Check out our full “Fight Day” preview for UFC on FOX 18: “Johnson vs Bader,” which takes place tonight (Sat., Jan. 30, 2016) at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, featuring the Light Heavyweight feature fight pitting Anthony Johnson against Ryan Bader.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to major FOX for the 18th time later today (Sat., Jan. 30, 2016), as Light Heavyweight behemoths battle for a No. 1 contender spot, when Anthony Johnson takes on Ryan Bader live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Catch all the action LIVE with a FOX main card start time of 8 p.m. ET (for up-to-date UFC on FOX 18 results click here).
Below is everything you need to know to stay on top of tonight’s action.
Who: Anthony Johnson vs. Ryan Bader
What: UFC on FOX 18
When: Sat., January 30, 2016, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass
Where: Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey
How To Watch: Main card at 8 p.m ET on FOX; FOX Sports 1 “Prelims” under card at 5 p.m. ET; UFC Fight Pass “Prelims” under card at 3:30 p.m ET.
Live UFC on FOX 18 results: Play-by-play coverage stream right here
Why It Matters: If you have been a UFC fan for the last five years, you know that every single major FOX event is a big deal.
Although UFC on FOX 18 doesn’t feature a title fight as the last two FOX events, a No. 1 contender fight in the Light Heavyweight division should definitely whet your appetite.
Usually, most fight fans are not all that eager to watch Ryan Bader fight, as he has a penchant for being involved in uninspiring decisions, but a battle with Anthony Johnson will undoubtedly spark the interest of the masses.
“Rumble” is one of the scariest and most exciting fighters in MMA today, having knocked out three of his last four opponents.
The clash of styles in the main event is worth the price of admission alone, but you won’t have to pay a dime because the event is free on FOX!
What’s Hot: “Super” Sage Northcutt.
The 19-year old from Katy, Texas has stormed onto the MMA scene since making his UFC debut at UFC 192 last October, where he violently finished Francisco Trevino in just under a minute.
It didn’t take long for UFC brass to get the undefeated protege back inside the Octagon, as Northcutt made a quick turnaround to defeat Cody Pfister in December at UFC Fight Night 80.
Now, just over a month from his last fight, Northcutt will once again step into the Octagon, this time being featured as the opening bout on FOX against Bryan Barberena.
If that isn’t a vote of confidence from UFC brass, I don’t know what is.
What’s really fascinating about Northcutt other than his obvious talent, athleticism, and potential in the sport of MMA, is how he has made a name for himself without going the Conor McGregor and Chael Sonnen route.
Instead, Northcutt is letting UFC brass take the reigns in marketing the phenom, and it has proven to be quite lucrative for both he and the promotion.
Most of UFC’s major stars were self-made by trash talking, but the “Northcutt model” is proving that UFC brass can help mold a star with just the right amount of influence.
What’s Not: This is simply a weak UFC on FOX event.
Even though I am intrigued by the main event, it is undeniable that it is a step back from the title fights we have seen in the last two UFC on FOX cards.
Without a title fight, you’d expect UFC brass to deliver a few consequential bouts, but the only other fight of importance on the main card is the Heavyweight co-main event pitting Josh Barnett against Ben Rothwell.
The first two fights on the main card are just not all that interesting, even while featuring two premiere prospects.
No matter which way you slice it, Iuri Alcantara and Jimmie Rivera have no business fighting on a FOX main card, and even though Sage Northcutt is potentially the star of the future, Bryan Barberena sure isn’t providing any intrigue as his opponent.
Original Card vs Actual Card:
Only two changes occurred prior to UFC on FOX 18, as Carlos Diego Ferreira replaced Joaquim Silva in a battle against Olivier Aubin-Mercier, and Bryan Barberena replaced Andrew Holbrook to take on Sage Northcutt.
New Blood:
Felipe Olivieri (vs. Tony Martin): Another Nova Uniao prospect will make his UFC debut tonight as Felipe Olivieri steps into the cage to battle Tony Martin. Olivieri is 14-4 in his professional MMA career, finishing 10 opponents via knockout during his time in Shooto and Pancrase.
Randy Brown (vs. Matt Dwyer): “Rude Boy” makes his UFC debut after appearing on Dana White’s Looking For a Fight series, following his impressive knockout at Ring of Combat 53. Brown is undefeated at 6-0 in his professional career, having finished all of his opponents within 10 minutes.
How The “Prelims” Look: Meh.
Looking at the nine-fight “Prelims” card, I find myself indifferent on nearly every bout.
Sure, Tarec Saffiedine returns to the cage, but the former Strikeforce Welterweight kingpin has fought merely twice since joining UFC due to injuries.
Dustin Ortiz taking on Wilson Reis could be an exciting fight, but it is unlikely either man will ever vie for UFC gold.
Personally, I am only really looking forward to watching Randy Brown in his UFC debut, and Olivier Aubin-Mercier battle Carlos Diego Ferreira.
None of the “Prelims” are really must see, so all we can hope for are some exciting fights throughout.
Who Needs A Win Badly: This portion is reserved for fighters who could be fighting for their jobs today, rather than contenders or title challengers needing victory. Let’s take a look at those who need to pull it together:
Tony Martin (vs. Felipe Olivieri): Tony Martin joined UFC’s roster a perfect 8-0 in professional MMA, and has since dropped three of his first four UFC fights. Martin has been finished in his last two losses, and could very well be fighting on the regional circuit with a loss in New Jersey.
Alex Caceres (vs. Masio Fullen): No matter how exciting “Bruce Leeroy” is inside the Octagon, four straight losses is simply unacceptable. If Caceres can’t break out of his funk in New Jersey, I find it extremely unlikely UFC brass will give him another shot.
Interest Level: 6/10
UFC on FOX 18 is one of the more uninspiring fight cards in the series, and with the potential for the main event to be a snoozer if Ryan Bader is able to take down Anthony Johnson with ease, I find it hard to get all that excited for this event.
With that being said, the emergence of Sage Northcutt is something to behold, and several other prospects on the card make this event at least worth watching.
Jimmie Rivera, Olivier Aubin-Mercier, Carlos Diego Ferreira, and Randy Brown could all become major forces in their respective divisions, but they all have a long way to go before contendership status.
The Heavyweight co-main event provides some intrigue, but this fight card definitely lacks panache of sorts.
Check out the full UFC on FOX 18 card below:
UFC on FOX 18 Main Event:
205 lbs.: Anthony Johnson vs. Ryan Bader
UFC on FOX 18 Main Card (8 p.m. ET):
265 lbs.: Josh Barnett vs. Ben Rothwell
135 lbs.: Iuri Alcantara vs. Jimmie Rivera
170 lbs.: Sage Northcutt vs. Bryan BarberenaUFC on FOX 18 Prelims on FOX Sports 1 (5 p.m. ET):
170 lbs.: Jake Ellenberger vs. Tarec Saffiedine
155 lbs.: Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Diego Ferreira
185 lbs.: Kevin Casey vs. Rafael Natal
125 lbs.: Dustin Ortiz vs. Wilson Reis
155 lbs.: George Sullivan vs. Alexander Yakovlev
145 lbs.: Alex Caceres vs. Masio FullenUFC on FOX 18 Prelims on UFC Fight Pass (3:30 p.m. ET):
145 lbs.: Damon Jackson vs. Levan Makashvili
155 lbs.: Tony Martin vs. Felipe Olivieri
170 lbs.: Randy Brown vs. Matt Dwyer
See you tonight!