Brian Mazique | UFC Betting Sites - The Best MMA Online Bookies

UFC 194 Results: Winners, Scorecards from Aldo vs. McGregor Card

Two of the UFC’s greatest champions fell Saturday night at UFC 194 in Las Vegas, and one lost quicker than any fighter ever had in a championship bout.
Conor McGregor is the new UFC undisputed featherweight champion, and it didn’t take long for him to …

Two of the UFC’s greatest champions fell Saturday night at UFC 194 in Las Vegas, and one lost quicker than any fighter ever had in a championship bout.

Conor McGregor is the new UFC undisputed featherweight champion, and it didn’t take long for him to claim the title. He knocked Jose Aldo out in 13 seconds in one of the most shocking endings to a UFC championship fight in history.

It wasn’t surprising that McGregor won. There were people who picked him, but no one thought he would win that quickly.

There’s not much to analyze from a fight that could fit entirely in an Instagram video, but here it goes: Aldo faked a punch, McGregor threw a cross, Aldo came in with a shot and ate a nasty left hook just as he landed his own shot.

Unfortunately for the Brazilian, he was already out cold as his punch connected with McGregor’s face. The latter would drop a couple of hammer fists on Aldo’s nose, but it was already a done deal. Referee John McCarthy was moving in to rescue Aldo.

ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto had the most appropriate response:

Per Fox Sports’ Ariel Helwani, McGregor did his best to sum up his sensational victory:

MMA Fighting and Okamoto shared post-fight quotes from Aldo after his humiliating defeat:

It’s only natural that Aldo would want a rematch, but MMAjunkie’s Duane Finley doesn’t think that’s the right move:

Frankie Edgar disposed of Chad Mendes in similar fashion Friday night at The Ultimate Fighter Season 22 Finale. He’s the only legitimate 145-pound contender who hasn’t had a crack at McGregor. He’s also been passed over a few times.

Perhaps this is the right time to skip the unwritten rule for an immediate rematch for a long-term champion. In any case, McGregor has cemented his status as a UFC legend with this win. He beat one of the best pound-for-pound fighters the sport has ever seen, and he did it in record time.

What more could anyone ask for?

Rockhold Smashes Weidman to Take Title

Chris Weidman will rue the day he ever tried a wheel kick against Luke Rockhold. After Weidman controlled the first round with his wrestling and Rockhold seized the second frame with his striking, the third was set up to be pivotal.

Boy, was it ever.

Weidman was in control of the round up until the final minute, when he threw the ill-advised kick. Perhaps he was trying to light Rockhold up with the same move Vitor Belfort used to hand the challenger his only UFC loss.

It didn’t work.

Rockhold ducked it and took Weidman down for the first time in his UFC career. Once he got him there, Rockhold was relentless. He pounded Weidman’s face to a bloody pulp with elbows and punches.

He battered Weidman for at least 40 seconds straight, but referee Herb Dean seemed as frozen as a deer in headlights. He failed to stop the fight, and Weidman escaped. Many, including Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden, took umbrage with Dean’s hesitation:

Dean’s indecision only prolonged the inevitable. Rockhold wasted no time regaining control of Weidman in fourth. He pushed him against the fence and resumed the pounding. Thankfully, Dean saw it fit to finally stop the fight.

Snowden tweeted images of Weidman’s mangled grill and Aldo’s towel-covered face:

MMA Fighting’s Shaheen Al-Shatti was shocked at Rockhold’s dominance over a great champion:

It seems as though a rematch is in order. Weidman had been the champion for over two years, but he may have to wait his turn, considering Yoel Romero defeated Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza via split decision on the undercard. We’ll have to wait for word on Rockhold’s next fight from UFC President Dana White.

For now, Rockhold should enjoy the spoils of his victory.

**UFC 194 Results**
UFC Fight Pass Prelims
Matchup	Weight Class	Result
Joe Proctor vs. Magomed Mustafaev	Lightweight	Mustafaev by TKO (first round)
John Makdessi vs. Yancy Medeiros	Lightweight	Medeiros by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Court McGee vs. Marco Alexandre	Welterweight	McGee by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Fox Sports 1 Prelims
Matchup	Weight Class	Result
Leonardo Santos vs. Kevin Lee	Lightweight	Santos by KO (first round)
Warlley Alves vs. Colby Covington	Welterweight	Alves by submission (first round, guillotine)
Tecia Torres vs. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger	Strawweight	Torres by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Urijah Faber vs. Frankie Saenz	Bantamweight	Faber by decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Main Card
Matchup	Weight Class	Result
Max Holloway vs. Jeremy Stephens	Featherweight	Holloway by decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Demian Maia vs. Gunnar Nelson	Welterweight	Maia by decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-25)
Ronaldo Souza vs. Yoel Romero	Middleweight	Romero by decision (29-27, 29-28, 28-29)
(c) Chris Weidman vs. Luke Rockhold	Middleweight	Rockhold by TKO (fourth round)
(c) Jose Aldo vs. (i) Conor McGregor	Featherweight	McGregor by KO (first round)

Other Highlights

Mustafaev Smokes Proctor

The 27-year-old Magomed Mustafaev made it two wins in a row to begin his UFC career. Both victories have come by stoppage.

A liver kick folded Joe Proctor like a lawn chair in the first round of their preliminary bout. In his UFC debut, he won via TKO when the cageside doctor forced a stoppage of his bout with Piotr Hallmann.

The Russian had already built a 17-9 edge in significant strikes before the kick reduced Proctor to rubble, per UFC.com. It was just the first time Proctor had been finished via strikes in his career.

Mustafaev improved to 13-1 overall in his career with his statement-making victory in the UFC’s lightweight division.

Santos Shocks Lee

In a major surprise, Leonardo Santos defeated Kevin Lee via TKO in the first round. A one-two combination dropped Lee, and the Brazilian pounced on him while raining down hammer fists and punches.

Referee John McCarthy gave Lee every opportunity to recover, but Santos was relentless. He landed countless unanswered shots before McCarthy stepped in.

When it was over, Santos immediately ran from the cage and almost out of the MGM Grand Garden Arena. He’d return for the official decision and an interview with Joe Rogan, but for a moment, his jubilation got the best of him.

Per MMA Fighting, this quote from Santos might be the line of the night:

According to some oddsmakers listed by Odds Shark, Lee was the biggest favorite on the card. To see the 23-year-old rising star not only beaten but also stopped via strikes by a fighter who is best known for his jiu-jitsu was shocking.

Fox Sports’ Jon Anik talked about how costly Saturday’s loss will be for Lee:

Alves Chokes Out Covington

Warlley Alves has a serious guillotine choke. If you don’t believe me, just ask Colby Covington. The Brazilian used the maneuver to finish the American in an impressive victory.

The end didn’t take long to materialize. Covington was overzealous. He ran right into the choke and then made the hold even tighter by trying to slam his way out of it.

How tight was the hold? MMA Fighting gave us a visual through text:

Alves talked about his counter strategy against the way most opponents approach him:

Alves improved to a perfect 10-0 in his career while handing Covington his first loss in nine professional bouts.

What’s Next?

Next week, another UFC world title is on the line. Lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos will make his first defense in Orlando, Florida, against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. The card will also feature a heavyweight clash between former champion Junior dos Santos and perennial contender Alistair Overeem.

The return of Nate Diaz to the Octagon will also highlight the Orlando card as he takes on Michael Johnson. You can see the entire card at UFC.com.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

TUF 22 Finale Results: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber Winners, Scorecards

Frankie Edgar added to his already legendary list of accomplishments Friday night in Las Vegas. The former UFC lightweight champion knocked out Chad Mendes in shocking fashion in the first round of the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Season 22 Final…

The UFC captured Edgar’s celebration after his victory:

A lightning-quick one-two combination did in Mendes. A right hand caught him initially but didn’t daze him. Then the follow-up left landed right on his nose and took him out. Referee John McCarthy immediately jumped in as Mendes’ legs gave out.

It might have appeared to be a quick stoppage, but Mendes didn’t complain.

He landed some effective kicks on Edgar’s front leg, but the definitive combination that knocked him out interrupted whatever game plan he was attempting to set up.

With the win, Edgar seems poised to get a shot at the winner of the fight between UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo and interim titleholder Conor McGregor on Saturday at UFC 194. Fox Sports’ Damon Martin believes Edgar has earned the opportunity:

It could be a complicated situation. If McGregor wins, wouldn’t Aldo deserve the immediate rematch that the UFC has seemingly granted to all of its longtime champions?

That said, it’s hard to imagine Edgar having to wait any longer after such an impressive victory. In any case, the stage is set for a drama-filled conclusion to one heck of a weekend in the UFC.

TUF Final and Top Main Card Bout

Hall Wins Makeshift TUF Title

The road to The Ultimate Fighter Finale was an odd one that featured a quick succession of replacement fighters. In the end, Ryan Hall won the six-figure contract with a masterful display of jiu-jitsu over Artem Lobov.

The latter had no answer for Hall’s grappling and body control. Each round looked almost like a carbon copy of the previous one. Lobov needed to keep the fight standing if he was to have a chance to win, but he couldn’t do it.

Hall secured one takedown and wound up on top after every scramble. From a grounded position, he landed 23 significant strikes to just two from Lobov, per UFC.com .

With all due respect to Hall, he won’t go down as one of the more promising TUF champions. However, this was his night, and he fought intelligently.

Oh, What a Fight

Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson is a bad man. He secured a second-round submission victory over the dangerous Edson Barboza via D’Arce choke. If you saw this fight and didn’t like it, then you probably hate mixed martial arts.

It was that good.

Bleacher Report’s Jeremy Botter talked about Ferguson’s win and the awesome bout:

The two men traded hard strikes as they tried to impose their will on each other. Barboza secured a takedown in the first round, but Ferguson landed 36 significant strikes to 30 for Barboza from the bottom position.

Ferguson’s long arms enabled him to hammer away from an angle that most fighters wouldn’t be able to reach their opponent. As the scramble broke, he landed an illegal upkick to Barboza’s face.

McCarthy rightfully deducted a point from Ferguson, but El Cucuy was determined not to allow the ruling to impact the result of the fight. He immediately cranked up the pressure.

He had to avoid and absorb some wicked kicks and punches from the Brazilian in the process, but he did it. Ferguson’s length again allowed him to land some snapping jabs and a devastating upward elbow that gashed Barboza’s head.

That was the beginning of the end. Barboza’s posture changed, and the shot visibly affected him. More pressure from Ferguson forced the fight to the ground, where he would lock in the D’Arce choke.

Chokes have become the signature finishing maneuvers for Ferguson, and Barboza could not escape. This was the fourth time Ferguson finished an opponent with a choke in the UFC.

If a title shot isn’t next for Ferguson, it can’t be more than one fight away. He’s dynamic, tough and wildly entertaining.

Matchup	Weight Class	Results
Chris Gruetzemacher vs. Abner Lloveras	Lightweight	Gruetzemacher by unanimous decision (29-28×3)
Julian Erosa vs. Marcin Wrzosek	Lightweight	Erosa by split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
Artem Lobov vs. Ryan Hall	Lightweight	Hall by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26×2)
Joby Sanchez vs. Geane Herrera	Flyweight	Herrera by TKO (second round)
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Konstantin Erokhin	Heavyweight	Gonzaga by unanimous decision (30-27×2, 30-28)
Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Jason Knight	Featherweight	Kawajiri by unanimous decision (30-27×3)
Ryan LaFlare vs. Mike Pierce	Welterweight	LaFlare by unanimous decision (30-27×2, 30-28)
Joe Lauzon vs. Evan Dunham	Lightweight	Dunham by unanimous decision (30-27×2, 30-26)
Edson Barboza vs. Tony Ferguson	Lightweight	Ferguson by submission (second round, D’Arce choke)
Frankie Edgar vs. Chad Mendes	Featherweight	Edgar by KO (first round)

Other Highlights and Low Points

Herrera Eradicates Sanchez

With a brutal left hook, Geane Herrera scored the first of two knockout victories on the night. It was a doozy. Check out the left hook and brutal ground shots after the knockdown in this video tweeted by Fox Sports: UFC:

Throughout the first round, it seemed clear Herrera had the quicker hands. In the second round, that left hook found its mark and sent Sanchez careening to the canvas. The follow-up shots were unnecessary as Sanchez was probably out before he hit the mat.

Afterward, in this tweet from the UFC, Herrera would put the flyweight division on notice:

Slow down there, Geane—the knockout was cool, but Sanchez is no Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.

Gonzaga and Erokhin Had the Worst Fight Ever

In more than 20 years of watching mixed martial arts, I can’t remember ever seeing a worse fight than the one Gabriel Gonzaga and Konstantin Erokhin put together.

There was so little action that it left Fox Sports 1 announcers Jon Anik and Brian Stann at a loss for words on several occasions. Both fighters landed a total of 35 significant strikes over three rounds.

At one point, I said aloud in an empty room: “Are you kidding me?” Gonzaga was rightfully awarded the victory by unanimous decision, but there were no real winners.

Per MMA Fighting, Erokhin offered an excuse for his refusal to engage:

That does shed some light on what happened in the Octagon, but it doesn’t make it smell any better. To put it plain, the fight stunk.

What’s Next?

In less than 24 hours, UFC 194 will commence. Two world titles will be on the line. UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman will defend his title against Luke Rockhold in a great co-main event.

Finally, Aldo and McGregor will face off in one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history. Hopefully, we’ll get to see more fights like the one Ferguson and Barboza delivered.

All fight stats per UFC.com event page.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Daily Fantasy MMA: Best DraftKings Picks for UFC 194 Aldo vs. McGregor Card

If you love MMA, you’re probably stoked for UFC 194 on Saturday. The undisputed UFC Featherweight Title matchup between champion Jose Aldo ($9,500) and interim belt holder “The Notorious” Conor McGregor ($9,900) is perhaps the most anticipated fight in…

You may even have a rooting interest or a fighter you’re leaning toward in the way of a prediction. That’s also natural. Despite the interest many have in the main event, it seems inadvisable to use a lineup spot on either man.

If pressed to draft one in a DraftKings contest, McGregor would be the most logical pick.

This logic isn’t rooted in a prediction that the Notorious one will win. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. The advice is born from an understanding of DraftKings MMA scoring and the fighter’s likely path to victory.

A McGregor victory would probably rack up more fantasy points. If he wins, the end is probably going to come quickly. That means the people who are biased or bold enough to pick the outspoken Irishman will cash in. That explains why McGregor averages 100.6 fantasy points per fight, compared to 74.7 for Aldo, per DraftKings.

If Aldo wins, it’ll probably be on the strength of his jiu-jitsu skills and overall well-roundedness as a fighter. That type of victory can take more time to materialize. In DraftKings MMA, swiftness of victory equals more points, and more points lead to more money.

Though Aldo is my pick to win, McGregor‘s skills and presence create enough doubt to deter a recommendation to draft the Brazilian—even at his reasonable DK salary. His potentially modest point total in victory is the other determent.

How can this lack of aggressiveness toward the main event be prosperous in a DK contest?

Take a look at the optimal picks for UFC 194. You’ll see there are more than enough affordable options to choose from aside from the compelling main event.

John Makdessi ($10,300)

Despite coming off a TKO loss in his last fight to Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in May, John “The Bull” Makdessi is still a smart pick on Saturday against Yancy Medeiros.

Few fighters in the lightweight division have the striking prowess to get the best of Makdessi on the feet. Medeiros‘ past fight strategies suggests he may try his hand at trading with the Bull. Medeiros lost his last fight as well, as he was overwhelmed and knocked out by a rejuvenated Dustin Poirier in June.

He did go into the fight with Poirier on the back of two consecutive wins by submission, but Medeiros seems to prefer to stand and fight. According to FightMetric, the 28-year-old has never attempted a takedown in any UFC fight. The same can be said for Makdessi.

While Medeiros will enjoy a sizable two-inch height and seven-inch reach advantage, Makdessi‘s boxing is excellent and should provide him the angles to circumvent the length disparity. He employs solid head movement and it has led to a higher striking defense rating (72 percent to 55) than his Hawaiian opponent.

In a fight that seems destined to end in a stoppage, Makdessi is the fighter to draft.

Kevin Lee ($10,800)

Drafting Kevin Lee should be the biggest no-brainer pick in the event. The 23-year-old Grand Rapids, Michigan, native known as the Motown Phenom is one of the UFC’s brightest young stars and a rising threat in the lightweight division.

He’ll be opposed by veteran Brazilian Leonardo Santos. Lee’s best fighting attribute is his wrestling. Those skills are augmented by his speed and explosiveness. Santos has demonstrated good takedown defense in his career (86 percent), but he’s yet to face a wrestler as talented as Lee.

Santos doesn’t bring a ton of striking pop into the Octagon. He has just one win by KO in his career, per Sherdog.com. He is an accomplished submissions fighter with nine wins via tapout.

As long as Lee is patient and disciplined once he gets the fight to the ground, he should pile up significant strikes en route to a TKO victory, or a lopsided unanimous-decision win that includes a ton of points for his ground-and-pound work.

Gunnar Nelson ($9,300)

The most undervalued fighter on the card is Gunnar Nelson. His opponent, Demian Maia ($10,100), is worthy of respect, but he is a one-dimensional fighter.

Beyond his world-class submission skills, Maia doesn’t do anything else above average in the Octagon. It just so happens that he’s able to win because he’s usually so much better than his opponents in that.

Nelson is an exception. His grappling is almost at Maia’s level, and his striking is leagues ahead of the Brazilian’s. That was clear in Nelson’s last fight against the powerful Brandon Thatch.

A one-two combination sent Thatch to the canvas, and Nelson pounced on him to secure the submission win via rear-naked choke. Striking wasn’t always a major part of Nelson’s repertoire, but it’s clear he has focused his development on that aspect of his game.

Look for him to utilize his striking en route to a unanimous-decision victory over Maia.

Jacare Souza ($10,200)

Yoel Romero is a scary finisher with great athleticism, wrestling technique and raw power, but he doesn’t stand much of a chance against a Brazilian jiu-jitsu master like Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza.

Jacare isn’t a freak athlete like Romero. However, it’s not as if Souza is a stiff, or a fighter who is physically weaker than most in his division. What he lacks in freakish athleticism, he more than compensates for with flawless technique and relentless pursuit of submission wins.

There will be some initial danger for Souza when Romero is fresh. Romero’s power will be at its most dangerous in the first round. After a few scrambles, he has shown the tendency to tire in his bouts and to get careless with his defense.

Because of this, Jacare will get the bout to the ground at some point. When he does, he will show his superiority on the mat as he wears down Romero. A stoppage win via submission or TKO from ground-and-pound strikes is a likely result for Souza.

Luke Rockhold ($9,400)

Few champions have proved their mettle as much as middleweight titleholder Chris Weidman. He’s beaten Anderson Silva twice, handled Lyoto Machida and mauled Vitor Belfort.

Even with those impressive victories under his belt, Weidman has never faced an opponent as good or well-rounded as Luke Rockhold. The challenger is better at this stage of his career than Silva, Machida and Belfort were when they faced Weidman.

His athleticism and creativity as a striker is on par, or superior to what Machida brought to the Octagon, but his ground game is going to be the aspect of his arsenal that surprises people.

It shouldn’t be news, considering Rockhold has won his last two fights by submission over Machida and Michael Bisping. Most give Weidman a huge edge on the ground.

UFC bantamweight Chris Holdsworth was one of several fighters and trainers asked to pick a winner of the fight. He seemed to be among those expecting Weidman to have his way on the ground. Per Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com, Holdsworth said:

My heart is telling me Weidman. I think Rockhold is a very well-rounded fighter who poses a threat everywhere, but I think Weidman has better wrestling and his ground game is tremendous. A lot of people underestimate his grappling and, as you can see, his standup has been looking better each fight. He knocked out Anderson Silva and you can say it was a fluke, but he’s got knockout power.

Perhaps it is Rockhold’s ground game that is being underestimated. Weidman is very respected for his wrestling prowess—and rightfully so—but Rockhold is strong and skilled enough to find an opening for his high-level submission game. He won’t simply stay on the mat while Weidman pounds on him the way Belfort did.

Rockhold isn’t just going to beat Weidman, he’s going to shock people with how easy he makes it look. Mark Rockhold down for a third-round win by submission.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC 194: Aldo vs. McGregor Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions, More

UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo and interim titleholder Conor McGregor have made it to the eve of their clash for the undisputed 145-pound title without major injury. Barring some sort of mishap at the weigh-ins on Friday night, it’s finally time …

After months of back-and-forth talk, cancelled bouts and seemingly everything in between, the most anticipated fight in UFC history is upon us. As if Aldo vs. McGregor wasn’t enough, UFC 194 will feature a second world-title bout.

UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman will defend his title against Luke Rockhold. That’s the co-main event, but there are two more fights on the card that could easily be the feature bout on a Fight Night broadcast, or play second fiddle on a pay-per-view show.

Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero will face Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, and Demian Maia takes on Gunnar Nelson. This time when Joe Rogan sells us on the card just before the pay-per-view portion of the show begins, there won’t be any exaggerations needed.

Fox Sports’ UFC Embedded takes a look at UFC 194 and its spectacular main event:

This is an MMA fans’ dream. Take a look at the card, viewing information and predictions.

Nelson’s Stand-Up Game Will Be Too Much for Maia

Without question, Maia and Nelson are two of the sport’s best submissions fighters. The two men have 20 wins by submission between them.

However, when it comes to striking, Nelson has improved by leaps and bounds. Based on what we saw against Brandon Thatch at UFC 189 in July, Nelson has the power to do damage to Maia during stand-up exchanges.

Nelson defeated Thatch by submission (rear-naked choke), but it was a quick one-two combination that produced a knockdown and set up Nelson’s superlative jiu-jitsu. Maia might not be as willing to pounce on Maia should he stun him because of the Brazilian’s masterful ground game—and his experience.

That said, Nelson should still prove to have the faster hands and feet. Maia’s best chance to win is going to be to take the fight to the ground, but there’s obviously no guarantee he’d get the best of Nelson there.

Getting the Icelandic warrior to the mat could prove problematic for Maia as well. Despite his great jiu-jitsu prowess, he doesn’t possess elite takedown skills. His takedown accuracy is just 31 percent, per FightMetric.com, which is not all that uncommon among strict jiu-jitsu fighters who don’t have a strong wrestling background.

In the end, Nelson’s superior athleticism should lead to a dominant striking display and a victory via unanimous decision.

Souza Will Twist Romero Like a Pretzel

Jacare vs. Romero looks like a great fight on paper, but if this fight goes to the ground—which it probably will—the Brazilian will prove to be superior.

No middleweight in the world can match Romero’s brute strength, but Souza’s no weakling. Also, on the ground, technique is even more important than power. Romero sometimes makes mental errors that lead to poor defense.

Against many opponents, his strength and athleticism enable him to escape. That won’t be the case in this bout. Souza will take advantage of Romero’s defensive lapses as he capitalizes on his opportunities to take the fight to the ground.

Once it gets there, it’ll be a surprise if the men ever get back to their feet. Bet on a limb submission of some sort leading to victory for Souza.

Rockhold Will Dethrone Weidman

Weidman has been an excellent middleweight champion, but his reign will end on Saturday. Rockhold’s ground game and height will give the champion major issues from the start.

At 6’3″ Rockhold is only an inch taller than Weidman, but he fights longer. While he’s not as powerful a striker as Weidman, Rockhold utilizes jabs and kicks to set up his takedowns. Overall, his striking is more refined, and he’s a superior athlete.

Look for him to use Weidman’s aggression against him. The champion only knows one way to fight, which is what makes his bouts so thrilling. Against Rockhold, that pursuit is going to get him caught by a shot that allows Rockhold to gain top control.

Everyone knows Weidman is a beast on the mat, but the former NCAA wrestler will be facing a man whose ground game is nothing to sneeze at. Rockhold has won three straight fights by submission, including an absolute mauling of Lyoto Machida in April.

He got early top control against Machida and battered him until he secured the rear-naked choke to earn the submission win in the second round.

The masterclass earned Rockhold his second consecutive Performance of the Night Award. He might be in position to run that record to three in a row after he takes Weidman’s title.

Out of respect to Weidman’s toughness and ground expertise, the prediction isn’t a stoppage win. But Rockhold will leave no doubt who the best middleweight in the UFC is after a dominant unanimous-decision victory in the co-main event.

That prediction doesn’t appear to be a popular one among fighters. ESPN.com’s Brett Okamoto asked a number of fighters and coaches who will win, and only four of them picked Rockhold.

Aldo was on of them. Per Okamoto, the featherweight champion said:

“Both guys are great. If I was going to put my money on anyone, it would be Luke Rockhold. He’s a tall guy, southpaw. Very good.”

Yes, indeed.

Aldo Will Silence McGregor with Submission Win

Picking a winner for the main event wasn’t an easy task. McGregor’s stand-up is phenomenal. He has worn down and beaten up good-to-great fighters like Chad Mendes and Dustin Poirier.

His speed, length and strength have always seemed to be above that of normal featherweights, which is why I believe this could be his last fight at 145 pounds—win or lose. That said, Aldo has exceptional stand-up skills as well.

On pure athleticism, he may be the most impressive fighter in the sport. Only guys like Demetrious Johnson, John Dodson and Anthony Pettis are close. On top of his dynamic striking, Aldo is also an expert Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner.

Based on that skill, Aldo will defeat McGregor. Mendes had the right idea against McGregor, but he gassed out late and made a tactical error in giving up top control. That won’t happen to Aldo.

Aldo brings a different style of ground fighting into the Octagon. Mendes is ground-and-pound mat fighter, whereas Aldo is more apt to look for a submission.

He’s never submitted an opponent in the UFC, but that’s primarily because he usually holds such a significant advantage in striking. McGregor is the opponent who could force Aldo to go to Plan B.

When he does, Aldo will reaffirm why he’s one of the greatest of all time. Look for a third-round submission win for Aldo as he re-establishes himself as the undisputed featherweight champion.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Fight Night 80 Results: Winners, Scorecards from VanZant vs. Namajunas Card

No one can say Paige VanZant isn’t tough, but the 21-year-old took a crazy beating from Rose Namajunas en route to a fifth-round submission defeat. The two women put on an excellent show in the main event at UFC Fight Night 80 in Las Vegas.
Namajunas w…

Namajunas was flat better in every aspect of the sport. Per UFC.com, Namajunas landed 54 significant strikes to just 19 for VanZant. While she was able to do some damage on her feet, the real dominance was shown on the ground.

Namajunas landed eight takedowns and spent 16:33 in top control. On several occasions, it looked as if she would submit VanZant. However, the latter proved herself to be more than a pretty face.

She fought off two rear-naked choke attempts and a couple of arm bars that looked to be secure. Still, the battered and bloodied VanZant made it into the fifth round.

Finallly, Namajunas was able to finish VanZant when she took her back once again in the final round. After the fight, Namajunas was more interested in talking about her dog than anything else.

Ariel Helwani of Fox Sports has the quote:

MMAJunkie.com’s Brent Brookhouse accurately summed up the fallout from this exciting bout:

Namajunas looks ready to challenge UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, though it’s unclear if she’ll be able to take the champion down with the same regularity that she planted VanZant on her back.

VanZant obviously has some things to work on. She has heart, but her technique was sloppy all night, and she was lost when she couldn’t bully Namajunas on the cage.

Chiesa With Style

In a battle of two of the best submissions fighters in the UFC, Michael Chiesa proved to be superior to Jim Miller. Chiesa dazed the veteran with strikes from top position before transitioning to a rear-naked choke to secure the victory.

Per UFC.com, Chiesa landed 13 significant strikes to seven for Miller. Because both men came in with such celebrated grappling skills, one might have thought the fight might be decided in the stand-up.

The ground games didn’t cancel each other out, as Chiesa proved to be the superior fighter on the mat. When the fight was over, per the UFC Fight Pass broadcast, Chiesa called out anyone in the Top 15, but he specifically named Beneil Dariush.

UFC announcer Brian Stann said: “Sign me up for that one.”

Many MMA fans would echo Stann’s sentiments as both Chiesa and Dariush have proven to be among the best young fighters in the promotion.

Here’s a look at all of the results from Vegas.

**UFC Fight Night 80: VanZant vs. Namajunas Card Results**
Fight Pass Prelims
Matchup	Weight Class	Results
Kailin Curran vs. Emily Kagan	Strawweight	Curran by submission (rear-naked choke, second round)
Zubaira Tukhugov vs. Phillipe Nover	Featherweight	Tukhugov by split decision (30-27×2, 28-29)
Danny Roberts vs. Nathan Coy	Welterweight	Roberts by technical submission (triangle choke, first round)
Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Andreas Stahl	Welterweight	Ponzinibbio by TKO (first round)
Aljamain Sterling vs. Johnny Eduardo	Bantamweight	Sterling by submission (guillotine, second round)
Antonio Carlos Junior vs. Kevin Casey	Middleweight	No Contest (accidental eye poke)
Omari Akhmedov vs. Sergio Moraes	Welterweight	Moraes by TKO (third round)
Tim Means vs. John Howard	Welterweight	Means by KO (second round)
Fight Pass Main Card
Matchup	Weight Class	Results
Elias Theodorou vs. Thiago Santos	Middleweight	Santos by unanimous decision (29-27×2, 29-28)
Sage Northcutt vs. Cody Pfister	Lightweight	Northcutt by submission (guillotine, second round)
Jim Miller vs. Michael Chiesa	Lightweight	Chiesa by submission (rear-naked choke, second round)
Rose Namajunas vs. Paige VanZant	Strawweight	Namajunas by submission (rear-naked choke, fifth round)

Other Highlights

Curran Grabs First UFC Win

After two near-misses against VanZant and Alex Chambers, Kailin Curran earned her first win in the UFC with a submission victory over Emily Kagan. Curran had to overcome a smothering style from Kagan, but in the second round she took her opponent’s back and wouldn’t let go of the choke.

After the win, Curran was moved to tears almost immediately and Sherdog.com loved it:

Hot Chocolate Burns

Danny “Hot Chocolate” Roberts made a smashing debut in the UFC. He used Nathan Coy’s overzealous striking from the top position against him. The poised Brit maneuvered into position for the triangle choke and put his opponent to sleep in an impressive performance.

The UFC tweeted this congratulatory message to the victor:

Ponzinibbio Smashes Stahl

Andreas Stahl secured two first-round takedowns, per UFC.com, but Santiago Ponzinibbio landed a huge right hand that put an end to his night.

Fox Sports: UFC tweeted acknowledgement of Ponzinibbio’s KO victory:

The win was a great bounce-back performance for Ponzinibbio after losing by TKO to Lorenz Larkin in June.

Sterling Shines in Win over Eduardo

In case you didn’t know, Aljamain Sterling is a rising star in mixed martial arts. Per Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole, the 26-year-old bantamweight wasn’t sure what to call himself after he choked out Johnny Eduardo in the second round on Thursday:

With the possibility of Sterling hitting the free-agent market looming, MMAFighting.com clearly believes the UFC should re-sign Sterling:

Moraes Ices Akhmedov

In a fight he was clearly losing through two-plus rounds, Sergio Moraes landed a titanic right hand on Omari Akhmedov’s chin. The Russian crumpled against the cage and Moraes blitzed him with a barrage of punches.

The referee would jump in to stop the assault. As Luke Thomas of MMA Fighting points out, this is Moraes’ second big finishing win over a major opponent.

The 34-year-old Brazilian might be one to watch in the future.

Means Smashes Howard With Filthy Left Hook

Tim “Dirty Bird” Means is one of the welterweight division’s best strikers. He proved that with a devastating left hook that knocked John Howard out cold. How sure was Means that he had tranquilized Howard with the punch?

Check out this quote from Means via this tweet from MMA Fighting’s Shaheen Al-Shatti:

Means fell short in his last fight against Matt Brown. Per the UFC Fight Pass broadcast, Means called Brown out in an effort to avenge one of his past losses.

He’ll be tough out no matter who he faces.

Santos Shocks Theodorou

In one of the best fights of the night, the underrated Thiago Santos came up with the biggest win of his career. He handed Elias Theodorou the first loss of his professional career.

Per OddsShark, Theodorou was the favorite, but it was an upset called here. Santos’ outstruck Theodorou 52-28 and he showed excellent takedown defense. He made Theodorou pay in the clinch whenever he tried to control him with grappling.

Hard knees to the head and midsection were the biggest scoring strikes. Jiu-Jitsu artist Steve Grossi tweeted this image of the battered Theodorou.

Santos deserves a shot at a Top-10 opponent after this win, and Theodorou should get credit for his toughness. He took a beating in the third round and could have folded, but he didn’t.

Northcutt Submits Pfister

Sage Northcutt continues to impress. The 19-year-old sensation had little issues with Cody Pfister en route to a second-round submission win.

After the bout, things got weird. Northcutt thanked Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta, per the UFC Fight Pass broadcast. He also seemingly cut a promo for UFC Fight Pass and then asked fans to google the Bible verse John 3:16. It felt rehearsed and forced. Here’s a look at the interview:

Marg Bar-ritaville had a colorful assessment of Northcutt’s demeanor:

As awkward as he can be, there’s no doubting his talent. He’s a great athlete who has two UFC wins under his belt before his 20th birthday.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale: Team McGregor vs. Team Faber Fight Card, TV Info

It feels like a Chad Mendes vs. Frankie Edgar bout should have already happened, but it hasn’t. Never fear, the potentially epic scrap will take place Friday night at the finale of The Ultimate Fighter Season 22 in Las Vegas.
It’s all part of a&nb…

It feels like a Chad Mendes vs. Frankie Edgar bout should have already happened, but it hasn’t. Never fear, the potentially epic scrap will take place Friday night at the finale of The Ultimate Fighter Season 22 in Las Vegas.

It’s all part of a trifecta of rapid-fire events on tap from the UFC. Mendes and Edgar spoke with Fox Sports’ Ariel Helwani on Wednesday to discuss their upcoming bout:

MMA fans have to be pumped for what has to be the most exciting three-day stretch in UFC history. From Thursday through Saturday, Las Vegas will play host to one UFC event per day—and the cards get progressively bigger.

On Thursday at UFC Fight Night 80, Paige “12 Gauge” VanZant takes on Rose “Thug” Namajunas in the main event from The Chelsea at the Cosmopolitan. It’s a crucial strawweight bout that could decide the next challenger for champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s title.

You can see the full card for this event at UFC.com.

On Saturday, perhaps the biggest card in UFC history is set to take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. At UFC 194, two world titles will be on the line, as UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo will finally clash with interim champion Conor McGregor. Also, UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman will defend his title against Luke Rockhold.

Check out the full card for UFC 194 at the promotion’s official website.

The TUF Finale is sandwiched between the two cards and will also take place at The Cosmopolitan. In addition to the compelling main event, there are a few other interesting fights on tap.

Here’s a look at the card, viewing information and predictions:

Lauzon and Dunham Will Fight to a Draw

It’s difficult to remember ever predicting a fight will end in a draw, but there’s a first time for almost everything. In a bout that seems primed to become the Fight of the Night, Joe Lauzon and Evan Dunham don’t figure to hold a big enough advantage over the other in any aspect of mixed martial arts.

Lauzon is one of the premier submission fighters in the world. Eighteen of his 25 professional wins have come by submission, per Sherdog.com. That said, Dunham’s jiu-jitsu is excellent as well. He has six wins by submission.

While Lauzon likely has the edge in this area, it would be foolish to expect him to dominate a guy who is himself a jiu-jitsu instructor. When it comes to striking, Lauzon has shown a little more pop throughout his career, but recent fights suggest Dunham has made strides in stand-up combat.

Dunham has landed more strikes than each of his last two opponents. Against noted boxer Ross Pearson, Dunham used his grappling to earn the unanimous-decision victory, but he did land 26 strikes to just 16 for Pearson.

In the fight before that, Dunham battered Rodrigo Damm en route to another unanimous-decision win. Dunham outlanded Damm 152-47, per FightMetric. This one could end in a close decision for either fighter, but the official prediction here is a draw.

El Cucuy Will Submit Barboza

Counting current UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos, there are seven 155-pound fighters ranked above Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson—including his opponent on Friday, No. 6-ranked Edson Barboza.

When this potentially thrilling bout is over, there won’t be any doubt who should be in the Top Five and possibly in line for a shot at dos Anjos. Ferguson is the most well-rounded and skilled lightweight in the world, and he’s going to prove it Friday against the dangerous Barboza.

In his career, Ferguson has nine wins by KO/TKO and six by submission, per Sherdog.

When it comes to pure striking, Ferguson can’t hang with Barboza for three full rounds. The Brazilian is too quick and explosive. However, Ferguson can provide Barboza different looks.

Striking with him for a spell and then looking to take the fight to the ground, where he has the decided advantage, would be a good basic approach. Ferguson is tough to hit, as evidenced by his 70 percent striking defense, per FightMetric.

He’ll be looking to take an opportunity to counter a Barboza strike with a takedown, where he has the decided advantage. Ferguson is quick and long enough to create some unique angles for strikes and takedowns that others may not be able to pull off.

In what will be his most impressive win to date, Ferguson will submit Barboza in the second round.

Edgar Will Outwork Mendes

Frankie Edgar doesn’t really have any weaknesses. He’s always in great condition. His pace is phenomenal, his power is solid, and his speed is well above average. All of those qualities will serve him well Saturday.

Mendes has the power advantage, but when it comes to pure speed, Edgar isn’t far off Aldo. If there’s one aspect of the champion’s game that Mendes could never get a handle on after two fights, it’s the champion’s speed.

Against Edgar, that will also be Mendes’ undoing. Edgar has the ability to move continually, and that will be a problem for Mendes—especially in the fourth and fifth rounds. So long as Edgar can avoid Mendes’ big right hand and being on the bottom during grappling segments, he will win a close, but fair, decision.

Fight stats for TUF Season 22 Finale matchups per FightMetric.com.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com