Author: Kenny DeJohn

UFC 186: Start Time, Prelim Live Stream Info and Full Fight Card Predictions

UFC 186 could make history Saturday night in Montreal, as a win by Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson would make him the fifth man in UFC history to successfully defend his title six consecutive times.
That would put him in elite company,…

UFC 186 could make history Saturday night in Montreal, as a win by Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson would make him the fifth man in UFC history to successfully defend his title six consecutive times.

That would put him in elite company, as Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, Jon Jones and Jose Aldo are the others to have accomplished the feat. 

Johnson will go toe-to-toe with Kyoji Horiguchi, a 24-year-old with an undefeated UFC record. He hopes to become the first flyweight to beat Johnson.

Johnson and Horiguchi aren’t the only fighters doing business in the Octagon on Saturday. There’s a deep fight card, including preliminary fights, that should also be exciting for fans to watch as a lead-in to the main event.

You’ll find predictions for all 12 matches of the night below, as well as the start time and live stream information for UFC 186.

 

Start Times to Note

  • Early Prelims: 6:30 p.m. ET
  • Pre-fight show: 7 p.m. ET
  • Prelims: 8 p.m. ET
  • Main event: 10 p.m. ET

 

Live Stream Info

 

Early Prelim Predictions

Of the three early prelim bouts, one to keep an eye on is Nordine Taleb vs. Chris “The Menace” Clements.

Taleb, a former Bellator competitor, has great physical tools and has picked up UFC wins over Vik Grujic and Jingliang Li. Clements is aging (39) but still packs a punch that could knock most fighters to their knees. If Taleb runs into just one well-placed smash, the fight will be over in a hurry.

That’s why Taleb needs to focus on getting Clements to the mat. The contrast in these two fighters is so unique that this bout has the potential to be one of the top prelims of the night. Taleb’s skills on the mat far outweigh Clements’, so that needs to be the Frenchman’s strategy right from the opening bell.

Prediction: Taleb wins via second-round technical knockout.

 

Prelim Predictions

The big fight to tune in to during the prelims is Alexis Davis vs. Sarah Kaufman, if only for the implications.

Davis and Kaufman, both bantamweights, are ranked No. 3 and No. 5, respectively. Davis is coming off a 16-second train wreck of a defeat at the hands of Ronda Rousey, while Kaufman’s last outing was a win against Leslie Smith.

Kaufman can leapfrog Davis in the rankings and become a contender with a win on Saturday. A win would put her on the short list to fight Rousey in the future, and while defeating Davis for a third time might not improve her resume all that much, it only reinforces the fact that she’s ready for a higher-profile opponent.

This is by far the best women’s fight on the card; don’t miss out on a bout that has enormous stakes.

Prediction: Kaufman wins via third-round submission.

 

Main Card Predictions

The best fight of the night (outside of Johnson vs. Horiguchi, of course) is Quinton “Rampage” Jackson against Fabio Maldonado, if only for the fact that it’s going to be a bloody slugfest.

Maldonado is known solely as a boxer who blatantly disregards defense in an effort to take every opportunity available to pound the snot out of his opponents. Jackson, one of the hardest hitters in the UFC, will look to take advantage of this neglect.

Jackson understands that Maldonado’s “best technique is taking a lot of punishment,” via the Instagram post linked to the following tweet:

The possible repercussions of this fight are different for each fighter. Whether Maldonado wins or loses doesn’t necessarily matter. He’s an entertaining fighter with a simple approach whom fans can rally behind. Jackson, however, is in somewhat of a must-win situation. He’s not moving up the ranks anytime soon, so a loss might make him plummet into the depths of UFC matchups.

Prediction: Maldonado wins via third-round knockout.

 

Johnson vs. Horiguchi 

This might be the main event of the night, but don’t expect Johnson vs. Horiguchi to be the most exciting fight of the evening. Sure, these two men are arguably the most skilled fighters on the card, but Johnson outmatches Horiguchi so much that this shouldn’t be a difficult bout at all.

Johnson doesn’t exactly have the personality of some of the other top-notch fighters in the UFC, but Bleacher Report’s Scott Harris thinks that shouldn’t stop you from getting in his corner:

Enough about Johnson’s low-key personality and his inability to move the needle of public interest. He’s an amazing fighter, with lightning quickness in his limbs and his brain and the ability to shift effortlessly between a full array of expert skill sets. Horiguchi is young and fun, but he’s going to fall, just like the rest of them.

And while Harris’ analysis is simple, it is completely spot on. Johnson’s personality takes a backseat to his incredible fighting ability. Horiguchi is nowhere near quick enough to keep up with Mighty Mouse, who’s both light and quick on his feet. That’s a lethal combination for someone with the talent level of Johnson.

Horiguchi likely won’t win Saturday, but he can impress many analysts and fans just by giving Johnson a run into Round 4 or 5. 

Prediction: Johnson wins via third-round submission.

 

Kenny DeJohn is a Breaking News Team Featured Columnist. Follow him on Twitter.

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Ronda Rousey Proves She’s Unstoppable After Dismantling Alexis Davis at UFC 175

Sixteen seconds.
That’s all it took for Ronda Rousey to completely dismantle Alexis Davis at UFC 175. Rousey, of course, is known for her prowess in the octagon, but 16 seconds? That’s just absurd.
USA Today’s Twitter account provided its follower…

Sixteen seconds.

That’s all it took for Ronda Rousey to completely dismantle Alexis Davis at UFC 175. Rousey, of course, is known for her prowess in the octagon, but 16 seconds? That’s just absurd.

USA Today’s Twitter account provided its followers with the entire fight in one .GIF:

Mandalay Bay Events Center played host to one of the most dominant displays of mixed martial arts in recent memory, and it all happened so fast it was almost impossible to describe with words. Mike Chiappetta of Fox Sports did a good job of doing so, however:

“The fight was a blur,” he wrote. “Rousey wobbled Davis with a right hand behind the ear, landed a knee, used a judo throw to put Davis on the mat, and landed a series of undefended punches until Davis was unconscious.”

That said, Fox Sports’ UFC Twitter account couldn’t come up with words on the spot:

The armbar is usually Rousey‘s finisher of choice, but this marks the second-straight fight Rousey knocked out her opponent. The last one came in February against Sara McMann.

Nobody could have seen this coming. While a victory from Rousey was pretty much expected, analysts familiar with the two competitors were assured that this would be a competitive bout. Davis, a seven-year pro, is widely recognized as one of the tougher fighters in women’s MMA. 

Her black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu was used as reasoning for her potential to stay in the fight, but it didn’t aid her performance on Saturday night.

Given all the pre-fight buzz thrown Davis’ way, this fight has to be the one that proves that Rousey is absolutely unstoppable.

Even against the fighter who was supposed to be one of her toughest opponents, the 27-year-old prevailed. She showed that she can be a striker and proved to her doubters that she’s just as competent on her feet as she is on the ground.

Her complete arsenal has allowed her to dominate many fighters in previous fights, as evidenced by ESPN Stats & Info:

The future is a bit unclear for Rousey, however. There’s an opening for a main event on August 2 at UFC 176, but the champion is scheduled for knee surgery in the near future, reports MMA Weekly, via Yahoo Sports.

That said, it seems like she might want to fight in a month:

Even a semi-hobbled Rousey has to be considered a favorite over potential competitors, especially after the beatdown she put on Davis on Saturday night.

Rousey didn’t even break a sweat, and there will be more fights like this one in her future. She’s simply head and shoulders above every single other fighter.

 

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @KennyDeJohn_BR

 

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Ronda Rousey Will Continue Her Dominance Against Alexis Davis at UFC 175

No women’s competitor in the world can beat Ronda Rousey.
Not even Alexis Davis, Rousey’s opponent at UFC 175. Rousey-Davis will co-headline the event along with the bout between Chris Weidman and Lyoto Machida. For those looking for a back-and-forth c…

No women’s competitor in the world can beat Ronda Rousey.

Not even Alexis Davis, Rousey‘s opponent at UFC 175. Rousey-Davis will co-headline the event along with the bout between Chris Weidman and Lyoto Machida. For those looking for a back-and-forth contest from Rousey and Davis, you’ll be left wanting more by the time the match is over.

Rousey is going to dominate.

It appears as if she’s already attempting to intimidate Davis, as pointed out by Damon Martin of UFC.com:

Rousey‘s latest display of perfection came at UFC 170 against Olympic medalist Sara McMann. McMann was dismantled in just 66 seconds, and Rousey remained undefeated in her career.

Davis has been on quite the roll lately, though. She has five consecutive victories under her belt, three of which have come within the Octagon. The jiu-jitsu black belt will certainly be looking to upset the champion, but her chances of doing so are slim.

Rousey simply excels in nearly every aspect of fighting. While her strengths come on the ground, she has become a much better stand-up fighter recently. Her improvements in the gym translated to success in the cage, as evidenced by her match against McMann.

While Rousey will certainly look to execute on her feet, she will inevitably look to get Davis on the ground at some point early in the match. This is her bread and butter, as the only woman who can match her grappling skills is McMann, an Olympic wrestler.

Rousey is also superior in terms of athleticism. Also an Olympic athlete, Rousey has competed at the highest possible level. You don’t get there on skill alone. Olympic athletes are truly gifted.

By comparison, Davis is a more technically sound fighter. She doesn’t rely on athleticism, but rather on well-timed strikes and combinations to do damage. Against most other fighters, this strategy would be successful.

It won’t be against Rousey.

Despite her underdog status, Davis will look to have fun during the match. This will be a big opportunity for her to showcase her talents, but she isn’t letting the pressure get to her, via Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports:

“Just because now I’m fighting for the title and facing a very popular and high-visibility opponent, I didn’t want to lose sight of the fact that I got into this sport for fun and I did what I have done because I love it.”

Having fun and being loose might help her start off strong against the champion, but it won’t help her in the end. Rousey is too well-rounded as a fighter to lose at UFC 175. She is physically superior to nearly all competitors in the women’s portion of UFC, and that will work to her advantage.

I think Rousey wins this fight quickly, possibly in the first round.

 

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @KennyDeJohn_BR

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UFC 173 Results: Final Review of Scorecards and Top Performers

MGM Grand Garden Arena played host to UFC 173 on Saturday night in Las Vegas, and the exciting main card proved to be as compelling as expected.
The main event was stellar. Renan Barao, arguably one of the best fighters in the world, surrendered his ba…

MGM Grand Garden Arena played host to UFC 173 on Saturday night in Las Vegas, and the exciting main card proved to be as compelling as expected.

The main event was stellar. Renan Barao, arguably one of the best fighters in the world, surrendered his bantamweight title to challenger TJ Dillashaw after Dillashaw put on an absolutely stunning performance against the champ.

Dillashaw now has big things on the horizon.

The main card featured great fights as well. While not as exciting as Dillashaw‘s win over Barao, the winners in those bouts fought hard and deserved their victories.

Below is a table complete with the results from UFC 173’s main card and main event, as well as some analysis on the top performers from Saturday night.

 

Full Results

 

Top Performers

TJ Dillashaw

Dillashaw was stellar, knocking out Barao in the final round of their main event fight. The implications of the victory for Dillashaw are huge, as Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com pointed out:

The result snaps a 33-fight unbeaten streak for Barao (32-2) that dated back to April 2005. It also handed Dillashaw‘s gym, Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California, its first world title. The team had gone winless in six previous UFC title fights.

Now the 135-pound champion, Dillashaw earned himself the right to fight another quality opponent in his first defense of the title.

Dillashaw, known as the Viper, almost finished off Barao early in the first round before the then-champion regained his composure and continued fighting. Dillashaw was all over him for the rest of the fight, however, and shockingly, Barao appeared overmatched.

Barao is still one of the most talented fighters in the world, making this victory for Dillashaw even more impressive. A rematch could very well be in the cards for the two fighters, especially given Barao‘s past successes.

But for now, we should just focus on praising Dillashaw for a nearly flawless fight against an exceptionally tough opponent.

 

Daniel Cormier

Staying unbeaten against one of the most revered fighters in UFC history is usually cause for celebration. Daniel Cormier did just that, defeating Dan Henderson by submission to improve to 15-0 in his career.

Cormier won this fight on the ground. Henderson was never able to get back to his feet when Cormier got him down, as Cormier used his size and strength to keep Henderson on his back. Once in that position, Cormier unleashed a flurry of punches and strikes that both did damage and tired out the 43-year-old.

With three minutes and 53 seconds remaining the third round, Cormier finished the fight. No longer looking to tire Henderson out, he got behind him and choked him to submission.

Following the victory, Cormier wasted no time in calling out light heavyweight champ Jon Jones, via Mike Chiappetta of Fox Sports:

No matter where you go boy, I’m coming. You better hurry because I’m getting better.

I know nobody can wrestle me. It doesn’t matter. If I decide to take Jon Jones down 100 times, I’ll take him down 100 times. This is my octagon.

It will be interesting to see how Jones responds. Cormier appears ready to face such a tough opponent after a decisive performance at UFC 173.

 

Takeya Mizugaki

Takeya Mizugaki, 30, showed off his ground dominance in an impressive unanimous-decision win (scored 30-27, 30-27, 29-28) over Francisco Rivera. It was Mizugaki‘s fifth straight victory.

His ability to keep Rivera on the ground and deliver strong blows to his opponent’s body was crucial in both racking up points and tiring out Rivera. After doing so, Mizugaki used wild movements and quick strikes to do even more damage.

The first instance of this came just 90 seconds into the fight, when Mizugaki dropped Rivera after landing a crushing overhand blow to Rivera’s ear. Rivera hit the mat and Mizugaki attacked, but Rivera was able to stand back up and continue fighting.

When Rivera went down in the third round, that was all Mizugaki needed to earn the win. Rivera slipped, and Mizugaki went to work.

In winning unanimously, Mizugaki showed that he is no longer the roster filler that he was earlier on in his career. He is climbing the ranks of his division.

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UFC 173: Keys to Epic Matchup of Renan Barao vs. TJ Dillashaw

UFC 173 will feature Renan Barao, one of the best fighters in all of UFC, and TJ Dillashaw, an up-and-comer ready to compete against Barao for the bantamweight title.
As with any fight, there are some key strategies that each competitor will need to ex…

UFC 173 will feature Renan Barao, one of the best fighters in all of UFC, and TJ Dillashaw, an up-and-comer ready to compete against Barao for the bantamweight title.

As with any fight, there are some key strategies that each competitor will need to execute in order to win. This rings true mostly for Dillashaw, as Barao is clearly the better fighter. Barao does nearly everything pretty well, whereas Dillashaw has obvious flaws in his game. He also has never fought on a pay-per-view main card event before, so the big stage might get the best of the young fighter.

Getting familiar with each fighter’s keys to victory is a great way to learn about the fight before the opening bell rings. As soon as that happens, there will be nonstop action.

 

Dillashaw Must Dictate the Pace of the Fight

Barao is a great counterstriker who is always looking for a knockout finish. If Dillashaw allows Barao to dictate the pace of the fight, he won’t stand a chance. He needs to come out strong from the beginning, with an energy that’s difficult for Barao to match.

It already looks as if Dillashaw is ready to get started, per his personal Twitter account:

He has never fought in a five-round PPV match before. That said, Dillashaw has found success in the past pushing the tempo and staying active on the offensive. By dictating the pace, he will potentially be able to tire Barao out and get him on the ground.

A fantastic wrestler, Dillashaw is at a clear advantage on the mat. Even though Barao is a decent wrestler, he won’t be able to keep up if the two hit the ground.

 

Barao Must Avoid A Wrestling Match

Barao has never been taken down in UFC, a stretch that currently spans 19 rounds. He is tough when initial contact is made and is a difficult guy to even knock off balance. That said, this is the lone area of the match where Dillashaw has the advantage.

If Dillashaw gets in his comfort zone on the mat, he’ll be able to rack up early points and control the tempo of the fight. Barao will need to be strong on his fight to avoid this. Should he get taken down for the first time in his UFC career, he’ll have to show off his grappling skills in an effort to break free of the superior wrestler.

Getting Barao in this position will be crucial for Dillashaw. The champion has never been in that position before. Who knows how he’ll react.

 

Barao Must Keep Focused Amidst Dillashaw‘s Frantic Movements

Dillashaw loves to move when in the cage. Once the opening bell rings, he’s off. He bounces around and moves his feet for the entirety of the match. Rarely will you find him standing still. He even moves around in his corner in between rounds.

There are rare occasions where Dillashaw stops bouncing in order to deliver combination strikes. This is where Barao will have to capitalize. He’ll have to do his best to stay focused on the moving target while also doing his best to hit Dillashaw when he’s planted on the mat.

If Barao becomes tantalized by Dillashaw, then he’ll be left open to Dillashaw‘s ability to strike. Even against the best fighters, all it takes is one punishing blow to end the fight.

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Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira Results: Both Fighters Are Winners After UFC 172

Jon Jones put on a clinic against Glover Teixeira at UFC 172, but it would be unfair to say that Teixeira isn’t deserving of some credit. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that both should be considered “winners” following Saturday night’s main event.
J…

Jon Jones put on a clinic against Glover Teixeira at UFC 172, but it would be unfair to say that Teixeira isn’t deserving of some credit. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that both should be considered “winners” following Saturday night’s main event.

Jones made his seventh consecutive title defense, already a light heavyweight record. ESPN Stats & Info’s Twitter account has more:

At just the tender of age of 26, Jones still has quite the career ahead of him. His elbows proved lethal (as usual) against a very worthy opponent in Teixeira.

His elbows (arguably the two most devastating weapons in the entire UFC) were responsible for several gashes across Teixeira’s face. He used blows from up close to do damage, and that’s where he works best.

The best thing about Jones’ performance was that he beat Teixeira at his own game. He is a physical fighter who is most effective when standing tall and delivering crippling uppercuts and powerful jabs. That’s exactly what Jones did, and it probably wasn’t something that Teixeira was prepared for.

Other than the elbows, Jones also used a strong game on the mat as well as long-range jabs to do damage on his opponent. It was a complete fight (if there is such a thing), and Jones should be commended not only for his win but also for his ability to show off all his skills effectively against a quality opponent.

Now, it may seem strange to call Teixeira a winner despite being defeated by someone who so clearly was playing his own game. While technically the fight’s loser, Teixeira put on a show for a good majority of the bout and was successful in showing his grittiness and determination against a fighter he was clearly overmatched against.

He landed his strong uppercuts with various levels of success for the first 25 minutes or so of the match. Even when Jones retaliated with similar (but stronger) blows, Teixeira stood his ground. Or, if he couldn’t stand his ground, he backed down only briefly before regaining his composure and stepping back into the battle.

It wasn’t until the final minutes of the fight that Jones ultimately took over. By then, it was likely that Teixeira was simply wiped out from taking a beating for most of the fight. Regardless, he proved to the rest of the UFC community that he can take his hits and compete with arguably the top fighter in all of mixed martial arts.

That is commendable, which is what makes him a winner in my book.

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