Last weekend’s Fight Night: Henderson vs. Thatch was something of a mixed bag. On one hand, it featured a main event that was both thrilling from start to finish and a solid reminder that Ben Henderson is a badass, toothpicking-chewing sumbitch in any weight class. On the other, it featured more than its share of underwhelming, glacially-paced sparring matches that stretched its six fight main card to the brink of watchability. (We’re looking at you, Dan Kelly vs. Patrick Walsh. Your fight was bad and you should feel bad.)
Frontrunners for “Worst Fight of the Year” aside, Fight Night 60 also saw Max Holloway tie Conor McGregor‘s featherweight win streak and Tim Elliott hit a Samoan Drop on Zach Makovsky (en route to a unanimous decision loss). So join us after the jump to check out all the Fight Night 60 highlights that the UFC will allow us to have, and what the hell, we’ll even throw some Bellator 133 highlights in there for ya.
Last weekend’s Fight Night: Henderson vs. Thatch was something of a mixed bag. On one hand, it featured a main event that was both thrilling from start to finish and a solid reminder that Ben Henderson is a badass, toothpicking-chewing sumbitch in any weight class. On the other, it featured more than its share of underwhelming, glacially-paced sparring matches that stretched its six fight main card to the brink of watchability. (We’re looking at you, Dan Kelly vs. Patrick Walsh. Your fight was bad and you should feel bad.)
Frontrunners for “Worst Fight of the Year” aside, Fight Night 60 also saw Max Holloway tie Conor McGregor‘s featherweight win streak and Tim Elliott hit a Samoan Drop on Zach Makovsky (en route to a unanimous decision loss). So join us after the jump to check out all the Fight Night 60 highlights that the UFC will allow us to have, and what the hell, we’ll even throw some Bellator 133 highlights in there for ya.
Holloway vs. Miller
Makovsky vs. Elliot
On the Bellator side of things, Melvin Manhoef once again made the case for him to just stop already by eating a spinning elbow from the king of spinning shit, Alexander Shlemenko, in the second round of their main event scrap. This was the third time in 7 months that Melvin has tasted such a violent defeat, and while we would normally hop on our soapbox and beg for Manhoef to retire about now, we’re going to refrain from doing so. MMA has taught us nothing if not that our opinions are useless, so we say fight on, Melvin! Pay no mind to those increasingly noticeable tremors, memory loss, and inability to pronounce words. That’s just weakness leaving the body! HYEAHH!!!
Featuring a main event matchup that was only the UFC’s fourth last resort (!!), UFC Fight Night 60 goes down this Saturday in Broomfield, Colorado. It’s a card that’s been getting a lot of heat from hyperbolic MMA fans for being “underwhelming” and “a beacon of the UFC’s plunge toward mediocrity,” but to be honest, it’s not all that bad of a card. So join me after the jump as I break down all six (!) main card fights from top to bottom…
By CP Reader Connor Lewandowski
Featuring a main event matchup that was only the UFC’s fourth last resort (!!), UFC Fight Night 60 goes down this Saturday in Broomfield, Colorado. It’s a card that’s been getting a lot of heat from hyperbolic MMA fans for being “underwhelming” and “a beacon of the UFC’s plunge toward mediocrity,” but to be honest, it’s not all that bad of a card. So join me after the jump as I break down all six (!) main card fights from top to bottom…
Thatch is a beast on the feet, make no mistake about it. There are few 170 pounders clamoring to stand across the octagon and exchange with the (11-1, 2-0 UFC) Denver native. For the former UFC Lightweight Champion Benson Henderson (21-5, 9-3 UFC), there is a lot to lose in making his welterweight debut on short notice against a hard-hitting prospect with little name recognition. This fight will be largely predicated on the Glendale product’s ability to get the fight to the canvas, which Henderson will find is much easier said than done against the noticeably larger striker in Thatch. Look for Thatch to land early and often in the clinch, but it won’t be enough for the finish. I expect Henderson’s relentless pursuit of the takedown to pay dividends as the fight goes on and open the door for a submission in the later rounds.
Holloway has long been touted as one of the featherweight division’s best prospects, but he has his hands full in the 16-fight UFC veteran in Miller, who is riding a two-fight win streak. Miller is well-rounded and possesses strong grappling skills in addition to being one of the division’s taller fighters at 6 foot 1. However, he has shown in the past an inability to trade with shorter strikers (see the Phan and Gamburyan fights). I expect the Hawaiian native Holloway to find his range and pick Miller apart enroot to a decision.
Coming off a stretch in which he tied a UFC record for wins a calendar year (5), Neil Magny looks to keep his impressive streak going against the slick Kunimoto. With half of his 18 wins by way of submission, the Japanese welterweight poses a serious threat, although it’s hard to understand why Magny has been installed as the more than 5-1 favorite. I do, however, expect him get the better of the exchanges and ultimately earn a decision over the gritty Kunimoto.
Prediction: Magny
Dan Kelly vs Patrick Walsh
A classic matchup of striker versus grappler, this bout pits the undefeated Australian judoka Kelly versus Walsh, a 5-1 Thai-boxer. It’s rare to see a fighter have so much success entering the fight game so late, but at 37 years old, Kelly has done just that. If the Melbourne native can withstand the early onslaught from Walsh, I expect he will find a way to get the fight to the mat, from their look for Kelly to lock in one of his signature submissions for the upset.
Prediction: Kelly
Michel Prazeres vs Kevin Lee
This lightweight bout features a pair of fighters with a combined record of 27-2. Both fighters know what the other will look to do. With Prazeres, we can expect him to try and close the distance and look to score powerful body takedowns while delivering forceful ground and pound. Kelly will aim to find his range against the shorter Brazilian. What I believe may ultimately separate these two is Kelly’s ability to adapt if he can’t get the better of the exchanges. He has the tools to mix in takedowns of his own. If Prazeres can’t drag the collegiate wrestler to the floor, it will be a long night for him.
Prediction: Lee
Ray Borg vs Chris Kelades
The main cards opening bout features two of the UFC’s quickest rising flyweight prospects in the 21 year old Borg and Canadian Kelades. Odds makers have the UFC’s 4th youngest fighter pegged as high as a -600 favorite, but it’s hard to see where they’ve observed such a disparity in ability between these two 125-pounders. In the company’s fastest division Borg still makes his opponents look a step behind, his ability to transition in scrambles in nothing short of incredible. I won’t be shocked to see Kelades hang around longer than most expect him to, and even see some value in him at +400, but more likely than not Borg will find the moments opening and sink in the rear naked choke and force the Canadian to tap or go to sleep.
