UFC 188 is going to be well worth the price of admission.
Headlined by a heavyweight grudge match between champion Cain Velasquez and fill-in divisional king Fabricio Werdum, Saturday night in Mexico City, Mexico, should be stout with action.
From elit…
UFC 188 is going to be well worth the price of admission.
Headlined by a heavyweight grudge match between champion Cain Velasquez and fill-in divisional king Fabricio Werdum, Saturday night in Mexico City, Mexico, should be stout with action.
From elite lightweights to budding featherweights, from Olympic wrestlers to former The Ultimate Fighter winners, the well-rounded fight card is aching to blossom.
But throughout all of the exciting collisions set to take form inside of the Octagon, certain fights stand out among others.
They are the same divisional tilts that truly get the needle moving.
Here is a rundown of the five-fight main card, plus two preliminary bouts, showcasing which UFC 188 contests will fit this mold.
UFC 188 is rapidly approaching, and all the press is geared toward the main event. That bout, a UFC title unification in the heavyweight division between Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum, is the biggest bout in that division in a long time.
With all …
UFC 188 is rapidly approaching, and all the press is geared toward the main event. That bout, a UFC title unification in the heavyweight division between Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum, is the biggest bout in that division in a long time.
With all the big stars, there are plenty of guys who are being overlooked on the card. These are guys who don’t have the name recognition, but they have the talent to one day work up the card and become players in their divisions.
With that, let’s look at three overlooked fighters at UFC 188 you should keep your eye on this weekend, as they could make a big splash on the card.
Johnny Case
Slowly but surely, Johnny Case has established himself as a lightweight to watch in the UFC.
An Iowa native, Case has taken his game to Alliance MMA in California, where he has elevated his career through great training and commitment. He has gone from a finisher to a high-level finisher, which makes him that much scarier.
His time in the UFC has been brief, but it has been impressive. He is 2-0, choking out KazukiTokudome in Japan before knocking out Frankie Perez in Boston.
He is an aggressive, move-forward type of fighter who doesn’t visit the judges very often. You combine that with a great stylistic matchup against Frank Trevino come fight night, and Case becomes a target you should watch out for on the prelims.
Clay Collard
Most guys don’t get a lot of props when they compete in a losing effort in their UFC debuts. Clay Collard is one of the few exceptions, as the iron-jawed power puncher took a late-notice bout against top 145er Max Holloway and put on a show before ultimately taking the loss.
Collard is never going to wow anybody with his world-class abilities. In fact, he gets by based on toughness, willingness to engage and killer instinct.
That’s all you need sometimes when you are involved in a fist fight.
He has the raw ability and finishing prowess to make things interesting while making an opponent feel uncomfortable. Most opponents don’t like getting walked down by an aggressive lunatic, which is why Collard thrives.
Watch this man on the prelims. Not only will you be entertained, but your eyes will be opened to an exciting, blue-collared fighter.
Albert Tumenov
When it comes to sheer destruction and violence, few UFC welterweights can match the devastation that Albert Tumenov brings to the Octagon. That’s what makes him must-see TV.
Tumenov, a 23-year-old Russian, is still young in his career, but his highlight tape is longer than the intro to Patton. He takes to the cage with the intention of collecting souls, one vicious knockout at a time.
And other than a controversial loss in his UFC debut, he has been proficient. He doesn’t get the referee to pull him off you as you cover up; he knocks you clean out, with toes curled, eyes rolled back and a concussive state settling in like the Mormons in Utah.
Another win for the Russian is a huge deal. Hopefully, it gets him on television, as opposed to yet another UFC Fight Pass bout.
Henry Cejudo entered MMA with well-deserved fanfare. After all, he is a former Olympic gold medalist. But is he the future of the 125-pound division?
No.
Cejudo is immensely talented. We need not talk about his outstanding wrestling credentials, and he…
Henry Cejudo entered MMA with well-deserved fanfare. After all, he is a former Olympic gold medalist. But is he the future of the 125-pound division?
No.
Cejudo is immensely talented. We need not talk about his outstanding wrestling credentials, and he has solid boxing with knockout power. He has all the tools to become the champion of this division, but he’s not the future.
He is 28 years old. He is not a spring chicken. When we discuss fighters being the future of a division we are talking about young guns who will start a new era. Georges St. Pierre was the future of the welterweight division, and he fulfilled that prophecy. Cejudo is not the future at flyweight.
The biggest reason he is not the future of the division is that Demetrious Johnson is far and beyond Cejudo technique-wise. Mighty Mouse is lightning fast, a stellar striker, and possesses astonishing level changes and underrated jiu-jitsu. He is the complete package. He is the prototype for future mixed martial arts fighters—Cejudo is not.
Cejudo has great skills, and those skills could see him topple Johnson in the future. But as an all-around fighter, he isn’t there yet. He is not who everyone will point to as the example; Johnson is. Everything Johnson does is textbook for MMA. Cejudo has individual skills that can be broken down on tape to show the future fighters coming up through the ranks, but you wouldn’t show a full Cejudo fight as a picture of perfection.
On top of that, Cejudo has been slightly unprofessional in his short MMA career. He has missed weight on several occasions trying to make flyweight. He finally successfully did it at UFC 185, but can someone really be the future if he continues to have issues making the classification? He isn’t getting younger, and the weight will only become more difficult to shed.
Cejudo is still making strides in his career. His two UFC wins were dominant performances, but they weren’t dynamic. He will meet Chico Camus at UFC 188 in another fight he should dominate. It is a question of how much growth we will see.
Additionally, the gold medalist hasn’t had a finish to his credit since 2013. His past four wins have all come by decision.
We still need to see much more from Cejudo before anointing him.
The others contenders, John Dodson and Joseph Benavidez, would be stiff tests for Cejudo. He has yet to take on the elites of this division. The dynamic athletes in the upper echelon of 125 could bring Cejudo‘s stock crashing back to Earth, or he could prove he is worthy of all the gold he wears in his fights. We see the raw talents and are enamored with his pedigree, but we honestly haven’t seen him prove enough to call him the future.
Time will tell.
Cejudo should win his fight at UFC 188. He is an elite talent, and could be fighting for the title sooner than later. But he is not the future of this division or the sport. He is simply another outstanding talent we get to enjoy.
Prepare yourself for a bold prediction and an alternative DraftKings lineup. There’s some traditional picks in this five-fighter list, but the boldness begins with the selection of Fabricio Werdum over Cain Velasquez in the main event.Velasquez is the …
Prepare yourself for a bold prediction and an alternative DraftKings lineup. There’s some traditional picks in this five-fighter list, but the boldness begins with the selection of Fabricio Werdum over Cain Velasquez in the main event.
Velasquez is the reigning UFC heavyweight champion and has been since December 2012 when he avenged his loss to Junior dos Santos via unanimous decision. It may sound as if Velasquez has had a long reign as champion, but at closer examination the 30-month run has only included two title defenses.
Velasquez brutalized Antonio Silva and then Dos Santos in a third meeting in 2013, but knee injuries forced him to miss all of 2014. In the meantime, due to his inactivity, the UFC had Werdum take on Mark Hunt for the interim title. Werdum beat Hunt with a spectacular flying knee that led to a TKO of the rugged Samoan.
It has all led up to Velasquez’s return to the Octagon and a meeting with Werdum on Saturday in Mexico. From the looks of the DK salaries (Velasquez $11,900 and Werdum $7,500) it’s clear to see which fighter is the guy most expect to win.
Here’s why I’m drafting Werdum:
Werdum not only has a legit chance to win, but I’m predicting he prevails via submission. Velasquez is known for his cardio and ground-and-pound. However, he’s never faced, or likely even had the opportunity to train with, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner on Werdum’s level. The 37-year-old Brazilian has submitted the great Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in his career.
Those are not small accomplishments in the world of grappling. Velasquez can bang for sure, but at some point Werdum is going to force this fight to the ground, and Velasquez’s work rate could ultimately be a negative. Werdum is great at using his opponent’s aggressiveness against them. Velasquez may put himself in a position that leads to a choke and a submission loss to the crafty Brazilian.
Even if Velasquez wins, Werdum’s striking has improved to a point where he won’t generate a zero for you in the fantasy points department. In his last seven rounds—which spans two fights—Werdum is averaging 3.78 significant strikes per minute, per FightMetric.
That accuracy should make him a productive loser if the main prediction doesn’t come true. Here’s a look at my full lineup of fighters for the UFC 188 card.
Tecia Torres ($11,400) vs. Angela Hill
Experience and physical strength is everything in this matchup. Tecia Torres has had five pro fights and her opponent Angela Hill has had just two. In a weight class as young as the women’s strawweight division, three pro fights are like dog years.
Because both Torres and Hill were a part of the Ultimate Fighter Season 20 cast, they are familiar with each other. Torres has gained the reputation as a striker, and she knows Hill has some of the same skills. However, Torres doesn’t seem too worried.
She told MMA Junkie’s Brent Brookhouse: “I know she’s going to come with her muay thai skills, but I feel that I have the better overall experience and I’m just going to be better in every aspect of the fight.”
I believe her and am willing to invest $11,400 of DK salary to prove it.
Eddie Alvarez ($9,100) vs. Gilbert Melendez ($10,300)
On every DK UFC contest, you’re going to have to select a fighter who will probably lose. There’s just not enough salary to go around to take five favorites in most cases. On this card, the guy I’ve tabbed is former Bellator standout Eddie Alvarez.
He takes on Gilbert Melendez in what could be the Fight of the Night.
First and foremost, Alvarez is the pick here because his salary is affordable and helps to facilitate the drafting of other fighters who have a great chance of scoring big. Secondly, if Alvarez loses, it’ll likely be by decision.
Melendez has never stopped an opponent in the UFC and hasn’t scored a victory by TKO or submission since 2011. Alvarez probably isn’t the guy set to be Melendez’s first stoppage victim in the promotion. The former hasn’t been stopped since 2011.
Lastly, Alvarez just might win this fight. This will be his second bout in the UFC, and the pressure is on him to produce with the biggest promotion in the sport. While Melendez is skilled and tough, his lack of elite knockout power could allow Alvarez the freedom to wing a few more shots and score an unexpected victory.
At worst, Alvarez should be one of the event’s most productive losers in a five-round fight that sees both men have their moments.
Fabricio Werdum is going to upset Cain Velasquez. There, I said it.
It’s a concept I’ve been pondering for the last week, but didn’t have the nerve to say out loud. The two UFC heavyweight champions of some sort will meet on Saturday in Mexico at UFC 1…
Fabricio Werdum is going to upset Cain Velasquez. There, I said it.
It’s a concept I’ve been pondering for the last week, but didn’t have the nerve to say out loud. The two UFC heavyweight champions of some sort will meet on Saturday in Mexico at UFC 188 to definitively determine who’s the baddest man on the planet.
Velasquez is the recognized heavyweight champion and perhaps the scariest fighter in any weight class in the sport. He has great knockout power, good grappling and world-famous cardio for a man his size. Those are all excellent skills to have, but styles make fights, and Werdum’s approach and skill set are a combination Velasquez hasn’t seen before.
When it comes to Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners, you won’t find many who are on Werdum’s level—let alone superior. The 37-year-old Brazilian has submitted the likes of FedorEmelianenko and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. In the world of mixed martial arts, those are epic accomplishments.
While Velasquez has faced other experienced Brazilian jiu-jitsu artists like Junior dos Santos and Antonio Silva, neither of them had as much in the toolbox as Werdum. Dos Santos prefers to stand and strike and Silva lacks Werdum’s athleticism and dexterity.
Werdum’s striking is also massively improved over the years. That was evidenced in his dismantling of Travis Browne in April 2014 and in his TKO win over Mark Hunt in November 2014 via flying knee. That victory won Werdum the interim UFC title and set up this meeting with Velasquez.
“I’ve gotten better and improved so much, and he hasn’t fought in two years. It’s going to be pretty hard for him.”
Per Odds Shark, Werdum is the biggest underdog on the card at 71-20 odds, but the prediction here is an upset win by second-round submission and a Performance of the Night bonus. Velasquez is always aggressive and that will likely be heightened as he fights in front of adoring fans in Mexico.
That aggression will put him in a compromising position on the ground against a fighter who excels at fighting off his back. Remember where you heard it first.
Performance of the Night – Henry Cejudo
So long as Henry Cejudo continues to make weight at 125 pounds, he’s on a collision course with flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. The next obstacle for Cejudo to blast through will be the always tough and game Chico Camus.
Unlike any other flyweight in the sport, Cejudo has the power and technique to physically dominate any fighter in the weight class with his grappling. It will take a speedy and technically sound fighter to combat Cejudo‘s wrestling prowess and underrated punching power.
This is one of those fights where one guy is just flat-out superior to his opponent at everything. What does Camus do? Wrestle and strike from distance with speed. What does Cejudo do? That, only significantly better. He’s also got quite a bit more power than Camus on the feet.
This is as close to a guarantee as you’re likely to find on this card.
Cejudo is going to make a statement at Camus’ expense and vault himself into the top 5 of the division with a win. Look for a second-round TKO win and pure domination leading up to it.
Fight of the Night – Eddie Alvarez vs. Gilbert Melendez
Unless you’re looking at a fight like the one-round war between Browne and Andrei Arlovski at UFC 187, most bouts that win the award for best scrap of the night last a little while. They also usually feature two fighters willing to throw caution to the wind and bang.
The Eddie Alvarez vs. Gilbert Melendez bout would qualify in both areas.
Melendez hasn’t stopped a fighter since 2011 and Alvarez was last stopped in the same year. Both fighters are coming off losses to world-class opponents. Melendez was submitted by Anthony “Showtime” Pettis and Alvarez lost a unanimous decision in his UFC debut to Donald Cerrone.
Because of their recent defeats, there will be a sense of desperation in both men. Alvarez and Melendez came to the UFC with much fanfare after starring for Bellator and Strikeforce, respectively. To be honest, neither has lived up to the hype—though Alvarez has had just one bout with the promotion.
Both will want to be impressive.
Melendez has already participated in one classic bout back in 2013 against Diego Sanchez. Expect another memorable scrap from El Nino on Saturday night in Mexico.
Within the world of Mexican sports, boxing has long been one of the most important recreational functions to said community. Knowing that, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has long attempted to tap into that fanbase. Now, UFC 188 is here, and with it…
Within the world of Mexican sports, boxing has long been one of the most important recreational functions to said community. Knowing that, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has long attempted to tap into that fanbase. Now, UFC 188 is here, and with its Mexican-American heavyweight champion, Cain Velasquez, the UFC is finally prepped to pull out all the stops to attract the Mexican combat sports fan.
UFC 188 is stacked with a number of fighters who represent an aspect of the Latino demographic. First there is Velasquez in the main event. Former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger Gilbert Melendez is also a Mexican-American. Eddie Alvarez, former Bellator champion, is of PuertoRican and Irish descent.
Tecia Torres is another individual who is fighting on the card and representing the Latino community.
“To fight in Mexico is amazing,” Torres said in an MMA Junkie piece by Brent Brookhouse. “To represent the Latin American people—especially Latin American women…there’s not many of us fighting. To be one of the ones that are able to set a precedent and to fight in Mexico is really amazing.”
Kelvin Gastelum is another individual who is a part of the Mexican community, as both of his parents were Mexican immigrants.
Another fighter that hopes to make a major impact is Henry Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling whose parents also hail from Mexico.
“I would love to fight in Mexico City,” Cejudosaid during the post-fight press conference for UFC 185. “I’m fluent in Spanish, and my parents are from Mexico City.”
If he dominates Chico Camus, then perhaps the UFC will have a flyweight fighter with the fanbase that can be promoted against the current champion, Demetrious Johnson.
Beyond the fighters mentioned, there are other competitors who will compete for the organization while representing some aspect of the Mexican demographic. Hispanic fans have long supported fighters within their own community, and this stands as an opportunity for both the UFC and these competitors to grow their brand in monumental fashion.
Velasquez perhaps has the most to gain when he steps into the cage on Saturday.
The current champion is coming off of another long stint away from the cage due to injury. The champion has not competed since UFC 166 in 2013 when he snatched the title back from Junior dos Santos. Even before that moment, Velasquez has long struggled with injuries that have kept him out of competition for extended periods of time.
If he and interim champion Fabricio Werdum put on a stellar showcase, both men will immediately increase their value among the entire fight community. The UFC has promoted Velasquez as its Mexican champion and, a victory at UFC 188 will further push that messaging to the masses.
The UFC will finally invade Mexico with UFC 188 from the Mexico City Arena. With so many different fighters who boast heritage within the Latino community, the organization has presented one of the best cards available to those within that demographic. With this event, the organization has an opportunity to finally capture the attention of those within the Mexican combat sports fanbase.
Henry 