Pre-fight discussion UFC Louisville: Cannonier v. Imavov, Sat. 6/8, Prelims 5pm ET ESPN, ESPN+

[PurpleStorm]

This weekend heading up the backstretch from Kentucky Derby country it's UFC Louisville: Cannonier vs. Imavov. Also known as UFC on ESPN 57. I love this card for a free event and will definitely join in this week's Play by Play discussion hosted by my man @Jackonfire.

How do you all feel about the card? Kindly share your breakdowns, previews and predictions for any or all of the card in Louisville, Kentucky - home of Muhammad Ali and Kentucky Fried Chicken. Enjoy fight week.

Date/Time: Saturday 06.08.2024 at 05:00 PM ET
U.S. Broadcast: ESPN
Preliminary Card: ESPN+
Promotion: Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ownership: Endeavor
Venue: KFC Yum! Center
Location: Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Enclosure: Octagon
MMA Bouts: 14

UFC ON ESPN 57 - CANNONIER VS. IMAVOV​

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
JUN 8, 2024

KFC YUM! CENTER, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, UNITED STATES

Main Event. Middleweight.



​

JARED CANNONIER​	NASSOURDINE IMAVOV​
17-6-0​	13-4-0​

MAIN EVENT
MIDDLEWEIGHT
​

MATCH	FIGHTERS
13	Dominick Reyes 12-4-0	Light Heavyweight	Dustin Jacoby 19-8-1
12	Raul Rosas Jr. 8-1-0	Bantamweight	Ricky Turcios 12-3-0
11	Brunno Ferreira 11-1-0	Middleweight	Dustin Stoltzfus 15-5-0
10	Julian Marquez 9-4-0	Middleweight	Zachary Reese 6-1-0
9	Miguel Baeza 10-3-0	Welterweight	Punahele Soriano 9-4-0
8	Thiago Moises 18-7-0	Lightweight	Ludovit Klein 21-4-1
7	Charlie Radtke 9-3-0	Welterweight	Carlos Prates 18-6-0
6	Andrea Lee 13-9-0	Flyweight	Montana De La Rosa 12-9-1
5	Brad Katona 13-3-0	Bantamweight	Jesse Butler 12-5-0
4	John Castaneda 21-6-0	Bantamweight	Daniel Marcos 15-0-0
3	Eduarda Moura 10-0-0	Strawweight	Denise Gomes 8-3-0
2	Cody Stamann 21-6-1	Bantamweight	Taylor Lapilus 19-4-0
1	Rayanne dos Santos 14-7-0	Strawweight	Puja Tomar 8-4-0

Here's the no-nonsense preview from the inimitable Shillan & Duffy.

Shillan and Duffy: UFC on ESPN 57 Preview​

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BEN DUFFY KEITH SHILLAN JUN 3, 2024 COMMENTS
Keith and Ben serve up a lean, mean preview of UFC on ESPN 57 "Cannonier vs. Imavov," also known as "UFC Louisville," with detailed predictions and picks for all 14 fights.

0:00 Intro: A Kentucky Fried Fight Night
5:06 Rayanne dos Santos (14-7) vs. Puja Tomar (8-4)
13:54 Cody Stamann (21-6-1) vs. Taylor Lapilus (19-4)
19:53 Eduarda Moura (10-0) vs. Denise Gomes (8-3)
27:37 John Castaneda (21-6) vs. Daniel Marcos (15-0, 1 NC)
35:19 Brad Katona (13-3) vs. Jesse Butler (12-5)
43:48 Andrea Lee (13-9) vs. Montana De La Rosa (12-9-1)
53:26 Charlie Radtke (9-3) vs. Carlos Prates (18-6)
1:01:06 Thiago Moises (18-7) vs. Ludovit Klein (21-4-1)
1:11:01 Miguel Baeza (10-3) vs. Punahele Soriano (9-4)
1:21:16 Julian Marquez (9-4) vs. Zachary Reese (6-1)
1:31:20 Brunno Ferreira (11-1) vs. Dustin Stoltzfus (15-5)
1:39:03 Raul Rosas Jr. (8-1) vs. Ricky Turcios (12-3)
1:54:02 Dominick Reyes (12-4) vs. Dustin Jacoby (19-8-1)
2:10:30 Jared Cannonier (17-6) vs. Nassourdine Imavov (13-4, 1 NC)
2:23:52 A quick rundown of all the picks



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[BroRogan]

Looks like the most generic fight night card on paper and you would think all these matchups happened at least once at some Apex card already.

That being said >

@Axe720

 

[Axe720]

Looks like the most generic fight night card on paper and you would think all these matchups happened at least once at some Apex card already.

That being said >

@Axe720

I haven't been All In (pun intended) for the last few cards, but...

 

[Yoricks Wisdom]

With Stanley Cup finals and ESPN boxing on, I might check in on it or just record it.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

People up here in Edmonton are ecstatic the Oilers are back in the finals after 18 years. And 31 years since a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup. It would be nice to end the drought.

But I’ve only followed international hockey since the last time the NHL players, and owners had their last work disruption in 2006. Millionaire players and billionaire owners having a strike/lockout in 2004, and then again in 2006. I said if they went out again in 2006, I was done.

I’ll take so much, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Same with the UFC. I’m getting a little closer to walking away with every bit of fuckery they pull. This Jones/Stipe is getting to be about the last bit of bullshit I’m willing to swallow.

Thanks for the thread @PurpleStorm

 

[svmr_db]

Cannonier gonna bring his A-game training with his enhanced vision goggles

 

[blaseblase]

How is Andrea Lee still signed?

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

In to see Reyes KO'ed again

 

[Jackonfire]

 

[HI SCOTT NEWMAN]

Venue: KFC Yum! Center

Well I know what I'll be eating for this card, my meals are sorted for Saturday. Would be unthinkable to eat anything other than KFC for this particular card.

 

[Kowboy On Sherdog]

Hope to be home in time for Zach Reese...

 

[TempleoftheDog]

How is Andrea Lee still signed?

A cute (not gorgeous) blonde girl that digs fighting. Probably likes shit kicker music. And she appeals to a certain demographic as well. She comes from a state that over history hasn’t exactly been a bastion of civil rights since long before the civil war. The Alamo happened 25 years before the Civil War started. Which led almost immediately to Texan Independence from Mexico.

An interesting fact. Mexico officially abolished slavery in Texas in 1829. But on gaining independence, that was reversed. In 1861 Texas became the 7th state to secede from the Union. And fought for the South. Governor Sam Houston was against seceding, and lost his job in office over it.

She has those traits, and looks, etc.. People generally either really like her. Or they don’t like her at all, imo.

0-4, though. She gets cut with a loss probably.

 

[blaseblase]

A cute (not gorgeous) blonde girl that digs fighting. Probably likes shit kicker music. And she appeals to a certain demographic as well. She comes from a state that over history hasn’t exactly been a bastion of civil rights since long before the civil war. The Alamo happened 25 years before the Civil War started. Which led almost immediately to Texan Independence from Mexico.

An interesting fact. Mexico officially abolished slavery in Texas in 1829. But on gaining independence, that was reversed. In 1861 Texas became the 7th state to secede from the Union. And fought for the South. Governor Sam Houston was against seceding, and lost his job in office over it.

She has those traits, and looks, etc.. People generally either really like her. Or they don’t like her at all, imo.

0-4, though. She gets cut with a loss probably.

She also had a Nazi husband, plus another boyfriend who was racist.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

She also had a Nazi husband, plus another boyfriend who was racist.

Yes, I gently alluded to that. I figure we all know her romantic affiliations. Not the kind of folks I’d hang out with. I wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire.

It’s most likely the way she was brought up. But I haven’t seen direct overt racism from her. It’s a slippery slope. But guilt by association is fair when she’s been in relationships with more than one lowlife.

 

[Danespina]

Still not the main card, but at least Moises is back up to prelim headliner.

 

[PurpleStorm]

Preview: UFC on ESPN 57 Prelims​

Moises vs. Klein​

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TOM FEELY JUN 5, 2024 COMMENTS

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday will return to Louisville, Kentucky, for the first time in nearly a decade and a half, and a decent preliminary slate trumpets its arrival at the KFC Yum! Center. Much like the UFC on ESPN 57 main draw, many of these bouts were matched for action, but the featured lightweight prelim between Thiago Moises and Ludovit Klein figures to be one of the better fights on the entire bill. Moises remains on the fringes of the Top 15, while Klein has put together a solid campaign since he moved up to 155 pounds. Beyond that, a high-paced bantamweight battle pitting John Castaneda against Daniel Marcos stands out, as does the latest assignment for strawweight prospect Eduarda Moura, who gets the toughest test of her career when she meets Denis Gomes.

Now to the preview for the UFC on ESPN 57 prelims.

Lightweights​

Ludovit Klein (21-4-1, 5-2-1 UFC) vs. Thiago Moises (18-7, 7-5 UFC)

ODDS: Klein (-125), Moises (+105)

This is some fun matchmaking, as these two lightweights lost out on some interesting matchups in March, crushed late-notice replacements and get paired off here. Klein has hit his stride at lightweight, as the UFC’s first Slovakian fighter has gone undefeated in five fights since moving up to 155 pounds, but “Mr. Highlight” is still a strange fighter to parse. Klein’s fighting style does feel a bit thin, as it’s mostly built around big kicks from range, swinging for power up close and some spotty wrestling. It has not necessarily a combination that adds up much on paper, but Klein’s horsepower has usually been enough to guide him—or scare his opponents—into his preferred type of fight, even if he has still had to skate by in some instances. An August win over Ignacio Bahamondes was a huge proof of concept, as Klein was able to stay ahead of the type of pressure fighter that gave him fits as a featherweight. After running through A.J. Cunningham, Klein gets an interesting next test in Moises. Brazil’s Moises came to the UFC as a 23-year-old in 2018, and it was remarkable how much he looked like a veteran in terms of his poise. That has also apparently meant that he came to the UFC as a finished product, for better or for worse. Moises settled in on the fringes of the UFC’s rankings almost immediately and has not budged from that spot in the last few years. Moises can do a bit of everything as a credible striker and wrestler with some vicious submission skills, but he’s often too patient for his own good. His willingness to cede initiative allows him to pick his spots against most opponents, but high-level foes have typically found success consistently going after Moises before he can build up any sort of a defense. That makes for an interesting dynamic here, as Klein has the horsepower to get things done but not necessarily the blistering pace to keep Moises on his toes. With that said, Moises also doesn’t have the proclivity to apply pressure that has historically taken Klein out of his game. The other fascinating thing is that both men have increasingly relied on their wrestling to mix things up, which might be where Moises can pry open an advantage, as Klein’s ground game isn’t particularly outstanding in isolation. This is a difficult fight to call, but the pick is Moises via second-round submission.

Jump To »
Moises vs. Klein
Prates vs. Radtke
Katona vs. Butler
Lee vs. De La Rosa
Marcos vs. Castaneda
Moura vs. Gomes
Lapilus vs. Stamann
Dos Santos vs. Tomar

Preview: UFC on ESPN 57 Prelims - Moises vs. Klein

Lightweights Ludovit Klein and Thiago Moises will anchor the Ultimate Fighting Championship undercard on Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky.

www.sherdog.com

 

[Koala]

This card doesn't look good
Lots of boring point fighters and some mismatches
What are the if you don't know now you know fights? Radtke vs Prates?

 

[Gio]

War Pretty Ricky! Homie always have good, positive post-fight speech.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1434656083562409987

 

[The_Renaissance]

I kinda like it, can see some finishes towards the top end.

 

[PurpleStorm]

Preview: UFC on ESPN 57 ‘Cannonier vs. Imavov’​

Cannonier vs. Imavov​

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TOM FEELY JUN 6, 2024 COMMENTS

After its June 1 trip to Newark, New Jersey, for UFC 302, the Ultimate Fighting Championship stays on the road in Louisville, Kentucky, for UFC on ESPN 57—a show that promises a lot more violence on Saturday at the KFC Yum! Center. Major stakes are mostly limited to the top two bouts. Jared Cannonier and Nassourdine Imavovsquare off in a main event that could thrust the winner into the middleweight championship picture, while former light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes looks to stop his current skid against Dustin Jacoby in the co-headliner at 205 pounds. Beyond that, the main draw was clearly booked for action. Bantamweight prodigy Raul Rosas Jr. gets a potentially tough test against veteran Ricky Turciosbefore a parade of matches between fighters who either hunt the knockout or get knocked out themselves.

Now to the UFC on ESPN 57 “Cannonier vs. Imavov” preview:

Middleweights​

#4 MW | Jared Cannonier (17-6, 10-6 UFC) vs. #7 MW | Nassourdine Imavov (13-4, 5-2 UFC)

ODDS: Imavov (-125), Cannonier (+105)

With the churn at the top of the UFC’s middleweight division opening up the weight class for some former title challengers, now would be a really good time for Cannonier to score an impressive victory. Cannonier came to the UFC as a fairly unremarkable heavyweight who eventually cut down to light heavyweight, but it was only when he cut down to middleweight in 2018 that all of his potential seemed to get fully unlocked. Cannonier literally looked like an entirely different fighter in his win over David Branch, as he was absolutely shredded and suddenly had the horsepower to run through a former top contender. From there, Cannonier slowly worked his way up to a title shot against Israel Adesanya, mostly on the back of his physicality. There were many times where “The Killa Gorilla” looked overmatched technically, but his willingness to stay patient, survive and throw with plenty of power eventually found him the victory more often than not. Unfortunately, Cannonier’s title fight against Adesanya was the clearest example of that patience serving as a double-edged sword, as “The Last Stylebender” had the skill to stay safe without giving him much of an opportunity to spring into action over five uneventful rounds. Cannonier seems to have learned from the experience. He’s still far from the highest-output fighter, but wins over Sean Strickland and Marvin Vettorishowed that he’s now more willing to stay on his opponents and keep prying the fight open. Unfortunately, it has taken Cannonier a year to return and build on his performance against Vettori thanks to a knee injury, and there is a worry that his physically dependent approach could turn south at any time now that he’s in his 40s. For now, the table is set for Cannonier to get back in the title picture if he shows out against Imavov.

Imavov’s a fascinating fighter who’s still a bit hard to calibrate, as he has both overachieved and underachieved at certain points in his UFC career while still being on the right side of 30. Imavov’s resume wasn’t the strongest ahead of his 2020 UFC debut, and the worry was that the Dagestan-born Frenchman had a level of confidence that would come back to bite him against better competition. Imavov’s approach has been built around staying slick from range and trying to outwrestle his opponents when that goes sour, and on the regional scene, it felt like he was finding a lot of success through his sheer physicality. That’s still somewhat true in the UFC, but it has been impressive just how well that physicality has held up. It’s understandable in retrospect that Imavov would struggle against the horsepower of Phil Hawes in what wound up as his first UFC loss, but he rebounded in shockingly successful fashion against Ian Heinisch, Edmen Shahbazyan and Joaquin Buckley. That string of wins has made Imavov a mainstay in the UFC’s middleweight rankings, but his last few performances have been a mixed bag. A loss against Strickland to kick off 2023 was a poor look, as Imavov seemed to quickly get stalled out and drowned in the Californian’s pressure. However, Imavov then looked dominant against Chris Curtis before scoring a decision win over Roman Dolidze in February. The Dolidze victory, in particular, showed off a lot of positives and negatives. It was impressive that Imavov was able to bully an opponent best known for his ability to bully others, but the result was an ugly fight where neither his offensive output nor gas tank looked particularly impressive. It does seem like Imavov’s level of success and comfort depends a great deal on his ability to physically overwhelm his opponents, which doesn’t appear to set him up well against what might be the best athlete in the division in terms of sheer horsepower. Even if Imavov finds some success early as a better technical wrestler, it’s unclear if he has the gas tank to put together five strong rounds worth of control. Past the age concerns, this looks like a strong opportunity for Cannonier to gut out a win. The pick is Cannonier via fifth-round stoppage.

Jump To »
Cannonier vs. Imavov
Jacoby vs. Reyes
Rosas Jr. vs. Turcios
Ferreira vs. Stoltzfus
Marquez vs. Reese
Baeza vs. Soriano
The Prelims

Preview: UFC on ESPN 57 ‘Cannonier vs. Imavov’ - Cannonier vs. Imavov

While major stakes are mostly limited to the top two bouts, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s latest event promises a lot more violence than its predecessor.

www.sherdog.com