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Jack Hermansson vs Andre Muniz – Despite being 1-2 in his last 3, Muniz is right there. Only ranked fighters have beaten him, and his narrow win last time out over The Iron Turtle keep him in the equation. I don’t see a fight upwards for Jack right now, but I do see a very fun time between two elite BJJ guys who will probably strike a lot unless one can figure a way to take the other down.
Joe Pyfer vs Julian Marquez – That was not the right fight for Joe, but he didn’t look bad, he just wasn’t ready. Give him an opponent more suited to his level, but an opponent with some visibility. Joe Pyfer vs Julian Marquez can co-main any Fight Night on the road, but Florida would be ideal.
Dan Ige vs Giga Chikadze – I’d love to see this one, two ranked fighters who love striking, have completely different styles, but can score brutal finishes on their day. Let’s go. Both are older featherweights (Ige is only 32 compared to Giga’s 35, but probably too shop worn for a serious run), ranked just outside the top 10 at 145, I think this one makes perfect sense. Both also coming off good wins (Giga beat Caceres last time out).
Andre Fili vs Jamall Emmers – I want to see Jamall Emmers fight up a little bit, the guy might be 3-3 but 2 of those losses came by split decision, and he’s fended off a couple of prospects in Khusein Askhabov and Dennis Buzukja. I think this fight works well for both. Fili doesn’t get demoted too far, but still gets a winnable fight against a veteran opponent who sits well within the range of guys he’s beaten before.
Ihor Potieria vs Marc-Andre Barriault – Potieria is improving, and while he was at one point seen only as the laughingstock whose sole UFC highlight involved irritating fans by celebrating victory over a completely shot (but legendary) Shogun Rua, tonight was an example of him being able to put it together, even if he came in overweight. Fix those weight issues and give him a solid veteran next time out. Let’s see how he deals with Barriault’s pressure and toughness, because those are big questions.
Robert Bryczek vs Abu Azaitar – Two guys who have records that aren’t as good as they look at first glance, Bryczek is a heavy hitter for sure, but this is the UFC – a hard hook doesn’t always get it done. Abu Azaitar can mix it up a bit more than Bryczek seemed to be able to, but his bread and butter is still punching hard. Just put them together, see what we get.
Gregory Rodrigues vs Chris Curtis – Robocop will engage pretty much anyone on the feet. I don’t think he’ll be overawed by Chris Curtis, but that doesn’t mean he won’t try to get a takedown either. As a fan favourite, I can see the UFC giving him a ranked opponent sooner rather than later, even if he hasn’t quite earned it. Over-rewarding finishing Brad Tavares isn’t the worst way to get to that level. Styles make fights, and this should be a good one.
Brad Tavares vs Abus Magomedov – Few fights are better pitched for Abus than this. Abus has lost a couple, but they were against Strickland and Borralho, whereas Brad is a step down without being insulting for a guy with 32 fights under his belt. Whoever wins gets a really good looking victory under their belt, which is the whole point, right?
Michael Johnson vs Jared Gordon – Michael Johnson beats Darrius Flowers with a very competent display, but hardly one that will see the UFC get right behind him. He’s likely to face another tough veteran next time out, the type he seems to draw constantly, and Jared Gordon not only fits the bill, but would benefit from a win over someone like Johnson. Gordon’s UFC record is pretty decent, and would seem a whole lot better if he’d got the nod over Paddy, but it is what it is: he needs momentum, and following up a statement win over Mark O. Madsen by beating another UFC uber-vet would be a good way to get the ball rolling.
Darrius Flowers vs Alex Reyes – Both fighters are 0-2 in the UFC, Reyes coming back after a six-year lay off and getting finished by R1KO again had to suck. If the same happens against Flowers it’s going to be sayonara, but this fight would be more about giving the two men the chance to face someone who is also struggling and hoping at least one of them ends up looking good. For Flowers’ part, he’s had two tough opening opponents in Jake Matthews and Michael Johnson, so he’s due a step down.
Rodolfo Vieira vs Jun Yong Park – The Iron Turtle narrowly lost to Andre Muniz last time out in a razor-thin fight. I’d like to see him go against another top class BJJ fighter in Vieira, and just see how these guys test each other out. Vieira is lethal on the mat, but has shown that he can gas out when it doesn’t all go his way, and he can be finished on the mat, too. I just like the way this is pitched between two guys right outside the rankings, and only a couple of wins from getting in that top 15.
Armen Petrosyan vs Puna Soriano – Tough one for Armen who is a decent striker but was overmatched on the mat. Give him Puna next in a low-risk fight for the UFC, with Puna badly needing a win, and Armen likely giving him the kind of fight he wants. This could be a real fun one at little cost.
Carlos Prates vs Max Griffin – Carlos Prates has been around the block a few times long before arriving in the UFC. Now he’s built some real momentum since his ONE Championship days, but, like Prachnio, will need to prove he can be more than just a middle-of-the-pack fighter even if he’s decidedly more fun and more likely to score a finish. Stopping Giles is a good start, but Giles has lost several times to surging newcomers. Max Griffin, less so. He’s a stiff test for any up-and-comer, and has fought mostly experienced UFC veterans. I’d like to see what he can do against Prates, he might just shut him down like Giles looked on course to do.
Trevin Giles vs Mike Malott – If Trevin Giles has one more job in the UFC, it might be to test someone like Mike Malott, who was unable to bridge the gap between the bottom end of the welterweight division and a ranked opponent like Neil Magny. He needs more seasoning, because it wasn’t inability, it was fight pacing and inexperience. At 32, time isn’t exactly on Malott’s side, but he could use an opponent like Giles to next. Either Malott makes the statement and gets the finish, or shows he’s something of a busted flush.
Bolaji Oki vs Marquel Mederos – When you’re making your UFC debut against a guy on short notice, you kinda need to look a little better than Bolaji Oki did if you’re going to get the twin promotional and matchmaking machines behind you. Oki didn’t really do it, so it’s another 1-0 guy who recently came in and got a win in Mederos. Two pretty decent fighters, let’s see who starts to gather momentum.
Timothy Cuamba vs Tom Nolan – Rough one for Cuamba, but he probably comes out with some credit after a close but largely lacklustre fight. Give him Tom Nolan who was not ready for Nikolas Motta in his UFC debut. That was a harsh matchmaking in retrospect, and Cuamba looks a better pitched test.
Loma Lookboonmee vs Ariane Carnelossi – I respect the UFC giving Loma the slow build, she came in very inexperienced and needing some polish. She has been winning fairly consistently, though, and is 6-2 in the UFC. Tonight wasn’t a shining example of her ability, so no ranked opponents, give her someone like Carnelossi who is a kill-or-be-killed type fighter who generally brings violence. Loma needs a fight like this right now if she’s to keep advancing, as this win over Bruna really does very little for her.
Bruna Brasil vs Melissa Martinez – Bruna Brasil failed to make much of an impression tonight and sinks to 1-2 in the UFC, albeit with a DWCS win already under her belt. The two fighters she’s beaten, Marnic Mann and Shauna Bannon, don’t look quite UFC level at this moment in time, and another young woman who might end up in that category if she doesn’t pick up a win soon is the much hyped Melly Martinez. The Combate Global star was a let down in her UFC debut and needs a bounce back fight. Brasil represents a decent opportunity to do just that.
Marcin Prachnio vs Modestas Bukauskas – Marcin Prachnio is now 4-2 in his last 6 but somehow feels like he doesn’t really have much momentum. Very much a middle-of-the-pack fighter despite wins over Khalil Rountree and now Devin Clark, the Polish fighter will need far more fight time if he’s to establish himself. Another middle-of-the-pack (but fun!) fighter is Modestas Bukauskas. Hopefully we get an entertaining scrap and a finish, something that has been lacking in Prachnio’s UFC run.
Devin Clark – CUT! I just don’t have any appetite for more Devin Clark fights, and the guy is 2-5 in his last 7. The win over Da Un Jung might get him another fight, but it’s probably against a rookie we’ve never heard of making his way into the UFC at this point. Or Negumereanu, maybe.
Max Griffin vs Carlos Prates (see above)
Jeremiah Wells vs Alex Morono – Wells was on a 4 fight win streak before Carlston Harris stunned up with a come-from-behind win via Anaconda Choke and has now dropped a second straight fight against Max Griffin in a forgettable one. Alex Morono is a long time UFC veteran who was on a 4-fight win streak himself before similarly bumping his head against a slightly higher level represented by the likes of Ponzinibbio and Buckley. Both have beaten mid-to-low level guys pretty consistently, and will continue to do so – the question, I suppose, is which of these two has the higher ceiling?
Bogdan Guskov vs Rodolfo Bellato – Bogdan Guskov going from Volkan Oezdemir to fighting right down at the bottom of the pile against Zac Pauga really does show you the different levels that exist in the UFC. Guskov is a finisher, and Bellato seems to be a kill or be killed kinda guy whose only losses have come against Vitor Petrino. This would be a pretty high level fight between relative newcomers to the 205 division.
Zac Pauga vs Oumar Sy – Unfortunately Zac Pauga probably only has two potentialities after going 1-3 in the UFC: one is being cut, the other is welcoming a newcomer to the promotion. Oumar Sy is 9-0 and seems to have some support early, so if Zac gets another fight, it’s probably against someone like Sy – his run probably isn’t getting any easier any time soon…
Hyder Amil vs Jean Silva – Two guys who won their UFC debuts against fighters who probably aren’t quite UFC level, Amil is the more interesting prospect no doubt, but how does he look against a dangerous and underrated dude like Jean Silva? Silva is a finisher, but Amil looks pretty good and had both Shayilan Nuerdanbieke and Melsik Baghdasaryan pulling out on him…
Fernie Garcia – CUT! I remember when Fernie came in, and a few people seemed to like him from the regionals. He’s gone 0-4 though and has just been finished for the first time. I’m afraid it’s time.
Daniel Marcos vs Brian Kelleher – I’m not sure if Kelleher would take this fight, but after 3 straight defeats (albeit against very high level opposition) he doesn’t have a ton of credit in his account. He’s at the stage where he’s playing gatekeeper to guys like Marcos, who should be treated like he won tonight regardless of the NC.
Aori Qileng vs Muin Gafurov – Aori Qileng was overmatched against Daniel Marcos and his 3 UFC wins have come across entry level opposition. I’m not impressed by him, and hopefully the UFC have some more interesting Chinese prospects on their radar. I’d still give him a fight with 0-2 Muin Gafurov just out of interest. I want to see how they compare, because Muin has had a tougher run than Aori Qileng has had. Loser gets cut.
Joe Pyfer vs Julian Marquez – That was not the right fight for Joe, but he didn’t look bad, he just wasn’t ready. Give him an opponent more suited to his level, but an opponent with some visibility. Joe Pyfer vs Julian Marquez can co-main any Fight Night on the road, but Florida would be ideal.
Dan Ige vs Giga Chikadze – I’d love to see this one, two ranked fighters who love striking, have completely different styles, but can score brutal finishes on their day. Let’s go. Both are older featherweights (Ige is only 32 compared to Giga’s 35, but probably too shop worn for a serious run), ranked just outside the top 10 at 145, I think this one makes perfect sense. Both also coming off good wins (Giga beat Caceres last time out).
Andre Fili vs Jamall Emmers – I want to see Jamall Emmers fight up a little bit, the guy might be 3-3 but 2 of those losses came by split decision, and he’s fended off a couple of prospects in Khusein Askhabov and Dennis Buzukja. I think this fight works well for both. Fili doesn’t get demoted too far, but still gets a winnable fight against a veteran opponent who sits well within the range of guys he’s beaten before.
Ihor Potieria vs Marc-Andre Barriault – Potieria is improving, and while he was at one point seen only as the laughingstock whose sole UFC highlight involved irritating fans by celebrating victory over a completely shot (but legendary) Shogun Rua, tonight was an example of him being able to put it together, even if he came in overweight. Fix those weight issues and give him a solid veteran next time out. Let’s see how he deals with Barriault’s pressure and toughness, because those are big questions.
Robert Bryczek vs Abu Azaitar – Two guys who have records that aren’t as good as they look at first glance, Bryczek is a heavy hitter for sure, but this is the UFC – a hard hook doesn’t always get it done. Abu Azaitar can mix it up a bit more than Bryczek seemed to be able to, but his bread and butter is still punching hard. Just put them together, see what we get.
Gregory Rodrigues vs Chris Curtis – Robocop will engage pretty much anyone on the feet. I don’t think he’ll be overawed by Chris Curtis, but that doesn’t mean he won’t try to get a takedown either. As a fan favourite, I can see the UFC giving him a ranked opponent sooner rather than later, even if he hasn’t quite earned it. Over-rewarding finishing Brad Tavares isn’t the worst way to get to that level. Styles make fights, and this should be a good one.
Brad Tavares vs Abus Magomedov – Few fights are better pitched for Abus than this. Abus has lost a couple, but they were against Strickland and Borralho, whereas Brad is a step down without being insulting for a guy with 32 fights under his belt. Whoever wins gets a really good looking victory under their belt, which is the whole point, right?
Michael Johnson vs Jared Gordon – Michael Johnson beats Darrius Flowers with a very competent display, but hardly one that will see the UFC get right behind him. He’s likely to face another tough veteran next time out, the type he seems to draw constantly, and Jared Gordon not only fits the bill, but would benefit from a win over someone like Johnson. Gordon’s UFC record is pretty decent, and would seem a whole lot better if he’d got the nod over Paddy, but it is what it is: he needs momentum, and following up a statement win over Mark O. Madsen by beating another UFC uber-vet would be a good way to get the ball rolling.
Darrius Flowers vs Alex Reyes – Both fighters are 0-2 in the UFC, Reyes coming back after a six-year lay off and getting finished by R1KO again had to suck. If the same happens against Flowers it’s going to be sayonara, but this fight would be more about giving the two men the chance to face someone who is also struggling and hoping at least one of them ends up looking good. For Flowers’ part, he’s had two tough opening opponents in Jake Matthews and Michael Johnson, so he’s due a step down.
Rodolfo Vieira vs Jun Yong Park – The Iron Turtle narrowly lost to Andre Muniz last time out in a razor-thin fight. I’d like to see him go against another top class BJJ fighter in Vieira, and just see how these guys test each other out. Vieira is lethal on the mat, but has shown that he can gas out when it doesn’t all go his way, and he can be finished on the mat, too. I just like the way this is pitched between two guys right outside the rankings, and only a couple of wins from getting in that top 15.
Armen Petrosyan vs Puna Soriano – Tough one for Armen who is a decent striker but was overmatched on the mat. Give him Puna next in a low-risk fight for the UFC, with Puna badly needing a win, and Armen likely giving him the kind of fight he wants. This could be a real fun one at little cost.
Carlos Prates vs Max Griffin – Carlos Prates has been around the block a few times long before arriving in the UFC. Now he’s built some real momentum since his ONE Championship days, but, like Prachnio, will need to prove he can be more than just a middle-of-the-pack fighter even if he’s decidedly more fun and more likely to score a finish. Stopping Giles is a good start, but Giles has lost several times to surging newcomers. Max Griffin, less so. He’s a stiff test for any up-and-comer, and has fought mostly experienced UFC veterans. I’d like to see what he can do against Prates, he might just shut him down like Giles looked on course to do.
Trevin Giles vs Mike Malott – If Trevin Giles has one more job in the UFC, it might be to test someone like Mike Malott, who was unable to bridge the gap between the bottom end of the welterweight division and a ranked opponent like Neil Magny. He needs more seasoning, because it wasn’t inability, it was fight pacing and inexperience. At 32, time isn’t exactly on Malott’s side, but he could use an opponent like Giles to next. Either Malott makes the statement and gets the finish, or shows he’s something of a busted flush.
Bolaji Oki vs Marquel Mederos – When you’re making your UFC debut against a guy on short notice, you kinda need to look a little better than Bolaji Oki did if you’re going to get the twin promotional and matchmaking machines behind you. Oki didn’t really do it, so it’s another 1-0 guy who recently came in and got a win in Mederos. Two pretty decent fighters, let’s see who starts to gather momentum.
Timothy Cuamba vs Tom Nolan – Rough one for Cuamba, but he probably comes out with some credit after a close but largely lacklustre fight. Give him Tom Nolan who was not ready for Nikolas Motta in his UFC debut. That was a harsh matchmaking in retrospect, and Cuamba looks a better pitched test.
Loma Lookboonmee vs Ariane Carnelossi – I respect the UFC giving Loma the slow build, she came in very inexperienced and needing some polish. She has been winning fairly consistently, though, and is 6-2 in the UFC. Tonight wasn’t a shining example of her ability, so no ranked opponents, give her someone like Carnelossi who is a kill-or-be-killed type fighter who generally brings violence. Loma needs a fight like this right now if she’s to keep advancing, as this win over Bruna really does very little for her.
Bruna Brasil vs Melissa Martinez – Bruna Brasil failed to make much of an impression tonight and sinks to 1-2 in the UFC, albeit with a DWCS win already under her belt. The two fighters she’s beaten, Marnic Mann and Shauna Bannon, don’t look quite UFC level at this moment in time, and another young woman who might end up in that category if she doesn’t pick up a win soon is the much hyped Melly Martinez. The Combate Global star was a let down in her UFC debut and needs a bounce back fight. Brasil represents a decent opportunity to do just that.
Marcin Prachnio vs Modestas Bukauskas – Marcin Prachnio is now 4-2 in his last 6 but somehow feels like he doesn’t really have much momentum. Very much a middle-of-the-pack fighter despite wins over Khalil Rountree and now Devin Clark, the Polish fighter will need far more fight time if he’s to establish himself. Another middle-of-the-pack (but fun!) fighter is Modestas Bukauskas. Hopefully we get an entertaining scrap and a finish, something that has been lacking in Prachnio’s UFC run.
Devin Clark – CUT! I just don’t have any appetite for more Devin Clark fights, and the guy is 2-5 in his last 7. The win over Da Un Jung might get him another fight, but it’s probably against a rookie we’ve never heard of making his way into the UFC at this point. Or Negumereanu, maybe.
Max Griffin vs Carlos Prates (see above)
Jeremiah Wells vs Alex Morono – Wells was on a 4 fight win streak before Carlston Harris stunned up with a come-from-behind win via Anaconda Choke and has now dropped a second straight fight against Max Griffin in a forgettable one. Alex Morono is a long time UFC veteran who was on a 4-fight win streak himself before similarly bumping his head against a slightly higher level represented by the likes of Ponzinibbio and Buckley. Both have beaten mid-to-low level guys pretty consistently, and will continue to do so – the question, I suppose, is which of these two has the higher ceiling?
Bogdan Guskov vs Rodolfo Bellato – Bogdan Guskov going from Volkan Oezdemir to fighting right down at the bottom of the pile against Zac Pauga really does show you the different levels that exist in the UFC. Guskov is a finisher, and Bellato seems to be a kill or be killed kinda guy whose only losses have come against Vitor Petrino. This would be a pretty high level fight between relative newcomers to the 205 division.
Zac Pauga vs Oumar Sy – Unfortunately Zac Pauga probably only has two potentialities after going 1-3 in the UFC: one is being cut, the other is welcoming a newcomer to the promotion. Oumar Sy is 9-0 and seems to have some support early, so if Zac gets another fight, it’s probably against someone like Sy – his run probably isn’t getting any easier any time soon…
Hyder Amil vs Jean Silva – Two guys who won their UFC debuts against fighters who probably aren’t quite UFC level, Amil is the more interesting prospect no doubt, but how does he look against a dangerous and underrated dude like Jean Silva? Silva is a finisher, but Amil looks pretty good and had both Shayilan Nuerdanbieke and Melsik Baghdasaryan pulling out on him…
Fernie Garcia – CUT! I remember when Fernie came in, and a few people seemed to like him from the regionals. He’s gone 0-4 though and has just been finished for the first time. I’m afraid it’s time.
Daniel Marcos vs Brian Kelleher – I’m not sure if Kelleher would take this fight, but after 3 straight defeats (albeit against very high level opposition) he doesn’t have a ton of credit in his account. He’s at the stage where he’s playing gatekeeper to guys like Marcos, who should be treated like he won tonight regardless of the NC.
Aori Qileng vs Muin Gafurov – Aori Qileng was overmatched against Daniel Marcos and his 3 UFC wins have come across entry level opposition. I’m not impressed by him, and hopefully the UFC have some more interesting Chinese prospects on their radar. I’d still give him a fight with 0-2 Muin Gafurov just out of interest. I want to see how they compare, because Muin has had a tougher run than Aori Qileng has had. Loser gets cut.
