WWE Bash in Berlin coverage, business, records, interest level, crossover buys with AEW and an overview of the show.
AEW All Out
NXT No Mercy coverage
The life and career of Villano V, son of one of the biggest stars in history, Ray Mendoza, his sons, formation of a promotion that became one of the hottest in the world at the time, the background of Los Villanos from a movie, his run in WCW as enhancement talent, the legend of Villanos vs. Brazos and Villano V vs Blue Panther in Mexican legacy and life after wrestling.
How Turki Alashikh is trying to change boxing on PPV, possible motives, and how AEW does on PPV is a key in analyzing this.
Kevin Kelly and the Tate Twins sue AEW, the most detailed look at the suit itself what it means, and potential outcomes
The life and times of Sonny King, wrestling all over the world, from early WWWF tag champion to Crockett headliner, when he was stabbed, his days as a manager, philosophy of wrestling, and more.
The most detailed look at the ratings for all the pro wrestling shows over the past week, demos,
segments placing and competition.
Chris Jericho talks about returning to Mexico
All kids of major events planned for Arena Mexico in upcoming weeks
Celebrity knocks company that used him and praises their opposition
Stardom Five Star Grand Prix finals
NOAH’s N-1 finals
Suzuki vs. Shibata in Japan
Honoring Yoshihiro Takayama and Don Frye talks
Three generations of superstars in one match
Nikki Bella/Garcia news coverage
Notes on movies and TV shows featuring current stars
Santo retirement tour
The Wrestling Combine
Rich Swanna going to rehab
TNA big show coverage
Lots more on All In business
Tony Khan press call
Health updates on wrestlers
Nigel McGuinness talks wrestling
Mark Henry had words regarding AEW and Tony Khan
International TV ratings
Sting’s son training for wrestling update
Highest merch sellers in WWE and AEW
UFC record gate coming
Fighter sues manager for embezzling $2 million
WWE television changes
More Janel Grant court issues
Firing of Odyssey Jones
Vince McMahon documentary
Lawsuit against WWE and Cody Rhodes
More people leaving WWE after decades with the company
This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter Back Issue
Lee South
MJF vs Daniel Garcia
Hoffman Estates, IL
AEW All Out
September 7, 2024
– Our weekend show covering All Out is up on the site today. We didn’t do a Friday show this week because I had some television commitments all day but Garrett and I will be doing more next week and try and do more Q&A. Bryan and I will be back Monday after Raw.
– The new issue of the Observer as well as a new back issue are both up on the site right now. The current issue has two major history pieces, one on Villano V which has a lot about a boom period in Mexico and two of the most famous bouts in history, and the plight of a superstar in Mexico who became enhancement talent in the U.S.. The other is on Sonny King, who was a 70s and early 80s star who just passed away. It’s a much larger-than-usual issue.
– The press conference after last night’s All Out show was brief, as no wrestlers from the show appeared and it was just Tony Khan talking for a few minutes. The key questions were about media rights. He claimed that he has not signed the contract yet regarding the new WBD media deal but it was 100 percent there would be a deal and 90 percent it would be announced over the next month. He didn’t say the deal has largely been agreed to, but it has. He did say AEW would be on TBS and TNT for a long time.
He didn’t say this, but there is also talk of a non-WBD media partner out there. He said the PPV number was higher than All Out last year. We’ll have numbers on Thursday as TV numbers he wouldn’t know but he would know streaming first day by that point and that is the majority of buyers. Given how quick a turnaround this was from All In, if the numbers are up from last year, that’s a big success and likely due to the Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland angle. They also sold a lot of late tickets, and that’s largely from the angle because the ticket price drop was more than a week earlier and the new ticket movement started Thursday and Friday, a week after that drop, so that would relate to the Wednesday television show.
– The angles last night were because MJF and Swerve Strickland will be off for a little while and that gives them both stories for a return. Bryan Danielson is also now set up for title bouts with Jon Moxley, Darby Allin, Claudio Castagnoli, and Christian Cage among others. Adam Page, Kazuchika Okada, and Will Ospreay could be on that list as well.
– We’re looking for your thoughts on the All Out show, so you can leave a thumbs up, thumbs down, or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected].
– Demetrious Johnson announced his retirement from MMA on Friday. He retired and ONE announced he would become the first member of its Hall of Fame. Dana White also said that he is absolutely a UFC Hall of Famer. Johnson holds the UFC record for 11 straight successful title defenses and the most career submissions in world title fights with five.
– Bret Hart will be on Raw tomorrow with the show in Calgary. Part of this is because it’ll be his last appearance at the Saddledome for a wrestling show, which is being torn down, and was the site of most WWE shows in that market for decades.
– The complete lineup for Friday’s CMLL 91st anniversary show:
Future & Hombre Bala Jr. & Max Star vs. Rugido & Magnus & Magia Blanca
Neon & Star Jr. & Templario vs. Angel de Oro & Niebla Roja & Soberano Jr.
Willow Nightingale vs. Zeuxis for the CMLL women’s title
Mascara Dorada vs. Titan for the Copa Independencia
Atlantis Jr & Ultimo Guerrero & Volador Jr. vs. Satoshi Kojima & Orange Cassidy & Rocky Romero
Mistico vs. Chris Jericho
Hechicero vs. Esfinge vs. Valiente vs. Euforia in a four-way loser loses his mask
– Titan won his block on the Copa Independencia on Friday night. So instead of tecnico vs. rudo, CMLL booked for the best possible new in-ring match (Dorada vs. Templario has been done in the arena recently). Friday’s show I heard was great, particularly the top three bouts. I’ve got a ton to catch up on tonight but will cover a lot tomorrow night.
– Bellator notes from yesterday’s show in San Diego:
Zhora Ayvazyan beat Yancy Medeoris via out wrestling him by 30-27 scores
Sumiko Inaba beat Mackenzie Stiller via second round TKO
Aaron Jeffrey beat Douglas Lima by straight 29-28 scores
Lorenz Larkin knocked out Leevan Chokheli in 1:53 of round one to earn a welterweight title shot
Usman Nurmagomedov retained the lightweight world title over Alexander Shabiliy on scores of 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46l
– AEW has announced its traditional night before Thanksgiving show in Chicago at the Wintrust Arena, plus 10/26 in Cedar Rapids, IA, 10/30 in Cleveland OH, 11/2 in Philadelphia at the Liacouras Center, and 11/7 in Providence, RI.
– Guilia vs. Chelsea Green will be on the Tuesday NXT show which is a loaded lineup.
– Jackie Moore signed a WWE legends deal.
– The film “The Last Showgirl” starring Dave Bautista, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Pam Anderson debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival.
– Donovan Dijak vs. Timothy Thatcher has been added to MLW’s live show on Saturday at Center Stage in Atlanta.
– West Coast Wrestling Federation on Saturday night in Yuba City CA at River Valley High School at 6 p.m. with Sir Samurai, Terrale Tempo, and Nathan Brick as headliners.
– Sandman appeared on yesterday’s Memphis Wrestling TV show.
– NOAH from Friday in Edinburgh, Scotland:
Yo-Hey & Amakusa b Dave Trew & Kieron Lacey
Grado & Naomichi Marufuji b Hayata & Tate Mayfairs
Alpha Wolf & Dragon Bane b Kid Lykos Gym
Axel Tischer b Taishi Ozawa
Ulka Sasaki b LJ Cleary
Yoshiki Inamura b Will Kroos
Ricky Knight Jr. b Manabu Soya
Kenoh b Gene Munny
Kaito Kiyomiya & Masa Kitamiya b Jack Morris & Saxon Huxley (thanks to Ian Forsyth)
– Heather Reckless has signed with TNA.
– House of Glory Wrestling on 10/18 in New York at the NYC Arena has Masato Tanaka announced plus Mike Santana, Zilla Fatu, Gringo Loco, Megan Bayne, and more.
Kenny Omega emerged victorious in a Street Fighter 6 match, defeating MMA star Demetrious Johnson.
Omega defeated the ONE flyweight champion a Street Fighter 6 match that took place on Crown’s Pit Crew Twitch stream. Omega won the first and third rounds, while Johnson won the second round. The tournament was for charity, with Omega playing for Hulls Haven while Johnson played for Children’s Hospital.
After winning the first round, the rules of the tournament forced Omega to compete with new restrictions, causing him to lose in the second round. Restrictions were then placed on Johnson in round three, but eventually it was decided for all restrictions to be removed. Omega then won the final round with no restrictions.
Johnson and Omega have been trading words for the last month regarding a possible video game bout between one another where the loser would donate to the charity of the winner’s choice.
What a swell guy. Organizing his own demise and all for charity!
Tune in and win, lose, or draw, it’s all for a good cause!
Omega most recently competed at AEW WrestleDream where he, Kota Ibushi, and Chris Jericho lost to Konosuke Takeshita, Sammy Guevara, and Will Ospreay. Johnson also appeared in the crowd on Sunday.
The UFC and ONE Fighting Championship’s history-making trade has officially been agreed to.
ESPN’s Ariel Helwani reported today that the UFC has agreed to release Demetrious Johnson from his contract to allow him to sign with ONE Championship. ONE has also agreed to release Ben Askren in order for him to sign with the UFC.
Helwani noted that both fighters are expected to sign deals with their new promotions in the near future.
Johnson and Askren have both acknowledged the news on their Twitter accounts.
ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong wrote: “Please join me in welcoming the #1 pound-for-pound king, @MightyMouse, to ONE Championship! His extraordinary achievements speak for themselves, but I am most impressed by his character, his values, and his life story. #GOAT Thank you to @MightyMouse, @Benaskren, @ONEChampionship, @UFC, and @malkikawa for making the 1st trade in mixed martial arts history possible. #gratitude”
Johnson is 27-3 with one draw in his career, while Askren is 18-0 with one no contest and is a former welterweight champion for ONE and Bellator. After breaking the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses, Johnson lost the flyweight championship to Henry Cejudo at UFC 227 in August.
Helwani reported that “a plan was hatched” for Johnson to leave the UFC after his loss to Cejudo, but the UFC needed incentive to release him. Johnson’s management team pitched the idea of the trade, and all of the involved parties ended up agreeing to it. Johnson’s coach Matt Hume is also ONE’s vice president of operations.
While free agency has grown in importance in mixed martial arts, the concept of a trade between organizations has never fully made sense because of competition and logistics.
But in the current ‘anything is possible’ era of sports entertainment, a report Wednesday has the UFC and Asia’s ONE Fighting Championship discussing a historic trade that would send former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson to ONE for former Bellator champion and currently retired Ben Askren.
Citing multiple sources, ESPN’s Ariel Helwani reported the news that was first discussed on MMA Junkie Radio. He said that a deal is on the table, but that nothing has been finalized. It’s unknown as of this time who proposed what and when.
Johnson (pictured) recently saw his historic run as champion ended at the hands of Henry Cejudo, and has been at odds with UFC president Dana White over the last two years on how he’s promoted and his relationship with the organization. He’s been in the UFC since 2011 following the WEC merger.
His head coach Matt Hume is VP of Operations for ONE, so, if a deal was done, that conflict of interest would need to be resolved.
Askren has also been at odds with White over the years, but has never competed in the UFC. After the undefeated welterweight split with Bellator near the end of the Bjorn Rebney era, he went to ONE in May 2014 and went unbeaten in six fights, retiring in November 2017. On social media, the possibility of Askren in UFC increased this year but he still is under contract with ONE.
ONE recently made waves with the signing of former UFC and Bellator champion Eddie Alvarez and while the promotion doesn’t have a firm presence in the U.S., moves like these would perhaps indicate something bigger on the horizon.
The UFC returns tonight for the first of two August shows, headlined by two rematches in lighter weight divisions struggling to get attention.
Yes, welcome back to the “Demetrious Johnson isn’t a star/is an underpromoted star” show, even though he’s not headlining tonight’s event….even though he is continuing to attempt to set records with flyweight title defenses. (See? Now I’m doing it!)
The card:
Bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw vs. Cody Garbrandt II
Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson vs. Henry Cejudo II
Ryan: The main event. Yeah, it is quick to give Garbrandt an immediate rematch seeing as he never even defended the bantamweight title before losing it to Dillashaw, but the only other viable contender in the division, Dominick Cruz, has been on the injured list until just recently. The rivalry is there, and I don’t expect it to endthere. I’m also looking forward to the Johnson-Cejudo rematch, but just because I appreciate how great Johnson is, and I wanna see if Cejudo has anything for him this time.
Paul: Garbrandt has been one of my favorite fighters for a couple of years now. Longtime readers may recall me picking him as a future fighter to watch before he even won the title from Cruz. He’s still very young and winning the title back could cement him as one of the greatest 135’ers in history.
Josh: Not much. This card isn’t doing it for me at all and while the two top fights are high on skill, I’m not into anything happening tonight. Dillashaw and Garbrandt basically disappeared for a year, outside Dillashaw and Johnson flirting with a fight that seemingly will never happen. Johnson is what he is and while Cejudo has shown marked improvement since they last fought, we’ve seen this movie before.
Anything being slept on?
Paul: Brett Johns vs. Pedro Munhoz, two of the most underrated fighters in their division, anchors the FX prelims. A high profile win here could put either guy one or two fights awa from a title shot. Johns, in particular, has been a champion in other organizations and has a bit of a star aura about him.
Ryan: I’m not sure if it’s being slept on as it’s getting some attention, but the Fight Pass headliner between Shorty Torres and Alex Perez is one of the best fights on the card. Torres had full preparation for this fight, and it’s a good fight for him as Perez is tough and solid. Johnson did mention Torres as a future challenger, so he knows where his competition is going to be coming from. IAnother intriguing prelim is the bantamweight battle between Ricardo Ramos and Kyung Ho Kang.
Josh: Nah.
Anything not doing it for you?
Josh: As mentioned before, it’s the whole show for me. Maybe it’s because of the Red Sox-Yankees slugfest, but I can’t muster up the interest. I think part of that is the lack of a fun contender queue for the champion. If Garbrandt wins, I don’t want to wait a year to see this a third time. If Cejudo pulls off the upset, we’re getting that fight a third time. So…yeah.
Ryan: It’s not a deep show by any means. It’s not the weakest pay-per-view line-up this year, but injuries did take their toll on the card with cancelled bouts. There isn’t anything not doing it for me, but there isn’t a lot of overall interest outside of the top two fights.
Paul: Honestly, anyone but the most hardcore of hardcore fans would have to struggle to find anything on this show worth caring about outside of the two main events. The whole undercard is kinda “meh”, but the Danielle Taylor fight on the Fight Pass prelims is the one that will probably suck the most. If I didn’t have to watch it, I wouldn’t because the next good Danielle Taylor fight I see will be the first.
What’s the intrigue with the show?
Ryan: The intrigue is in the main event and if Cejudo can score a different outcome in his second shot at dethroning Johnson. Outside of that, the show is really only for the hardcores. There was more intrigue for the press conference on Friday.
Paul: If Johnson can cement his legacy as the greatest pound for pound fighter in history by successfully defending his title yet again. People are talking right now that this is a foregone conclusion, and it probably is, but I have a funny feeling things may not go according to plan.
Josh: If Johnson can retain yet again. If he does, I agree with the sentiment Chuck Mindenhall had on this week’s ‘MMA Beat’ that eventually, Johnson will need to go outside his comfort zone and go up a weight class or fight Dillashaw or else risk complete fan apathy.
What will be people talking about most after the show is done?
Ryan: It will be that Johnson remains the top pound-for-pound top fighter in the sport, and if it is finally time for the superfight between him and the winner of the main event. I personally think that Garbrandt is going to win this time over Dillashaw, and that it’ll probably lead to an immediate third fight which would be a mistake for now. Give it some breathing room if that happens as these two have tied up the 135-pound title for close to two years now. It’s time to get these divisions moving.
Paul: I’m going out on a limb and predicting that people will be talking about the fact that for the first time in history, someone other than Demetrious Johnson is the UFC flyweight champion. Outside of that, and what Ryan mentioned, it will be just whether or not this show can set the modern era record for the least purchased PPV.
Josh: That Johnson and Dillashaw were both victorious and that they really need to make that fight happen.
On another edition of JNPO Classic, we head back to September 29, 2011, for an edition of the WGAM MMA Show, highlighted by an interview with an all-time great before he become an all-time great.
We began by recapping UFC 135 aka High Altitude Strikes which featured Jon Jones’ dominant light heavyweight title defense over Rampage Jackson, Josh Koscheck’s no-doubt KO win over Matt Hughes, and a boring fight between Mark Hunt and Ben Rothwell. We also discussed UFC planning to hold two events in one day.
We then interviewed Demetrious Johnson who was preparing to face then-UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz on the first live UFC title fight on cable TV (Versus). This was classic DJ with short five-second answers and not a lot of depth until he opened up a bit about video games and started making sound effect noises. Yep, he certainly did.
If you’re into MMA history, you’ll like this show.
Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of UFC 216: Ferguson vs. Lee, emanating from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
As the city of Las Vegas continues to mourn after the horrific events of this past Sunday, the UFC will do their part in entertaining the fans in “The Fight Capital of the World” by bringing a night full of bouts inside the Octagon.
The event is headlined by a battle for the Interim UFC Lightweight Championship as Tony Ferguson takes on Kevin Lee in one of the best fights, on paper, made this year. Both men are on long win streaks, as Ferguson has won nine straight and Lee has won five straight, and both are looking to wrap UFC gold around their waists, and perhaps more importantly, secure a shot against Conor McGregor when he returns.
The semi-main event looks to see history made as UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson will attempt to set the record for most consecutive title defenses as he defends against Ray Borg. They were pushed back a month after Borg was forced to pull out of UFC 215 last month, leaving Johnson having to wait to stamp his position as the best fighter in the sport.
Also on the main card is an intriguing heavyweight matchup as former UFC Heavyweight Champion Fabricio Werdum takes on Derrick Lewis, and lightweights Beneil Dariush and Evan Dunham kick off the main card.
Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern time with preliminary action all the way through the main card.
We are looking for your thoughts on tonight’s event, so send a thumbs up, a thumbs down or a thumbs in the middle along with a best fight and a worst fight to Dave at [email protected].
BREAKING: The heavyweight bout between Fabricio Werdum and Derrick Lewis was a last-minute scratch from the card due to a back injury suffered by Lewis. Werdum is staying on the card as Walt Harris is going to replace Lewis, which means Mark Godbeer is now off the card.
Tavares was coming out as the aggressor early one attacking the legs and utilizing his jab. Leites landed a right hand but Tavares was firing back with more volume. Tavares got Leites in trouble with a left hand and Leites was backtracking before grabbing a leg and forcing Tavares against the fence looking for a takedown. They broke the action due to stalling by Leites but Leites went right back for a takedown against the fence. They were broken up again. Tavares hurt Leites with punches late in the round. 10-9 Tavares.
They traded leg kicks to start the second before Tavares started landing more punches. Tavares is clearly the better striker and has been blocking Leites’ attempts to grapple. They traded kicks but Tavares landing more and then landing the jab. Leites finally got a brief takedown but Tavares got right back to his feet. They separated. They were trading punches and Tavares was landing hard leg kicks. 10-9 Tavares, 20-18 Tavares.
They both came out swinging as this round could determine the winner. Tavares was landing so Leites grabbed a clinch against the fence. Both men were working to take down the other. They broke and Tavares was working the jab until Leites got poked in the eye. Leites’ face is a mess. Tavares started landing even more and Leites went to the mat. Leites was inviting Tavares down but Tavares wasn’t having any of it. Tavares dropped Leites with a leg kick. Leites got up and went working hard for a takedown. Leites whiffed on a takedown and Tavares was landing punches and kicks to a downed Leites. Big round for Tavares. 10-8 Tavares, 30-26 Tavares.
Official Result- Brad Tavares def. Thales Leites by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
> John Moraga (#11, 17-6, 6-5 UFC) vs. Magomed Bibulatov (#15, 14-0, 1-0 UFC) Flyweights
Moraga was attacking the legs early to keep Bibulatov at a distance. Moraga landed a right hand. Moraga then rocked Bibulatov and then dropped him with a left hand that knocked Bibulatov out cold! Great finish by Moraga and he hands Bibulatov his first career loss.
Official Result- John Moraga def. Magomed Bibulatov by knockout (punch) at 1:36 of Round 1
FX PRELIMS | 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
> Matt Schnell (10-4, 0-2 UFC) vs. Marco Beltran (8-5, 3-2 UFC) Flyweights
Schnell looking to control the distance at the start. Beltran has a head kick checked by Schnell. Front kick by Beltran. Schnell with a leg kick as he backs Beltran up to the fence. Beltran lands a heavy leg kick. Both men still feeling each other out. They each landed some good punches and kicks but neither man did much to convincingly win the round. 10-9 Schnell.
Beltran coming out aggressive to start the second round with a leg kick. Beltran with a leg kick but Schnell fired back with a right hand followed by a leg kick. Schnell ducking under Beltran’s punches and he’s controlling the action. Beltran landed a solid head kick. He tried another but Schnell grabbed the leg and kick the other leg of Beltran. Beltran now pushing the pace a little more as Schnell is just looking for counters. Schnell with a right hand. They trade and Schnell lands more in close range. Another close round. 10-9 Schnell, 20-18 Schnell.
They quickly clinch to start the third round. They quickly broke and got back to the center of the Octagon. Neither man landing much thru the first bit of this round. Schnell then kicked Beltran low to force a timeout. Beltran just misses a high kick. They both landed in a close exchange. Beltran with a head kick. Schnell lands a right hand. Schnell lands another and then a combo that stumbles Beltran. Beltran got a late takedown. Close fight. 10-9 Beltran, 29-28 Schnell.
Official Result- Matt Schnell def. Marco Beltran by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
> Pearl Gonzalez (6-2, 0-1 UFC) vs. Poliana Botelho (5-1, 0-0 UFC) Women’s Strawweights
Gonzalez rushing right to Botelho. Gonzalez with a series of leg kicks and then clinches up against the fence. Botelho with some elbows as Gonzalez is looking for a takedown. Botelho with more elbows but not much is happening otherwise. They are broken apart by the referee. Both come out kicking but Gonzalez landing better. They clinch again and battle for position. Botelho has the underhooks but they are just not doing anything. Botelho with more elbows. 10-9 Botelho.
Gonzalez went right back to trying to take Botelho down against the fence. This fight is not good so far. Botelho landing punches and more elbows as Gonzalez is just relentless on looking for a takedown. They are finally broken up by the referee. Gonzalez looking tired. Botelho lands the jab and then a leg kick. Botelho misses some big right hands. Boring fight. 10-9 Botelho, 20-18 Botelho.
Gonzalez attacking the legs at the start of the third. Gonzalez grabs the leg of Botelho and pushes her against the fence but Botelho lands a punch. Gonzalez back to working hard for a takedown against the fence. The crowd is booing this one big. Botelho landing more punches and now knees to the body. They are broken up again. Gonzalez back to the clinch and the crowd immediately boos. They are broken up quicker and Botelho goes right on the attack. She just misses a head kick and Gonzalez goes back to the clinch. Botelho reverses into a takedown to end the fight. 10-9 Botelho, 30-27 Botelho.
Official Result- Poliana Botelho def. Pearl Gonzalez by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
> Lando Vannata (9-2, 1-2 UFC) vs. Bobby Green (23-8, 4-3 UFC) Lightweights
Ryan’s internet kicked out in Vegas so Paul Fontaine taking over from here.
This was a crazy fight. Vannata was docked a point in the first and it turned out to be crucial. He threw an illegal knee while Green was down. The replay showed it didn’t land but the ref docked him a point anyway. That made it a 9-9 first.
The next two rounds were wild with both guys going all-out for a win and somehow managing to stay in till the end. Vannata appeared to land the harder shots but his face was a crimson mask by the end as Green’s shots obviously did more damage. The last two rounds could’ve gone either way and the first was an obvious 9-9. I scored it 29-27 Green and Ryan had it 29-27 Vannata
Official result – split draw on scores of 29-27 Vannata, 29-27 Green and 28-28
> Tom Duquesnoy (15-1 1 NC, 1-0 UFC) vs. Cody Stamann (15-1, 1-0 UFC) Bantamweights
Nothing could follow that last fight. This wasn’t bad but the crowd got restless at the end. I thought Duquesnoy pretty clearly won the first round and the last two Stamman took over with his wrestling as he got numerous takedowns and then the thread of the takedown allowed him to do more on the feet. It wasn’t a blowout but Stamman clearly won the last two and I had it 29-28 for him.
Official result – Cody Stamman by split decision on scores of 29-28, 28-29 and 30-27
On most nights, this would’ve been fight of the night but nothing is likely to top the Green/Vannata fight from earlier. Dariush had a great first round, nearly finishing Dunham with great punches and elbows on the feet and doing a lot of damage when it went to the ground. But he seemed to tire himself out trying to finish by the end of the round. Dunham stayed in it and did much better in the last two rounds. They were fairly close but Dunham did enough to take both rounds in my book and I gave a 10-8 to Dariush in round 1 meaning it was a 28-28 draw
Official result – majority draw (29-28 Dariush, 28-28 x 2)
> Mara Romero Borella (11-4 1 NC, 0-0 UFC) vs. Kalindra Faria (18-5-1, 0-0 UFC) Women’s Flyweights
Both women making their UFC debuts on a PPV main card is almost unprecedented. Borella made the most of it as she got an early takedown and eventually worked her way into mount. Faria gave up her back, allowing Borella to secure a rear naked choke for the win.
Official result – Mara Romero Borella by submission (rear naked choke) at 2:54
> Fabricio Werdum (#2, 21-7-1, 9-4 UFC) vs. Walt Harris (10-5, 3-4 UFC) Heavyweights
Very similar to the last fight, only faster. Werdum got a takedown 30 seconds in. He quickly moved into mount. Harris gave up his back and instead of going for the choke, Werdum grabbed an arm and Harris quickly tapped.
Official result – Fabricio Werdum by submission (armbar) at 1:05
> Demetrious Johnson (C, 26-2-1, 14-1-1 UFC) vs. Ray Borg (#3, 11-2, 5-2 UFC) UFC Flyweight Championship
Johnson targeted Borg’s lead leg with kicks early. Borg had a couple of failed takedown attempts and one on of them Johnson stuffed it and ended up on top. He was workmanlike on the ground with several different submission attempts. At one point the strike count was 23-0 and I’m not sure Borg did land a strike in the round. 10-8 Johnson on my card
Borg started off a little strong, getting a takedown but Johnson got right up. Borg took his back standing and had a choke for a bit but Johnson shook him off and ended up on top on the ground. Johnson took over from there, landing all kinds of punches and elbows on the ground and a few more submission attempts. At one point the strike count was 62-1. Another 10-8 round for Johnson.
More of the same here. Borg got a takedown but Johnson got right up. Borg attempted another and Johnson just fell on top of him. He maintained top control for the whole round, with several submission attempts. Strike count was 95-7 at one point. 10-8 Johnson
Borg got an early takedown but Johnson got right up and then got one of his own. He was all over him on the ground, constantly advancing and working for subs. Strikes count was 125-11 and Johnson landed many more after that. Another 10-8, although I suspect there’s no way the judges will have this score, I have 40-32 after 4
Johnson got an early takedown but Borg managed to get to his feet. Borg was stuffed on a takedown attempt and then Johnson got another takedown and moved right into side control. Borg managed to get almost to his feet but Johnson landed hard knees to the body. Borg briefly to his feet and Johnson picked him up and started a suplex but grabbed an armbar on the way down. He looked like he was going to rip his arm off and Borg tried to fight it off before tapping. Best performance I think I’ve ever seen in a title fight. Johnson is the best ever, at any weight class.
Official result – Demetrious Johnson by submission (armbar) at 3:15 of the 5th round
> Tony Ferguson (#2, 22-3, 12-1 UFC) vs. Kevin Lee (#7, 16-2, 9-2 UFC) Interim UFC Lightweight Championship
Despite the awesome last fight, the crowd was pretty hot for this one. Ferguson clearly the crowd favorite but Lee had a better first round. He was landing more often on the feet but it was fairly close. Lee got a late takedown and quickly took side control. He get mount with about 30 seconds left and landed a ton of punches and elbows and Ferguson was in real trouble but managed to get to his feet before the round ended. Lee had a punch after the bell and was warned by ref Herb Dean. 10-9 Lee
Round 2 was entirely on the feet. It was pretty close but Ferguson was more active and probably did more damage as well. Lee had cuts on his cheek and forehead and was bleeding from his nose. Significant strikes were 24-16 for Ferguson and it’s all tied up after 2.
Lee was very tired coming out for the third and clearly wanted to take things to the ground. He got an early takedown but Ferguson had a really tight triangle attempt and then nearly finished Lee with an armbar. Lee had a nice escape and maintained top control for about a minute afterward. Ferguson got to his feet but Lee got another takedown. It was almost a replay of the first time as Ferguson immediately secured a triangle. Lee tapped out right before he passed out and the ref stopped it.
Official result – Tony Ferguson by submission (triangle choke) at 4:02 of the 3rd round
Ferguson, of course, called out Conor McGregor after the fight, telling him to defend, or vacate. The crowd had been behind Ferguson all night but booed him after that one.
Lee was despondent after the fight. He admitted he had a staph infection and that’s why he had such a hard weight cut. He put over Ferguson and said he didn’t give him enough credit prior to the fight.
Ray Borg, who was scheduled to headline Saturday’s UFC 215 against flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, was pulled from the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, event Thursday night due to an illness that wasn’t related to weight cutting.
Due to the late nature of the change, Johnson, who was going for the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses, is now off the show as well. UFC is looking at booking the fight as soon as possible.
The show will remain a PPV with a main event of women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes vs. Valentina Shevchenko II. That fight was originally scheduled for this past summer, but had to be postponed due to a late pullout by Nunes due to complications from sinusitis.
MMA Fighting reported that Borg had been ill all week and had gotten progressively sicker. However, he was examined by UFC doctors who ruled he was too ill to fight and wouldn’t clear him. Borg said he was 133 pounds on Thursday morning, not a substantial weight cut to hit 125 by Friday morning.
Johnson came into the fight with ten straight title defenses, tying the all-time UFC record held originally by Anderson Silva. He has been the subject of controversy this summer after speaking out against Dana White when he attempted to get him to fight T.J. Dillashaw instead of Borg.
Henry Cejudo vs. Wilson Reis now moves to a main card that also features former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos vs. Neil Magny, Ilir Latifi vs. Tyson Pedro, and Gilbert Melendez vs. Jeremy Stephens.
Even though Demetrious Johnson was going for his record-tying 10th consecutive title defense, and Michelle Waterson was coming off winning a main event that did big numbers, last night’s UFC on FOX show did the lowest numbers on the overnights in history.
Johnson’s third round win over Wilson Reis did 1.74 million viewers on the overnights, down 18 percent from last April’s Glover Teixeira vs. Rashad Evans main event, and down 28 percent from the numbers Luke Rockhold vs. Lyoto Machida pulled two years ago.
FOX drew the least amount of viewers in prime time last night of the four major networks last night. But they tied the NHL playoff game with the Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators for second place in the 18-49 demo, with a 0.6.
The audience number will increase when the final ratings come out Monday or Tuesday. The 1.74 million measures what is on during the 8-10 p.m. slot on the West Coast, which was local programming. It also doesn’t measure the period after 10 p.m., when most of the main event took place, and is almost always the most-watched portion of the show.
It was Johnson’s fourth time to headline on FOX, and his prior numbers on the overnights ranged from 2.04 million to 3.77 million. Waterson’s last fight, a win over Paige VanZant in December, drew the best UFC on FOX numbers for a live show in several years.
Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of UFC On FOX 24: Johnson vs. Reis, emanating from the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
The event is headlined by UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson looking to make history as he defends the championship for the tenth time, this time against Wilson Reis. Johnson is looking to tie Anderson Silva for most consecutive successful title defenses and hold onto his spot as the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Reis gets a title shot on the heels of three straight wins, and wins in five of his last six fights.
In the co-main event, it will be a battle between high-ranked womens’ strawweights as Rose Namajunas takes on Michelle Waterson, with a potential title shot waiting in the wings for the winner. Also on the main card is a pivotal bout in the middleweight division as Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza, on the last fight of his current UFC contract, takes on Robert Whittaker, winner of six straight fights.
A fighter to keep an eye on during the preliminary card is Tom Duquesnoy, who is making his UFC debut. He comes in with a 14-1 record, unbeaten in his last eleven, and is perhaps the most exciting prospect in the sport, and has the potential to be a future title challenger at 135 pounds.
Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 4 p.m. ET with preliminary action all the way thru the main card.
They were trading early and Vieira was lighting Evans-Smith up and getting the better of the exchanges. They clinched and each were landing knees to the body and Vieira landed an elbow on the break. Vieira was landing her combinations but was slowing down as the round progressed. She still hurt Evans-Smith quite a few times, but Evans-Smith would fire back with leg kicks and some knees to the body. Vieira pushing the pace and landing with more volume got here the round. 10-9 Vieira.
They clinched early as Evans-Smith didn’t wanna give Vieira the distance to land her punches. Vieira got a takedown and took the back and was landing but Evans-Smith was able to get back to her feet and landed a knee to break the clinch. However, as they got back to striking range, Vieira was landing more of her combinations. The volume of her striking has been the big factor in this fight and she is landing harder shots. Vieira landed a big right hand in the closing minute of the round and had Evans-Smith in a whole lot of trouble. 10-9 Vieira, 20-18 Vieira.
Evans-Smith was after Vieira early as she likely needs a finish. Evans-Smith pushed Vieira to the mat at one point and then cracked her with a big right hand but Vieira was able to grab the back against the fence. Vieira was landing foot stomps but not much else and they were broken up. Vieira was getting the better of the stand-up again, landing with much more volume being thrown, but Evans-Smith would knock her back with leg kicks, and landed a spinning back fist. Close final round, 10-9 Evans-Smith. 29-28 Vieira.
All three judges had it for Vieira, with two giving her two rounds, and the third giving her all three rounds.
Official Result- Ketlen Vieira def. Ashlee Evans-Smith by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
They were trading early and Cummings was landing the harder punches, taking advantage of his reach advantage. Cummings stunned Coy with a left hand that connected right on the jaw. Cummings was landing more and Coy went for a takedown but Cummings sprawled and was landing punches and then locked in a guillotine and choked Coy out cold. It was on a little too long before the referee stepped in. Big submission win for Cummings.
Official Result- Zak Cummings def. Nathan Coy by submission (guillotine choke) at 4:21 of Round 1
> Anthony Smith (26-12, 2-2 UFC) vs. Andrew Sanchez (9-2, 2-0 UFC) Middleweights
They were trading and Sanchez got a takedown and was in side control looking to grab an arm. Smith was able to reverse position and was in the half-guard of Sanchez. He wasn’t doing much so the referee stood them up. Smith was getting the better of the striking but Sanchez was able to land a well-timed spinning back fist. Smith landed a combo late. Close round. 10-9 Sanchez.
They were trading and Sanchez got a takedown and was landing punches from the back on the mat. Sanchez got to the top and was landing more and rode out the round on the top. Not much to this round. 10-9 Sanchez, 20-18 Sanchez.
Sanchez was eager to find a takedown but was landing some punches and had Smith hurt. Sanchez was still working for the takedown to keep from getting hit by Smith. Smith dropped Sanchez with a head kick followed by a big right hand and after a few punches it was stopped! Smith with a big comeback victory as he finishes Sanchez late in the third round.
Official Result- Anthony Smith def. Andrew Sanchez by knockout (head kick & punches) at 3:52 of Round 3
> Devin Clark (7-1, 1-1 UFC) vs. Jake Collier (10-3, 2-2 UFC) Light Heavyweights
Collier was going for an early takedown but Clark was defending. Collier landed a head kick. Clark got a takedown and was in the half-guard. Clark was landing knees and landed an illegal one that got missed. He had Collier in a lot of trouble but Collier got to his feet. Collier landed some good punches towards the end. 10-9 Clark.
They were both landing sloppy punches and Clark initiated a clinch. A low blow by Clark caused a brief timeout. Collier landed a spinning back fist. Collier missed a sloppy punch and Clark got a takedown. They broke and Clark got another takedown. Not much to this round. 10-9 Clark, 20-18 Clark.
Clark got another takedown to start the third. Clark was on top in the mount and landing punches. Collier gave up his back and Clark was landing more and more as he looked to finish. Clark almost had a choke in a few times but couldn’t get it in but made Collier pay with punches and knees. Clark got another takedown late. Dominant closing round by Clark. 10-8 Clark, 30-26 Clark.
Official Result- Devin Clark def. Jake Collier by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
> Aljamain Sterling (#8, 12-2, 4-2 UFC) vs. Augusto Mendes (6-1, 1-1 UFC) Bantamweights
They were trading and Sterling got a takedown. Mendes was working from the bottom and looked for a leg lock but Sterling escaped. Mendes rocked Sterling with a right hand and looked for an armbar but Sterling was able to escape. They scrambled on the mat and Sterling ended up on top. Sterling landed from the top at the end of the round. Close round. 10-9 Sterling.
They were trading again and they clinched. Sterling pushed Mendes against the fence and was landing knees and foot stomps. Mendes was able to reverse position and was looking for a takedown but not doing much to actually get it. They broke and Sterling was on the attack with punches. Sterling landed a head kick and got a takedown against the fence. Sterling was landing hammerfists from the top. 10-9 Sterling, 20-18 Sterling.
Sterling was coming out with his strikes early on, landing punches and kicks. Sterling tried for a takedown but Mendes had the neck but they were eventually separated by the referee. Mendes went right back into the clinch and had Sterling pressed against the fence but was doing nothing. Sterling reversed and scored a brief takedown but they scrambled up and separated. Sterling landed some big punches at the end that rocked Mendes. 10-9 Sterling, 30-27 Sterling.
Official Result- Aljamain Sterling def. Augusto Mendes by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
FOX PRELIMS | 6 PM ET/3 PM PT
> Louis Smolka (#12, 11-3, 5-3 UFC) vs. Tim Elliott (#9, 13-7-1, 2-5 UFC) Flyweights
Elliott got a quick takedown and was working in the half-guard of Smolka. They got to their feet and Elliott rocked Smolka with some hard strikes. Elliott got another takedown but Smolka had him by the neck. Elliott got to the top and was landing from the top. Big round for Elliott. 10-9 Elliott.
Smolka got a brief takedown but Elliott got a takedown of his own. They got up and broke. Elliott took the fight to the mat and had the back and was looking for a choke. Smolka escaped but Elliott ended on top. Smolka grabbed a leg and was looking for a heel hook. Elliott was on top and had a mounted quillotine locked in. Smolka was hanging on. He managed to survive. 10-9 Elliott, 20-18 Elliott.
Elliott scored a takedown early in the third and was working to take the back. They got to their feet and broke. Smolka was landing some short punches as Elliott baited him in and scored a takedown. Elliott got into the mount and was landing from the top. Crowd was chanting loudly for Elliott. Smolka was looking to lock in a D’Arce choke but Elliott escaped. Smolka got a takedown. Smolka had the back and was landing but Elliott reversed the position. They scrambled to their feet. Elliott got a takedown. Elliott got another takedown at the end. Fantastic fight. 10-9 Elliott, 30-27 Elliott.
Official Result- Tim Elliott def. Louis Smolka by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
> Bobby Green (23-7, 4-2 UFC) vs. Rashid Magomedov (19-2, 4-1 UFC) Lightweights
They traded kicks to start. Green landed a left hand and some knees to the body in a clinch. Magomedov landed a low blow and we have a break. Magomedov landed a kick but Green grabbed the leg and kicked him back. They traded kicks. Green landed a left hand and some knees in the clinch. Green had the back and was working hard for a takedown. Close round. 10-9 Green.
They were trading early. Magomedov poked Green in the eye and we have another break. Green is cut over the eye but fights on. Green working hard to score a takedown as he has Magomedov clinched against the fence. Magomedov got a trip takedown but Green got back to his feet. Magomedov landed a left hand. 10-9 Magomedov in the second, 19-19 after two.
Magomedov landed a big body kick. Green landed a flying knee and is talking trash inside the Octagon. They were trading and Green kicked Magomedov in the family jewels and we had a timeout. This fight is a slow-paced affair to say the least. Magomedov landed a combo and then a right hand. Green got a clinch and was kneeing the thighs of Magomedov. Close round. 10-9 Magomedov, 29-28 Magomedov.
Official Result- Rashid Magomedov def. Bobby Green by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
> Patrick Williams (8-4, 1-1 UFC) vs. Tom Duquesnoy (14-1 1 NC, 0-0 UFC) Bantamweights
Williams was in control with his wrestling in the first, but Duquesnoy had him in trouble as the round progressed. Duquesnoy clearly had some Octagon jitters for his debut, but he took over in the last thirty seconds and dropped Williams right at the end of the first round. 10-9 Duquesnoy.
It didn’t last long in the second as Duquesnoy dropped Williams with an elbow and finished him off with punches on the ground. Impressive debut.
Official Result- Tom Duquesnoy def. Patrick Williams by TKO (strikes) at :26 of Round 2
> Alexander Volkov (#11, 27-6, 1-0 UFC) vs. Roy Nelson (22-13, 9-9 UFC) Heavyweights
Nelson was searching for that big right hand early. Volkov tried to clinch to avoid it. Volkov was using leg kicks to keep Nelson out of range. They clinched as Nelson was looking for a takedown. Nelson got a takedown. Nelson was keeping Volkov pinned to the mat and landing short punches but not doing a lot of damage. They got to their feet and Volkov started teeing off on Nelson landing punches and knees to the body. Volkov had Nelson in a lot of trouble and close to being finished but Nelson landed a big right hand at the bell and survived. Close round as Volkov came on late. 10-9 Nelson.
Volkov landed some at the start of the second. Nelson clinched up against the fence. Volkov broke free and landed a soft combo. Nelson rocked Volkov with a right hand as Volkov was running away. They traded big punches. It feels like a knockout may be coming. Volkov started to pick Nelson apart at range as the round ended. A much better round for Volkov. 10-9 Volkov, 19-19 after two.
This round could decide it. Nelson went for a takedown but it was stuffed by Volkov, who landed a big knee in return. Volkov landed a big kick but Nelson countered with an uppercut. Nelson is still hunting for that right hand. Nelson went for a takedown but ate a big knee from Volkov. Volkov was keeping Nelson away with the jab and front kicks and was running away and had the fans booing. This one goes the distance. 10-9 Volkov, 29-28 Volkov.
Official Result- Alexander Volkov def. Roy Nelson by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
FOX MAIN CARD | 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
> Jeremy Stephens (#5, 25-13, 12-12 UFC) vs. Renato Moicano (10-0-1, 2-0 UFC) Featherweights
They traded kicks early and Moicano landed a nice combination. Moicano with a stiff leg kick. Stephens looks to be trying to set up the right hand, and he is a knockout guy. Stephens landed a hard right hand. He landed another against the fence after Moicano missed a leg kick. Moicano got a takedown and went into the full guard of Stephens. Moicano went to half-guard and rode the round out there. 10-9 Moicano.
Stephens is being more aggressive to start the second round, but he is also headhunting. He had a takedown stuffed but landed a right hand to the body of Moicano. Stephens then went on the attack with combos and Moicano spent more time circling away than he did defending and attacking. Stephens landed a kick and missed a right hand as Moicano was running away. Moicano was landing some soft punches but Stephens was lighting him up with hard, stiff punches. Moicano missed a spin kick. Moicano did more running away at the end of the second and the crowd hates him for that. 10-9 Stephens, 19-19 after two.
This could decide it. Both came out swinging and Moicano got a body lock and scored a takedown. Not much happened on the mat and Stephens got back to his feet. Stephens landed a body kick and then a leg kick and then a stiff jab. They traded leg kicks. Moicano was running away again as he was trying to avoid the Stephens attack. Moicano landed a leg kick. Stephens countered with a right hand to the body and a leg kick. Moicano was running again as the crowd booed and the fight ended. Close final round. 10-9 Stephens, 29-28 Stephens.
Official Result- Renato Moicano def. Jeremy Stephens by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
> Ronaldo Souza (#3, 24-4 1 NC, 7-1 UFC) vs. Robert Whittaker (#6, 17-4, 8-2 UFC) Middleweights
Whittaker landed an early left hand. Whittaker side-stepped a takedown attempt from Souza. Whittaker landed a stiff jab. They tied up and Souza landed some to the body and tried a takedown but Whittaker scrambled up. Souza got a takedown and took the back. Whittaker stood up and Souza slipped off. Whittaker tagged Souza and Souza tripped to the mat for a moment. Souza landed a right hand and then another. Whittaker landed a left hook at the end. Close round. 10-9 Souza.
Whittaker dropped Souza with a right hand and went into the guard and landed a couple more before rushing to his feet. Souza wanted him to come back down but Whittaker isn’t playing that game. Whittaker tagged Souza again a couple times after he got up. Both men landed some good punches. Whittaker rocked Souza with a head kick and then dropped him with a right hand. Whittaker went to the mat and was landing a ton of punches. Punch after punch and this fight was stopped. Huge win by Whittaker! Seven straight wins for him.
Official Result- Robert Whittaker def. Ronaldo Souza by TKO (punches) at 3:28 of Round 2
> Rose Namajunas (#4, 5-3, 3-2 UFC) vs. Michelle Waterson (#6, 14-4, 2-0 UFC) Women’s Strawweights
They trade some kicks early. Waterson landed a side kick right to the face and scored a headlock takedown. Namajunas was able to scramble out and took the back of Waterson. She then scrambled to the guard of Waterson. Namajunas landed a stiff elbow from the top. Waterson is working for a triangle but Namjunas is landing some ground-and-pound. Waterson now moves to looking for an arm. They get to their feet and break. Waterson with some side oblique kicks. Waterson grabbed Namajunas and dropped down to guard. 10-9 Namajunas.
They traded kicks early in the second. Namajunas dropped Waterson with a head kick and went right to the top looking to finish but Waterson grabbed on for dear life to her. Namajunas with a ton of punches from the top as she looks for a stoppage. It could have been stopped there. Waterson gets to her feet and Namajunas grabs the back and locks in a choke. Waterson fighting on but she taps! Namajunas with the big submission win! She looked excellent in this fight.
Official Result- Rose Namajunas def. Michelle Waterson by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:47 of Round 2
> Demetrious Johnson (C, 25-2-1, 13-1-1 UFC) vs. Wilson Reis (#3, 22-6, 6-2 UFC) UFC Flyweight Championship
Johnson started out with a heavy leg kick. Both men slipped on some punches and Johnson landed a head kick. They traded body kicks. Johnson was landing combos and a kick and Reis got a quick takedown but Johnson was right back up. Johnson hurt Reis with a front kick to the body. Johnson landed a right hand and a head kick. Reis missing most of his punches. Johnson with a heavy leg kick then a solid combination. Johnson is so fast in there it is unreal. Reis went for a takedown but it was stuffed and Johnson landed a knee to the body. 10-9 Johnson.
Johnson’s speed and footwork was on pure display in the second round. He was landing kicks and punches in close range and then getting right out of range. Reis’ big chance was scoring a takedown but even that wasn’t working as Johnson was stuffing them. Johnson landed a big body kick. Johnson landed a big left hand with under a minute to go in the round. Reis was having trouble landing anything. Johnson with a leg kick. Johnson dropped Reis to the mat with a knee to the liver and was landing punches looking to finish and landed a big one right at the bell. 10-8 Johnson, 20-17 Johnson.
Johnson is just cruising inside of the Octagon. He is landing punches and kicks at will and scored a takedown and was landing on the mat before letting the fight get back to the feet. Reis was throwing, but not landing, and Johnson just took him to the mat with ease. Johnson landed a hammerfist on the mat. Johnson on top landing punches and elbows to the body and head. Johnson got to mount and switched to armbar and Reis taps! Clinical, systematic and dominant performance from the best in the sport as Johnson ties Anderson Silva’s record for most consecutive title defenses.
Official Result- Demetrious Johnson def. Wilson Reis by submission (armbar) at 4:49 of Round 3 – Johnson retains UFC Flyweight Championship
UFC returns to “big” Fox tonight featuring a champion trying to make history.
In the Octagon’s debut in Kansas City, MO, flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will attempt to match Anderson Silva’s UFC record of 10 straight title defenses as he puts his title up against Wilson Reis. While this is Reis’ ninth fight in the UFC, it’s the first time the Brazilian will have ever fought on a main card.
In the co-main event, former title challenger Rose Namajunas takes on the former Invicta atomweight champion Michelle “Karate Hottie” Waterson while we also get a key middleweight tilt with overdue title challenger Jacare Souza vs. rising start Robert Whittaker, who comes in on a six-fight win streak.
For our other panel picks, we’re looking at a couple key prelim fights that will also air on Fox instead of FS1. Popular heavyweight Roy Nelson will attempt to hand former Bellator champion Alexander Volkov his first UFC loss as they square off, and in what could be a show-stealer, flyweights Tim Elliott and Louis Smolka go to battle. Elliott was last seen taking Johnson to the limit after he won his season of TUF.
If you’re new here, our panel picks are listed below and listed alongside the fighter’s names are their worldwide FightMatrix rankings, as well as BestFightOdds.com betting odds. The panelist’s 2017 records is in parentheses, and we also have panel consensus picks in addition to how the betting favorites did:
Dave Meltzer (19-9; .679) — Wrestling Observer publisher
Consensus Picks (19-9; .679)
Favorites (19-9; .679)
John Pollock (19-9; .679) — Fight Network analyst, Live Audio Wrestling co-host, MMA Report co-host
Mike Sawyer (19-9; .679) — Tough Talk MMA publisher
David Bixenspan (18-10; .643) – Deadspin pro wrestling columnist; Between the Sheets podcast host
Steve Juon (18-10; .643) — MMA Mania writer, Angry Marks publisher
Mike Sempervive (17-11; .607) — Wrestling Observer Live and Big Audio Nightmare co-host
Ryan Frederick (16-12; .571) — WrestlingObserver.com UFC writer
Paul Fontaine (13-15; .464) — MMADraws.com publisher, WrestlingObserver.com writer
Front Row Brian (13-15; .464) — MMA newsbreaker, beloved internet personality, podcast host
We are still waiting on picks from Dave Meltzer.
> UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson (25-2-1) vs Wilson Reis (22-6)
Johnson is the first and only flyweight champion in UFC history and he’s run through all the top contenders, some more than once. Reis, on a relatively modest three-fight win streak over the lower end of the division, is the latest to try and topple him from his throne.
Johnson already seems to be looking past this fight as he’s made some overtures toward challenging UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt which honestly might be the best challenge for Johnson at this point. His last loss was to former 135-pound champ Dominick Cruz and he’s not only won 11 straight fights, but he’s looked completely dominant in doing so.
Johnson is the biggest favorite on the card and there’s not much doubt what the outcome will be here, either with the betting public or from our panel.
> Rose Namajunas (5-3) vs Michelle Waterson (14-4) STRAWWEIGHTS
One again, two of the most popular fighters in the 115-pound division get a featured fight on Fox. “Thug” Rose is coming off a tough split decision loss to Karolina Kowalkiewicz, who went on to put up a tough fight against division queen Joanna Jedrzejczyk. If not for one judge’s scorecard, she’d be on a four fight win streak.
Waterson, meanwhile, destroyed Paige VanZant in the biggest and most high profile fight of her career in the main event of a highly rated show on Fox. She’s now 2-0 in UFC and if she gets past Namajunas, she’ll likely earn a title shot.
> Jacare Souza (22-4) vs Robert Whittaker (17-4) MIDDLEWEIGHTS
There is a lot of intrigue in this fight. Souza is the most feared submission expert in the division and if not for a controversial loss to Yoel Romero at UFC 194, he’d be on an 11-fight win streak. Division champion Michael Bisping has publicly stated on more than one occasion that he has no intention of defending against Souza who just re-upped for eight fights with the company Friday.
Whittaker comes in with six straight wins and the New Zealander may be that country’s best hope for a UFC world title as Mark Hunt’s career nears the end. If he should pull off the upset, he may be the next top challenger that Bisping spends time ducking.
Whichever guys comes out of this fight with a win will certainly earn a title shot. Whether he gets it is a completely different story.
> Roy Nelson (22-13) vs Alexander Volkov (27-6) HEAVYWEIGHTS
This will be an interesting spectacle. Nelson is the most unlikely of heavyweight contenders with his terrible physique but he’s managed to carve out a successful career in UFC. Volkov looks like he’s built to be a champion but has lost some key fights in his career and did not look good at all in his UFC debut despite squeaking out a win over Timothy Johnson.
Nelson is on a mini career resurgence with two wins in his last three with the lone loss by split decision to rising contender Derrick Lewis. Volkov has won three straight, but two of those fights were in Russia against weaker opponents and his split decision win over Johnson in his UFC debut was generous at best. Prior to this win streak, he’s lost his last two fights in Bellator.
Nelson #12; +131 betting underdog: Frederick, Sawyer, Fontaine
> Louis Smolka (11-3) vs Tim Elliott (13-7-1) FLYWEIGHTS
In that title loss to Johnson, there were moments in the first round where it seemed Elliott could pull off the biggest upset in divison history. He ended up losing a one-sided decision but his stock rose in return to the UFC despite the loss.
At one point, Smolka seemed to be on the verge of a title shot but with two straight losses, he could be fighting for his job here. The Hawaiian is one of the best finishers in the division with three stoppages in his five UFC wins. In a division where the champion has mowed through most of the top contenders, he could be just a couple wins away from that elusive title shot. At just 25 years old, there’s still a lot of time for him to get his career back on track.
> Jeremy Stephens (25-13) vs Renato Carneiro (10-0-1) FEATHERWEIGHTS
Stephens #7; -167 betting favorite
Carneiro #48; +160 betting underdog
> Tom Duquesnoy (14-1) vs Patrick Williams (8-1) BANTAMWEIGHTS
Duquesnoy #19; -700 betting favorite
Williams NR; +660 betting underdog
> Rashid Magomedov (19-2) vs Bobby Green (23-7) LIGHTWEIGHTS
Magomedov #29; -330 betting favorite
Green #61; +300 betting underdog
> Devin Clark (7-1) vs Jake Collier (10-3) LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Clark #66; -137 betting favorite
Collier #70 at middleweight; +130 betting underdog
> Anthony Smith (26-12) vs Andrew Sanchez (9-2)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Smith #40; +309 betting underdog
Sanchez #33; -303 betting favorite
> Aljamain Sterling (12-2) vs Augusto Mendes (6-1) BANTAMWEIGHTS
Sterling #17; -400 betting favorite
Mendes #40; +365 betting underdog
> Nathan Coy (15-6) vs Zak Cummings (20-5) WELTERWEIGHTS
Coy #76; +420 betting underdog
Cummings #34; -400 betting favorite
> Ketlen Vieira (7-0) vs Ashlee Evans-Smith (5-1) WOMENS BANTAMWEIGHTS
Vieira NR; +185 betting underdog
Evans-Smith #16; -199 betting favorite
Action begins with the Fight Pass prelims at 4 PM EST and moves over to Fox at 6 PM EST. The main card continues on Fox at 8 PM EST, covered by our Ryan Frederick, who will be live at cageside.
With a week in which UFC returns to the Midwest and questions about New York’s athletic commissions are swirling, who better to talk about it all than former Bellator play-by-play man, author, and Kansas Athletic Commission member Sean Wheelock?
On a packed 90-minute edition of Josh Nason’s Punch-Out, your host Josh Nason and Sean jumped around the MMA map. A few points of discussion:
– Sean’s current gigs with MMA & boxing and what he takes into consideration when a new company comes calling
– What he thought when Bjorn Rebney reappeared as an MMA association lead and what’s next for him
– Whether time has changed his mind on his surprise release from Bellator MMA
– His thoughts on the current Mauro Ranallo/WWE situation
Welcome to F4WOnline.com’s live coverage of The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale: Johnson vs. Elliott, eminating from The Pearl at The Palms Casino & Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The event is headlined by the number-one ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson, making his ninth title defense as he defends against the winner of The Ultimate Fighter 24 flyweight tournament, Tim Elliott.
Elliott outlasted 15 of the top flyweight champions from promotions around the world during this season of the reality show, and he looks to do what no opponent has been able to do, and that is defeat Johnson.
In the co-main event, it will be the battle of the coaches from this season as former flyweight title challengers Joseph Benavidez and Henry Cejudo square off as they both look to get back into the title picture. Also on the main card is a welterweight showdown between Jake Ellenberger and Jorge Masvidal, and former title challengers in the women’s bantamweight division meet as Sara McMann takes on Alexis Davis.
Follow along with our live coverage of the event beginning at 7 p.m. ET with preliminary action all the way thru the main card.
> Josh Stansbury (8-2, 1-0 UFC) vs. Devin Clark (6-1, 0-1 UFC) Light Heavyweights
Clark got the early edge in the clinch but Stansbury landed a big right hand. Clark got a takedown and was landing from the top. Stansbury scrambled up and Clark landed a big shot against the fence. Stansbury locked in a choke late but time ran out. Clark got the first round 10-9. Clark was landing punches in the second round and got the better of an early clinch. Stansbury then got a clinch and landed some big punches. Clark later landed big punches and had Stansbury planted against the fence but couldn’t land a late takedown. Close second round but I had it 10-9 for Clark, and had him up 20-18 after two. Stansbury had Clark pressed against the fence and was landing and defended a takedown for the early part of the third round. Clark started countering but was keeping his hands low. Both men landed some solid shots. Clark went for a takedown late and they scrambled to the mat. Not an exciting fight. I had the third round 10-9 for Stansbury. I had the fight 29-28 overall for Clark.
Official Result- Devin Clark def. Josh Stansbury by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
> Elvis Mutapcic (15-4-1, 0-1-1 UFC) vs. Anthony Smith (25-12, 1-2 UFC) Middleweights
Mutapcic got a takedown early and was landing from the top. Smith went for an armbar but got spiked. Mutapcic remained on top and was continuing to land a lot of punches. Smith was unable to mount anything from the bottom. Mutapcic continued to land as the round ended. The first round was a clear 10-9 for Mutapcic. Smith landed a big knee in the second round and was landing some good punches and kicks. Smith was teeing off on Mutapcic and opened a big cut on the left side of his head. Mutapcic was doing his best to recover but Smith landed a big elbow that dropped Mutapcic and he finished it off with some punches on the ground. A big knockout win by Anthony Smith.
Official Result- Anthony Smith def. Elvis Mutapcic by TKO (strikes) at 3:27 of Round 2
Moyle got an early takedown. Curran was able to get back up and landed some punches and had a choke briefly locked in. Both ladies were landing on their feet and Moyle pushed Curran against the fence. Both landed as the round ended. It was a close round, but I gave it to 10-9 to Moyle. Moyle kept looking for the takedown at the start of the second but Curran was landing elbows.Curran bloodied up Moyle in the second round but Moyle likely stole the round with a big slam I had her up 20-18 after two. Moyle was bleeding more in the third but got a takedown. Curran landed an illegal knee which caused a timeout. They got back to action and Curran was landing but Moyle got a late takedown and ended the round strong. I had the fight 30-27 for Moyle.
Official Result- Jamie Moyle def. Kailin Curran by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
> Dong Hyun “Maestro” Kim (13-8-3, 0-2 UFC) vs. Brendan O’Reilly (6-2 1 NC, 1-2 UFC) Lightweights
Kim was getting the edge early by pushing O’Reilly against the fence and scoring a takedown. Kim landed an illegal knee but the fight wasn’t stopped at all. Kim took the back and drug the fight to the mat. Kim got into mount and was landing. Kim with some big ground punches to end the round, which he took 10-9. Kim got an early takedown in the second round. Kim went for a choke but O’Reilly was able to escape. O’Reilly was going for a kimura and was able to get to his feet and came on strong late, but it was still Kim’s round. I had Kim up 20-18 after two. Kim had O’Reilly pressured against the fence in the third. O’Reilly landed a big elbow but was unable to separate from the clinch at all in the third. Both men looked tired and it was a slow round. Kim got a trip takedown and took the back. O’Reilly was able to get up but neither could do much as the fight ended. I had the fight 30-27 for Kim.
Official Result- Dong Hyun “Maestro” Kim def. Brendan O’Reilly by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
> Rob Font (12-2, 2-1 UFC) vs. Matt Schnell (10-2, 0-0 UFC) Bantamweights
Font got an early takedown and was on top. Font took the back and was looking for the kimura. They got to their feet and Font rocked Schnell with a front kick but he survived. Font dropped Schnell with a huge knee and he was going for the finish. Font took the back and started landing a lot of punches and the fight was stopped. Font with a big TKO win in the first round.
Official Result- Rob Font def. Matt Schnell by TKO (knee & punches) at 3:47 of Round 1
> Gray Maynard (12-5-1 1 NC, 10-5-1 1 NC UFC) vs. Ryan Hall (5-1, 1-0 UFC) Featherweights
Hall went rolling for leg locks early and often and had Maynard on the mat for a moment. Hall did land a nice head kick at one point but spent more time rolling for leg locks than attacking. Maynard landed a nice right hand. Hall clearly doesn’t wanna strike with him, but he got the first round on my card. 10-9 Hall after one. Hall landed a big head kick and was keeping Maynard at a distance, but he just kept rolling for leg locks, which frustrated both Maynard and the fans in attendance. Hall landed some more kicks and he clearly had Maynard off of his attack. Every time Maynard got in close, Hall would drop to the mat, and Maynard would be unable to output his offense. I had round two for Hall as well and him up 20-18. Hall was landing more kicks in the third and dropping for leg locks, frustrating Maynard to the point where Maynard gave him a one-finger salute. Maynard did land an illegal kick. Hall was landing more with his kicks but throwing almost no punches. Maynard is clearly frustrated. This fight was something else and not one that is going to earn Hall a lot of fans. I had Hall winning the fight 30-27. This was an incredibly difficult fight to watch.
Official Result- Ryan Hall def. Gray Maynard by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
FOX SPORTS 1 MAIN CARD | 10 PM ET/7 PM PT
> Brandon Moreno (#12, 12-3, 1-0 UFC) vs. Ryan Benoit (9-4, 2-2 UFC) Flyweights
They traded strikes early and Moreno got a takedown. Moreno took the back of Benoit against the fence and had good pressure on. They were wildly trading and Benoit landed a big body kick. Moreno clipped him with a left hand. Close opening round, but I had it for Moreno. They were trading early in the second round. Moreno was more flashy on his feet going for spin kicks. Benoit dropped Moreno with a left hook but Moreno survived. Benoit was getting his timing down but Moreno switched up and landed a big takedown. Moreno had Benoit planted on the bottom for the rest of the round and was landing from top. Close round but I had it for Moreno. Benoit landed a nice right hand in the opening moments of the third but Moreno went into grind mode by grabbing a single leg and pressuring Benoit against the fence. Moreno broke the clinch and missed a flying knee but came back on strong just outlanding Benoit in the last round. Benoit was landing some solid punches but Moreno had a response for everything. They traded some nice punches late. I had this a clean sweep for Moreno and him winning 30-27.
Official Result- Brandon Moreno def. Ryan Benoit by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
> Sara McMann (#7, 9-3, 3-3 UFC) vs. Alexis Davis (17-6, 4-1 UFC) Women’s Bantamweights
Davis hasn’t fought since April 2015 and is coming off a pregnancy layoff. They were trading early and McMann scored a takedown. Davis was landing elbows from the bottom, which cut open McMann. McMann didn’t do much from the top and Davis came on strong late with more elbows from the bottom. Even though she was on the bottom for the majority of the round, I had round one for Davis. McMann got a big takedown in the opening minute of round two. Neither ladu was doing much on the ground until McMann had an arm-triangle locked in. She got it in tighter and Davis tapped! McMann with the submission win over Davis in a hard-fought win.
Official Result- Sara McMann def. Alexis Davis by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 2:52 of Round 2
> Ion Cutelaba (12-2 1 NC, 1-1 UFC) vs. Jared Cannonier (8-1, 1-1 UFC) Light Heavyweights
They were trading big strikes early. Cutelaba got a judo throw takedown. Cutelaba was landing from the top but Cannonier was able to sweep to his feet. Cutelaba got another takedown and he ended the round on top. The first round was for Cutelaba. Cutelaba got a takedown and was controlling from the top in the second. They got to their feet and Cannonier rocked Cutelaba pretty good with some hard punches, but Cutelaba got a takedown and was able to recover. They got up and Cannonier was able to end up on top of Cutelaba. Cutelaba looked very tired at the end of the second. I had the fight even after two rounds. Cutelaba got a brief takedown in the third but they got up and Cannonier was landing some solid punches. Cannonier was controlling the Octagon and landing some big shots but Cutelaba was firing back. They scrambled in a clinch against the fence as Cutelaba was the more tired fighter. Cannonier landed some big punches on the break. Cannonier was just walking forward with his hands down and letting Cutelaba hit him without even showing a flinch in a great moment. A very entertaining fight. I had Cannonier winning the last round, and had the fight 29-28 for Cannonier.
Official Result- Jared Cannonier def. Ion Cutelaba by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
They were trading early on. Masvidal was teeing off on Ellenberger with lots of punches and knees to the body. He had Ellenberger in a lot of trouble and was close to stopping it but Ellenberger was able to survive. They got back to the center and Ellenberger went on the attack but Masvidal was countering. Both men landed big punches. A weird spot where Ellenberger got his toes stuck in the cage fence and Masvidal started landing punches. Herb Dean stopped the fight and called a timeout but found out he was going to have to call off the fight. A weird finish to this fight.
Official Result- Jorge Masvidal def. Jake Ellenberger by TKO (punches) at 4:05 of Round 1
> Joseph Benavidez (#1, 24-4, 11-2 UFC) vs. Henry Cejudo (#2, 10-1, 4-1 UFC) Flyweights
They traded early and Cejudo dropped Benavidez with a punch. Cejudo kicked Benavidez in the cup and we had a timeout. They got back to action and traded and another kick to the cup from Cejudo. Cejudo got deducted a point as he was warned earlier. Benavidez defended a takedown attempt from Cejudo. They were trading at a very fast pace. Benavidez landed a head kick but Cejudo got a brief takedown. Fast-paced opening round. I had it for Cejudo, but an even round due to the point deduction.
They came out fast-paced to start the second round. Cejudo got in a big knee to the body. Benavidez landed a flush right hand. Both men were throwing punches and kicks but not a lot landing solidly. They traded body kicks. They traded body kicks again. They both landed at the close of the round. A close second round I had for Benavidez as he landed more.
Benavidez landed a solid combo to start the third round. Cejudo got a brief takedown but they got up and Benavidez escaped. They are both landing but Cejudo is landing with more intensity. Cejudo is starting to miss more but when he lands, it is with a lot of power. Cejudo landed a body kick. Cejudo with a jumping knee to the body. Benavidez landed an uppercut. Both men landed big punches as they are going back-and-forth. A wild exchange in the last ten seconds. An absolutely great fight. I had the last round for Cejudo, but with the point deduction in the first round, my scorecard says a 28-28 DRAW.
Official Result- Joseph Benavidez def. Henry Cejudo by split decision (27-29, 30-26, 29-27)
> Demetrious Johnson (C, 24-2-1, 12-1-1 UFC) vs. Tim Elliott (13-6-1, 2-4 UFC) UFC Flyweight Championship
Johnson got an early takedown but Elliott was able to scramble to half-guard. Elliott had a tight guillotine choke locked in and Johnson was trying to scramble out. Elliott moved to a D’arce choke and Johnson still in some trouble. Johnson somehow escaped and ended up on top and started to work on a choke of his own. They scrambled up. Elliott already tired early. Elliott with a flurry to the body and then he dropped Johnson with a left hook. Elliott almost landed an illegal kick. Elliott scored a takedown. 10-9 Elliott in the first round.
Johnson landed some leg kicks and a right hand to start the second round. Johnson got a takedown and Elliott has the neck looking for a choke. Johnson scrambles to the back of Elliott and has a choke locked in for a brief second. Johnson working in side control and looked for a kimura but Elliott escaped to half-guard. Johnson got the crucifix and was looking for the kimura. Elliott working from the bottom. They scrambled to their feet and Johnson rolled for a leg lock but Elliott ended up on top. 10-9 round for Johnson, 19-19 after two.
Johnson landed some leg kicks and a right hand and they scrambled to the mat. Johnson had the back of Elliott. They scramble and Johnson has the neck looking for the choke. Elliott escaped and edned up on top. They scramble and Elliott was landing some punches, some may have been to the back of the head, but Johnson got it back down and into side control. Elliott looked for a triangle attempt but Johnson escaped and ended back in the full guard. Johnson in side control and landing some elbows. Elliott looking for something from the bottom but Johnson keeps slipping out. Johnson ends the round on top. 10-9 round for Johnson, 29-28 Johnson after three.
Elliott with some whacky attacks on his feet but Johnson evaded them and scored a takedown into the half-guard. Johnson transitioning on the ground and constantly passing guard. Johnson gets the back and threatens a choke but retains back control after scrambling. Johnson has a rear-naked choke locked in. Elliott fighting hard to survive and relaxed his breathing. Johnson let go and passed to side control. Johnson in the crucifix and landing some punches. He’s landing a lot of punches as both of Elliott’s arms were trapped. Elliott got his arms free and was landing from the bottom. Johnson had a straight armbar but turned it into a kimura. Elliott was able to scramble out and they got to their feet. A very entertaining fight thru four rounds. 10-9 Johnson, 39-37 Johnson.
Elliott got a big takedown early in the final round. Johnson scrambled to the top and took the back and transitioned to north-south control and then to side control. Johnson with fluid guard passes throughout this fight. Johnson back into the full guard. Elliott scrambling and Johnson rolling with him and ends up in the half-guard. Elliott doing nothing to get up from the bottom. They start scrambling and Elliott looking for an arm. Johnson reverses and looks for an armbar but they are slippery. Johnson ends up back in the full guard. Johnson with a late kimura attack but the horn sounds and the fight ends. Final round is 10-9 for Johnson and I had it 49-46 Johnson.
Official Result- Demetrious Johnson def. Tim Elliott by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45), Johnson remains the UFC Flyweight Champion
FINAL THOUGHTS:
-An impressive win by Demetrious Johnson after being in a lot of trouble in the first round. He solidified himself being the pound-for-pound top fighter in the world. Tim Elliott gave him a great challenge and almost pulled off the upset early, but the in-fight adjustments Johnson made to counter the style of Elliott showed why he is the best. Elliott earned himself a roster spot for the foreseeable future.
-I don’t know what to make of the scorecards in the fight between Joseph Benavidez and Henry Cejudo. I think Benavidez winning is justifiable, even though I had it a draw myself, but I don’t see any way he won all three rounds like he did on one scorecard. I’m also not sure I want to see him fight Johnson again as I don’t think he would have a great shot based on this performance.
-A tough way to lose for Jake Ellenberger. He should appeal the decision to the commission to see it getting overturned. Jorge Masvidal was lighting him up, though.
-Jared Cannonier showed a lot of power at 205 pounds. He could be scary if he decides to drop to 185 pounds.
-Sara McMann had her best showing in the UFC so far. With two straight wins, she could be two wins away from fighting for the title again.
-Brandon Moreno has a lot of potential and it’s exciting to see a young flyweight improving so fast in just two UFC fights in just over two months.
-Ryan Hall needs a lot of work on his striking and to learn to not constantly flop to the mat. It’s going to cost him against better fighters as Gray Maynard is done as a top-tier fighter. That fight was awful.
Here’s some advice for your gambling and fantasy needs for Saturday’s The Ultimate Fighter 24 Finale event in Las Vegas, Nevada, headlined by UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson defending against Tim Elliott on FOX Sports 1.
MAIN CARD
UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson (24-2-1) vs. Tim Elliott (13-6-1)
Betting Odds: Johnson (-1100), Elliott (+700) DraftKings Salaries: Johnson- $10,200, Elliott- $5,400 Key Statistic: Johnson has scored finishes in five of his last seven fights Analysis: The pound-for-pound best fighter in the world makes his ninth title defense when Johnson defends against Elliott, the TUF 24 winner. Johnson is the biggest betting favorite and has the highest fantasy salary on the card, which shows just how dominant he has been. He hasn’t been touched by anyone at 125 pounds, and it would be a monumental upset if Elliott were able to pull the win off. Elliott is solid on his feet, but Johnson represents a different kind of pace to the fight. Johnson is a fighter that excels in every aspect of the fight game, and he can knock opponents out, and submit them if he finds an opening. Elliott has been in the UFC before, and he’s only been finished once, but Johnson is by far the best opponent he has ever faced. A dirty and quick-paced fight gives Elliott a shot, but I see Johnson scoring a finish. Johnson is the clear bet in this fight. I expect him to have the highest draft rate in DraftKings line-ups, but with his high salary, he is an excellent choice, and would be my top target.
Joseph Benavidez (24-4) vs. Henry Cejudo (10-1)
Betting Odds: Benavidez (-200), Cejudo (+170) DraftKings Salaries: Benavidez- $9,000, Cejudo- $7,200 Key Statistic: Cejudo has never been taken down in his career Analysis: The co-main event of this card is the battle of the TUF 24 coaches, as the top flyweights behind Johnson, Benaviez and Cejudo, meet in the Octagon. Both men have only seen defeats at the hands of Johnson in their flyweight careers. Benavidez has won five straight fights entering this bout, and Cejudo is coming off his first career loss. Benavidez was taken down four times in his last fight by Zach Makovsky, and if that happens at the hands of Cejudo, it may be a long night for Benavidez. Benavidez is good at getting to his fight, but Cejudo is an Olympic gold medalist, and he will be able to keep Benavidez planted. Benavidez is the better striker of the two, but Cejudo has power in his hands. No matter how bad Johnson made him look, Cejudo is better than that April performance. If you are looking for an underdog to bet on, Cejudo could squeak out a gritty decision. At his fantasy salary, he is definitely worth a hard look as he’s one of the cheapest options on the card. It’ll be a close fight, and there is money to be made on Cejudo in this fight.
Jake Ellenberger (31-11) vs. Jorge Masvidal (30-11)
Betting Odds: Ellenberger (+220), Masvidal (-260) DraftKings Salaries: Ellenberger- $7,400, Masvidal- $8,800 Key Statistic: Ellenberger is 2-5 in his last seven fights Analysis: This should be a barnburner in the welterweight division. You have a heavy-handed striker with good wrestling in Ellenberger, and a crisp and technical boxer in Masvidal. This fight depends on which version of both men show up, and both have a tendency of not fully showing up in fights. Ellenberger was on rocky ground in his career, but his power was back on full display when he knocked out Matt Brown in his last fight. Masvidal hasn’t been a big finisher lately in fights, but he pushes a quick pace, and his size is good for a welterweight. Ellenberger may look to wrestle if he is smart, but he tends to stand and trade with his foes. Masvidal has a quick jab and that may be tough for Ellenberger to get inside of. Both men have a lot of fight mileage on them, but Masvidal is more durable. Masvidal is a sizeable favorite on the betting odds, and he is the better bet of the two. They have a big discrepency in fantasy salaries, and Ellenberger’s power is hard to look past. Masvidal is tough to finish. Ellenberger may be the better fantasy play. He is worth looking at with his $7,400 salary.
Ion Cutelaba (12-2 1 NC) vs. Jared Cannonier (8-1)
Betting Odds: Cutelaba (-230), Cannonier (+190) DraftKings Salaries: Cutelaba- $8,900, Cannonier- $7,300 Key Statistic: Cannonier’s first fight at light heavyweight after fighting at heavyweight Analysis: Cutelaba and Cannonier don’t have big names in the UFC as they both have fought just twice for the organization. Both men are 1-1 in their UFC careers. However, many are expecting this to be a slugfest as we have two strong punchers with penchants for finishing fights. Cannonier has been fighting as a heavyweight his entire career and makes the move down to 205 pounds for the first time. He was a big heavyweight and that power should carry over. Cutelaba is an aggressive and heavy puncher, though, and he will go toe-to-toe with the bigger Cannonier. I really like Cannonier’s chances in this fight, and I think he is a good fighter to look at when making bets and setting fantasy line-ups. His $7,300 salary on DraftKings is very valuable, and you will need some underdogs in your line-up.
Sara McMann (9-3) vs. Alexis Davis (17-6)
Betting Odds: McMann (-170), Davis (+150) DraftKings Salaries: McMann- $8,400, Davis- $7,800 Key Statistic: This is Davis’ first fight since UFC 186 on April 25, 2015 Analysis: McMann is gunning for her second straight win, while Davis returns to action for the first time in almost 18 months following a pregnancy and time away. That may be a disadvantage for Davis, but she is a high-level grappler who has had solid success inside the Octagon. McMann has been disappointing in her UFC run as she hasn’t lit the world on fire, and many of her wins in her career have been lackluster. She has to use her wrestling here, but also has to remember that Davis is a black belt in jiu-jitsu. McMann is very tentative on her feet and likes to keep distance while Davis is aggressive and looks to work in the clinch. Davis has a real good shot at scoring an upset on the oddsmakers’ cards, but I wouldn’t even call it an upset. She is a good betting option. I would keep away from McMann in your fantasy games as I don’t see her racking up very many points, and I don’t see a finish for her. Davis is a good value play, and I expect her to have a very solid draft rate in contests.
Brandon Moreno (12-3) vs. Ryan Benoit (9-4)
Betting Odds: Moreno (-135), Benoit (+115) DraftKings Salaries: Moreno- $8,500, Benoit- $7,700 Key Statistic: Moreno has nine wins by submission Analysis: Moreno shocked the world by coming in on short notice and submitting Louis Smolka in his UFC debut in October. He has a lot of momentum coming into this fight. Benoit has rotated wins-and-losses in his last seven fights, and hasn’t been able to find any consistency. History says Benoit is due for a loss, and Moreno is a tough match-up for him. Moreno has the size edge, and he is just more crafty in his overall attack. Moreno can be hit, but Benoit just doesn’t possess the knockout shot he will need. Moreno strings together his punches better, and his submission game is top-notch, having scored 75% of his career wins by submission. Moreno is the sure-fire bet in this fight, and he is a good option both when making straight bets and when picking fighters for fantasy line-ups. I think he will submit Benoit and maximize his potential for fantasy scoring.
PRELIMS
Gray Maynard (12-5-1 1 NC) vs. Ryan Hall (5-1)
Betting Odds: Maynard (-110), Hall (-110) DraftKings Salaries: Maynard- $8,100, Hall- $8,100 Key Statistic: Hall’s first fight in 357 days Analysis: If I’m making a bet on this fight, I would strongly consider Hall. If I’m setting a fantasy line-up, I’d strong advise against taking Hall. That is a weird position. He can’t strike real good at all, but he is a strong grappler. Maynard is a power wrestler with a powerful right hand, but his best days are strongly behind him. He may keep it standing, but Hall may be able to get it down. I don’t see Hall submitting Maynard, but keeping him pinned on the mat and doing enough to win rounds. Maynard’s chin is gone, but I can’t see Hall knocking him out. I could see Maynard knocking him out if he can connect. I don’t like playing either man in fantasy contests, but I think Hall wins this fight.
Rob Font (12-2) vs. Matt Schnell (10-2)
Betting Odds: Font (-270), Schnell (+230) DraftKings Salaries: Font- $8,700, Schnell- $7,500 Key Statistic: Schnell taking fight on short notice & moving up a weight class Analysis: Schnell is stepping in on short notice to face the tough Font, and he is moving up to 135 pounds to make his UFC debut. Font has eight wins by finish in his career, and he has never been finished. Schnell has won seven straight fights and has eight wins by finish in his career. Despite fighting at 125 pounds, Schnell is the same size as Font and has a longer reach. Both men are technical on their feet and are talented. Font is primarily a striker while Schnell has a dangerous submission game. The short notice puts Schnell down in both the betting odds and fantasy salaries. He is a steal on both, and I strongly suggest utilizing his value.
Dong Hyun “Maestro” Kim (13-8-3) vs. Brendan O’Reilly (6-2 1 NC)
Betting Odds: Kim (-135), O’Reilly (+115) DraftKings Salaries: Kim- $8,300, O’Reilly- $7,900 Key Statistic: Kim landing 4.57 significant strikes per minute Analysis: This is an important fight for both as the loser could be cut from the roster. Kim has been in two exciting fights, but has lost both. He lands a lot of punches, though, and he is a brawler. O’Reilly likes to brawl, but that style got him knocked out by Alan Jouban. He is moving down a weight class, and lightweight suits him better. O’Reilly will be looking to shoot for the takedown as a brawl will favor Kim, but Kim has sneaky takedown defense. Kim will crack O’Reilly’s jaw and I see a stoppage with punches. Kim is really a value steal at his fantasy salary, and I’m surprised he isn’t a bigger betting favorite. He should get the win here.
Kailin Curran (4-3) vs. Jamie Moyle (3-1)
Betting Odds: Curran (-135), Moyle (+115) DraftKings Salaries: Curran- $8,600, Moyle- $7,600 Key Statistic: Moyle last fought 447 days ago Analysis: Curran finds herself in a must-win situation as she is just 1-3 in the UFC, while Moyle makes her UFC debut following a long layoff. Moyle is small at 5’1″ and Curran will look to exploit the small length advantage she will have. Curran likes to battle on the feet and she unloads with a lot of volume. I don’t see either woman finishing the other, which makes it hard to pick one for your fantasy line-ups. Curran is the better straight bet and I think she wins a close decision.
Elvis Mutapcic (15-4-1) vs. Anthony Smith (25-12)
Betting Odds: Mutapcic (-105), Smith (-115) DraftKings Salaries: Mutapcic- $8,100, Smith- $8,100 Key Statistic: They were scheduled to fight earlier this year before late cancellation Analysis: They were supposed to fight earlier this year outside of the UFC, and now they fight for their roster survival. Mutapcic is searching for his first UFC win and he desperately needs it. Smith is a big finisher, having won 22 fights by finish. However, eleven of his twelve losses have seen him finished, and Mutapcic is a finisher who has never been stopped. Smith has a size advantage, but Mutapcic has a power advantage. I like Mutapcic’s power to stop Smith, and while it is close in both odds and fantasy salaries, Mutapcic is the better play in this fight.
Josh Stansbury (8-2) vs. Devin Clark (6-1)
Betting Odds: Stansbury (-110), Clark (-110) DraftKings Salaries: Stansbury- $8,000, Clark- $8,200 Key Statistic: Both men have been finished in all of their losses Analysis: Both men are fighting a weight class above their natural weight class, and this is a must-win for Clark. Clark is the better athlete of the two, and he is more explosive on the feet and has a better wrestling game. Stansbury is a more patient fighter but that will likely get him in trouble here. Clark can make mistakes and pay for it, and he did in his last fight. I do like him better in this fight. It’s a pick ’em on the betting odds, and Clark is the better play. I do like him at his $8,200 salary in fantasy line-ups as I think he gets a knockout win.
Wednesday’s UFC Tonight was full of news on upcoming fights, some of the ‘Wow!’ variety and some of the ‘Meh’ variety.
UFC 201
With UFC welterweight champion Robbie Lawler set to return to action at Atlanta’s UFC 201 (July 30) against Tyron Woodley, the rest of the main card is starting to take shape with a new title match and another catchweight fight featuring a female destroyer of worlds.
In the co-main event, flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will defend against #6 ranked Wilson Reis, he of the one-fight win streak. 3-1 as a flyweight, he’s essentially filling a role here as Johnson wants to continue to fight frequently in an effort to break Anderson Silva’s consecutive title defense streak. He’s at 8 right now and with Reis and a December title defense against a TUF winner on the docket, 10 looks to be an easy bet.
While the flyweights haven’t done much for the box office, UFC is hoping their next female breakout star will help as they are working on Cris Cyborg vs. Germaine de Randamie at a 140-pound catchweight fight on that Atlanta show. Cyborg wasted no time in dispatching Leslie Smith at UFC 198 in her Octagon debut while de Randamie picked up a big win in front of her hometown fans in Rotterdam a few weeks ago.
Assuming those are the top three fights and considering the event falls in the UFC 200 afterglow, there’s not going to be a lot of buzz for this show with this promotionally low-key cast of characters involved.
UFC Fight Night South Dakota
The July 13th event headlined by an awesome lightweight tilt in Michael Chiesa vs. Tony Ferguson got a sweet co-main event as bantamweight contenders Michael McDonald and John Lineker will do battle. McDonald returned after a two-year absence in January and submitted Masanori Kanehara in the second round, while Lineker won an entertaining decision over Rob Font at UFC 198 last Saturday.
Other Stuff
UFC is looking to bring an event to Cleveland, OH, this September and have heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic as the headliner. If that comes to pass and Alistair Overeem gets the opportunity, there goes The Reem’s plans to be on the November MSG show.
