Tag: Cody Garbrandt

Rick Story Returns With Hard-Fought Win Over Tarec Saffiedine

Welterweight veterans Tarec Saffiedine and Rick Story met p on the main card of tonight’s (Sun., May 29, 2016) UFC Fight Night 88 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Saffiedine won a decision over Jake Ellenberger in his most recent fight at UFC on FOX 8 in January, his first bout since

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Welterweight veterans Tarec Saffiedine and Rick Story met p on the main card of tonight’s (Sun., May 29, 2016) UFC Fight Night 88 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Saffiedine won a decision over Jake Ellenberger in his most recent fight at UFC on FOX 8 in January, his first bout since an October 2014 loss to former title challenger Rory MacDonald due to a bout with injuries. Longtime veteran Story had also been on the bench for an extended period of time, as he was last seen winning a split decision over Gunnar Nelson at October 2014’s UFC Fight Night 53 from Stockholm, Sweden.

Saffiedine was also nearly pulled from this bout after suffering a cut on his knee in training, but was later cleared to compete. Both fighters needed a win to keep rising in the dangerous UFC welterweight waters.

Story came out with a hard low kick early, following up with another in a first minute that was low on action. Story then landed a few hooks in close, and Saffiedine landed a kick to the body and a punch. Story went for a takedown and clinched on the fence, but Saffiedine broke to land a nice head kick. Story pushed forward with a combo and landed two more big hooks before attempting another unsuccessful takedown. Saffiedine’s cut was bleeding rather heavily as Story clinched to rip his body to wind down the first.

Story came out with his low kick and follow-up punches in the second, with Saffiedine landing a grazing head kick. A checked low kick saw Story fall to the mat but couldn’t be held down. Story landed a big hook as Saffiedine lunged for a takedown, and “The Horror” controlled “Sponge” in the clinch once again. He worked the body but ate a knee to the body. It didn’t effect Story much, however, as he kept grinding away with ripping body punches and a grueling clinch. A separation saw Saffiedine land two more glancing high kicks, and the round wound down in the clinch.

In the final round, Story came out aggressive as usual, ripping Saffiedine’s midsection with hard punches again. He continued his grinding, grueling clinch work to stop Saffiedine’s vaunted kickboxing game with takedown attempts and knees, landing a heavy hook on a break. “Sponge” did land a hard right and another head kick, yet Story walked through it to strike more. Big punches landed from both fighters as Story lunged forward to clinch again as the bell rang.

Story took home a strong unanimous decision to win his first UFC match in a year-and-a-half.

Final Result: Rick Story def. Tarec Saffiedine via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

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Paul Felder Outlasts Josh Burkman To Kick Off UFC Fight Night 88

Lightweights Josh Burkman and Paul Felder kicked off the main card of tonight’s (Sun., May 29, 2016) UFC Fight Night 88 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Burkman was looking to build a win streak after perhaps saving his career with a win over K.J. Noons in his lightweight debut after fighting

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Lightweights Josh Burkman and Paul Felder kicked off the main card of tonight’s (Sun., May 29, 2016) UFC Fight Night 88 from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Burkman was looking to build a win streak after perhaps saving his career with a win over K.J. Noons in his lightweight debut after fighting most of his career at welterweight, while Felder was looking for one of his own after submitting Daron Cruickshank at UFC Fight Night 81 in January.

The fight started with Burkman using kicks to feel his range. Felder stayed aggressive and landed a hard body kick and the two clashed in a brief exchange. Burkman landed to the body twice, staying just out of the way of Felder’s pressure. “The Irish Dragon” threw a jumping front kick, but Burkman blocked it and unloaded a good combo. Felder went back to the jumping kick and Burkman countered with big punches before it became a wild firefight with Burkman getting the better of it.

Burkman found pause with a takedown, controlling the action from side control momentarily before the two got back to their feet. A brief Burkman takedown lead to him riding out a good opening round in the clinch on the fence.

The second round featured a sharp leg kick from Felder, who kept pressuring Burkman with low kicks. Burkman landed a solid combo, only to eat a knee to the body and return fire with a right hook. Felder landed a kick to the body off a Burkman spinning backfist attempt, and “The Irish Dragon” landed some elbows in the clinch. Two heavy punches landed from Felder. He followed with a heavy combination that was thwarted by another Burkman clinch. Felder reversed position and took Burkman’s back in a good bounceback round for him.

The third round saw more heavy pressure from Felder with a body kick followed by a leg kick. Felder landed a huge spinning back kick to Burkman’s body that actually lifted him off the ground and onto the mat briefly. Burkman slowed and Felder landed more kicks. Slowly losing the stand-up, Burkman threw a two-punch combo and went for a takedown he eventually got, but Felder got right back up. A back and forth clinch where Felder cut Burkman with some solid elbows went until the last 30 seconds or so, and Burkman got a vital late takedown after a restart.

In the end, Felder took home a unanimous decision by scoring 29-28 on all three judges’ scorecards on the heels of his constant forward momentum.

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UFC Fight Night 88: Almeida vs. Garbrandt Results From Las Vegas, Nevada

On Sunday evening in Las Vegas, Nevada, UFC will present their UFC Fight Night 88 event live on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC Fight Night 88 will features an intriguing match between undefeated rising contenders Thomas Almeida and Cody Ga…

ufc-fight-night-88-almeida-garbrandt

On Sunday evening in Las Vegas, Nevada, UFC will present their UFC Fight Night 88 event live on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC Fight Night 88 will features an intriguing match between undefeated rising contenders Thomas Almeida and Cody Garbrandt in the main event, along with a supporting undercard that UFC President Dana White is calling the “sleeper card of the year” for 2016.

Below is the scheduled lineup for tonight’s event. Make sure to check back here at MMANews.com later this evening for a complete UFC Fight Night 88 report.

FOX Sports 1 Main Card (9pm EST):

– Thomas Almeida (136) vs. Cody Garbrandt (135.5)
– Renan Barao (146) vs. Jeremy Stephens (146)
– Rick Story (171) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (170)
– Chris Camozzi (186) vs. Vitor Miranda (186)
– Jorge Masvidal (170.5) vs. Lorenz Larkin (171)
– Josh Burkman (156) vs. Paul Felder (155.5)

FOX Sports 1 Preliminary Card (7pm EST):

– Jessica Eye (134.5) vs. Sara McMann (135.5)
– Abel Trujillo (155.5) vs. Jordan Rinaldi (156)
– Alberto Uda (185) vs. Jake Collier (185.5)
– Erik Koch (155.5) vs. Eric Campbell (156)

UFC Fight Pass Preliminary Card (6pm EST):

– Aljamain Sterling (135.5) vs. Bryan Caraway (135.5)
– Chris DeLaRocha (243) vs. Adam Milstead (235)

UFC Fight Night 88: Almeida vs. Garbrandt Results From Las Vegas, Nevada

On Sunday evening in Las Vegas, Nevada, UFC will present their UFC Fight Night 88 event live on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC Fight Night 88 will features an intriguing match between undefeated rising contenders Thomas Almeida and Cody Ga…

ufc-fight-night-88-almeida-garbrandt

On Sunday evening in Las Vegas, Nevada, UFC will present their UFC Fight Night 88 event live on FOX Sports 1 and UFC Fight Pass.

UFC Fight Night 88 will features an intriguing match between undefeated rising contenders Thomas Almeida and Cody Garbrandt in the main event, along with a supporting undercard that UFC President Dana White is calling the “sleeper card of the year” for 2016.

Below is the scheduled lineup for tonight’s event. Make sure to check back here at MMANews.com later this evening for a complete UFC Fight Night 88 report.

FOX Sports 1 Main Card (9pm EST):

– Thomas Almeida (136) vs. Cody Garbrandt (135.5)
– Renan Barao (146) vs. Jeremy Stephens (146)
– Rick Story (171) vs. Tarec Saffiedine (170)
– Chris Camozzi (186) vs. Vitor Miranda (186)
– Jorge Masvidal (170.5) vs. Lorenz Larkin (171)
– Josh Burkman (156) vs. Paul Felder (155.5)

FOX Sports 1 Preliminary Card (7pm EST):

– Jessica Eye (134.5) vs. Sara McMann (135.5)
– Abel Trujillo (155.5) vs. Jordan Rinaldi (156)
– Alberto Uda (185) vs. Jake Collier (185.5)
– Erik Koch (155.5) vs. Eric Campbell (156)

UFC Fight Pass Preliminary Card (6pm EST):

– Aljamain Sterling (135.5) vs. Bryan Caraway (135.5)
– Chris DeLaRocha (243) vs. Adam Milstead (235)

UFC Fight Night 88 Betting Odds: Surprising Name A Huge Favorite

UFC Fight Night 88 is here, and it goes down on Sunday from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The first two prelims will air at 6 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass while the other four prelims will air at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. The main card starts at

The post UFC Fight Night 88 Betting Odds: Surprising Name A Huge Favorite appeared first on LowKick MMA.

UFC Fight Night 88 is here, and it goes down on Sunday from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The first two prelims will air at 6 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass while the other four prelims will air at 7 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. The main card starts at 9 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1.

The main event will be Thomas Almeida vs. Cody Garbrandt while the co-main event will be Renan Barao vs. Jeremy Stephens. There is a total of six bouts on the main card while there is a total of six bouts on the prelims.

According to oddsmakers, Almeida is a -165 favorite over Garbrandt, who is a +145 underdog. Other odds for the main card include Jeremy Stephens being a +155 underdog against Barao, who is a -175 favorite.

Here are the full betting odds:

Chris De La Rocha +215 Over 1½ +170

Adam Milstead -255 Under 1½ -200

Bryan Caraway +325 Over 2½ -190

Aljamain Sterling -400 Under 2½ +165

Shane Campbell -160 Over 1½ -185

Erik Koch +140 Under 1½ +160

Jake Collier -130 Over 1½ -165

Alberto Pereira Uda +110 Under 1½ +145

Abel Trujillo -320 Over 1½ -125

Jordan Rinaldi +260 Under 1½ +105

Jessica Eye +135 Over 2½ -265

Sara McMann -155 Under 2½ +225

Josh Burkman +255 Over 2½ -160

Paul Felder -310 Under 2½ +140

Lorenz Larkin -125 Over 2½ -270

Jorge Masvidal +105 Under 2½ +230

Chris Camozzi +155 Over 2½ -170

Vitor Miranda -175 Under 2½ +150

Rick Story -120 Over 2½ -290

Tarec Saffiedine +100 Under 2½ +245

Jeremy Stephens +155 Over 2½ -125

Renan Barao -175 Under 2½ +105

Cody Garbrandt +145 Over 1½ -170

Thomas Almeida -165 Under 1½ +150

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UFC Fight Night 88 Predictions: A New Contender Will Emerge

Thomas Almeida vs. Cody Garbrandt: Mike Drahota: I found it a bit surprising that the UFC was willing to book two of the suddenly booming bantamweight division’s up-and-coming talents against one another so soon, but they are most certainly two of the most exciting strikers at 135 pounds, so that dynamic should be a recipe

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Thomas Almeida vs. Cody Garbrandt:

Mike Drahota:

I found it a bit surprising that the UFC was willing to book two of the suddenly booming bantamweight division’s up-and-coming talents against one another so soon, but they are most certainly two of the most exciting strikers at 135 pounds, so that dynamic should be a recipe for Memorial Day fireworks in Las Vegas. I believe it will become a slugfest rather rapidly thanks in no small part to the bad blood spoken in the media and from the fight week hotel confrontation between Garbrandt and Almeida’s team, so this is going to come down to Almeida’s Muay Thai and Garbrandt’s boxing. While the undefeated Brazilian sensation did get caught by veteran Brad Pickett at UFC 189 last July, I believe he simply has more ways to win with elbows, kicks, and knees while also having more experience (even if it is against “cab drivers” like “No Love” said). It should be a back-and-forth fight, and Garbrandt could obviously catch him with a big shot that ends the bout, but I’m going with Almeida by third-round TKO.

Rory Kernaghan:

Thomas Almeida comes in to this fight undefeated at 21-0, off the back of three straight knockouts from four UFC wins, and possibly the toughest fight of his career against Brad Pickett. This is where the difference will be made against the harsh striker Cody Garbrandt, because aside from experience and having dug to the limit more times, there’s not really much to separate these two. I also feel that ‘Terminator’ has a little more variety in his attacks than ‘No Love,’ although Garbrandt’s patented Team Alpha Male style footwork is a sight to behold. Expect a war, won by Almeida by TKO in round three.

Mike Henken:

I have to say that I’m extremely excited for this scrap, as two of the division’s best undefeated rising contenders will do battle to prove who truly belongs in the title discussion. The 24-year-old Garbrandt has established himself as a legitimate fighter with great speed and strong knockout power as shown in his last bout, but he’ll be facing off with a scary, scary man in Almeida. The Brazilian packs a 21-0 professional record with an impressive 16 knockouts. I just feel as if his arsenal will be too much for “No Love.” Almeida by third round knockout.

Renan Barao vs. Jeremy Stephens:

Mike Drahota:

On paper this is an incredibly tough test in a move up a weight class for formerly dominant bantamweight champion Barao, who hasn’t looked anything close to his once-cowering form since TJ Dillashaw shockingly dethroned him in devastating fashion at UFC 173 two years ago. Although Stephens has shown bouts of inconsistency mixed with bouts of brilliance, his last loss to Max Holloway came to a potential future title contender at featherweight. Barao has obviously yet to attain that after admitting the cut down to 15 pounds was simply too much anymore, and this fight could be a rude awakening for him. Stephens is a power-punching brawler with great takedown defense, and Barao has exhibited a concerning tendency to stand still and eat punches later. Up at 145 against a knockout specialist by the highly experienced Stephens, I don’t believe that will end well for him. Stephens stops Barao by TKO in the first round.

Rory Kernaghan:

Former champion Barao faces frequent underdog Stephens in a battle of heavy hitters. The former bantamweight champion has a tough debut at featherweight against Stephens, who has a habit of knocking people silly when it’s against the odds. Where this fight is won is anyone’s guess, mine is that Barao is getting upset here. I think Stephens clips ‘Baron’ early on and continue the run of bad luck befalling the Brazilian Nova Uniao camp. Jeremy Stephens upsets the former champion by one-punch knockout in round one.

Mike Henken:

The former bantamweight champion Barao will be moving up to his new home at 145 pounds for the first time, and he won’t be given a tune-up fight in any way. Stephens is a very experienced and gritty veteran who possesses brutal knockout power and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. However, I feel as if “The Baron’s” combination of championship caliber Muay Thai and submission skills will get the job done. I also think the easier weight cut will play a factor here. Barao by unanimous decision.

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