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

Bellator 140 Results: Winners, Scorecards from Lima vs. Koreshkov Fight Card

A surprising game plan and a pitiful performance led to the crowning of a new Bellator welterweight champion on Friday night. In the main event of Bellator 140, Andrey Koreshkov dethroned Douglas Lima with a takedown-heavy attack and more will to win….

Bellator acknowledged their newest champion on Twitter:

From the beginning of the fight, Koreshkov came forward, secured takedown after takedown with little resistance for the champion. You would have thought this was a sparring session if you only looked at Lima’s weak sense of urgency.

The video below from WhipClip will tell you everything you need to know about this fight:

It’s not an understatement to say this was one of the most disappointing performances from a champion in a long while.

Whether it was the 15-month layoff, or the massive weight cut Lima had to undergo to make 170 pounds that led to the woeful showing, we don’t know for sure. What we do know is that Lima looked awful as he simply handed his title to Koreshkov.

The new champion deserves credit for being prepared and using an under-appreciated part of his arsenal to win. Still, he’ll get tougher fights from any fighter in Bellator’s top five 170-pounders than he got from Lima on Friday.

Here’s a look at the rest of the results:

Biggest KO’s

Michael Page, you are Ridiculous…in a Good Way

(Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Snowden with the tweeted image)

Who’s the most dynamic welterweight in mixed martial arts? For my money, it’s “MVP” aka Michael “Venom” Page. Notice, I didn’t say, he’s the best—though that can’t be ruled out down the line—Page is simply electric in and around the cage.

Check out this cage entrance from WhipClip:

This is the biggest KO section, so we know Page’s best work came inside the cage. He danced, he moved and then he promptly knocked Rudy Bears out. Here’s the shot from WhipClip:

The 28-year-old Brit is now 8-0 as a professional and a shot at the title can’t be far off if he keeps winning. I couldn’t agree more with MMA History Today’s assessment of Page:

Ward Vanquishes Carroll

Brennan Ward lit Roger Carroll up with a powerful right hand that had the latter out before he hit the canvas. Carroll wanted no part of a stand-up battle with Ward as he repeatedly try to entice him into a grappling battle.

It didn’t work.

Instead, Carroll proved he only slightly resembles Chuck Liddell, he doesn’t fight like him. Here’s the KO from WhipClip:

Best Submission

Oh Boy, Kin Moy

After being controlled for the first two rounds in a negligible preliminary bout, Kin Moy pulled off an awesome come-from-behind victory via submission over Blair Tugman.

It was one of those fights that you would probably never watch live, but if you get the opportunity, you should try to catch the last round. Tugman took Moy to the ground as he had in the first two rounds.

This time, Moy went for the triangle as soon as the two men went to the canvas. Tugman ultimately went belly down and was forced to tap.

Moy may never be a contending bantamweight, but there’s nothing better than a submission that snatches a victory from the jaws of defeat—except of course for a KO that does the same thing.

Keefe McKenna of MMA Latest News didn’t miss Moy’s comeback:

When the fight was over, Moy showed off a battle scar from his thrilling victory:

Biggest Loser

Payant Must Pay Her Dues

Sarah “Soulja” Payant joined Bellator with about as much hype as can be expected for any female fighter with the promotion. Her week started poorly as she missed weight for her scrap with Kailine Medeiros, per 411Mania.com.

When the fight started, Medeiros proved to be stronger, quicker and more skilled. The Brazilian forced Payant to tap out just 3:24 into the fight. WhipClip has the sub finish:

Back to the drawing board for Payant.

What’s Next

On August 28, the promotion returns for Bellator 141. Former UFC veteran Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard makes his Bellator debut against Brandon Girtz.

Guillard has his flaws as a fighter, but he has night-changing power and almost always puts on an exciting fight.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Fight Night 72: Bisping vs. Leites Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has been on a roll as of late. Can Michael Bisping and Thales Leites keep it going in the main event of UFC Fight Night 72 from Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday?
The table below also includes the entire card and pr…

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has been on a roll as of late. Can Michael Bisping and Thales Leites keep it going in the main event of UFC Fight Night 72 from Glasgow, Scotland, on Saturday?

The table below also includes the entire card and predictions for each fight.

UFC 189 was one of the best shows in the promotion’s history. Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson announced his legitimacy on the welterweight title scene with a spectacular spinning hook kick to KO Jake Ellenberger at The Ultimate Fighter 21 Finale. Kamaru Usman also shined in clinching the final for the Blackzilians team.

Last but not least, heavyweight legend Frank Mir showed he still has tread left on his tires by scoring his second straight KO victory. He flattened Todd Duffee with a destructive left hand to cap off UFC Fight Night 71 in San Diego on Wednesday night.

There could very well be another memorable scrap set to take place on Saturday.

Main Event and Fight of the Night Candidate

Bisping and Leites certainly have the potential to put on a Fight of the Night scrap. Bisping generally keeps a torrid pace and prefers to keep the fight standing. Bisping proved his takedown defense was up to par when he stopped all but two of C.B. Dollaway’s right attempts to take him down when the two met in April 2015.

Leites is a skilled submissions fighter. If he could take Bisping down, he’d have the advantage, but it will be a tougher task. It’s more likely that the two men engage in an epic stand-up battle that goes into the later rounds.

While Bisping is tough as nails, Leites is the more explosive. I see him landing a body or head kick that stuns Bisping. Leites will take advantage and finish off the Brit to the dismay of the fans. Adam Martin of the Toronto Star considers himself a bit of an expert on Bisping.

He shares the opinion. He writes:

Real Deal with KO Appeal

In the video below from MMACrazyTV, Evan Dunham calls Ross Pearson a one-dimensional fighter. The last time I heard that, Chad Mendes was saying it about Conor McGregor, and we all know how that turned out.

Pearson’s boxing skills are among the best of any fighter in the UFC. His hands will carry him to victory over Dunham. The latter definitely has the edge when it comes to wrestling, but he has traditionally struggled against explosive strikers like Edson Barboza and Donald Cerrone.

Pearson isn’t on that level as an overall fighter, but when it comes to pure striking, he can hang with anyone.

He’ll crank a combination that puts Dunham down, and Pearson will finish the job with strikes to his downed opponent. Neither of these guys figure to be serious contenders, but it should still be a fun fight while it lasts.

There’s Another Irish KO Artist in the UFC

No, we’re not talking about McGregor.

“Irish” Joe Duffy needed just 1:47 to stop Jake Delaney in his UFC debut at UFC 185 in March.

He’ll need just a little bit longer to stop Ivan Jorge, but look for Duffy to still get it done. Jorge is purely a submission fighter. He has 26 career wins, but only three of them have come by TKO or KO.

Duffy will have the clear edge in striking. As long as he avoids the takedown, or doesn’t spend much time on the ground if he is taken down, he should pick Jorge apart.

Look for the hard right hand to hurt the Brazilian at some point and lead to a TKO victory for Duffy.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Fight Night 71 Results: Winners, Scorecards from Mir vs. Duffee Fight Card

Frank Mir snatched Todd Duffee’s soul with a massive left hook and added new validity to his resurgence in the UFC heavyweight division. The legend scored a first-round KO win in the main event of UFC Fight Night 71 in San Diego Wednesday night.
The UF…

The UFC’s official Twitter account accurately captured the feeling most fans had after this short, but sweet brawl was over:

Ben Fowlkes of USA Today seemed to know he needed to appreciate the scrap while it lasted:

Here’s the punch that got everyone so excited, per Fury’s Fight Picks:

Most expected Mir to try to take the fight to the ground, but he stood in the pocket from the beginning and exchanged with his powerful opponent.

Both men tasted the other’s power in the opening moments, but Mir’s shots appeared to have the most impact. The final blow was a perfectly timed counter left hook that knocked Duffee out cold and sent him face first to the canvas.

When it was over, Mir had this to say, per MMA Fighting:

Duffee wasn’t interviewed after coming to, but on the Fox Sports 1 broadcast, you could hear him tell referee John McCarthy, “He caught me with a good shot.”

Um, yeah.

At 36 years old, Mir proved he’s still got a lot left in the tank. In his last two fights, he’s shown improved boxing that only augments his superior submission skills. The win gave him a remarkable 14 finishes in his storied career.

Could he beat the likes of Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos or even champion Fabricio Werdum? Probably not, but I’m not sure any other heavyweight in the world would have a decided edge on him right now.

Duffee’s ceiling seems apparent, and he went crashing into it with this loss. His chin and fight IQ just aren’t up to par to be a serious contender in the heavyweight division.

The co-main event was also a lopsided, but exciting bout.

El Cucuy Terrorizes The Punk

Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson was dynamic and destructive en route to his unanimous-decision win over Josh “The Punk” Thomson. Ferguson mixed in some flashy defensive tactics that included dive rolls, fancy footwork and more to clearly separate himself from Thomson athletically.

From a technical standpoint, Ferguson befuddled Thomson with a variety of kicks, punches and elbows. Sportz Visionz has the one-sided fight stats:

In the second round, Ferguson badly hurt Thomson with a punch and nearly finished him. Thomson was able to escape the onslaught, but he finished the round with his face a crimson mess.

In the third round, a hard elbow opened another gash, but remarkably, Thomson was able to survive. MMA journalist Danny Segura summed this bout up nicely:

Though he came in ranked 11th in the division, there aren’t more than four fighters who can legitimately claim to be better than El Cucuy. Without question, he is ready to move into the top five in the lightweight division.

According to MMA Fighting, Ferguson said this will be his year. Frankly, it’s hard to disagree with him.

Here’s a look at all of the results from Wednesday night’s card, Fight Night bonuses, the DraftKings numbers and disappointing performances:

Fight Night Bonuses

Mir and Ferguson Cash In

Per the UFC, Mir and Ferguson did what main event and co-main event attractions are supposed to do: They put on the top performances of the night:

Mir was a no-brainer choice, but I applaud the decision-makers for honoring Ferguson. While Lyman Good and Kevin Lee both had finishes, Ferguson’s performance came against an elite-level fighter.

Thus his unanimous-decision win deserves more respect.

Jouban and Dwyer Put on a Show

Alan Jouban won a unanimous decision over Matt Dwyer, but he had to work for it. After a shaky first round that saw him dropped from a right hand and lose a point for an illegal knee, Jouban cranked up the intensity in the second and third frames to earn the decision.

While Jouban won, Fox Sports UFC felt both he and Dwyer deserved “kudos:”

During the course of the first round, the two men had exchanges like this one, per the UFC:

In the second round, Jouban had a shot to finish Dwyer. He gave it all he had and even landed this Tekken-like cartwheel kick to Dwyer’s neck, per the UFC. Watch out, Eddy Gordo.

With all of those memorable moments, it’s no wonder the two men took home the Fight of the Night bonuses.

Biggest Losers

Mo Mo the No-Show

Marion Reneau had a chance to do a lot of things in her fight with Holly Holm Wednesday night. She accomplished none of them.

The 38-year-old had an opportunity to push the hyped Holm to prove she has what it takes to be a legitimate contender. MMA Fighting was just one member of the fight community who was let down in this regard:

Reneau is a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but we saw no takedown attempts. She came in with five straight wins and some momentum of her own, but this disappointing performance lets all of the air out of her balloon.

At her advanced age for the sport, you have to wonder if this was Reneau’s last chance to make a serious move toward a title shot.

Enough Duffee

It’s going to be really hard to take Duffee seriously as a contender moving forward. That’s no disrespect to Mir; he’s a future Hall of Famer. Still, Duffee wasn’t submitted by Mir—which would have been easier to understand. Instead, he was beaten at his own game in a slugfest.

If Duffee can’t win that type of fight, what kind of bout can he win against a good heavyweight?

DraftKings Spin

Mir Brings Home the Bank

For just $8,900, Mir delivered the biggest fantasy number. His 111 DraftKings points bested impressive showings from both Lyman Good and Kevin Lee. Mir was clearly the best value pick of the card.

Biggest Dud

We hate to keep picking on Duffee, but his DK salary was $10,500 and he delivered just 4.5 points in the main event.

If you had him on your team as I did, we shall weep together.

What’s Next?

It’s a quick return for the UFC as Thales Leites and Michael “The Count” Bisping will headline UFC Fight Night 72 from Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday night. Leites has won three straight fights, including a thrilling submission victory over Tim Boetsch at UFC 183 in January.

Another win would keep the Brazilian climbing toward a potential title shot in the middleweight division. Ever the up-and-down contender, Bisping is coming off of a win himself.

The 36-year-old from Manchester knocked off CB Dollaway in his last fight to rebound from a submission loss to Luke Rockhold in November 2014. Expect the crowd to be firmly behind the Brit in this scrap. Sunderland native Ross Pearson faces American veteran Evan Dunham in a co-featured bout that could easily be Fight of the Night.

See you then.

All DraftKings salaries and point references per DraftKings.com

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Bellator 140: Lima vs. Koreshkov Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More

It’s been more than a year since Douglas Lima was in the Bellator cage, but the reigning welterweight champion will return on Friday night to defend his title against the highly touted Andrey Koreshkov.
The bout is the main event for Bellator 140 at Mo…

The bout is the main event for Bellator 140 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut. Injuries have kept Lima away from the sport since he won the title from Rick Hawn in April 2014. He currently has a record of 26-5 as a professional and a streak of five straight wins with each coming by KO.

Lima reintroduces himself to the MMA world in the video below from Bellator on YouTube:

Much like the champion, Koreshkov has been sidelined since mid-2014 due to injury. Thus this fight marks the return of two very talented 170-pounders to the Bellator fight scene. Speaking to The MMA Report’s Jason Floyd, Koreshkov talked about his and Lima’s layoff heading into the fight:

“Of course, I think there is nothing good in the fact that a fighter can not compete for a long period of time,” Koreshkov said through a translator. “Layoff is never good for a fighter. But at the same time, Douglas Lima is in the same condition as myself because he was not able to fight for over a year for the same reason. An injury so we are in the same condition as him and that has kind of put us on an even surface. We will be in an even condition, so I do not think it will be that bad.”

Before he was injured, Koreshkov had compiled a record of 17-1, and that includes four straight wins. Someone’s streak has to end, and it will be the challenger’s. In what figures to be a stand-up affair boosted by vicious strikes, the 24-year-old Russian’s chin will not hold up.

In his lone loss, he was stopped by Ben Askren in July 2013. Lima is the more dynamic and explosive striker. He also hasn’t been stopped by strikes since he lost to Matt “The Immortal” Brown eight years ago when he was just 19 years old.

Lima’s toughness and destructive striking will lead to a KO victory. Expect this matchup to be one heck of a scrap.

In all, there will be two preliminary fights streamed on Spike.com and five fights broadcast on Spike TV. Here’s the viewing information and predictions for the card:

Chris Honeycutt Is on a Mission

The powerful and determined Chris Honeycutt will get a decent test from Paul Bradley. However, the 26-year-old from Fresno, California, is a wrecking machine who is a bit more athletic than Bradley.

For the first time, Honeycutt will be in the cage with a fighter whose wrestling background is even more impressive than his own. Still, the speed and explosiveness Honeycutt possesses will be the difference.

This will be the biggest win yet for the future contender as he makes his way up the Bellator welterweight ladder.

Michael Page Will Delight

There’s no way Rudy “Bad News” Bears can handle the athleticism, length and striking diversity that Michael “Venom” Page brings into the cage. Aside from being four inches shorter than Page, Bears has also made a habit of losing by stoppage in his career.

He has 16 wins and 13 losses, with 11 of the defeats coming by TKO/KO or submission. Those futility numbers will go up after facing Page on Friday night. Watch for a destructive strike to crumple en route to a KO.

It’s only a matter of time before Page becomes the must-see fighter in Bellator. He has a flair about him, and he can really fight. He and Lima will one day headline one of the biggest and best Bellator cards of all time.

There’s going to come a point when Michael “Venom” Page is the biggest star Bellator has signed to its company.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter:

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Fight Night 71: Best DraftKings Fantasy Picks for Mir vs. Duffee Card

Don’t get caught up in nostalgia or believing the wily veteran can work some magic. Frank Mir is going to get knocked out in the first or second round by Todd Duffee on Wednesday, and you’ll want to collect the fantasy points the latter produces from h…

Every one of Duffee‘s 11 professional MMA fights has ended in KO. He’s been the victim just twice. Duffee throws bombs and looks to finish opponents early. Frank Mir may be banking on Duffee expending too much energy early.

Per the UFC on Twitter, Duffee is prepared to take his time.

Mir is an excellent submissions fighter, but getting Duffee in a compromising situation is a difficult task. Duffee has a 90 percent takedown defense rating, per Fight Metric. If Mir can’t get the fight to the ground, he’s going to eat shots. Duffee is too big and strong for anyone to take his punches without going to sleep.

Duffee comes into the event averaging an event-high 87.6 fantasy points per fight. He’ll be the biggest fantasy producer on Wednesday as well. Draft Duffee for $10,500. Here’s a look at my optimal lineup for UFC Fight Night 71:

Another Mauling

Alan Jouban ($11,800) has captured eight of his 11 victories by KO in his MMA career. He’s aggressive, tough and always on the prowl for the stoppage. He’ll be facing the long, lean and defensively flawed Matt Dwyer on Wednesday.

Dwyer was stopped by Albert Tumenov in his UFC debut. In his fight before that against DaMarques Johnson in Battlefield Fight League, Dwyer was rocked and nearly stopped in the first round before rallying for the TKO victory.

He did score a win by spectacular superman punch in his last fight against William Macario in February, but Jouban is a different animal.

Dwyer has a huge heart and he’s tough, but his lack of effective striking defense will lead to a KO loss. Jouban might be neck and neck with Duffee for top fantasy producer from the event after this one.

Upsets

Reneau ($9,000) over Holm

Many are high on Holly Holm, and with good reason. Holm has a stellar background as a boxer, and she’s a great athlete all around. Even with those qualities, Holm is headed for a matchup that she’s going to lose against Marion Reneau.

Holm has worked on her game, but it didn’t look up to snuff enough in her UFC debut against Raquel Pennington in February. Holm won a split decision, but she’s stepping up in class to face Reneau.

Versatility is Reneau‘s specialty. She has excellent boxing—though she probably doesn’t want to do that with Holm—and leg kicks. Reneau may use those skills to vary her attacks, but ultimately she’ll take Holm down and control the fight en route to a decision win.

Reneau may not score big, but she’ll prove to be a worthwhile and relatively low-cost investment.

Moontasri ($8,200) over Lee

Kevin Lee has a hefty DraftKings salary for his fight against James “Moonwalker” Moontasri, but the latter is my pick to shine. Lee looks the part of a powerful striker, but he’s more of a wrestler.

None of Lee’s 10 victories have come by KO in his career. Moontasri is a skilled and unpredictable striker. It wouldn’t be smart for Lee to try to stand with Moontasri. Lee’s biggest advantage would be on the ground, but Moontasri is not an easy fighter to take down.

This is Moontasri‘s third fight in the UFC, and he’s stopped 83 percent of the takedowns attempted against him, per Fight Metric. Also, in watching one of his last fights before joining the UFC, Moontasri was also a handful to take down for Jordan Rinaldi.

Lee hasn’t been all that efficient when it comes to taking down opponents. Fighters like Moontasri who have powerful legs and thighs will be an even bigger problem to wrestle to the ground. Lee’s takedown rate is just 38 percent. Moontasri will keep the fight standing, and he’ll pick away at Lee from the outside.

A decision win for Moontasri wouldn’t be a shock, but it’s easy to see how this fight could end in a TKO win for Moontasri.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

UFC Fight Night 71: Mir vs. Duffee Fight Card, TV Info, Predictions and More

After the show the Utimate Fighting Championship put on for UFC 189 and in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Season 21 Finale on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, Frank Mir and Todd Duffee have tough acts to follow. The two heavyweights will…

After the show the Utimate Fighting Championship put on for UFC 189 and in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter Season 21 Finale on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, Frank Mir and Todd Duffee have tough acts to follow. The two heavyweights will clash in the main event of UFC Fight Night 71 in San Diego, California, on Wednesday night.

Mir is a legend and future Hall of Famer who likely saved his career with a knockout win over Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in February. He had lost his previous four fights before coming up with the win over Silva. Mir will be hoping to make it two wins in a row against Duffee.

The latter is among the most devastating strikers in the heavyweight division. None of Duffee’s professional MMA bouts have ever gone the distance. Every one of them has ended in a KO, and only two have made it out of the first round. Duffee famously stopped Tim Hague in just seven seconds back in 2009.

Duffee has been stopped twice in his career: once by Alistair Overeem in K1 and the other time by Mike Russow in Duffee’s second UFC fight. When this guy steps into the Octagon, it’s safe to assume somebody is going to get knocked out.

Mir is a wily veteran and one of the most prolific submissions fighters in MMA history. To win this fight, he has to take Duffee down. That’s easier said than done. In addition to the brutal strikes Duffee launches at opponents, the 29-year-old from Evansville, Indiana, also has a 90 percent takedown defense rating in his UFC career, per FightMetric.com.

Damon Martin of UFC.com believes Duffee will finish Mir if he takes his time. Martin writes:

“If Duffee doesn’t go out like a ball of fire and just try to torch Mir and instead allows the fight to come to him, he should be able to put together a combination to put the former heavyweight champion on the ground once and for all.”

This is shaping up to be another first-round KO in favor of Duffee. As usual, he won’t waste time pushing the action. Duffee’s explosiveness will overwhelm Mir and lead to a KO victory.

Here’s a look at viewing information as well as the entire card and predictions for each bout.

El Cucuy Will Nip the Punk

Josh “The Punk” Thomson’s last three losses have come by split decision. That number might grow to four after Wednesday. Thomson takes on the streaking Tony “El Cucuy” Ferguson. The latter has won five fights in a row and ascended to No. 11 in the lightweight rankings.

His submission game has been excellent, and his striking vastly improved from earlier in his career. Thomson is usually an effective striker, as evidenced by his 48 percent striking accuracy, per FightMetric.com. However, it might be difficult finding the range against Ferguson.

El Cucuy will enjoy a five-inch reach advantage. As the longer fighter, Ferguson will control the distance and neutralize Thomson’s attempts to score during standing exchanges.

Once the fight goes to the ground, Thomson is very tough to finish, but Ferguson is good enough to keep his opponent on the defensive. Based on Octagon control, Ferguson will win a decision.

The Bruiser Will Derail the Holm Hype Train

Holly Holm has excellent tools to develop into a solid mixed martial artist, but she lacks confidence and refinement in her grappling. Marion “The Belizean Bruiser” Reneau has a surplus supply of both qualities, and she’s going to beat Holm.

Reneau is a cerebral but aggressive fighter. She’ll come forward using angles and back Holm up against the cage. Her best quality is her versatility, which is something Holm lacks at this point in her career. At some point, the fight will go to the ground, and Reneau will have the opportunity to show off more of the submission skills she displayed in her victory over Jessica Andrade in February.

Reneau is 6-1 overall and has won five fights in a row. At 38 years old, she has a sense of urgency that helps to provide a spark. Per Jordan Newmark of UFC.com, Reneau said:

“I’m loving this ride. I have nothing to complain about. I’m really just enjoying the ride and trying to take it as far as I can and for as long as I can.”

With a win, Reneau could be one of the next in line to challenge for the women’s bantamweight title—although Jessica Eye might have something to say about that when she takes on Miesha Tate on July 25 in Chicago.

Nonetheless, look for Reneau to send Holm back to the drawing board as her rise to stardom will hit a detour.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter.

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com