Tag: Preview/Prediction

UFC 221: Romero vs. Rockhold Odds, Tickets, Predictions and Pre-Weigh-in Hype

As far as consolation prizes go, it doesn’t get much better than the matchup of Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold as a main event at UFC 221. 
The event was supposed to be anchored by Robert Whittaker’s first title defense as the champion of the 185-p…

As far as consolation prizes go, it doesn’t get much better than the matchup of Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold as a main event at UFC 221. 

The event was supposed to be anchored by Robert Whittaker’s first title defense as the champion of the 185-pound division, but it hit a snag when the champion withdrew from the bout due to illness. Instead, the fans will get to see Yoel Romero step in against Rockhold for the interim middleweight title. 

It’s a fascinating clash of two of the most interesting fighters in the division with plenty of power between the two of them. 

Outside of the featured middleweight bout, there’s a pair of heavyweight fights that feature up-and-comers of a division that has been in the spotlight recently with Stipe Miocic’s latest defense of the belt. 

Here’s a look at the complete cards along with the latest odds from OddsShark. 

         

Tickets: StubHub

Main Card (PPV at 10 p.m. ET)

  • Yoel Romero (+120) vs. Luke Rockhold (-150) – interim middleweight title fight
  • Mark Hunt (+135) vs. Curtis Blaydes (-165) – heavyweight
  • Tai Tuivasa (-300) vs. Cyril Asker (+230) – heavyweight
  • Jake Matthews (+155) vs. Li Jingliang (-190) – welterweight
  • Tyson Pedro (-280) vs. Saparbek Safarov (+220) – light heavyweight

Prelims (Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET)

  • Damien Brown (+130) vs. Dong Hyun Kim (-160) – lightweight
  • Rob Wilkinson (+235) vs. Israel Adesanya (-305) – middleweight
  • Alexander Volkanovski (-185) vs. Jeremy Kennedy (+150) – featherweight
  • Jussier Formiga (-125) vs. Ben Nguyen (-105) – flyweight

Prelims (Fight Pass at 6:30 p.m. ET)

  • Ross Pearson (-150) vs. Mizuto Hirota (+120) – lightweight
  • Teruto Ishihara (+175) vs. Jose Quinonez (-225) – bantamweight
  • Luke Jumeau (+115) vs. Daichi Abe (-145) – welterweight

            

Yoel Romero vs. Luke Rockhold

Luke Rockhold and Yoel Romero have been near the top of the middleweight division for years, yet it’s one of the matchups we’ve yet to see. 

It’s an exciting development for a division that has been in flux of late. With Michael Bisping‘s inactive title reign coming to an end at the hands of Georges St-Pierre, who then dropped the belt, Robert Whittaker has taken over the title of champion, but the title of best in the division is still up for grabs. 

Rockhold believes that a win propels him to the status of real champion. 

“I have all the respect for him,” the former UFC champion said about Whittaker, per Jed Meshew of MMA Fighting. “He’s a gangster in this game, but if I beat Yoel and I put him away, who did it better? He had a close fight. That was 2-2 going into the fifth [round]. He showed his championship skill and he pulled through that fifth round. He won. But if I can do it better, who did it better? Who’s the best? That’s what I plan on doing.”

It’s a bold statement from the 33-year-old. The California native fought just once in 2017 after losing his belt to Bisping in 2016, scoring a stoppage via strikes against David Branch in the second round. 

Romero also stayed out for most of 2017 as well, with his only fight a close loss to Whittaker, which was preceded by a third-round knockout of Chris Weidman. 

There’s a reason the odds are close to a pick ’em in this one. Rockhold brings the more diverse striking game and a polished submission game on the ground, while Romero brings the power and dynamic wrestling game that could mean problems. 

In the end, it might come to just how long the fight goes. Romero has five third-round finishes in his UFC career, but he struggled to finish the fight strong in his first five-round fight against Whittaker. Rockhold, by contrast, has gone beyond three rounds three times in his career, going 3-0.

If Rockhold can get the bout to the championship rounds, he should be in good shape. That’s a long time to avoid the sheer power of Romero, though. The knockout loss to Bisping may have been a bit of a fluke, but it showed how hittable he can be at times. 

That’s never been a good recipe against Romero.

Prediction: Romero via third-round TKO

         

Mark Hunt vs. Curtis Blaydes

The heavyweight division is in dire need of fresh blood. The hype behind Francis Ngannou‘s rise to a heavyweight title shot is perfect evidence of what can happen when a young heavyweight is merely marketable with good skills. 

Curtis Blaydes may have lost his UFC debut to Ngannou, but the 26-year-old has done nothing but win ever since. 

Blaydes is now ranked No. 9 on the strength of three straight wins and a fourth win that was overturned due to a positive test for marijuana after his second-round TKO of Adam Milstead. 

In the UFC’s biggest division and most shallow talent pool, that’s enough to be among the hottest prospects. But Blaydes credibility as a future contender in the division will be tested by one of its most experienced gatekeepers in the co-main event. 

Mark Hunt is coming off a win over Derrick Lewis that wrecked the American’s hype train with a fourth-round TKO, and Hunt doesn’t expect to wait that long against Blaydes. 

“I’m knocking his lips off and I don’t think he’s going to make it out of the first round,” Hunt said, per Alex Oates of the Herald Sun. “Who knows? It might make the second round, but he’s getting knocked out. All these guys are getting knocked out. (Then) I’m knocking all these cheaters out one at a time.”

While Hunt may be dreaming of another late resurgence of his career at 43 years old, this seems like a matchup designed to showcase Blaydes. Razor is an NJCAA national champion wrestler and does a good job of applying that background into his game in the cage. 

Hunt is always dangerous. He’s a wily striker who can alter the complexion of a bout with just one strike, but Blaydes ability to work in the clinch, take Hunt down and apply the pressure with his top game is enough to believe he’s going to break through in this opportunity. 

Prediction: Blaydes via unanimous decision

          

Tai Tuivasa vs. Cyril Asker

Speaking of new blood in the UFC division, Tai Tuivasa is another prospect with a chance to gain some major momentum on Saturday. 

The 24-year-old will be making his second appearance in The Octagon and finds himself right beside mentor Mark Hunt on the fight card. With six wins by first-round finish in six attempts, a win on the big stage of a pay-per-view main card could mean that his fast track continues. 

Asker is 2-2 in the UFC and has settled into the role of early litmus test for young talent. Walt Harris and Jared Cannonier both scored first-round finishes against the Frenchmen while he was able to finish Dmitry Smoliakov and Yaozong Hu. 

Asker should be able to challenge Tuivasa in the grappling exchanges if the fight does wind up on the mat, but that doesn’t appear to be the M.O. for Tuivasa. 

Instead, it’ll likely be another highlight-reel finish for Tuivasa, who will be looking to make an impression on the hometown Australian crowd in Perth. 

Prediction: Tuivasa via first-round TKO

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UFC Fight Night 125 Preview: 3 Can’t-Miss Fights

When the curtains part in Belem, Brazil, the UFC will have nowhere to go but up.
That has to be the hope, anyway. Saturday’s uninspiring UFC on Fox 27 set a record low for TV ratings for the UFC on Fox series, per Dave Meltzer for MMA Fighting. And thi…

When the curtains part in Belem, Brazil, the UFC will have nowhere to go but up.

That has to be the hope, anyway. Saturday’s uninspiring UFC on Fox 27 set a record low for TV ratings for the UFC on Fox series, per Dave Meltzer for MMA Fighting. And this was an event that aired on Fox, as opposed to cable network Fox Sports 1.

That is not good. Although it’s impossible nail down a single cause for this stuff, it may well be that the UFC’s insistence on holding a card more or less every weekend is starting to catch up with it. UFC cards used to be deep. That’s not the case anymore, with diluted talent at every turn. Surely this isn’t what UFC brass is looking for as it negotiates a new broadcast deal.

So when UFC Fight Night 125 airs Saturday on FS1, the promotion has to be hoping for a rebound. No, a single cable card isn’t going to make or break anything, but doesn’t that notion help illustrate the problem?

In any event, this is a fun card dotted with fun fights. Here are the three you can’t miss from Brazil. 

                   

Middleweight

Lyoto Machida (22-8) vs. Eryk Anders (10-0)

Odds: Anders -280, Machida +240

Airs on: Fox Sports 1

Wanna feel old? Lyoto Machida is 39. Fans who have watched him over the past couple of years are probably not so shocked by that. He’s dropped three straight and four of five, with an 18-month suspension for taking a banned substance sandwiched in that run.

Eryk Anders is one of the hottest names in the division. The former University of Alabama linebacker has formidable boom in his hands, delivering a knockout to Rafael Natal in his UFC debut last summer. He has the strength of an ox and a good gas tank, even if the rest of his game remains a bit of a question mark—especially at this level.

Machida has enjoyed a great career, but he is living on his name. His past two losses both came by knockout. Anders may be unproven in some ways, but it won’t matter for this fight. The Brazilian faithful aren’t going home happy.

Anders, KO, Rd. 2.

                 

Bantamweight

John Dodson (19-9) vs. Pedro Munhoz (15-2)

Odds: Dodson -155, Munhoz +135

Airs on: Fox Sports 1

It might be predictable to have two of the three can’t-miss fights be the main and co-main event. But this is a top-heavy card. Unless you are pumped to the rafters for Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Morales or the squash match-in-waiting that is Valentina Shevchenko vs. Priscila Cachoeira, this is about as good as it gets on this card—or in the bantamweight division.

John Dodson is 2-2 since returning to 135 pounds. He needs a big win to stay in the metaphorical mix. With his blazing speed and one-punch knockout power, he can get it in a flash.

Pedro Munhoz is well-rounded with some smooth striking, but grappling is his sharpest weapon. Nine of the jiu-jitsu black belt’s 15 pro wins have come by submission. The one-armed guillotine choke he used to finish Rob Font in the first round of his most recent fight was slicker than grape jelly on a brass doorknob.

The problem is Dodson has excellent defensive wrestling and will be well aware of that guillotine threat. Munhoz’s four-fight win streak ends here.

Dodson, TKO, Rd. 2.

                    

Lightweight

Michel Prazeres (23-2) vs. Desmond Green (20-6)

Odds: Prazeres -145, Green +125

Airs on: Fox Sports 1

Michel Prazeres is not what you would call an action fighter, but his control-wrestling game is impressive all the same. He’s on a five-fight win streak thanks to that approach. Although he does have some pop in his strikes, the choke remains his finishing move of choice.

Desmond Green had success in Bellator and held the featherweight title in Titan FC but has consistently struggled against top competition. He’s a well-rounded competitor with a solid 75 percent takedown defense rate, according to FightMetric. That’s a skill he will need against Prazeres. He should have an advantage on the feet, particularly if he can keep Prazeres on the perimeter.

Lightweight may well be the densest division in the UFC today. Evan Dunham is No. 15 on the official rankings. That tells you something about the division’s depth. Both these fighters are knocking on the door. Green will use his wider skill set to spring the mild upset.

Green, unanimous decision.

                         

Odds according to OddsShark.

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UFC on Fox 27 Predictions: Main Card Staff Picks

The UFC will finish up a busy January with its third event of the month this Saturday, when it hosts UFC on Fox 27. Airing from Charlotte, North Carolina, the show boasts a four-fight main card capped by a middleweight showdown between Ronaldo “Jacare”…

The UFC will finish up a busy January with its third event of the month this Saturday, when it hosts UFC on Fox 27. Airing from Charlotte, North Carolina, the show boasts a four-fight main card capped by a middleweight showdown between Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Derek Brunson.

Souza enters the contest looking to bounce back from a loss to Robert Whittaker last April. Prior to the defeat, Souza had notched 10 wins in 11 bouts. Brunson, meanwhile, has won two in a row, including a first-round knockout of Lyoto Machida.

The full UFC on Fox 27 main card looks like this:

  • Ronaldo Souza vs. Derek Brunson
  • Dennis Bermudez vs. Andre Fili
  • Jordan Rinaldi vs. Gregor Gillespie
  • Drew Dober vs. Frank Camacho

As usual, Bleacher Report MMA has assembled to provide you with our picks for the event. Read on to get forecasts from Scott Harris, Nathan McCarter, Steven Rondina and, for the final time, Craig Amos.

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UFC Fight Night: Jacare vs. Brunson Betting Preview, Odds, Card Analysis

The last time Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (24-5, 1 no-Contest) and Derek Brunson (18-5) met in the cage, they were both competing for the Strikeforce promotion more than five years ago.
The rematch will finally take place this Saturday in Charlotte at …

The last time Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (24-5, 1 no-Contest) and Derek Brunson (18-5) met in the cage, they were both competing for the Strikeforce promotion more than five years ago.

The rematch will finally take place this Saturday in Charlotte at UFC on FOX 27, with Souza listed as a -145 favorite (wager $145 to win $100) to beat Brunson for a second time at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.

Souza scored a first-round knockout of Brunson the first time they squared off in San Diego on August 18, 2012. They were the co-main event on a card that saw Ronda Rousey defend her Strikeforce women’s bantamweight title for the first time against Sarah Kaufman in the main event.

That was part of an eight-fight winning streak for Jacare, who has dropped two of his last four, including a second-round TKO loss to middleweight champion Robert Whittaker via head kick and punches April 15, 2017.

Brunson is a consensus +125 underdog, but riding a two-bout winning streak since losing two in a row to Anderson Silva and Whittaker in a Fight of the Night performance. He earned a Performance of the Night bonus for his first-round KO of Lyoto Machida in his most recent fight at UFC Fight Night 119 October 28 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Before the featured middleweight matchup takes place, a pair of featherweights will battle in the co-main event when Dennis Bermudez (16-7) faces Andre Flli (17-5). Bermudez, a former finalist in The Ultimate Fighter, will be trying to break a two-bout skid as a solid -155 favorite after losing to Chan Sung Jung and Darren Elkins. He is just 2-4 in his last six fights following a seven-bout winning streak.

Meanwhile, Fili is a +135 underdog and has alternated wins and losses in his past nine appearances inside the Octagon, including a unanimous-decision win over Artem Lobov last time out. His previous three fights have all gone to the judges’ scorecards after each of his three prior to that ended inside the distance. Bermudez-Fili is another potential Fight of the Night contender with the two combining for five post-fight bonuses.

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UFC on Fox 27 Preview: 3 Can’t-Miss Fights

UFC on Fox 27, which goes down Saturday from Charlotte, North Carolina, is not the prototypical “big Fox” UFC card.
Even when the undercard is as thin as Bucket Family soup, a huge main event comes through to paper things over. December’s UFC on F…

UFC on Fox 27, which goes down Saturday from Charlotte, North Carolina, is not the prototypical “big Fox” UFC card.

Even when the undercard is as thin as Bucket Family soup, a huge main event comes through to paper things over. December’s UFC on Fox 26, for example, was topped with Robbie Lawler and Rafael dos Anjos. Chris Weidman and Kelvin Gastelum headlined UFC on Fox 25 in July. 

Not to say Saturday’s card doesn’t have any good matches. It has some good fights. The main event is a rematch between Brazilian jiu-jitsu finisher Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and local wrestle-boxer Derek Brunson. It’s fine. It really is. It just doesn’t get the blood flowing. It doesn’t help that there aren’t many obvious Easter eggs buried farther down the slate.

There are good things here, though. You just have to look a little harder when the name value doesn’t smack you in the face.

That’s what we’re here to do. Not smack you, I mean, we’re here to help you find the best fight. Here are the three you can’t miss in Charlotte.

Middleweight

Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (24-5) vs. Derek Brunson (18-5)

Odds (courtesy of OddsShark): Souza -154, Brunson +134

Airs on: Fox

It’s been a few years since savvy fans considered Souza a BJJ specialist. As elite UFC fighters must, Jacare picked up new arts to match those he’d mastered, adding ferocious kickboxing to his arsenal (a naturally tough chin doesn’t hurt, either). He’s 38 years old now, but then again his only two losses in the UFC came to Yoel Romero and Robert Whittaker.

Brunson has won two straight and seven of nine to reach this point. His base is wrestling (he competed collegiately at the D-II level), but his stock in trade these days is the knockout. Standing, against the fence or on the ground, Brunson’s power, particularly in his left hand and left leg, simply overwhelms people. Of the aforementioned seven wins, six came by first-round knockout. That is pretty good. 

And it would be even better if he didn’t catch flash knockouts of his own against Romero and Whittaker. At the same time, flattening a diminished Lyoto Machida in under three minutes doesn’t exonerate him from past missteps. Has his fight IQ continued to grow, crowding out the misplaced aggression that worked against him in the past?

It’s a matter of who’s going to impose his will early. Although Souza prefers a longer distance when striking in open space, both of these men like it against the fence and on the ground. Souza’s jiu-jitsu excellence may all but neutralize Brunson’s willingness or ability to hit takedowns. That said, Brunson has a power edge.

The odds are close, but it seems likely this will hit the mat at some point under some kind of circumstance, and Brunson will have a hard time controlling the action against the BJJ champion. God help him if he ends up on his back. That will be the difference. A very entertaining fight ends when Jacare eats.

Souza, submission, Rd. 2

Welterweight

Drew Dober (18-8) vs. Frank Camacho (21-5)

Odds: Dober -175, Camacho, +150

Airs on: Fox

There are two elite prospects on this card: welterweight Gregor Gillespie and featherweight Mirsad Bektic. Neither face major tests, at least on paper, this Saturday. Dober and Camacho are not as well regarded but have plenty to offer their division and each other in this contest.

Fresh off a knockout of Josh Burkman, Dober isn’t flashy, but he’s not afraid to brawl and can end it anytime with his power. Those thudding strikes can sometimes cover up a solid fight IQ, which can also win him a good number of bouts. 

Camacho? Well, he’s just about exactly the same, with better speed and a bit less power. In his last fight, a split-decision win over Damien Brown, Camacho earned Fight of the Night honors—but lost out on the $50,000 bonus because he missed weight. 

He didn’t get the rematch he wanted with Brown, but Camacho will have a chance to repeat that slugfest with an equally willing dance partner in Dober.

It’s a pick ’em fight, but give me the motivated underdog. Camacho’s three-inch reach (73″ to 70″) may be enough to get him over the edge on points if nothing else.

Camacho, unanimous decision

Lightweight

Vinc Pichel (10-1) vs. Joaquim Silva (10-0)

Odds: Pichel -112, Silva -108

Airs on: Fox Sports 1

It’s easy to forget that Pichel is 35 years old despite his relatively thin record. Thanks to extended spaces between fights (including three years off at one point), fans mostly remember him for getting suplexed by Rustam Khabilov.

He’s more than that, though. Pichel has dynamite in his hands and concrete in his chin. He has eight pro wins by knockout, with his only pro loss coming to Khabilov. 

Silva is an underrated prospect, overlooked since his semifinal loss in The Ultimate Fighter Brazil 4 in 2015. He has well-rounded skills, however, with a more diverse striking arsenal than Pichel, who tends to rely on straight boxing. Another close fight, give this one to the younger, fresher, more complete fighter.

Silva, unanimous decision

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UFC 220 Fight Card: PPV Schedule, Odds and Predictions for Miocic vs. Ngannou

A major heavyweight fight is a rare sight in MMA, but UFC 220’s headliner between champion Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou is as big as they come. 
Miocic is trying to become the first man in the division to defend the belt three times in one tit…

A major heavyweight fight is a rare sight in MMA, but UFC 220’s headliner between champion Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou is as big as they come. 

Miocic is trying to become the first man in the division to defend the belt three times in one title reign. Ngannou wants to prove that he’s the next big thing in the sport. It’s a storyline that will drive the action on Saturday night. 

Light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier will also defend his belt against a powerful up-and-comer. Volkan Oezdemir, fresh off of two sub-minute knockout wins, will look to take the belt away from DC. 

                             

Main Card (PPV at 10 p.m. ET)

  • Stipe Miocic (c) (+145) vs. Francis Ngannou (-175), heavyweight championship
  • Daniel Cormier (c) (-335) vs. Volkan Oezdemir (+255), light heavyweight championship
  • Shane Burgos (-200) vs. Calvin Kattar (+140), featherweight
  • Gian Villante (-170) vs. Francimar Barroso (+140), light heavyweight
  • Thomas Almeida (-120) vs. Rob Font (-110), bantamweight

                       

Prelims (Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET)

  • Kyle Bochniak (+115) vs. Brandon Davis (-145), featherweight
  • Abdul Razak Alhassan (-205) vs. Sabah Homasi (+165), welterweight
  • Dustin Ortiz (+110) vs. Alexandre Pantoja (-140), flyweight
  • Julio Arce (-150) vs. Dan Ige (+120), featherweight

                        

Prelims (UFC Fight Pass at 6:30 p.m. ET)

  • Enrique Barzola (-225) vs. Matt Bessette (+175), featherweight
  • Islam Makhachev (-260) vs. Gleison Tibau (+200), lightweight

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.

        

Is Francis Ngannou as Advertised?

It’s rare that a fight the magnitude of Miocic-Ngannou is difficult to analyze. Usually a championship fight comes with tons of tape to break down and achievements to weigh. 

That isn’t the case here, because Ngannou’s rise happened so quickly that he’s a bit of an unknown. We know he’s massive. We know he has power for days, and we know that he’s proved he can finish fights. 

That’s it. 

A win over Alistair Overeem at UFC 218 launched him into this opportunity, but that was only seven weeks ago. There was barely enough time to process what the win meant before the promotions for his championship fight were released. 

Miocic is no paper champion. In a division marked by the usual suspects as contenders, the champ has separated himself with five straight finishes against top-level competition. 

Fight fans have seen this story play out time and time again in the Octagon: hyped prospect gets fast-tracked only to run into someone just a little more savvy, and the hype train faces derailment. 

It isn’t often that doesn’t happen until a championship fight, but the potential is there. Ngannou’s last two opponents, Andrei Arlovski and Overeem, aren’t exactly the most durable. We haven’t seen what can happen when top competition can survive Ngannou’s initial attacks. 

There’s a possibility Ngannou never sees the loss that points out the glaring weakness in his development. He might not have any. The Cameroon native is special. On Saturday, we get to find out just how special he is. 

Prediction: Miocic is able to survive the early salvo and takes Ngannou to the third round for the first time in the rising star’s career. The champ retains his belt via TKO there. 

        

Is Cormier Still the Clear No. 2 Light Heavyweight in the World?

Cormier has made it clear since making the move from heavyweight in 2014 that he’s the second-best light heavyweight in the world. He’s never been able to top nemesis Jon Jones, but no one else has been able to beat him. 

It’s a frustrating place for him to be. Especially with out-of-cage trouble keeping Jones from holding the belt. Cormier is now the champion while he once again waits for Jones to clear his name and be allowed to fight. 

Coming for that belt is Oezdemir. 

The Swiss contender has earned this title shot by way of his knockout power, turning out the lights on back-to-back opponents in under one minute. 

Granted, those opponents were Misha Cirkunov and Jimi Manuwa. It isn’t exactly a murderer’s row, but it’s more than a new challenger has done in the division in years. Much like the heavyweight division, the 205-pound class tends to have the same names at the top. 

It sets up an interesting test of how much Cormier has left. The champion is 39 years old and coming off another war with Jones in which he suffered a third-round knockout. The wear and tear has to show up at some point. 

The champ is the favorite for a reason. He’s been in a different class than Oezdemir, fighting some of the best names in the division. 

But this will be a good test to see where Cormier is at. A prime Cormier would run through Oezdemir with his suffocating pressure. If Cormier’s chin is growing weaker and the athleticism is starting to wane, we could have a major upset on our hands. 

Prediction: DC isn’t there yet. Deterioration might be lurking around the corner, but it’s hard to believe a man who just went toe-to-toe with Jon Jones (relatively speaking) would turn around and lose to Oezdemir. Cormier get the finish in the fourth round. 

      

Can Thomas Almeida Rally?

Back in May 2016, Thomas Almeida was 20-0 and the favorite in a prospect vs. prospect showdown with Cody Garbrandt. 

“No Love” scored a first-round knockout and went on to become the bantamweight champion. Almeida took the loss and went on to split his next two fights, with a loss to Jimmie Rivera by decision his last time in the cage. 

Those losses definitely hurt, but they aren’t career killers. Garbrandt’s title run and Rivera’s 20-fight win streak make those losses understandable. 

A loss to Font puts a ceiling on Almeida’s potential for the foreseeable future. 

The matchup is a good one, though. Almeida at his best is a knockout artist, and a striker in Font gives him the perfect opportunity to score a big victory. 

“He’s a striker,” Almeida said, per Farah Hannoun of The Sports Journal. “He has a good boxing background, and it’s a good matchup for me because we’re both strikers, and I think it’s going to be a good fight for the fans. This is what really matters, a good show for the fans.”

Font is a credible opponent. He’s coming off his own first-round loss to Pedro Munhoz, but his only other defeat is to John Lineker. All four of his UFC wins have come by way of knockout or submission, so he has the opportunity to stop Almeida as well. 

The result should be a memorable firefight on an undercard that could definitely use one. If Almeida wins, he’s right back in the mix. If he loses, the bottom of the top 15 might just be his destiny.

Prediction: Almeida scores the knockout in the second round of a good action fight. 

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