[THE_LOCKSMITH]

ESPN 7:00 pm ET
Rob Font vs. Marlon Vera
Andrei Arlovski vs. Jake Collier
Andre Fili vs. Joanderson Brito
Jared Gordon vs. Grant Dawson
Darren Elkins vs. Tristan Connelly
Krzysztof Jotko vs. Gerald Meerschaert

ESPN2 4:00 pm ET
Daniel Silva vs. Francisco Figueiredo
Gabe Green vs. Yohan Lainesse
Natan Levy vs. Mike Breeden
Gina Mazany vs. Shanna Young
Tatsuro Taira vs. Carlos Candelario
Chase Sherman vs. Alexandr Romanvov

[hankcream]

This is 3 weeks in a row of low level crap from the UFC and this main card is on ESPN 2 with Fat Jake Collier vs Old man Arlovski in the co-main event. With the money ESPN is paying the UFC you would think Disney would be putting some pressure on to get a decent product out there that more than just die hard fans are going to watch.

[Brandt Moat]

No shit! I am losing on DQ fights ruled accidents and going to cards in high level fights. No way I'm betting 2 ham and eggers going at it. PASS Will watch if bored.

[JIBBBY]

Prelim write ups -




125 lbs.: Shanna Young vs. Gina Mazany

Though her Contender Series bid didn’t pan out, Shanna Young (7-4) got her Octagon opportunity by stepping up on short notice to face Macy Chiasson, who grinded out a unanimous decision in Feb. 2020. She was similarly unsuccessful against Stephanie Egger almost 20 months later, falling via ground-and-pound midway through the second stanza.
She stands one inch taller than Mazany, but gives up almost four inches of reach.
After washing out of UFC thanks to a 1-3 start and falling to Julia Avila just 22 seconds into her Octagon return, Gina Mazany (7-5) returned to the win column by pounding out Rachael Ostovich at the APEX. She then took on Priscila Cachoeira, dominating early but running out of steam on her way to a second round technical knockout loss.
“Danger” has knocked out four pro foes and submitted one other.
Even acknowledging that Mazany’s early UFC defeats came against very capable opposition, there’s no excuse for her performance against Cachoeira. She folded at the first sign of adversity and gassed out despite being in total control from top position. That said, Young’s history of issues on the mat bodes ill for her, especially considering the way she waltzed right into the clinch against a decorated judoka in Egger.
Young’s less of a layup than Cachoeira in the sense that she has actual stand up skills, but she also lacks the Brazilian’s relentlessness and stopping power. Without those tools to keep Mazany honest, there’s not much stopping “Danger” from powering her way into the clinch, dragging Young to the mat, taking dominant position, and dropping punches until the referee intervenes.
Prediction: Mazany via first round technical knockout
Related
Up Next Font Battles Vera In Vegas!

125 lbs.: Tatsuro Taira vs. Carlos Candelario

Japan’s Tatsuro Taira (10-0) made his amateur debut at 16 years old, racking up a perfect (9-0) record in the unpaid ranks before turning professional in 2018. He’s been similarly successful there, amassing seven first-round finishes among his victories.
His professional stoppage wins are split 5/3 between submissions and knockouts.
Carlos Candelario’s (8-1) victory on Contender Series gave way to a four-year layoff, which he ended in Aug. 2021 with a decision over Miguel Restrepo. Less than four weeks later, he returned to Contender Series, where he lost a borderline robbery decision to Victor Altamirano.
He stands one inch taller than Taira at 5’8.”
At the time of writing, Taira is the second-biggest favorite on the card behind Alexander Romanov. I’m not sure I agree. That’s because while the 22-year-old is clearly extremely promising, Candelario’s technically sound, well-rounded game could turn him into an unexpected speed bump. Taira has been a little too passive in the past, meaning Candelario has a real shot at outworking him on the feet and potentially burning clock from guard if he decides to risk ground engagements.
Still, Candelario’s left enough openings in past grappling exchanges that it’s easier to picture Taira latching onto his back at some point and closing the show from there. In the end, Taira skips past a potential minefield with an early finish.
Prediction: Taira via first round submission
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265 lbs.: Alexander Romanov vs. Chase Sherman

Alexander Romanov (15-0) mauled his way to dominant finishes in his first two UFC appearances before narrowly escaping Juan Espino via split decision. “King Kong” returned to his finishing ways six months later with a two-round beatdown of Jared Vanderaa at the APEX.
His 14 professional finishes include nine by submission.
Nearly two years after first washing out of the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, Chase Sherman (15-9) announced his return by battering Ike Villanueva into submission. He has since lost three straight, most recently tapping to a Jake Collier rear-naked choke in January.
“The Vanilla Gorilla” replaced Tanner Boser on short notice last weekend, only to withdraw because of an undisclosed medical issue on fight night.
The raw version of Romanov that first entered the Octagon in 2020 would have been more than sufficient to overpower Sherman with little resistance. Now consider what the fitter, more technically sound version of recent times will do to him.
The only weapon of Sherman’s that poses any sort of threat is his low kick, which he can’t stay standing long enough to actually utilize. He has decent punching power, sure, but the same issue applies. In short, Romanov takes him down and either chokes or pounds him out at his discretion.
Prediction: Romanov via first round submission



125 lbs.: Daniel Lacerda vs. Francisco Figueiredo

Three months after knocking out Rodrigo Sarafian under the Shooto banner, Daniel Lacerda (11-2) entered the Octagon to face Jeff Molina. Despite a quick start, he ultimately succumbed to Molina’s power early in the second for the first non-injury loss of his career.
All of his wins have come inside of two rounds, six of them by submission.
Francisco Figueiredo (12-4-1) wasn’t as destructive as his brother in his Octagon debut, but he nonetheless emerged victorious with a decision over Contender Series graduate, Jerome Rivera. Then came Malcolm Gordon, who survived a rough start to out-last Figueiredo and claim a unanimous decision.
He gives up an inch of reach to “Miojo.”
The million-dollar question here is whether Lacerda learned from the Molina debacle. He’s a lot faster than Figueiredo and a much better finisher — even his lingering cardio concerns are offset by the fact that Figueiredo can’t land more than 30 significant strikes per fight without gassing. If he plays it smart, leans on his kicks and ignores the urge to go all-in on low-percentage submissions, he’s got what it takes to piece up the elder Brazilian.
Even if the maturity isn’t there for Lacerda, “The Sniper’s” poor gas tank and complete lack of dynamism make it hard to have any faith in the lesser Figueiredo. In the end, Lacerda out-works him to his first-ever decision win.
Prediction: Lacerda via unanimous decision
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170 lbs.: Gabe Green vs. Yohan Lainesse

Gabe Green (10-3) rode a six-fight win streak into his late-notice Octagon debut, which saw him drop a decision to Daniel Rodriguez in which the pair landed more than 300 combined significant strikes. “Gifted” was a bit more successful against Philip Rowe, battering “The Fresh Prince’s” lead leg en route to his first-ever decision victory.
This marks his first appearance in 14 months.
After starting his professional career in Quebec’s venerable TKO promotion, Yohan Lainesse (8-0) took his talents to CFFC, ultimately winning their Welterweight title with a July 2021 technical knockout of Evan Cutts. This earned him a spot on Contender Series, where he wiped out Justin Berlinson in 97 seconds to claim a UFC contract.
All six of his professional finishes have come via knockout.
This has the potential to be the most entertaining fight on the “Prelims,” and it’s also the fun sort of match up where each fighter has the tools to exploit the other’s shortcomings. Lainesse is the more technically sound striker of the two and the superior wrestler, but tends to lose steam after the first round, giving the ultra-persistent Green a real shot at victory if he can survive the early going.
It seems clear that Lainesse will win the first round comfortably. The question is whether his takedown game can keep him in the lead against someone this active and difficult to finish once the athleticism starts to peter out. Regardless, I’ve got Green by a hair. As long as he stays active with the leg kicks and doesn’t hand Lainesse takedowns on a silver platter, he should do just enough to edge out the latter two rounds.
Prediction: Green via split decision
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155 lbs.: Natan Levy vs. Mike Breeden

Natan Levy (6-1) followed a perfect (5-0) LFA run by choking out Shaheen Santana on Contender Series to earn a UFC contract. Injury kept him out of action for the following year, after which he dropped a narrow decision to Rafa Garcia in his Octagon debut.
He is the shorter man by an inch but sports a two-inch reach advantage.
Mike Breeden (10-4) fell short in a Contender Series bid against Anthony Romero, only to win his next two and step up on short notice to meet Anthony Hernandez in the Octagon. It wasn’t the triumphant debut he wanted, though, suffering a knockout loss just 80 seconds into the first round.
“Money” has scored eight knockouts as a professional.
Though he may have gotten utterly pasted by Hernandez in his Octagon debut, Breeden still represents a good test for Levy. Levy’s fight with Garcia showed that he’s still vulnerable to getting tagged when opponents get past his preferred kicking distance and Breeden’s excellent takedown defense figures to give him some issues if Levy tries to lean on his wrestling.
Still, Breeden’s lack of offensive wrestling should allow Levy to use his kicks more than he did against Garcia. Seeing as Romero demolished Breeden’s lead leg, that gives Levy a clear path to victory. So long as Levy can keep his back off the cage and avoid mixing it up in the pocket, he potshots his way to victory.
Prediction: Levy via unanimous decision

[JIBBBY]

Main Card write ups -

Featherweight: Andre Fili vs. Joanderson Brito

Best Win for Fili? Dennis Bermudez For Brito? Diego Lopes
Current Streak: Fili enters off a “No Contest,” while Brito lost his UFC debut last time out
X-Factor: The bout was booked on short notice
How these two match up: This reads like a very fun scrap.
Fili has picked up a few Top 15 wins in his career, but he has yet to build the type of win streak that really generates momentum toward the title. Fortunately, “Touchy” still seems to be getting better, as his most recent performance was likely the finest kickboxing showcase of his professional career.
Brito may be winless in his UFC career thus far, but he’s beaten some excellent opponents on the regional scene. The Brazilian scrapper is pretty straightforward in his Muay Thai approach, but that style has produced finishes more often than not.
This is a bit of a strange bout. Brito came up short vs. Bill Algeo, a good fighter but one generally less accomplished than Fili. In that bout, Brito repeatedly punched into the clinch when it didn’t benefit him, resulting in some takedowns and lots of control from Algeo. Fili has the reactive takedowns to find similar success.
Furthermore, Fili looks like the sharper kickboxer. He shifts stances and takes angles quite a bit, which will be a problem for the more stationary Brito. Unless the Brazilian can land something devastating early, it seems pretty likely that Fili picks him apart and controls the flow of the fight.
Prediction: Fili via knockout
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Lightweight: Jared Gordon vs. Grant Dawson

Best Win for Gordon? Hacran Dias For Dawson? Leonardo Santos
Current Streak: Gordon has won three in a row, whereas Dawson enters off a draw
X-Factor: Can Dawson keep up with Gordon’s gas tank?
How these two match up: Two wrestlers who embrace the grind will attempt to drown one another.
Gordon is relentless. He’s not the absolute best in any one area, but “Flash” is about as hard-nosed and determined as they come. When able to get his opponent tired, Gordon tends to absolutely dominate from that point forward.
Dawson is more of a specialist. Though his kickboxing is coming along, Dawson really excels at chain wrestling along the fence. Once in top position, he’s quite good at pinning his opponents down and funneling them into submissions. Since moving up to Lightweight, however, Dawson has experienced a bit more difficulty in keeping foes contained.
I believe Gordon is the better striker with heavier hands here, but it’s also likely that Dawson can take and keep him down. As the recent Joe Solecki fight showed, however, that alone isn’t enough to win the fight. Dawson has to be ready to wrestle for the full 15 minutes — something he failed to due vs. Rick Glenn — or else Gordon is going to scratch and claw his way back into the fight.
Barring an early finish, the likely result is a bloody, exhausting match that sees Dawson start strong but Gordon finish big. Then, those pesky judges come into play ...
Prediction: Dawson via decision
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Featherweight: Darren Elkins vs. Tristan Connelly

Best Win for Elkins? Mirsad Bektic For Connelly? Michel Pereira
Current Streak: Both men lost their last bout
X-Factor: Elkins is damn near impossible to submit
How these two match up: Experienced grapplers collide!
Elkins is a grinder of the purest variety. “The Damage” walks through fire to get his wrestling going, exhausts his opponents, then slowly takes over. It’s rarely pretty, but Elkins has a bunch of Featherweight longevity records as a credit to his grit and skill. Canada’s Connelly is also a ground specialist, but he falls a bit more into the jiu-jitsu subcategory. He’s got plenty of experience in his own right, but this is only his third trip to the Octagon.
At this point, the path to defeating Elkins is generally to hurt him standing up and then avoid the wrestling. Even when opponents do well wrestling with Elkins early on, that success tends not to last. Seeing as Connelly is a grappler first and foremost, it will likely be extremely difficult for him to completely shift his style and avoid scrambling with the veteran.
Even at 37 years of age and deep in his professional career, Elkins remains a nightmare match up for most grapplers. He just doesn’t stop wrestling, working his way into top position despite any number of submission attempts or elbows to the temple. It’s physically and mentally wearing, and it’s a very easy trap to fall into.
Expect a vintage “Damage” performance in this one.
Prediction: Elkins via decision
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Middleweight: Gerald Meerschaert vs. Krzysztof Jotko

Best Win for Meerschaert? Makhmud Muradov For Jotko? Thales Leites
Current Streak: Meerschaert has won his last three, whereas Jotko rebounded last time out
X-Factor: Both men are a bit inconsistent
How these two match up: Middle of the division Middleweight madness!
“GM3” deserves major credit for rebounding from his Khamzat Chimaev loss so well. In his last three fights, he’s looked more dangerous than ever, wearing down opponents with heavy kicks before bringing his masterful submission game into play. In 34 victories, Meerschaert has tapped out 26 opponents and stopped another six via strikes.
On the flip side, nearly 70 percent of Jotko’s wins come via decision. He’s a technical kickboxer, solid wrestler, and can push a good pace for 15 minutes, but there’s not anything about his game that really pops off the page. He’s a tactical fighter though, which has resulted in a very solid UFC career.
This is an annoying fight to predict. On one hand, Meerschaert is the far, far more dangerous fighter. He’s the one that might actually hurt his opponent, be it via liver kick or strangulation. At the same time, Jotko is generally pretty good at not getting creamed by big shots or caught in submissions, and he does well in winning minutes of fights.
Are we in a Meerschaert finishes or loses by decision situation? Possibly.
As such, it’s hard to be too confident either way. Ultimately, the deciding factor for me was Meerschaert’s performance vs. Muradov. Opposite a composed, powerful, and technical striker, Meerschaert really put on a smart performance that saw him methodically build to the finish, rather than just pull it off suddenly.
If he can be consistently damaging and dangerous vs. Jotko, a similar outcome is likely.
Prediction: Meerschaert via submission

[Brandt Moat]

At -150 Arlovski is a good bet. I personally won't bet him. His glass jaw is a problem! But, the tub of shit he is fighting has nothing for a skilled fighter of Andrea's caliber. Other then a possible light touch to the whiskers of Arlovski to put him on queer street. I guess the card has a few up and comers to watch. GL guys on the bench for this one.

[pavyracer]

This is a good week to bet the dogs. All fights are 50/50.

[Kermit]

Last week, Romanov was -1400 against Sherman, this week he is -2000. The fight ITD last week was -600, now it is -900.

[JIBBBY]

This is a good week to bet the dogs. All fights are 50/50.

Agreed. Could very will be a dog day afternoon on this card.

[JIBBBY]

Last week, Romanov was -1400 against Sherman, this week he is -2000. The fight ITD last week was -600, now it is -900.

Sherman blows, probably shouldn't be in the UFC at this point. Odds may be on point.

[magpie878]

Sherman blows, probably shouldn't be in the UFC at this point. Odds may be on point.

He already got released ( I think more than once).. for this short notice fight last week he got re-signed and for MORE money. He's not good.

[JIBBBY]

Good fights so far. Had to laugh at the Sherman fight. He got smoked..

[THE_LOCKSMITH]

Jotko playing with fire there at the end...

[Git Lo]

dawson guy is pretty good

[THE_LOCKSMITH]

fukkin Fili.......

[Merlin21]

Herb is the worst.... All these years and he always looks confused on what to do ... Either end the fight or don't , what is with the pussy footing in and out ??

[THE_LOCKSMITH]

Wow

[Kermit]

Very bad decision. Jake won that.

[Git Lo]

are undercards usually this good? vera whooping

[Merlin21]

How do you let him back in there?? Come on Chito

[THE_LOCKSMITH]

Vera put a beating on him

[209 Life]

Can't believe Font didn't get finished.

[JIBBBY]

Rob looked like the Predator at the end of that fight. lol. His face swollen and busted up..

[JIBBBY]

Can't believe Font didn't get finished.

You mean Vera.

[JIBBBY]

How do you let him back in there?? Come on Chito

That was stupid fight IQ.

[209 Life]

You mean Vera.

No, Font took the beating not Vera

[Kermit]

Can't believe Font didn't get finished.

That makes 2 of us. That last time that Vera dropped him, he should have stepped back and made the ref stand Font up. Font was hurt and the ref probably would have stopped it. We see this way too often. Just bad fight IQ.

[JIBBBY]

No, Font took the beating not Vera

I read that post wrong above my bad.

Yes can't believe Font didn't get finished. I had Vera ITD and lost that bet. I thought when Rob didn't make weight there would be no way he would make it 5 rounds. I was wrong ..

[pavyracer]

At the end of a fight Font looked like a hooligan that got beat by ultras. Vera messed him up really good. This fight should have ended after 3 rounds. Font couldn't beat an old man on crutches last night.

[JIBBBY]

At the end of a fight Font looked like a hooligan that got beat by ultras. Vera messed him up really good. This fight should have ended after 3 rounds. Font couldn't beat an old man on crutches last night.

Fonts punches had zero effect on Vera. Just look at Vera's face after the fight, not a scratch.

[Thrilla]

Chitinho!