[THE_LOCKSMITH]

ESPN 7:00 pm ET
Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze
Michel Pereira vs. Muslim Salikhov
Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jennifer Maia
Rogerio Bontorin vs. Brandon Royval
Jake Collier vs. Chase Sherman
Gabriel Benitez vs. T.J. Brown

ESPN+ 4:00 pm ET
Bill Algeo vs. Joanderson Brito
Ramiz Brahimaj vs. Court McGee
Viacheslav Borshchev vs. Dakota Bush
Joseph Holmes vs. Jamie Pickett
Saidyokub Kakhramonov vs. Brian Kelleher
Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Silvana Gomez Juarez

[jrgum3]

Looks like a solid main card with a good main event next week. It's weird going this long without a UFC fight card to watch on Saturdays but I guess everybody needs a break.

[hankcream]

Nice work Lock,
Bucklley vs Alkhasn already off. This COVID Bullshit makes it tough to cap, I like Dakota Bush as a dog ��

[THE_LOCKSMITH]

[Demonata]

Gigaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Sanity Check]

Karate vs boxing main.

Can Calvin Kattar break the mold of boxers in this scenario being kicked with relative impunity.

[magpie878]

I was looking forward to making money on Buckley getting knocked out.

[hankcream]

I really wanted to see Michel Periera fight the King of Kung Fu & Buckley vs Abdul Razaak Alhassan. Was going to go big on Periera and Alhassan. At least they found Periera a fight, the guy is a crazy f'ing beast but at -280 it's not worth a bet.

How in the hell are 2 bums like Sherman & Collier still on the UFC roster?

[cankid]

Looking forward to the card, hopefully not too many matches will be cancelled

[Demonata]

I really wanted to see Michel Periera fight the King of Kung Fu & Buckley vs Abdul Razaak Alhassan. Was going to go big on Periera and Alhassan. At least they found Periera a fight, the guy is a crazy f'ing beast but at -280 it's not worth a bet.

How in the hell are 2 bums like Sherman & Collier still on the UFC roster?

[hankcream]

This is getting ridiculous, down to 10 fights and Sherman vs Collier is the co-main event WTF. It sounds the UFC 270 card next week is getting shuffled around as well. How the hell are we supposed to cap this shit and make a decent profit.

[JIBBBY]

Prelim write ups -




155 lbs.: Dakota Bush vs. Viacheslav Borshchev

Dakota Bush (8-3) won four of five en route to his UFC debut, which pitted him against veteran Austin Hubbard. Bush banked the first round with some solid striking, but faded down the stretch en route to a unanimous decision loss.
“Hairy” will enjoy a four-inch reach advantage despite being the shorter man.
Viacheslav Borshchev (5-1) — the head striking coach at Team Alpha Male — found success in both kickboxing and boxing before turning his attention full-time to MMA. His efforts in the cage earned him a Contender Series shot, which he capitalized on by knocking out Chris Duncan via contract-winning check hook.
Four of his five MMA victories have come by knockout.
UFC brass knew what it was doing when it put this fight together. Bush relies more on athleticism than technical prowess on the feet, allowing “Slava Claus” to showcase the terrific striking offense that is his trademark, but “Hairy” also has enough of a wrestling pedigree to put Borshchev’s all-important takedown defense to the test.
Personally, I think it’ll pass. While he can’t always stop takedowns perfectly, Borshchev is highly adept at scrambling to his feet. As a result, Bush is unlikely to reliably hold him down, and he’ll have more and more trouble doing so as the fight progresses and Borshchev’s withering body attack begins taking its toll. In the end, Borshchev chops him down until he’s stationary enough to take one flush to the chin.
Prediction: Borshchev via second round technical knockout
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135 lbs.: Brian Kelleher vs. Saidyokub Kakhramonov

Brian Kelleher (23-12) — once the victim of two consecutive stoppage losses — now sits at 4-2 in his last six UFC bouts. His last appearance saw him rebound from a decision loss to Ricky Simon by overpowering Domingo Pilarte in Aug. 2021.
“Boom” will give up two inches of height and three inches of reach to Kakhramonov.
Uzbekistan’s Saidyokub Kakhramonov (9-2) punched his ticket to the world’s largest fight promotion by knocking out Tycen Lynn for the CFFC Bantamweight title in March 2021. This set up a late-notice debut against Trevin Jones, and though the Team Oyama product missed weight, he ultimately finished Jones with a guillotine late in the third.
He has scored four wins by submission and three by knockout.
This isn’t the closest fight on the “Prelims” in terms of odds, but it’s definitely the most competitive and interesting match up of the lot. Kakhramonov has a clear edge in size and stopping power, plus the wrestling chops to shut down Kelleher’s takedown offense. He’s struggled under pressure in the past, however, and Kelleher is nothing if not absolutely relentless. We also saw Jones find success trapping Kakhramonov against the fence, giving Kelleher a potential avenue of victory.
Still, I find myself leaning Kakhramonov’s way. He’s one of the rare Bantamweights who can match Kelleher’s pace, and though both men’s chins have failed them in the past, Kakhramonov strikes me as the likelier of the two to land a game-changing punch. In short, physicality and raw power should carry him to victory.
Prediction: Kakhramonov via unanimous decision
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115 lbs.: Silvana Gomez Juarez vs. Vanessa Demopoulos

Silvana Gomez Juarez (10-3) — whose only prior losses came against future UFC competitors Poliana Botelho and Ariane Lipski — rode a three-fight win streak into her short-notice UFC debut. The momentum wasn’t to last, as she succumbed to a first-round armbar from Lupita Godinez.
She replaces the injured Ashley Yoder on two months’ notice.
Vanessa Demopoulos (6-4) came up short against Cory McKenna on Contender Series, then lost her LFA title to the aforementioned Godinze her next time out. She returned to the win column by knocking out Cynthia Arceo, but couldn’t overcome J.J. Aldrich in her own short-notice Octagon debut.
She has won three professional fights via submission.
It really is heartbreaking to see someone as gutsy and technically adept as Demopoulos undone by one massive flaw. Though she’s extremely skilled on the ground and admirably aggressive on the feet, Demopoulos’ complete lack of wrestling chops force her to constantly fight in her opponents’ wheelhouses and rely on inconsistent quick-kills.
That looks to doom her once again against Juarez. The Argentinean does leave herself open to takedowns by backing up to the fence and showed some submission vulnerabilities against Godinez, but Demopoulos lacks the skills to reliably take things to the mat. This leaves her at the mercy of Juarez’s faster, more powerful striking, which figures to carry Juarez to a comfortable win.
Prediction: Juarez via unanimous decision




170 lbs.: Court McGee vs. Ramiz Brahimaj

Court McGee (20-10) — once the proud owner of a 5-2 UFC record — entered his May 2021 clash with Claudio SIlva in the midst of a 1-5 skid. He still proved more than “Hannibal” could handle, however, out-lasting the Brazilian en route to a unanimous decision victory.
He stands one inch taller than Ramiz Brahimaj (9-3) and sports a 3.5-inch reach advantage.
After a couple of false starts, Brahimaj got his Octagon shot in 2019, only to suffer a technical knockout loss to Max Griffin after his ear exploded (full details here). Nine months later, he returned to action with a first-round submission of Sasha Palatnikov.
All nine of his professional victories have come by submission, eight of them in the first round.
The sad thing about McGee is that he never learned to maximize the bottomless gas tank that is his key weapon. He never developed a consistent body attack and he’s weirdly reticent to use his takedowns, even against notoriously poor wrestlers like Ben Saunders and Carlos Condit. It’s gotten to the point where the only people he can beat are ones who reliably gas out on their own.
Brahimaj may generally rely on early finishes, but I’m not convinced he fits that bill. He’s younger, ostensibly the more physically strong of the two, and boasts some very solid wrestling with which to neutralize McGee’s pressure. Though McGee’s unlikely to get submitted and could theoretically grind out a win, he’s flubbed too many winnable match ups for me to put my faith in him. In short, Brahimaj grapples his way to a unanimous decision.
Prediction: Brahimaj via unanimous decision
Related
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185 lbs.: Jamie Pickett vs. Joseph Holmes

Jamie Pickett (12-6) finally achieved his UFC dream after three appearances on Contender Series, only to drop his first two Octagon bouts to fellow alumni Tafon Nchukwi and Jordan Wright. He ultimately returned to the win column in Oct. 2021 with a unanimous decision over Laureano Staropoli in “Sin City.”
“Night Wolf” has knocked out eight professional foes and submitted one other.
Glory MMA’s Joseph Holmes (7-1) has not tasted defeat since his first professional fight, racking up a seven-fight win streak that includes a submission finish on Contender Series. Though the win failed to earn him a contract, he kept the momentum up by starching Jhonoven Pati in his fifth fight of 2021.
“Ugly Man Joe” steps in for Caio Borralho on less than two weeks’ notice.
While this is a more winnable fight for Pickett than Borralho would have been, he’s still in for a rough evening. Holmes is one of the only men on UFC’s roster who can match Pickett’s reach and he’s a damn sight better at actually using it. Indeed, he’s sharper with his combinations, manages distance better, and is much more consistent with his output.
Holmes also appears to be the superior grappler of the two, and considering how easily Staropoli just walked into the clinch, that’s a feasible back up plan if things somehow go south at range. Either way, Holmes should cruise to a wide decision win.
Prediction: Holmes via unanimous decision
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145 lbs.: Gabriel Benitez vs. T.J. Brown

Though he came up short on the inaugural The Ultimate Fighter (TUF): Latin America season, Gabriel Benitez (22-9) started his UFC career 5-2, scoring a bonus-winning knockout of Humberto Bandenay along the way. He now sits at 1-3 in his last four, most recently succumbing to BIlly Quarantillo’s pace in July 2021.
“Moggly” gives up an inch of height and reach to “Downtown.”
T.J. Brown (15-8) capped off a four-fight win streak with a dominant finish of Dylan Lockard on Contender Series to earn himself a UFC contract. He fell short in his first two Octagon appearances, but some shaky judging carried him past Kai Kamaka III in May 2021.
His 13 professional finishes are split 9/4 between submissions and knockouts.
There’s something genuinely tragic about Brown, an incredibly adept finisher held back by extreme fragility. He absolutely has the skills to win this because Benitez has never managed to parlay his ferocious kicking game into a marquee victory and is definitely out-classed on the ground. Brown had the skills to win all three of his UFC bouts, though, and something gave out on him each time.
Whether it’s Brown’s chin, legs or body, Benitez is going to smash something before “Downtown” can build any momentum. Once the dust settles, “Moggly” returns to the win column with a violent finish.
Prediction: Benitez via first-round technical knockout

[JIBBBY]

Some main card write ups -


Women’s Flyweight: Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jennifer Maia

Best Win for Chookagian? Viviane Araujo For Maia? Joanne Calderwood
Current Streak: Chookagian has won two straight, whereas Maia returned to the win column last time out
X-Factor: Will Maia look to strike or wrestle?
How these two match up: My first instinct regarding this match up was, “I feel like this has happened before.” Low and behold, the two fought in 2019 with Chookagian taking the decision nod.
At any rate, Chookagian is one of the more consistent contenders at 125 pounds. She’s a high-volume kickboxer with a solid ground game, and she’s only lost to the absolute top-tier of her division in recent years. Maia is recently removed from a title loss of her own, but the well-rounded Brazilian is perhaps best known for her physicality.
Frankly, this doesn’t feel like a rematch that really needs to happen. I went back and watched the first fight — which I had definitely seen already but did not remember due to its wholly unremarkable nature — and the outcome was decisive. Chookagian was pretty consistently able to land her jab and low kicks from distance, and she was largely successful in denying her opponent’s takedown attempts.
Maia threw a lot, but she didn’t land too often. Given that original fight wasn’t all that long ago, and neither woman seems to have spectacularly improved, it’s hard not to bet on a repeat.
Prediction: Chookagian via decision
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---

Flyweight: Brandon Royval vs. Rogerio Bontorin

Best Win for Royval? Kai Kara-France For Bontorin? Raulian Paiva
Current Streak: Royval has lost two in a row, while Bontorin picked up a win at Bantamweight last time out
X-Factor: Royval promised to fight smarter, and Bontorin faces a severe cut to 125 pounds.
How these two match up: Ah, here’s a fun scrap!
Royval is chaos inside the cage. “Raw Dawg” puts on an incredible pace, throwing punches-in-bunches alongside dangerous kicks and spins. Whenever his fights hit the mat, Royval is quick to throw up submission attempts and remains very dangerous in scrambles.
Fortunately for fight fans, Bontorin is not one to slow the pace either. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt is aggressive on the feet, but his main goal is to gain top position. Often, Bontorin does so with high-amplitude slams and big takedowns.
There are really two outcomes here. On one hand, Royval is simply the more dangerous and damaging fighter. He has a great gift for opportunism, as he’s able to land big shots in wild exchanges that can turn the tide. Even if nothing huge connects, Royval is likely to do more damage more consistently and win on the feet.
However, none of that matters if Bontorin is successfully able to ground him. Last time out, Alexandre Pantoja endured Royval’s chaos until he was able to take his back and promptly strangle him, nullifying any previous good work. Bontorin will surely look to that fight for inspiration, as all of Royval’s activity definitely provides opportunities for his opponents.
Both men are likely to have their moments, but overall, I trust Royval’s scrambling to bail him out of a couple bad positions and allow him to keep momentum in his corner.
Prediction: Royval via decision
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---

Heavyweight: Jake Collier vs. Chase Sherman

Best Win for Collier? Gian Villante For Sherman? Damian Grabodwski
Current Streak: Collier lost his last bout, while Sherman has come up short twice in a row
X-Factor: Sherman’s face serves as a magnet for punches
How these two match up: Low-level Heavyweight BANGFEST coming up!
Collier deserves credit for originality. Originally, the Missouri “Prototype” was a scrappy Middleweight. Over the years, he’s inflated up to Light Heavyweight and now full-on Heavyweight, where Collier reappeared after a three year layoff. Throughout his entire UFC career, Collier has alternated wins and losses.
Sherman is unlikely to ever grow to become a contender, but the man can be trusted to provide “Fight of the Night”-type scraps. He’s durable, hits hard and can chop down opponents with his low kicks, but the former bare knuckle boxer just gets hit so often ...
Would a Collier knockout shock me? No, he’s aggressive enough and carries some pop in his hands. At the same time, the man is not a true Heavyweight, he’s just in bad physical shape and is content to scrap with bigger men.
That’s not a long term recipe for success, and a single win over Gian Villante is not going to convince me otherwise. Sherman is an imperfect brawler, but he’s a real Heavyweight, and his low kicks can take some of the sting off Collier’s punches that are still sure to land.
Prediction: Sherman via knockout
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---

Featherweight: Bill Algeo vs. Joanderson Brito

Best Win for Algeo? Spike Carlyle For Brito? Diego Lopes
Current Streak: Algeo came up short last time out, whereas Brito will make his UFC debut on an 11-fight win streak
X-Factor: UFC jitters
How these two match up: This should be a great fight ...
Algeo is a gamer. His technical game is a fun combination of Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu, but Algeo just tends to find himself in absolute scraps. On the flip side, Brito is an aggressive and powerful athlete. He’s happy to throw himself into the fray and swing big shots, but he’s also got some skill on the mat.
While a fun fight is seemingly guaranteed, this one could go in several different directions, as it’s the classic battle of technique vs. physicality. Algeo has a lot of craft to his game, but he’s definitely taken losses to stronger men like Brito over the years. He’s got a great chin, but it’s likely to be tested here ... but at the same time, if this one goes long, it’s likely to favor the more experienced and technical man in Algeo.
Until we see Brito against proven UFC opponents, it’s hard to be too confident. Still, he’s done a tremendous job on the regional scene against excellent opposition at just 26 years of age, so I’ll side with “Tubarao” to keep the ball rolling in his UFC debut.
Prediction: Brita via decision

[JAKEPEAVY21]

1.21 Gigawatt electric shock incoming for Kattar

[hankcream]

Weak card but at least we have fights back:
5 units Raw Dog Royval - 157
1.25 units Hairy Bush +150
1 unit Court Mcgee +110
1 unit Algeo +115
1 unit parlay Kelliher,Brown, Collier+217

[Merlin21]

Just happy it's back!

[Merlin21]

Just happy it's back!

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Just happy it's back!

Just happy it's back!

You can say that again!

[Merlin21]

Taking a stab at Pickett by TKO +450 for 0.8 units

Edit: Mostly because of Holmes's stache

[hankcream]

Damn Bush gets flattened. Russian probably prefer a hairy
Female fight up next time to switch to Bengals vs Raiders

[Allure]

What a terrible card to start the year, Jesus.

[Allure]

Who is that Royval fukk lol, that cunnt is probably the worst I have ever seen in MMA.

EDIT: LOL they gave that Royval the W although he was tossed around for 3 rounds lol. Terrible reffing as always.

[Kermit]

Only plays I made on this card was Chase and Giga both ITD.

[hankcream]

I’ll take the Royvall win but that was pretty bad judging

[Allure]

Only plays I made on this card was Chase and Giga both ITD.

GL, didnt bet anything. Giga ITD ballsy, given that Kattar survived Max's beating for 25 mins. Kattar is durable. Let's see.

[Merlin21]

I’ll take the Royvall win but that was pretty bad judging

Same. Take downs alone should netted the win. I have been on the other side many times, will take it as well.

[hankcream]

Here comes the Bum fight,
Sherman sucks without the roids $ Collier used to be at 185 now he has to cut weight to make 265

Just for the hell of it 1 unit Collier -140

[Merlin21]

What did that pay? 😂

[hankcream]

Good night so far, taking a flier:
1 unit Kattar by KO/TKO/DQ + 325

[mackave]

had coiler ITD +375 medium bet, kinda wanna all in chikadze ITD but something smells fishy

[hankcream]

What did that pay? 

$71.43

[Allure]

Sprinkled some on Kattar just for fun. I think Giga gets too much respect here, Kattar is no bum.

[hankcream]

Awesome fight this isn’t going 5 rounds

[mackave]

lol this Giga guy is a major gastank

[209 Life]

Kattar just stays in your face.