The trash talk is over. All that’s left is for Kevin Lee to step foot inside of the Octagon to take on Tony Ferguson in tonight’s UFC 216 main event in Las Vegas.
There’s been enough verbal sparring between these fighters over recent weeks. Ferguson may have grown tired of the preamble as he decided to forgo the usual staredown at yesterday’s official weigh-in by listening to music with his headphones on.
UFC 216 has been a long time coming for Ferguson, who hasn’t fought since November of last year after another interim title fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov fell apart at the last minute earlier this year.
But even though Lee gave fight fans a scare by weighing in at the last possible minute, tipping the scales at 156 pounds before coming back to weigh in at 154.5 pounds, tonight’s main event will go ahead for the UFC lightweight interim title.
With all the hype surrounding tonight’s main event, it’s easy to forget about the other fights on tonight’s main card, including a potential record-breaking performance from flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson in tonight’s co-main event against challenger Ray Borg.
Here’s a quick glance at the complete card heading into tonight with the latest odds from OddsShark:
Main Card (PPV at 10 p.m. ET)
- Tony Ferguson (-200) vs. Kevin Lee (+170)
- Demetrious Johnson (-1200) vs. Ray Borg (+750)
- Fabricio Werdum (-250) vs. Derrick Lewis (+210)
- Kalindra Faria (-185) vs. Mara Romero Borella (+165)
- Beneil Dariush (-230) vs. Evan Dunham (+190)
Prelims (FXX at 8 p.m. ET)
- Tom Duquesnoy (-165) vs. Cody Stamann (-145)
- Will Brooks (-340) vs. Nik Lentz (+280)
- Lando Vannata (-220) vs. Bobby Green (+185)
- Poliana Botelho (-130) vs. Pearl Gonzalez (+110)
Prelims (UFC Fight Pass at 6:30 p.m. ET)
- Walt Harris (-300) vs. Mark Godbeer (+250)
- Magomed Bibulatov (-550) vs. John Moraga (+425)
- Brad Tavares (-185) vs. Thales Leites (+165)
- Matt Schnell (-125) vs. Marco Beltran (+105)
Ticket info: StubHub.com
Co-main event: Demetrious Johnson vs. Ray Borg
Demetrious Johnson is on the verge of making history with his 10th title defense at 125 pounds, which could break Anderson Silva‘s record of nine title defenses.
But even though Johnson could enter the “greatest of all-time” conversation with a win tonight, the promotion regarding this fight has been fairly underwhelming. Johnson has never received star billing from the UFC, and it doesn’t look like he will anytime soon unless he moves up to 135 pounds or starts making superfights with Dominick Cruz, T.J. Dillashaw or Cody Garbrandt.
Going up against Borg may not be the sexiest matchup on paper, but tonight should be an exciting fight between two dynamic fighters. Borg will look to take down Johnson and submit him, which is a tall task against a guy who usually dominates the clinch and punishes any fighter who thinks they can handle his jiu-jitsu.
Johnson is arguably the most well-rounded fighter in the UFC. Tony Ferguson is a jack of all trades, but Johnson is a master of multiple disciplines and can win a fight with his striking or his submission game.
Look for Johnson to keep this fight standing, however, to eliminate any shot Borg may have of winning. While Borg is a very talented grappler, he won’t be able to withstand the barrage of punches and elbows from Johnson, who will look to light him up on the feet.
Prediction: Johnson wins via second-round TKO.
Main Event: Ferguson vs. Lee
Call the interim 155-pound belt fake all you want. Tonight’s main event will still be exciting, regardless of its outcome and what it means for the lightweight division.
With Conor McGregor‘s pending return to the Octagon, the UFC needs big fights to keep the Irishman interested. With Nurmagomedov out as he recovers from a brutal weight cut that forced him out of his fight with Ferguson earlier this year, the only bout to make, outside of a superfight with Nate Diaz or Tyron Woodley, would be the winner of Ferguson vs. Lee.
Even when McGregor isn’t fighting, he’s still being talked about.
Ferguson has been waiting for a title shot a long time, and he’s finally getting the opportunity he deserves. One of the most dangerous and versatile fighters in MMA, Ferguson will look to come at Lee with his awkward fighting style and earn the stoppage to make a statement.
While Lee has a very strong grappling game and a legitimate submission arsenal at his disposal, he’s nowhere near the level of Ferguson, who makes a habit of submitting opponents from any position.
Ferguson will look to keep this fight on the feet, however, to test Lee’s cardio after a tough weight cut. While Lee is certainly a gifted fighter looking to improve his boxing skills, he’s going up against one of the most skilled strikers in the division. Ferguson will come at Lee with a barrage of punches and elbows from every angle, throwing off Lee’s timing for a takedown attempt.
An elbow will catch Lee and stun him, allowing Ferguson to take him to the ground and lay down some ground-and-pound before looking for a submission. It’s hard to see this fight going longer than one round as both fighters want to come out with a bang.
Prediction: Ferguson via first-round submission.
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