- Joined
- Jul 8, 2021
- Messages
- 26,104
- Reaction score
- 53,159
Magomed Ankalaev vs Alex Pereira – Definitely the fight to make right now, with the winner facing Jamahal Hill, and the eventual winner of Jiri-Rakic waiting further down the line. 205 is looking pretty healthy at the minute.
Johnny Walker vs Khalil Rountree – I’d like to see Khalil get the chance to keep climbing, and against an opponent that might just suit him. Of course, Walker has every chance of defending his ranking in what should be a well-pitched fight for both men. A less inspiring fight for Johnny Walker would be Jan Blachowicz, which I can see the UFC going for… but I’d rather see the UFC try to build a new contender.
Jim Miller vs Paul Felder – The ageless Jim Miller continues to finish opponents at an exceptional rate. His last decision win was way back in 2016! That said, one man not known for getting finished is Paul Felder. He has thrown his hat into the ring, and it’s the right kind of fight for the old war horse Jim Miller. Two well known fighters who likely put on an entertaining scrap.
Gabriel Benitez vs Melquizael Costa – Gabriel Benitez is barely hanging on in the UFC, the veteran having zero wins over opponents still in the UFC. He’s not very active, he’s not very reliable on the scales, and he’s just not very good, either. Give him one last chance against Melq Costa in a potential loser leaves town fight between two experienced opponents.
Mario Bautista vs Rob Font – Font’s poor takedown defence will be tested once again here, as he looks to arrest a slide that has seen him lost 4 of his last 5 fights – all by decision. A great test (and opportunity) for someone like Mario, we’ll see if Font (who holds a win over Simon from 2019) can show what brought him to the dance in the first place, and that’s slick striking.
Ricky Simon vs Said Nurmagomedov – Ricky Simon is on a two-fight losing streak for just the second time in his career, the first coming after back-to-back defeats against Urijah Faber and Rob Font. After that, Simon went on a 5-fight winning streak, beating guys like Ray borg, Raphael Assuncao, and, latterly, Jack Shore. Last night’s defeat have him clinging to a ranking spot, and most likely defending against someone like Said – or possibly Montel Jackson. I’ve sided with Said as he’s had the tougher schedule, despite losing against ranked opposition more recently.
Brunno Ferreira vs Shara Magomedov – If the UFC are going to give Shara the best chance to become a break out star, they will need to feed him a steady diet of strikers – and Brunno Ferreira, who called out Shara last night, fits the bill perfectly. A classic Brazil vs Russia fight, these one pits two good prospects against one another in a bid to see if Shara can really make an impact at this level or not.
Phil Hawes – CUT! 4 KO defeats in his last 5 outings… a fun fighter, but one that hit his ceiling and is struggling badly
Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs Rodrigo Nascimento – Assuming the UFC aren’t planning on booking Nascimento-Mayes III and IV, then this might be the way to go. Both guys are 11-1, both guys are 4-1, both guys lack a really credible win, and yet both guys are contenders for that #15 spot currently occupied by Brazilian Nascimento.
Andrei Arlovski – CUT! Sorry, Andrei, you are a legend sir, but enough is enough.
Preston Parsons vs Phil Rowe – Phil Rowe is actually a pretty decent finisher, putting away all 4 of the DWCS/UFC opponents that he beat. His 2 losses have come against Gabe Green and Neil Magny, the latter being his most recent fight, and something of a stinker. Still, I can see him having a good scrap with Parsons in a bid to build on his best win – a TKO of Niko Price – and get back on track.
Matthew Semelsberger – CUT! Semi the Jedi had potential and looked like he might make more of an impact after beating Jake Matthews, but it wasn’t to be. 3 defeats in a row have relegated him to an 11-7 mark, and sadly losing to Parsons places his neck squarely on the chopping block.
Marcus McGhee vs Jose Johnson – Marcus McGhee advances to 3-0 in the UFC, and if he can continue to fight 2-3 times a year, he should be fighting name opponents by the end of 2024. I’d like to see him get one more fight towards the bottom of the bantamweight ladder, against a more experienced opponent who is also known for fights that generally don’t go the distance. Johnson is 1-1 in the UFC, losing to Blackshear and then beating Anheliger, so he’s in that bracket right above McGhee in terms of experience.
Gaston Bolanos vs Cameron Saaiman – Cameron Saaiman has plenty of admirers, so getting him back in the win column is imperative. Gaston Bolanos is a kickboxer, but a puzzling signing for the UFC given he hasn’t really looked great in his MMA career to date. I guess his job is to face promising-but-inexperienced prospects, give them a decent test, but likely lose. Still, stylistically, could be fun.
Farid Basharat vs Sergey Morozov – Farid isn’t especially ‘Ferocious’, is he? He’s a good fighter, but like his brother, a bit of a decision machine. Still, beating Lapilus is a very credible win indeed, and I’d like to see him stay in that ball park in terms of experienced opposition. Give him the Kazakh Morozov next. Sergey has won two in a row, but has also been choked out in all of his last 3 defeats, a feat Farid should be able to replicate if he’s to progress further up the ladder.
Taylor Lapilus vs Kang Kyung Ho – Mr Perfect lost to John Castaneda last time out, and Lapilus is coming off a defeat now to Farid Basharat. Two highly experienced fighters who have a reasonably high ceiling without being a threat to the rankings. Winner of this will gain probably the most credible win of their career, making it a perfect fight for both.
Jean Silva vs Morgan Charriere – I do enjoy these narratives where a guy beats a 20+ fight vet, so gets another straight after. Morgan Charriere actually has 29 fights on his record, amounting to a 19-9-1 overall, and he won his UFC debut in an all-European bout against Manolo Zecchini. Wouldn’t mind seeing this fight take place in France, where Silva would occupy the traditional spot of ‘wannabe spoiler’.
Westin Wilson vs Jeka Saragih – Westin Wilson isn’t UFC level, but can probably still be a decent test for the unlikely Indonesian representative. Jeka might come in as a favourite after his R1KO of Lucas Alexander, but really, Westin should at least have a chance here.
Nikolas Motta vs Viacheslav Borshchev – Motta slammed the breaks on the Tom Nolan hype train almost as soon as it left it’s DWCS station! Give him Borshchev next, and the winner gets to start climbing the ladder.
Tom Nolan vs Charlie Campbell – Probably more ‘fun’ prospects than elite prospects at this stage, it’s more about building their resumés and getting them experience in as entertaining a manner as possible. This fight should fit the bill, and could easily be a sleeper on any Fight Night card.
Joshua Van vs Carlos Hernandez – Zhalgas, Borjas, Bunes. Is it just me, or is Van moving backwards in terms of quality of opponent? Of course, I understand why it’s necessary to build up a 22 year old and get them experience, but they can’t stay at the same level forever, so I’m in favour of a step up against 2-2 Carlos Hernandez, who is a solid test for prospects – beating Bondar but losing to Taira puts him in the correct bracket for someone like Van.
Felipe Bunes vs Juancamilo Ronderos – Ronderos has been a non-entity in the UFC so far, and is probably one defeat from getting cut. He simply wasn’t ready at 4-0 for the likes of David Dvorak in his UFC debut, possibly the worst mismatch the UFC put on in 2021. Give him Bunes next and get it over and done with. If he wins, great, if he loses, at least Bunes gets that all-important first UFC win.
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Very sorry that my work is late, sir, please no detention...
Johnny Walker vs Khalil Rountree – I’d like to see Khalil get the chance to keep climbing, and against an opponent that might just suit him. Of course, Walker has every chance of defending his ranking in what should be a well-pitched fight for both men. A less inspiring fight for Johnny Walker would be Jan Blachowicz, which I can see the UFC going for… but I’d rather see the UFC try to build a new contender.
Jim Miller vs Paul Felder – The ageless Jim Miller continues to finish opponents at an exceptional rate. His last decision win was way back in 2016! That said, one man not known for getting finished is Paul Felder. He has thrown his hat into the ring, and it’s the right kind of fight for the old war horse Jim Miller. Two well known fighters who likely put on an entertaining scrap.
Gabriel Benitez vs Melquizael Costa – Gabriel Benitez is barely hanging on in the UFC, the veteran having zero wins over opponents still in the UFC. He’s not very active, he’s not very reliable on the scales, and he’s just not very good, either. Give him one last chance against Melq Costa in a potential loser leaves town fight between two experienced opponents.
Mario Bautista vs Rob Font – Font’s poor takedown defence will be tested once again here, as he looks to arrest a slide that has seen him lost 4 of his last 5 fights – all by decision. A great test (and opportunity) for someone like Mario, we’ll see if Font (who holds a win over Simon from 2019) can show what brought him to the dance in the first place, and that’s slick striking.
Ricky Simon vs Said Nurmagomedov – Ricky Simon is on a two-fight losing streak for just the second time in his career, the first coming after back-to-back defeats against Urijah Faber and Rob Font. After that, Simon went on a 5-fight winning streak, beating guys like Ray borg, Raphael Assuncao, and, latterly, Jack Shore. Last night’s defeat have him clinging to a ranking spot, and most likely defending against someone like Said – or possibly Montel Jackson. I’ve sided with Said as he’s had the tougher schedule, despite losing against ranked opposition more recently.
Brunno Ferreira vs Shara Magomedov – If the UFC are going to give Shara the best chance to become a break out star, they will need to feed him a steady diet of strikers – and Brunno Ferreira, who called out Shara last night, fits the bill perfectly. A classic Brazil vs Russia fight, these one pits two good prospects against one another in a bid to see if Shara can really make an impact at this level or not.
Phil Hawes – CUT! 4 KO defeats in his last 5 outings… a fun fighter, but one that hit his ceiling and is struggling badly
Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs Rodrigo Nascimento – Assuming the UFC aren’t planning on booking Nascimento-Mayes III and IV, then this might be the way to go. Both guys are 11-1, both guys are 4-1, both guys lack a really credible win, and yet both guys are contenders for that #15 spot currently occupied by Brazilian Nascimento.
Andrei Arlovski – CUT! Sorry, Andrei, you are a legend sir, but enough is enough.
Preston Parsons vs Phil Rowe – Phil Rowe is actually a pretty decent finisher, putting away all 4 of the DWCS/UFC opponents that he beat. His 2 losses have come against Gabe Green and Neil Magny, the latter being his most recent fight, and something of a stinker. Still, I can see him having a good scrap with Parsons in a bid to build on his best win – a TKO of Niko Price – and get back on track.
Matthew Semelsberger – CUT! Semi the Jedi had potential and looked like he might make more of an impact after beating Jake Matthews, but it wasn’t to be. 3 defeats in a row have relegated him to an 11-7 mark, and sadly losing to Parsons places his neck squarely on the chopping block.
Marcus McGhee vs Jose Johnson – Marcus McGhee advances to 3-0 in the UFC, and if he can continue to fight 2-3 times a year, he should be fighting name opponents by the end of 2024. I’d like to see him get one more fight towards the bottom of the bantamweight ladder, against a more experienced opponent who is also known for fights that generally don’t go the distance. Johnson is 1-1 in the UFC, losing to Blackshear and then beating Anheliger, so he’s in that bracket right above McGhee in terms of experience.
Gaston Bolanos vs Cameron Saaiman – Cameron Saaiman has plenty of admirers, so getting him back in the win column is imperative. Gaston Bolanos is a kickboxer, but a puzzling signing for the UFC given he hasn’t really looked great in his MMA career to date. I guess his job is to face promising-but-inexperienced prospects, give them a decent test, but likely lose. Still, stylistically, could be fun.
Farid Basharat vs Sergey Morozov – Farid isn’t especially ‘Ferocious’, is he? He’s a good fighter, but like his brother, a bit of a decision machine. Still, beating Lapilus is a very credible win indeed, and I’d like to see him stay in that ball park in terms of experienced opposition. Give him the Kazakh Morozov next. Sergey has won two in a row, but has also been choked out in all of his last 3 defeats, a feat Farid should be able to replicate if he’s to progress further up the ladder.
Taylor Lapilus vs Kang Kyung Ho – Mr Perfect lost to John Castaneda last time out, and Lapilus is coming off a defeat now to Farid Basharat. Two highly experienced fighters who have a reasonably high ceiling without being a threat to the rankings. Winner of this will gain probably the most credible win of their career, making it a perfect fight for both.
Jean Silva vs Morgan Charriere – I do enjoy these narratives where a guy beats a 20+ fight vet, so gets another straight after. Morgan Charriere actually has 29 fights on his record, amounting to a 19-9-1 overall, and he won his UFC debut in an all-European bout against Manolo Zecchini. Wouldn’t mind seeing this fight take place in France, where Silva would occupy the traditional spot of ‘wannabe spoiler’.
Westin Wilson vs Jeka Saragih – Westin Wilson isn’t UFC level, but can probably still be a decent test for the unlikely Indonesian representative. Jeka might come in as a favourite after his R1KO of Lucas Alexander, but really, Westin should at least have a chance here.
Nikolas Motta vs Viacheslav Borshchev – Motta slammed the breaks on the Tom Nolan hype train almost as soon as it left it’s DWCS station! Give him Borshchev next, and the winner gets to start climbing the ladder.
Tom Nolan vs Charlie Campbell – Probably more ‘fun’ prospects than elite prospects at this stage, it’s more about building their resumés and getting them experience in as entertaining a manner as possible. This fight should fit the bill, and could easily be a sleeper on any Fight Night card.
Joshua Van vs Carlos Hernandez – Zhalgas, Borjas, Bunes. Is it just me, or is Van moving backwards in terms of quality of opponent? Of course, I understand why it’s necessary to build up a 22 year old and get them experience, but they can’t stay at the same level forever, so I’m in favour of a step up against 2-2 Carlos Hernandez, who is a solid test for prospects – beating Bondar but losing to Taira puts him in the correct bracket for someone like Van.
Felipe Bunes vs Juancamilo Ronderos – Ronderos has been a non-entity in the UFC so far, and is probably one defeat from getting cut. He simply wasn’t ready at 4-0 for the likes of David Dvorak in his UFC debut, possibly the worst mismatch the UFC put on in 2021. Give him Bunes next and get it over and done with. If he wins, great, if he loses, at least Bunes gets that all-important first UFC win.
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Very sorry that my work is late, sir, please no detention...
