Osbourne slips to 4-5 in the UFC and has a real issue with grapplers after losing to 2 straight RNC’s. Jimmy Flick is a submission wizard, but he’s also hittable and tends to win-from-behind. It should make for a chaotic fight for as long as it lasts, Osbourne holding the advantage on the feet, but Flick always capable of that highlight reel submission!
Danny Silva vs Jamall Emmers – I have Emmers vaguely around the same level as Culibao, and since Silva has just walked in and beaten a good veteran, I say keep it going. Emmers is 3-3 in the UFC, but hasn’t picked up any super-credible wins, instead he’s been a great test for entry level talent while struggling against the likes of Giga Chikadze and Pat Sabatini. A win for Silva would be huge news for his career, but if Emmers wins, it’s still not a disaster for anyone involved. I think it would be super competitive, too.
Josh Culibao vs Gavin Tucker – Two UFC veterans on losing streaks, this is a loser leaves town type of fight. Culibao really needs the win over 37 year old Canadian Tucker, but it won’t be easy! Dan Ige and Diego Lopes are both high level featherweights and that’s the level you need to be at to beat this guy. Sink or swim time, boys!
Jaqueline Amorim vs Polyana Viana – I’d like to see Amorim follow in the footsteps of Gillian Robertson by facing Polyana Viana (Robertson’s last opponent) en route to the rankings spots. The win over Cory McKenna is really impressive to me, and Amorim is making it look easy when it goes to the mat – but let’s keep the ship steady and put her against a veteran on a 2-fight losing skid. Viana is beatable at this level, and it’s a great potential win for Amorim.
Cory McKenna vs Denise Gomes – Two prospects who look good when they win and employ completely different tactics, McKenna being a wrestler/grappler, Gomes being a TKO artist with good power. Both these ladies are 8-3 overall and should make for a very entertaining scrap for as long as it lasts. Sign me up!
Thiago Moises vs Marc Diakiese – Routine win in the end for Thiago Moises, but his first leg kick TKO! He should be back in with more experienced opposition next time, and in truth it should have been Brad Riddell in a fight that was reasonable on paper. I’ve gone for Diakiese, though, in a battle of wits. Diakiese has been tapped a couple of times by top calibre BJJ fighters, but can Moises do the same? Winner of this is in line for a fight with someone like Dan Hooker, but not right now in my opinion.
Mitch Ramirez vs AJ Cunningham – Two debutants who walked into the UFC with nightmare opposition, neither looked great, but what can you do sometimes other than show up and try and show out? There are levels to this, so let’s take it back a bit and see which rookie can make an impact.
Chad Anheliger vs Aori Qileng – Chad Anheliger looked really sharp tonight against an opponent that wilted badly late on. His striking was crisp though with plenty of clean combos. I’d like to see him face Chinese veteran Aori Qileng next. At 37, Chad’s chances to put a streak together are going to be a little limited, and while the temptation might be to build talent off him, I want to see him have a chance to put a run together. I think these two could have an entertaining scrap. 3-3 in the UFC vs 2-2, both coming off a win ignoring Aori’s NC against Daniel Marcos.
Charalampos Grigoriou vs Carlos Vera – Two fighters that lost their UFC debuts, both with completely different styles. Vera is a leglock specialist which isn’t always the most entertaining unless the submission is actually achieved, but it does make for chaotic fights especially for inexperienced opposition. Can Charalampos get to grips with it, or does he get his knee shredded?
Tai Tuivasa vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik – 4 defeats in a row for Tai, all finishes, this man has his back to the wall in a big way! However, I think he gets another fight, but he can’t afford to lose in a fight that is a stylistic gift against Jairzinho. If he gets counter-punched and face-planted, he’s likely done – but he has a real chance to bounce back here while defending his ranking.
Bryan Battle vs Khaos Williams – Man, forget wasting time on that rematch, I understand why Battle is frustrated tonight, but he decimated Ange Loosa and got the last word. ‘No Contest’, maybe, but book it like a win. Battle needs to move on, he looked huge, sharp, really, really good tonight. Khaos Williams is next.
Ange Loosa vs Gabriel Bonfim – Gabriel Bonfim tried to make a pretty big leap up the ladder when they put him against Nicolas Dalby, and he lost. That doesn’t wreck his career or anything, but it does just temper expectations a little. Bonfim is a killer, he finishes fights – but when he doesn’t, what then? Ange Loosa is tough as nails and while he was losing tonight, he wasn’t close to getting finished – so he’s a pretty tough test for Bonfim. Also, I do think he took the easy way out, and seeing if he can stand up to Bonfim’s fire is fully justified!
Ovince St Preux vs Marcin Prachnio – OSP gets the nod, rightfully so, in a close and surprisingly entertaining fight! Give OSP Marcin Prachnio next, the Polish veteran won last time out against Devin Clark, who has since left the UFC. Prachnio has won 4 of his last 6, but he’s been losing to a similar calibre of opponent as OSP – including, as a shared opponent, Philipe Lins (who beat both). It just seems fair to give these guys the chance to put a streak together.
Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Jimmy Crute – Jimmy Crute is on a horror run that saw him momentarily retire. When you factor in the level of opposition, though, it’s not nearly as bad as it looks numerically – Anthony Smith, Jamahal Hill and Alonzo Menfield all occupy spots in the top 12, and Hill is fighting for the title. Nzechukwu has lost to warhorses Dustin Jacoby and OSP back-to-back, and maybe he’s found his ceiling too – but which of these ‘Brutes’ prevails in this one, surely an entertaining scrap?
Christian Rodriguez vs Hyder Amil – Oh, you know it! CRod has claimed three 0’s in a row, but he also has to answer for the weight misses at bantamweight. Now, after beating Dulgarian at featherweight on some frankly puzzling cards, I absolutely insist he faces another undefeated beast in Hyder Amil (9-0) who smashed Fernie Garcia in his UFC debut. I just love this run, but after this I think it’s time for CRod to take a step up.
Isaac Dulgarian vs Gabriel Santos – Santos is a study in ‘there are no easy fights in the UFC’ after losing back-to-back to Lerone Murphy (Split Decision) and David Onama, two utter monsters. He’d be so unlucky to go 0-3, but as I say: this is the UFC, baby! Give him Isaac Dulgarian who looked great in defeat (more probably a draw?), an inexperienced fighter who looked awesome for 2 rounds of chain wrestling and grappling.
Macy Chiasson vs Ketlen Vieira – This was originally slated to take place in January, but Ketlen had to withdraw. After Chiasson’s really slick display of grappling to go 2-0 against Pannie Kianzad (both subs), I like her to try to improve on her newly won #6 ranking by facing off with the #3 Ketlen. Rebook it! Coincidentally, both beat Pannie last time out
Pannie Kianzad vs Karol Rosa – Tough defeat for Pannie and a repeat of the first fight in terms of that RNC submission. Give her Karol Rosa, both women have been struggling for consistency lately, but remain pretty high level bantamweights. Winner gets back in the win column and the chance to look back up the rankings.
Gerald Meerschaert vs Marc-Andre Barriault – Great win tonight for GM3 against a wily old veteran, snapping a 2-fight skid. GM3 is a terror when it comes to chokes, but can he get it done against another tough guy a little closer to his prime? Marc-Andre has only been tapped once, by Anthony Hernandez, but if GM3 gets the chance, he’ll get it done too – the question is, does the opportunity present itself against the durable Canadian? For Barriault, this would probably be a career-best win, too, so the motivation is absolutely there for both.
Bryan Barberena – CUT! Too bad for Bryan, but that’s 4 defeats in a row. He’s still got the basics down okay, but he lacks the athleticism at this stage to be a serious threat.
Mike Davis vs Steve Garcia – Mike Davis has won 4-in-a-row and his sole UFC defeat was against Gilbert Burns. Quality isn’t his nemesis, it’s been strength of schedule with only 5 fights in 5 years. I’d like to give him a bigger step up, but 4-2 Steve Garcia feels right for now after winning 3 straight fights himself. A high level lightweight banger, if Davis can make it in a reasonable timeframe, he could creep very close to the top 15 with a win here – but it’s all about staying active and relevant at this point.
Natan Levy vs Chris Duncan – Both fighters had a 2-fight win streak snapped lately, with Duncan losing to Manuel Torres, and Natan Levy being bested tonight by Mike Davis. Both guys are entertaining and aggressive, and I think their contrasting striking styles could mesh nicely. Duncan will mix in takedowns, which is something kick-heavy Levy is going to have to start dealing with.
Chelsea Chandler vs Julia Avila – Chelsea Chandler may have won, but if there’s one division you cannot afford to miss weight in, it’s the WMMA 135 division. With featherweight a thing of the past, there’s nowhere to go if you can’t get down to the limit. Getting things right on the scale will be just as important as the performance going forward, but I’d give her Julia Avila next for that #12 spot. Avila lost to Miesha Tate last time out, so needs to defend her ranking.
Josiane Nunes vs Luana Santos – The bantamweight division really is a case of 2 wins and you’re almost ranked, or in the case of Melissa Mullins (nee Dixon), 1 fight and you’re in. Santos is 2-0 with a finish to her name, so that’s reason enough to pit her against 3-1 Josiane Nunes for that current #14 spot. Wins over Juliana Miller and Stephanie Egger isn’t a bad way to lead into this all-Brazilian encounter.
Jafel Filho vs Su Mudaerji – Filho looked great tonight and easily dismantled an 8-fight UFC veteran in Ode Osbourne. No problem at all, the Brazilian has looked great even since that R3 Sub defeat to Muhammad Mokaev, now I’d like to see him fight a ranked opponent in Su Mudaerji. Su is 0-2 in his last 2 outings, and absolutely is the right candidate to defend his #14 ranking. Filho is a terror on the ground, but can he hang with Su’s striking?
Ode Osbourne vs Jimmy Flick – Osbourne slips to 4-5 in the UFC and has a real issue with grapplers after losing to 2 straight RNC’s. Jimmy Flick is a submission wizard, but he’s also hittable and tends to win-from-behind. It should make for a chaotic fight for as long as it lasts, Osbourne holding the advantage on the feet, but Flick always capable of that highlight reel submission!
Danny Silva vs Jamall Emmers – I have Emmers vaguely around the same level as Culibao, and since Silva has just walked in and beaten a good veteran, I say keep it going. Emmers is 3-3 in the UFC, but hasn’t picked up any super-credible wins, instead he’s been a great test for entry level talent while struggling against the likes of Giga Chikadze and Pat Sabatini. A win for Silva would be huge news for his career, but if Emmers wins, it’s still not a disaster for anyone involved. I think it would be super competitive, too.
Josh Culibao vs Gavin Tucker – Two UFC veterans on losing streaks, this is a loser leaves town type of fight. Culibao really needs the win over 37 year old Canadian Tucker, but it won’t be easy! Dan Ige and Diego Lopes are both high level featherweights and that’s the level you need to be at to beat this guy. Sink or swim time, boys!
Jaqueline Amorim vs Polyana Viana – I’d like to see Amorim follow in the footsteps of Gillian Robertson by facing Polyana Viana (Robertson’s last opponent) en route to the rankings spots. The win over Cory McKenna is really impressive to me, and Amorim is making it look easy when it goes to the mat – but let’s keep the ship steady and put her against a veteran on a 2-fight losing skid. Viana is beatable at this level, and it’s a great potential win for Amorim.
Cory McKenna vs Denise Gomes – Two prospects who look good when they win and employ completely different tactics, McKenna being a wrestler/grappler, Gomes being a TKO artist with good power. Both these ladies are 8-3 overall and should make for a very entertaining scrap for as long as it lasts. Sign me up!
Thiago Moises vs Marc Diakiese – Routine win in the end for Thiago Moises, but his first leg kick TKO! He should be back in with more experienced opposition next time, and in truth it should have been Brad Riddell in a fight that was reasonable on paper. I’ve gone for Diakiese, though, in a battle of wits. Diakiese has been tapped a couple of times by top calibre BJJ fighters, but can Moises do the same? Winner of this is in line for a fight with someone like Dan Hooker, but not right now in my opinion.
Mitch Ramirez vs AJ Cunningham – Two debutants who walked into the UFC with nightmare opposition, neither looked great, but what can you do sometimes other than show up and try and show out? There are levels to this, so let’s take it back a bit and see which rookie can make an impact.
Chad Anheliger vs Aori Qileng – Chad Anheliger looked really sharp tonight against an opponent that wilted badly late on. His striking was crisp though with plenty of clean combos. I’d like to see him face Chinese veteran Aori Qileng next. At 37, Chad’s chances to put a streak together are going to be a little limited, and while the temptation might be to build talent off him, I want to see him have a chance to put a run together. I think these two could have an entertaining scrap. 3-3 in the UFC vs 2-2, both coming off a win ignoring Aori’s NC against Daniel Marcos.
Charalampos Grigoriou vs Carlos Vera – Two fighters that lost their UFC debuts, both with completely different styles. Vera is a leglock specialist which isn’t always the most entertaining unless the submission is actually achieved, but it does make for chaotic fights especially for inexperienced opposition. Can Charalampos get to grips with it, or does he get his knee shredded?
