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Renato Moicano vs Mateusz Gamrot – Renato ‘Money’ Moicano has fully hit his stride, CRUSHING guys like Jalin Turner and Benoit St Denis back-to-back. Prior to that, he’s put the hurt on Brad Riddell and Drew Dober, two of the heaviest hitters in the division. This is sublime stuff from the 35 year old Brazilian. He now gets a name opponent, forget Paddy, forget all that crap, let’s look up the ladder: Mateusz Gamrot is the right opponent. Gamrot is a fun, high-pace grappler who isn’t watertight enough to be a blanket. I don’t know which style wins out here – but I want to! Book it.
Benoit St Denis vs Paddy Pimblett – Benoit St Denis was a rush job. Paddy Pimblett, anything but, given the time and patience invested in his run. Does it make a difference? Not really. They both now sit in a very similar spot in the rankings, we know a little bit more about BSD’s ceiling than we do Paddy’s (though we can suspect what we like in that regard). Hell, do it. England vs France, an all-time classic rivalry, probably London because Paddy is the bigger star, but Paris is also fine. Let’s go! No kid gloves needed; this is two lightweights who are all-out attack and will make this fight a massive, massive spectacle. YES PLEASE. Can Paddy keep climbing them rankings…?
Nassourdine Imavov vs Caio Borralho – I might be unpopular here, but I’m not sure a nailbiter against Brendan Allen actually moves Imavov any closer to a title shot. I know both guys had this fight marked as a contender eliminator, but assuming DDP vs Strickland is next, and the fact that Whittaker-Chimaev absolutely dwarfs tonight’s fight, I think that’s all wishful thinking. So to hell with it. Imavov has had some razor-close fights against top 10 opposition without really looking elite, so put him against the Brazilian juggernaut and leader of the Fighting Nerds, Caio Borralho. This would be a proper contender eliminator in spirit rather than hope.
Brendan Allen vs Paulo Costa – Brendan Allen, ultimately, doesn’t have a win as significant as Paulo Costa under his belt. That’s just the plain and simple truth here, yet he’s ranked over the struggling Brazilian ‘name’ fighter in Paulo Costa. Costa has been getting elite competition like Izzy, Vettori, Whittaker and Strickland while Allen has been getting guys like Chris Curtis and Paul Craig. It’s a no contest in terms of name value, but Costa can’t go on losing to the best endlessly, sooner or later he put his reputation on the line, and Allen fully deserves the chance to collect the biggest scalp of his career – especially since Costa is ranked lower.
William Gomis vs Alex Caceres – I have no idea what is going on with William Gomis and UFC judges, but the guy has 3 decisions since he’s been in the UFC, and 2 were Split and 1 was a Majority. His point-fighting style isn’t attractive, and the fact he turns into a wrestler when threatened makes him a bit boring, but good luck doing that against Alex Caceres. This isn’t a punishment fight by any means, it’s just a tough, tough stylistic question for Gomis to address – and who knows, maybe he will. It’s a logical next step for a guy who isn’t fun enough to draw a Dan Ige next.
Joanderson Brito vs Kyle Nelson – God help the next man to face down Joanderson Brito, a very fun and violent fighter who just got robbed after Dan Ige denied him a shot at a ranking by getting injured. Pretend like this fight didn’t happen and just give Brito the tough Canadian Kyle Nelson, who was also knocking on the door of the top 15 lately.
Bryan Battle vs Neil Magny – Neil Magny has long been the guy you face if the UFC aren’t quite sure if you’re ready or not, but recently more and more guys are starting to get past him and maybe the dam is about to break. Maybe. Then again, the uber-veteran still has all the smarts, and he’ll face down a cocky guy like Bryan Battle without a problem. What more needs to be said? I think Bryan is ready, but I’d avoid most guys at this level, and zone in on Magny specifically. Where Bryan goes from there is another question, as he’s still quite inexperienced.
Kevin Jousset vs Ange Loosa – Aside from being a well-matched French vs Swiss affair, this is also City Kickboxing vs Kill Cliff FC, and I kinda want to see which European prospect is faring better by training outside of their home continent. Two powerful athletes, both still a bit rough around the edges, this just feels right. A strong performance here means a lot for whoever wins.
Morgan Charriere vs Doo Ho Choi – Morgan Charriere either finishes guys or loses close decisions and there’s not much in between. Tonight he pulled off a much-needed finish of a very talented Brazilian, and it moves him up the ladder a bit. The French veteran is always going to be an easy-sell in Paris, and I wouldn’t mind them bringing the Korean Super Boy over for a main event fight in the near future. Doo Ho Choi reminded everyone what he’s all about by clowning Bill Algeo in his most recent fight, but before that it’s all the way back to 2016 for his previous win over Thiago Tavares. That’s insane. In other words, there’s little pressure on who you book Choi against as long as it works stylistically, and the same kind of applies to Charriere, who is fun but not elite with a full 10 defeats from his 31 pro fights.
Gabriel Miranda vs Joshua Culibao – Gabriel Miranda is obviously talented, but boy does the start of R2 present a bad omen for him… Benoit St Denis and Morgan Charriere have now got him out of there within a minute of the restart, and that’s a shame for ‘Fly’ who has worked his way to the UFC nicely. Give him the cut-threatened Josh Culibao next. After 3 straight defeats, Aussie Culibao must win. Book it in Australia, and let ‘Fly’ live up to his nickname once more.
Fares Ziam vs Nasrat Haqparast – Two fighters on 4 fight win streaks, both largely known for decisions, and both seem to have settled into a pattern of beating mid-tier guys. I can see someone saying “surely Ziam is more deserving than Klein of a ranked opponent”, and I can see it, but if I’m giving one of these guys one last ultra-tough unranked opponent, I think it’s Ziam – though you could easily switch these opponents about. Ziam-Haqparast feels just as high level as Klein-Turner, I just like these match ups a little bit better.
Matt Frevola vs Thiago Moises – Matt Frevola drops a second consecutive fight, and his credentials for being a one-time ranked fighter look a little flimsy. A 5-year old win over Jalin Turner aside, Frevola’s best win – by a mile – was a wild brawl with Drew Dober. Getting finished twice in a row by BSD and Fares Ziam is a (smile) killer for ‘The Steamrolla’, but even so, let’s not go giving the 34 year old a pathetic fight next. Give him Thiago Moises in a veteran striker vs grappler-esque match-up between two intriguing, but ultimately very different, fighters.
Ion Cutelaba vs Jim Crute – If there’s one guy who needs a win worse than the entertaining Ion Cutelaba did lately, it’s Jim Crute. 0-3-1 in his last 4, Crute has taken a bit of time off after some demoralising defeats, all by finish. Perhaps the Aussie wasn’t ready for the ranked light heavyweights, but that’s fine. The UFC have obviously kept him around because he is a good scrapper and most of his fights end inside the distance (win or lose). Crute should be favourite here, but who knows? Cutelaba is physical and unorthodox at times. Book it!
Ivan Erslan vs Marcin Prachnio – For an all-European, low-value, low-level affair (much like tonight’s bout), this fight has all the hallmarks of an entertaining bout. Two imperfect light heavyweights with contrasting styles, the Croatian and the Pole match up nicely and the chances are we either get a first round stoppage or a decision – but I don’t see it dragging, they should bring the fire, which is part of the reason Erslan is here to begin with.
Oumar Sy vs Bogdan Guskov – Bogdan Guskov is only 2-1 in the UFC, but is already ranked at #14 in the 205 division. That’s because he’s beating guys like Ryan Spann, and his only loss is against Volkan Oezdemir – still, it shows how shallow this light heavyweight division is, and given Oumar Sy isn’t very exciting, I see no reason to obsess over his undefeated record and protect him endlessly. Sink or swim, and give us a fight while you’re at it, Oumar. Very tough fight for both, and the winner gets serious plaudits going forward. Win-win.
Da Woon Jung – CUT! – What a shame… Da Un Jung, as I still think of him, has now lost 4 straight and has been used as a gatekeeper to some promising fighters. You can’t keep losing in that spot though, and that’s probably it for the Korean. He’s only 30 so I hope we see him again, but for now… au revoir!
L’udovit Klein vs Jalin Turner – Any man that goes 7 fights without defeat in the UFC cannot be excluded from the rankings conversation, and that’s exactly where L’udovit is right now. 6-0-1 is stellar, but the competition he’s faced has been less so – and I think this should have been more of a coming out party for a very fun fighter, which it wasn’t. But I’ll give Klein credit for beating a variety of styles throughout this run, and think it’s time for him to get a man clinging on to his #14 spot for dear life – the very dangerous Jalin Turner. Turner has lost 3 out of 4 against top 10 (ish) opposition, but crushed Bobby Green in the interim. Obviously a serious task for anyone at 155, Turner vs Klein is a great chance for Turner to bounce back or else fall on his shield to a guy who deserves the opportunity.
Roosevelt Roberts vs Dennis Buzukja – Roosevelt Roberts, rather like Dennis Buzukja, is generally quite competitive but still very prone to defeat at this level. I think Roberts looked better than people expected tonight against a very tough opponent given he’s been cut by the UFC once already – Buzukja could easily find himself in a similar boat as he’s another guy who’s struggling to find his niche in the UFC but is obviously good at regional level. Put them together and give one of these guys a win and a boost. It should be a good high stakes scrap for the pair of them, hopefully the winner finally establishes himself.
Taylor Lapilus vs Adrian Yanez – Taylor Lapilus welcomed Vince Morales back to the UFC after some really impressive performances on the regionals, and pushing back an in-form fighter is never easy. The Frenchman is very clean on the feet, something you can also say about the boxing-heavy Adrian Yanez. Yanez rose through the ranks in the UFC beautifully, but struggled when he got his ranking – there’s no shame in that. Winner of this probably gets a top 15 opponent that I’m just a little hesitant to give Taylor at this point with that loss to Farid so fresh in the memory.
Vince Morales vs Raoni Barcelos – Vince Morales made a well-earned return to the octagon but found Taylor Lapilus a step too far in Taylor’s own backyard. That’s fine, let’s find out exactly where Vince is now by giving him veteran Raoni Barcelos. Raoni is 37 and has been slowing down a little in the last 3-4 years, albeit he’s still only lost to very accomplished fighters. When he’s won, he’s been given step downs, but for once I want to see him get a guy in the middle of the pack – which is where Vince Morales is until he proves otherwise. Should be a multi-levelled affair, and a good fight!
Ailin Perez vs Julia Avila – Missing weight won’t help Perez climb the ladder any faster, but this was a mismatch and Perez needs that step up nonetheless. Give her Julia Avila, the 36 year old whose career has been scuppered by sheer inactivity unfortunately. Ailin hasn’t had that issue, having had as many fights (5) in half the time. Perez is fun, media-friendly, and increasingly popular – but she has to back it up in the cage against an increasingly tough level of competition. Avila is a good next step.
Darya Zheleznyakova vs Ravena Oliveira – Darya was nowhere near in this fight and having been finished in R1 by Melissa Mullins outside the UFC, this is a real setback. Put her against Ravena Oliveira, an 0-1 Brazilian in need of a win. Winner can start to build back, but for now, it’s the bottom rung of the ladder for these two unfortunately.
Daniel Barez vs Edgar Chairez – Two bigger-record flyweights who are middle-of-the-pack fighters realistically, this could be a fun brawl. We know Barez is all about the power he packs in his punches, Chairez more of a quirky brawler, let’s go, why not. Perhaps Barez can send another flyweight packing from the annals of the UFC, as Chairez has only got 1 win from 5 DWCS/UFC fights on his record and that’s against Luan Lacerda – hardly a statement win.
Victor Altarmirano – CUT! Victor Altamirano had his moments, but that’s 3 defeats in a row, and as an oddly dissatisfying decision machine, I can’t see the UFC keeping him around – unless they overrated the action here and give him one more, but I doubt it.
Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs Germaine de Randamie – Turn about is fair play! Cornolle was meant to meet GDR, but after Cavlacanti outstruck the Frenchwoman and beat her again, I’d like to see the Portuguese get the nod to fight the veteran #13 ranked bantamweight. Cavalcanti is super sharp and better than back-to-back split decisions make her look…
Nora Cornolle vs Tainara Lisboa – Brazilian Lisboa is 2-0 in the UFC, which is what Cornolle was before tonight’s defeat. Nora is a fun fighter, great to watch, but is just a bit slow to match up well with Jacqueline. No worries, let’s move forward. Cornolle vs Lisboa sounds like a damn fun time to me, and a deserved step up for ‘The Thai Panther’ after wins over Jessie-Rose Clark and Ravena Oliveira.
Benoit St Denis vs Paddy Pimblett – Benoit St Denis was a rush job. Paddy Pimblett, anything but, given the time and patience invested in his run. Does it make a difference? Not really. They both now sit in a very similar spot in the rankings, we know a little bit more about BSD’s ceiling than we do Paddy’s (though we can suspect what we like in that regard). Hell, do it. England vs France, an all-time classic rivalry, probably London because Paddy is the bigger star, but Paris is also fine. Let’s go! No kid gloves needed; this is two lightweights who are all-out attack and will make this fight a massive, massive spectacle. YES PLEASE. Can Paddy keep climbing them rankings…?
Nassourdine Imavov vs Caio Borralho – I might be unpopular here, but I’m not sure a nailbiter against Brendan Allen actually moves Imavov any closer to a title shot. I know both guys had this fight marked as a contender eliminator, but assuming DDP vs Strickland is next, and the fact that Whittaker-Chimaev absolutely dwarfs tonight’s fight, I think that’s all wishful thinking. So to hell with it. Imavov has had some razor-close fights against top 10 opposition without really looking elite, so put him against the Brazilian juggernaut and leader of the Fighting Nerds, Caio Borralho. This would be a proper contender eliminator in spirit rather than hope.
Brendan Allen vs Paulo Costa – Brendan Allen, ultimately, doesn’t have a win as significant as Paulo Costa under his belt. That’s just the plain and simple truth here, yet he’s ranked over the struggling Brazilian ‘name’ fighter in Paulo Costa. Costa has been getting elite competition like Izzy, Vettori, Whittaker and Strickland while Allen has been getting guys like Chris Curtis and Paul Craig. It’s a no contest in terms of name value, but Costa can’t go on losing to the best endlessly, sooner or later he put his reputation on the line, and Allen fully deserves the chance to collect the biggest scalp of his career – especially since Costa is ranked lower.
William Gomis vs Alex Caceres – I have no idea what is going on with William Gomis and UFC judges, but the guy has 3 decisions since he’s been in the UFC, and 2 were Split and 1 was a Majority. His point-fighting style isn’t attractive, and the fact he turns into a wrestler when threatened makes him a bit boring, but good luck doing that against Alex Caceres. This isn’t a punishment fight by any means, it’s just a tough, tough stylistic question for Gomis to address – and who knows, maybe he will. It’s a logical next step for a guy who isn’t fun enough to draw a Dan Ige next.
Joanderson Brito vs Kyle Nelson – God help the next man to face down Joanderson Brito, a very fun and violent fighter who just got robbed after Dan Ige denied him a shot at a ranking by getting injured. Pretend like this fight didn’t happen and just give Brito the tough Canadian Kyle Nelson, who was also knocking on the door of the top 15 lately.
Bryan Battle vs Neil Magny – Neil Magny has long been the guy you face if the UFC aren’t quite sure if you’re ready or not, but recently more and more guys are starting to get past him and maybe the dam is about to break. Maybe. Then again, the uber-veteran still has all the smarts, and he’ll face down a cocky guy like Bryan Battle without a problem. What more needs to be said? I think Bryan is ready, but I’d avoid most guys at this level, and zone in on Magny specifically. Where Bryan goes from there is another question, as he’s still quite inexperienced.
Kevin Jousset vs Ange Loosa – Aside from being a well-matched French vs Swiss affair, this is also City Kickboxing vs Kill Cliff FC, and I kinda want to see which European prospect is faring better by training outside of their home continent. Two powerful athletes, both still a bit rough around the edges, this just feels right. A strong performance here means a lot for whoever wins.
Morgan Charriere vs Doo Ho Choi – Morgan Charriere either finishes guys or loses close decisions and there’s not much in between. Tonight he pulled off a much-needed finish of a very talented Brazilian, and it moves him up the ladder a bit. The French veteran is always going to be an easy-sell in Paris, and I wouldn’t mind them bringing the Korean Super Boy over for a main event fight in the near future. Doo Ho Choi reminded everyone what he’s all about by clowning Bill Algeo in his most recent fight, but before that it’s all the way back to 2016 for his previous win over Thiago Tavares. That’s insane. In other words, there’s little pressure on who you book Choi against as long as it works stylistically, and the same kind of applies to Charriere, who is fun but not elite with a full 10 defeats from his 31 pro fights.
Gabriel Miranda vs Joshua Culibao – Gabriel Miranda is obviously talented, but boy does the start of R2 present a bad omen for him… Benoit St Denis and Morgan Charriere have now got him out of there within a minute of the restart, and that’s a shame for ‘Fly’ who has worked his way to the UFC nicely. Give him the cut-threatened Josh Culibao next. After 3 straight defeats, Aussie Culibao must win. Book it in Australia, and let ‘Fly’ live up to his nickname once more.
Fares Ziam vs Nasrat Haqparast – Two fighters on 4 fight win streaks, both largely known for decisions, and both seem to have settled into a pattern of beating mid-tier guys. I can see someone saying “surely Ziam is more deserving than Klein of a ranked opponent”, and I can see it, but if I’m giving one of these guys one last ultra-tough unranked opponent, I think it’s Ziam – though you could easily switch these opponents about. Ziam-Haqparast feels just as high level as Klein-Turner, I just like these match ups a little bit better.
Matt Frevola vs Thiago Moises – Matt Frevola drops a second consecutive fight, and his credentials for being a one-time ranked fighter look a little flimsy. A 5-year old win over Jalin Turner aside, Frevola’s best win – by a mile – was a wild brawl with Drew Dober. Getting finished twice in a row by BSD and Fares Ziam is a (smile) killer for ‘The Steamrolla’, but even so, let’s not go giving the 34 year old a pathetic fight next. Give him Thiago Moises in a veteran striker vs grappler-esque match-up between two intriguing, but ultimately very different, fighters.
Ion Cutelaba vs Jim Crute – If there’s one guy who needs a win worse than the entertaining Ion Cutelaba did lately, it’s Jim Crute. 0-3-1 in his last 4, Crute has taken a bit of time off after some demoralising defeats, all by finish. Perhaps the Aussie wasn’t ready for the ranked light heavyweights, but that’s fine. The UFC have obviously kept him around because he is a good scrapper and most of his fights end inside the distance (win or lose). Crute should be favourite here, but who knows? Cutelaba is physical and unorthodox at times. Book it!
Ivan Erslan vs Marcin Prachnio – For an all-European, low-value, low-level affair (much like tonight’s bout), this fight has all the hallmarks of an entertaining bout. Two imperfect light heavyweights with contrasting styles, the Croatian and the Pole match up nicely and the chances are we either get a first round stoppage or a decision – but I don’t see it dragging, they should bring the fire, which is part of the reason Erslan is here to begin with.
Oumar Sy vs Bogdan Guskov – Bogdan Guskov is only 2-1 in the UFC, but is already ranked at #14 in the 205 division. That’s because he’s beating guys like Ryan Spann, and his only loss is against Volkan Oezdemir – still, it shows how shallow this light heavyweight division is, and given Oumar Sy isn’t very exciting, I see no reason to obsess over his undefeated record and protect him endlessly. Sink or swim, and give us a fight while you’re at it, Oumar. Very tough fight for both, and the winner gets serious plaudits going forward. Win-win.
Da Woon Jung – CUT! – What a shame… Da Un Jung, as I still think of him, has now lost 4 straight and has been used as a gatekeeper to some promising fighters. You can’t keep losing in that spot though, and that’s probably it for the Korean. He’s only 30 so I hope we see him again, but for now… au revoir!
L’udovit Klein vs Jalin Turner – Any man that goes 7 fights without defeat in the UFC cannot be excluded from the rankings conversation, and that’s exactly where L’udovit is right now. 6-0-1 is stellar, but the competition he’s faced has been less so – and I think this should have been more of a coming out party for a very fun fighter, which it wasn’t. But I’ll give Klein credit for beating a variety of styles throughout this run, and think it’s time for him to get a man clinging on to his #14 spot for dear life – the very dangerous Jalin Turner. Turner has lost 3 out of 4 against top 10 (ish) opposition, but crushed Bobby Green in the interim. Obviously a serious task for anyone at 155, Turner vs Klein is a great chance for Turner to bounce back or else fall on his shield to a guy who deserves the opportunity.
Roosevelt Roberts vs Dennis Buzukja – Roosevelt Roberts, rather like Dennis Buzukja, is generally quite competitive but still very prone to defeat at this level. I think Roberts looked better than people expected tonight against a very tough opponent given he’s been cut by the UFC once already – Buzukja could easily find himself in a similar boat as he’s another guy who’s struggling to find his niche in the UFC but is obviously good at regional level. Put them together and give one of these guys a win and a boost. It should be a good high stakes scrap for the pair of them, hopefully the winner finally establishes himself.
Taylor Lapilus vs Adrian Yanez – Taylor Lapilus welcomed Vince Morales back to the UFC after some really impressive performances on the regionals, and pushing back an in-form fighter is never easy. The Frenchman is very clean on the feet, something you can also say about the boxing-heavy Adrian Yanez. Yanez rose through the ranks in the UFC beautifully, but struggled when he got his ranking – there’s no shame in that. Winner of this probably gets a top 15 opponent that I’m just a little hesitant to give Taylor at this point with that loss to Farid so fresh in the memory.
Vince Morales vs Raoni Barcelos – Vince Morales made a well-earned return to the octagon but found Taylor Lapilus a step too far in Taylor’s own backyard. That’s fine, let’s find out exactly where Vince is now by giving him veteran Raoni Barcelos. Raoni is 37 and has been slowing down a little in the last 3-4 years, albeit he’s still only lost to very accomplished fighters. When he’s won, he’s been given step downs, but for once I want to see him get a guy in the middle of the pack – which is where Vince Morales is until he proves otherwise. Should be a multi-levelled affair, and a good fight!
Ailin Perez vs Julia Avila – Missing weight won’t help Perez climb the ladder any faster, but this was a mismatch and Perez needs that step up nonetheless. Give her Julia Avila, the 36 year old whose career has been scuppered by sheer inactivity unfortunately. Ailin hasn’t had that issue, having had as many fights (5) in half the time. Perez is fun, media-friendly, and increasingly popular – but she has to back it up in the cage against an increasingly tough level of competition. Avila is a good next step.
Darya Zheleznyakova vs Ravena Oliveira – Darya was nowhere near in this fight and having been finished in R1 by Melissa Mullins outside the UFC, this is a real setback. Put her against Ravena Oliveira, an 0-1 Brazilian in need of a win. Winner can start to build back, but for now, it’s the bottom rung of the ladder for these two unfortunately.
Daniel Barez vs Edgar Chairez – Two bigger-record flyweights who are middle-of-the-pack fighters realistically, this could be a fun brawl. We know Barez is all about the power he packs in his punches, Chairez more of a quirky brawler, let’s go, why not. Perhaps Barez can send another flyweight packing from the annals of the UFC, as Chairez has only got 1 win from 5 DWCS/UFC fights on his record and that’s against Luan Lacerda – hardly a statement win.
Victor Altarmirano – CUT! Victor Altamirano had his moments, but that’s 3 defeats in a row, and as an oddly dissatisfying decision machine, I can’t see the UFC keeping him around – unless they overrated the action here and give him one more, but I doubt it.
Jacqueline Cavalcanti vs Germaine de Randamie – Turn about is fair play! Cornolle was meant to meet GDR, but after Cavlacanti outstruck the Frenchwoman and beat her again, I’d like to see the Portuguese get the nod to fight the veteran #13 ranked bantamweight. Cavalcanti is super sharp and better than back-to-back split decisions make her look…
Nora Cornolle vs Tainara Lisboa – Brazilian Lisboa is 2-0 in the UFC, which is what Cornolle was before tonight’s defeat. Nora is a fun fighter, great to watch, but is just a bit slow to match up well with Jacqueline. No worries, let’s move forward. Cornolle vs Lisboa sounds like a damn fun time to me, and a deserved step up for ‘The Thai Panther’ after wins over Jessie-Rose Clark and Ravena Oliveira.
