Author: Luke Thomas

MMA pioneer, UFC Hall of Famer and Bellator heavyweight Ken Shamrock spoke to SB Nation/MMA Fighting in Las Vegas where he discussed his Bellator 138 bout opposite Kimbo Slice, training to avoid injuries, whether there should be a fighters’ union and whether the critics who say he shouldn’t be fighting have a point.

The UFC makes its long-awaited debut in the Philippines with a top-tier featherweight headlining bout between two of the division’s best, both past and present. The card also features a middleweight contest between ranked contenders and the final mixed martial arts contest of Filipino middleweight Mark Munoz.

Will Frankie Edgar get one step closer to a title shot or is Urijah Faber about to spoil those plans? I answer these questions and more with predictions for Saturday’s fights.

What: UFC Fight Night 66 (UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. Faber)

Where: Mall of Asia Arena, Manila, Philippines

When: Saturday, the two-fight Fight Pass preliminary card starts at 7:00 a.m. ET and the four-fight preliminary card kicks off on Fox Sports 1 at 8 a.m. and the six-fight main card begins at 10 a.m. ET.

Frankie Edgar vs. Urijah Faber

This is going to be all Faber early, all Edgar late. Well, maybe not ‘all’, but you get the idea. Faber is a strong starter while Edgar takes time to figure out attacks and defenses. I’m not saying Faber is going to overwhelm him, but if he’s going to do any scoring, it’s going to be during the first or second rounds. From there, though, I expect Edgar to take over. He’ll work behind his jab, prevent Faber’s blitzes and slowly chew him up with hand and foot combinations. Does he get a stoppage? I don’t know, but I like his chances once the judges’ scorecards are read.

Pick: Edgar

Gegard Mousasi vs. Costas Philippou

I’m not really sure what Mousasi’s win over Dan Henderson tells us, but at least he’s been active. Philippou on the other hand, has been out of commission for the last year. Training, yes, but not competing. Beyond that, though, there’s the style match-up. I like Mousasi’s ability to kick at range and to the body, something the Cyprus native has consistent issues dealing with. I also think highly of Mousasi’s defense in the pocket and less pressure, more accurate punching attacks. Philippou isn’t badly outmatched by any stretch, but his particular preferences for offense feeds into Mousasi’s wheelhouse.

Pick: Mousasi

Mark Munoz vs. Luke Barnatt

I’m not picking The Filipino Wrecking Machine because it’s his last fight and it’d be nice to see him win in the place where his family is from. I do think there’s an extra level of motivation given those circumstances, but that’s not it either. I worry about Munoz being able to get in on the legs of the taller Barnatt as Munoz has a tendency to shoot from too far out and without a ton of authority moving his feet to keep things going, but I don’t think highly of Barnatt’s takedown defense either. I like Munoz’s chances to get inside and once there, plant Barnatt on the mat where he’ll work his savage ground and pound, avoiding any submissions or bottom control.

Pick: Munoz

Hyun Gyu Lim vs. Neil Magny

Magny’s improvement is real and important to note, but I wonder if the marauding style of Lim is too much to handle. He was eaten up by Tarec Saffiedine’s leg kicks, but Magny doesn’t have the same weapons as such. He’s more of an all-around competitor who is good at many things, expert at none. Lim isn’t much of a technician, but fights with such ferocity that he overcomes fighters better than he. Moreover, he’s huge for the weight class. If Magny really wants to graduate to top tier opposition, he has to get through Lim. I’m betting on the Korean this time.

Pick: Lim

Phillipe Nover vs. Yui Chul Nam

There’s not much to say about this contest. Nover is a BJJ black belt, but has fallen on hard times in MMA. He can best Bellator’s lesser fighter and regional up-and-comers, but that’s about it. Nam isn’t exactly a lot to write home about, but he’s the fresher fighter of the two and more aggressive. In the end, that’s probably enough to get the job done here.

Pick: Nam

Mark Eddiva vs. Levan Makashvili

Makashvili should absolutely cruise here. They both don’t have a ton of experience, but Makashvili’s two fights against the well-rounded Alexandre Bezerra tells you a lot, especially since he won the second time the two fought. Eddiva, by contrast, got blown up in his last fight as he failed to move evasively or threaten Kevin Souza in any real way. Makashvili still lacks a lot of positional control finesse, but is way better at controlling in the clinch, with takedowns and mixing in strikes in transition.

Pick: Makashvili

From the preliminary card:

Jon Tuck def. Tae Hyun Bang
Kajan Johnson def. Zhang Lipeng
Dhiego Lima def. Li Jingliang
Ning Guangyou def. Royston Wee
Jon Delos Reyes def. Roldan Sangcha-An
Nolan Ticman def. Yao Zhikui

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 21 Finale has a permanent home and venue. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Sunday, July 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC made the news official in an announcement on Friday.

TUF 21 Finale was originally scheduled to take place in south Florida to coincide with the this season’s American Top Team vs. Blackzillians competition on the reality show. Both of those mixed martial arts team reside in Coconut Creek, Florida. However, the UFC is now staging a middleweight bout between Lyoto Machida and Yoel Romero to headline the finale for The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 4. TUF: Brazil 4’s finale was originally scheduled for Sao Paolo, Brazil on June 27, but has since been moved to Miami, Florida. With the two cards taking place in close timing proximity in the same geographic location, the UFC decided to move TUF 21 Finale to Las Vegas.

The finale for TUF 21 also takes place the day following UFC 189, which is being held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena as well.

The main event for TUF 21 Finale is a welterweight clash between Jake Ellenberger and Stephen Thompson, a bout originally scheduled for UFC 189. Jorge Masvidal moves back to welterweight to face Cezar Ferreira.

Bellator returns to the Spike TV airwaves on Friday, this time with their middleweight title up for grabs. The card also features the return of their former bantamweight champion as well as standout NCAA wrestler-turned-fighter Darrion Caldwell in the toughest test of his career.

What: Bellator 137: Halsey vs. Grove

Where: Pechanga Resort and Casino, Temecula, California

When: Friday, the preliminary card starts at 7 p.m. ET on MMA Fighting. The four-fight main card starts on Spike TV at 9 p.m. ET.

Brandon Halsey vs. Kendall Grove

One of the reasons I like Grove is for his never say die attitude. The other is because he’s one of the lanky MMA fighters who has turned their guard into a weapon. It’s not going to stop all opposition, but it’s nice to see in this age of wrestle-boxing. That said, it’s not going to be enough against Halsey, who is a force of nature in Bellator. I expect Halsey to score the takedown with ease and pass enough to land heavy damage on top. At this stage in Grove’s career, his ability to sustain damage is not great. That’s not the best recipe for success against a fighter as aggressive and proactive as Halsey.

Pick: Halsey

Eduardo Dantas vs. Mike Richman

If Dantas is to redeem himself after having his title taken by Joe Warren, it’s not going to come easy. Richman has looked sensational since dropping to bantamweight. The American hasn’t lost much speed and has retained all of his power. His cardio isn’t amazing, but I wouldn’t call it a liability either. The difference for me is the one-note nature of Richman’s offense. It’s highly potent, but largely a function of forward-pressure boxing. That’s something the more natural and mobile Dantas is going to be able to work around. Dantas has excellent back takes, decent takedowns, but most importantly, is very quick. Richman is going to find the Brazilian is changing the range before he has a chance to react. That’ll be his undoing in the end.

Pick: Dantas

Fernando Gonzalez vs. Curtis Millender

A bit of a tough call, but I’m going to side with Gonzalez here. He doesn’t do much spectacularly and his record isn’t exactly awesome, but he’s morphed himself into a guy who can do enough of many different tasks to get him to the finish line. I especially like his gas tank, which keeps his output both consistent and potent through three rounds. I’m not saying he’ll finish Millender, but he’ll do enough to win two rounds on two judges’ scorecards.

Pick: Gonzalez

Darrion Caldwell vs. Rafael Silva

This is a highly-intriguing bout. Silva is a credentialed, talented-in-all-facets kind of fighter, but has feasted on a lot of competition that’s not up to snuff. He gave Warren a good back-and-forth, but lost that bout. Caldwell relies on his athleticism a lot, which could very well cost him against a fighter as athletic, technical and experienced as Silva. What the Brazilian might lack in wrestling and genetic make-up relative to Caldwell, he makes up for in savvy. That said, I think Caldwell’s too much for him in the end. There might be a tense moment here or there, but I expect Caldwell to eventually overwhelm a very good fighter in Silva.

Pick: Caldwell

This is episode 138 of the Promotional Malpractice Live Chat.

It’s a slower week in the world of combat sports. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is behind us, UFC 187 is on the horizon. We’re in the eye of the storm, but there’s still plenty to discuss.

Ronda Rousey is out doing the press tour to promote her new book. She’s doing all kinds of media for it, not least of which is an appearance on Howard Stern’s radio show. That’s coinciding with her gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine, a huge honor for any athlete and true rarity for a mixed martial arts fighter. Still, while I get the cover is trying to sell magazines, I have a huge issue with it trying to claim she’s the most dominant athlete in sports.

There is also a UFC event…

Boxing’s mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Manny Pacquiao is in the books, but the numbers for gate receipts and other forms of commerce are beginning to roll in. According to Showtime, the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao pay-per-view broadcast generated 4.4 million buys, thereby setting an all-time record for any event aired in that space.

“Initial reports from distributors indicate that the event generated more than 4.4 million U.S. buys and more than $400 million in domestic pay-per-view revenue alone,” a press release states. “With additional revenue from the live gate at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, international television distribution, sponsorships, closed circuit and merchandise sales, the event is expected to generate in excess of $500 million in gross worldwide receipts.”

The news of the buyrate was announced Tuesday by Showtime Networks and HBO as well as the promoters of the event, Mayweather Promotions and Top Rank, Inc.

The previous pay-per-view record was set by Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather in 2007, a bout that pulled 2.48 million buys. The previous top earner in terms of revenue was Mayweather vs. Canelo Alvarez in 2013. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao “nearly tripled” that earnings from that bout, according to the release.

“Live gate receipts for the star-studded event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena produced more than $71 million in revenue, dramatically eclipsing the previous live gate record of $20 million (for Mayweather vs. Canelo) for both the sport of boxing and Las Vegas,” the release stated.

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, May 2nd, 2015. Mayweather defeated Pacquiao by unanimous decision.