I bet some of you thought because of the early start you wouldn't get an edition of Viperz Venom this time around. I'm here to tell you that will never happen. Your stuck with me for every UFC card from now until the unforeseeable future. Now I'd like to start off by apologizing to all of you for coming in boasting about a 78% average and tanking it here over the last few cards but the truth is, it's mma! You never truly know whats going to happen and even though I have yet to be less than 50% on a card, my average is more like 62% than 78%. So for the people betting with me I'd like to apologize and tell you that we can only go up from here. This card is another one of those flip the coin ones specifically because we have so many big boys on it. Like I've said in past editions, its so hard to keep your average high with all these guys who can both end the fight with any strike at any time. With that being said I plan to bring you my opinion, breakdown, and prediction for each fight and will continue to do so until you stop reading. Now lets get underway.
Alessio Di Chirico 9-0 vs Bojan Velickovic 13-3
We start off with a couple middleweights making their UFC debuts. Velickovic is the southpaw and comes in with the reach and experience advantage with that being said, DI Chirico is undefeated in 9 professional fights. Both guys are finishers but Di Chirico has the power advantage. Velickovic's base is in judo and weighed in comfortably at 183 pounds. Di Chirico's face bothers me and I could see him getting into trouble if he gets anywhere near close enough for Velickovic to get ahold of him.
Pick: Bojan Velickovic via 1st Round Submission
Jared Cannonier 7-1 vs Cyril Asker 7-1
First heavyweight fight of the night comes early with two guys who step in nearly identical to one another. Cannonier stands switch and enjoys a small reach advantage. Asker is another fighter making his debut on this card and is riding a 5 fight win streak. According to what I've heard he has an iron chin and can take a very hard shot and keep coming. That being said Asker brings alot of weaknesses to the octagon none bigger than his poor head movement which is what I see getting him in trouble against what seems to be the more in shape fighter here in Cannonier. Quick finish here in my opinion.
Pick: Jared Cannonier via 1st Round KO/TKO
Rob Whiteford 12-3 vs Lucas Martins 15-3
This is actually one of the more interesting fights on this card. Martins trains with some of the best fighters in the world and has some of the most deadly clinch skills any fan of mma will ever see. Martins also has finished 14 of his 15 wins which makes him (at least on paper) look like a very dangerous man. Whiteford is the first scottish fighter in the UFC which adds pressure to his psyche because he will of course feel like he has to carry his nations reputation on his back (which if we remember didn't work out so bad for a certain irishman not that long ago). Martins stared so hard at the weigh ins he ended up looking like he had knockout face. You know, where your eyes cross and you make that look like you've been drooling for half an hour. Anyways based on the staredown alone I have to give this one to Whiteford. Martins just comes off as too much of a tool for me to respect him.
Pick: Robert Whiteford via Unanimous Decision
Filip Pejic 10-1-1 vs Damian Stasiak 8-3
Stasiak is accomplished and in the UFC. Pejic is on this card simply because he is probably the only actual mma fighter who the UFC could choose to be a hometown hero for this event. Pejic makes a fool out of himself at the weigh ins and makes an even bigger fool out of himself at the fight.
Pick: Damian Stasiak via 2nd Round Submission
Mairbeck Taisumov 24-5 vs Damir Hadzovic 10-2
Hadzovic has been deemed an underdog in this fight but I can't seem to see why. I can tell you just by listening to my radio lately that just surviving a refugee camp can be one of the hardest battles anyone would ever have to face and then we sprinkle a 6 fight win streak on top of his trials and tribulations and boom....underdog? Taisumov has 14 first round finishes and has won 12 of his last 14. Currently riding a 3 fight win streak I'm sure he feels on top of his game right now. But in the land of underdogs so far ruling 2016 I'm going to take one here. Plus Hadzovic has never been finished and has a brabo choke finish in mma! Like WHAT?!
Pick: Damir Hadzovic via 1st Round Submission
Ian Entwistle 9-2 vs Alejandro Perez 17-6
Entwistle has 11 pro fights and has never been out of the first round. The line there should tell you that he will either kill or be killed in the first. Place your bets.
Pick: Ian Entwistle via 1st Round Submission
Nicolas Dalby 14-0-1 vs Zac Cummings 18-4
Cummings is big for welterweight and has crazy submission skills. Dalby doesn't look small compared to Cummings at all but he also looks like he is enjoying the show a little too much. Cummings should stifle Dalby here and put him away late in the 3rd or take the decision home with him.
Pick: Zac Cummings via Unanimous Decision
Maryna Moroz 6-1 vs Christina Stanciu 5-0
Ive read up so much about both of these women it makes me sick. Moroz has looked so good in her previous fights but is undefeated and from her record is one hell of a grappler. Moroz gets her long limbs in trouble here and Stanciu takes one of them home with her.
Pick: Christina Stanciu via 2nd Round Submission
Igor Pokrajac 28-12 vs Jan Blachowicz 18-5
22 of Pokrajac's 28 wins have come in the first round which should tell you that he's a fast starter. Pokrajac is also on a 3 fight win streak outside of the UFC but with that being said his career has been on the decline for a few years now as he dropped his last 5 in the octagon. Blachowicz has dropped his last two fights in a row to contenders which most don't fault him for. I believe this fight is to see if Blachowicz is worth a contract or not and though I see this one being relatively boring I see Blachowicz getting the job done here.
Pick: Jan Blachowicz via Unanimous Decision
Timothy Johnson 9-2 vs Marcin Tybura 13-1
Debuts all over this card! Tybura has 9 first round finishes and Johnson is a division 2 all american wrestler who has a habit of taking guys down and pounding them out and one hell of a mustache.
Pick: Marcin Tybura via 1st Round Submission
Francis Ngannou 6-1 vs Curtis Blaydes 5-0
Blaydes comes into the ufc with a perfect record and all of his wins by knockout. Downside he has man titties. Ngannou has finished all 6 of his wins and has an even split with 3 wins by ko and 3 wins by submission. Ngannou looks like the bigger fighter and even though Blaydes obviously has knockout power but I don't see any passion for the sport. Ngannou has the heart, passion, and skillset to put Blaydes away here.
Pick: Francis Ngannou via 1st Round KO/TKO
Derrick Lewis 14-4 vs Gabriel Gonzaga 17-10
Okay these last two fights are going to be small write ups. Why? Because I've talked about them to everyone I know already and I'm frankly sick of talking about them. Seriously though Lewis has a great chin and Gonzaga is on the decline. Don't blink.
Pick: Derrick Lewis via 1st Round KO/TKO
Ben Rothwell 36-9 vs Junior Dos Santos 17-4
Rothwell is on a resurgence as of late basi cally laying waste to all in his wake. Dos Santos has lost 3 of his last 5 and hasn't really looked very good in the 2 wins he had during that course of time. Most people don't look at Rothwell as a guy who has been fighting professionally since 2001. We are talking about a guy who fought Tim Sylvia for crying out loud. Junior has knockout wins over some of the best heavyweight fighters in the world but he absolutely hates pressure and thats all Rothwell lays with consistency. My only issue here is picking the method and round Rothwell wins by, which is why I'll leave it as a pick em and be done with it because if I stress over it anymore I'll end up giving myself an aneurysm.
Pick: Ben Rothwell via ...........................
Well that brings an end to another episode guys. I really hope you enjoyed it and as usual drop me a comment and tell me what you think. Give me some constructive criticism and don't forget to read it! See you next week for Texiera vs Evans!
Alessio Di Chirico 9-0 vs Bojan Velickovic 13-3
We start off with a couple middleweights making their UFC debuts. Velickovic is the southpaw and comes in with the reach and experience advantage with that being said, DI Chirico is undefeated in 9 professional fights. Both guys are finishers but Di Chirico has the power advantage. Velickovic's base is in judo and weighed in comfortably at 183 pounds. Di Chirico's face bothers me and I could see him getting into trouble if he gets anywhere near close enough for Velickovic to get ahold of him.
Pick: Bojan Velickovic via 1st Round Submission
Jared Cannonier 7-1 vs Cyril Asker 7-1
First heavyweight fight of the night comes early with two guys who step in nearly identical to one another. Cannonier stands switch and enjoys a small reach advantage. Asker is another fighter making his debut on this card and is riding a 5 fight win streak. According to what I've heard he has an iron chin and can take a very hard shot and keep coming. That being said Asker brings alot of weaknesses to the octagon none bigger than his poor head movement which is what I see getting him in trouble against what seems to be the more in shape fighter here in Cannonier. Quick finish here in my opinion.
Pick: Jared Cannonier via 1st Round KO/TKO
Rob Whiteford 12-3 vs Lucas Martins 15-3
This is actually one of the more interesting fights on this card. Martins trains with some of the best fighters in the world and has some of the most deadly clinch skills any fan of mma will ever see. Martins also has finished 14 of his 15 wins which makes him (at least on paper) look like a very dangerous man. Whiteford is the first scottish fighter in the UFC which adds pressure to his psyche because he will of course feel like he has to carry his nations reputation on his back (which if we remember didn't work out so bad for a certain irishman not that long ago). Martins stared so hard at the weigh ins he ended up looking like he had knockout face. You know, where your eyes cross and you make that look like you've been drooling for half an hour. Anyways based on the staredown alone I have to give this one to Whiteford. Martins just comes off as too much of a tool for me to respect him.
Pick: Robert Whiteford via Unanimous Decision
Filip Pejic 10-1-1 vs Damian Stasiak 8-3
Stasiak is accomplished and in the UFC. Pejic is on this card simply because he is probably the only actual mma fighter who the UFC could choose to be a hometown hero for this event. Pejic makes a fool out of himself at the weigh ins and makes an even bigger fool out of himself at the fight.
Pick: Damian Stasiak via 2nd Round Submission
Mairbeck Taisumov 24-5 vs Damir Hadzovic 10-2
Hadzovic has been deemed an underdog in this fight but I can't seem to see why. I can tell you just by listening to my radio lately that just surviving a refugee camp can be one of the hardest battles anyone would ever have to face and then we sprinkle a 6 fight win streak on top of his trials and tribulations and boom....underdog? Taisumov has 14 first round finishes and has won 12 of his last 14. Currently riding a 3 fight win streak I'm sure he feels on top of his game right now. But in the land of underdogs so far ruling 2016 I'm going to take one here. Plus Hadzovic has never been finished and has a brabo choke finish in mma! Like WHAT?!
Pick: Damir Hadzovic via 1st Round Submission
Ian Entwistle 9-2 vs Alejandro Perez 17-6
Entwistle has 11 pro fights and has never been out of the first round. The line there should tell you that he will either kill or be killed in the first. Place your bets.
Pick: Ian Entwistle via 1st Round Submission
Nicolas Dalby 14-0-1 vs Zac Cummings 18-4
Cummings is big for welterweight and has crazy submission skills. Dalby doesn't look small compared to Cummings at all but he also looks like he is enjoying the show a little too much. Cummings should stifle Dalby here and put him away late in the 3rd or take the decision home with him.
Pick: Zac Cummings via Unanimous Decision
Maryna Moroz 6-1 vs Christina Stanciu 5-0
Ive read up so much about both of these women it makes me sick. Moroz has looked so good in her previous fights but is undefeated and from her record is one hell of a grappler. Moroz gets her long limbs in trouble here and Stanciu takes one of them home with her.
Pick: Christina Stanciu via 2nd Round Submission
Igor Pokrajac 28-12 vs Jan Blachowicz 18-5
22 of Pokrajac's 28 wins have come in the first round which should tell you that he's a fast starter. Pokrajac is also on a 3 fight win streak outside of the UFC but with that being said his career has been on the decline for a few years now as he dropped his last 5 in the octagon. Blachowicz has dropped his last two fights in a row to contenders which most don't fault him for. I believe this fight is to see if Blachowicz is worth a contract or not and though I see this one being relatively boring I see Blachowicz getting the job done here.
Pick: Jan Blachowicz via Unanimous Decision
Timothy Johnson 9-2 vs Marcin Tybura 13-1
Debuts all over this card! Tybura has 9 first round finishes and Johnson is a division 2 all american wrestler who has a habit of taking guys down and pounding them out and one hell of a mustache.
Pick: Marcin Tybura via 1st Round Submission
Francis Ngannou 6-1 vs Curtis Blaydes 5-0
Blaydes comes into the ufc with a perfect record and all of his wins by knockout. Downside he has man titties. Ngannou has finished all 6 of his wins and has an even split with 3 wins by ko and 3 wins by submission. Ngannou looks like the bigger fighter and even though Blaydes obviously has knockout power but I don't see any passion for the sport. Ngannou has the heart, passion, and skillset to put Blaydes away here.
Pick: Francis Ngannou via 1st Round KO/TKO
Derrick Lewis 14-4 vs Gabriel Gonzaga 17-10
Okay these last two fights are going to be small write ups. Why? Because I've talked about them to everyone I know already and I'm frankly sick of talking about them. Seriously though Lewis has a great chin and Gonzaga is on the decline. Don't blink.
Pick: Derrick Lewis via 1st Round KO/TKO
Ben Rothwell 36-9 vs Junior Dos Santos 17-4
Rothwell is on a resurgence as of late basi cally laying waste to all in his wake. Dos Santos has lost 3 of his last 5 and hasn't really looked very good in the 2 wins he had during that course of time. Most people don't look at Rothwell as a guy who has been fighting professionally since 2001. We are talking about a guy who fought Tim Sylvia for crying out loud. Junior has knockout wins over some of the best heavyweight fighters in the world but he absolutely hates pressure and thats all Rothwell lays with consistency. My only issue here is picking the method and round Rothwell wins by, which is why I'll leave it as a pick em and be done with it because if I stress over it anymore I'll end up giving myself an aneurysm.
Pick: Ben Rothwell via ...........................
Well that brings an end to another episode guys. I really hope you enjoyed it and as usual drop me a comment and tell me what you think. Give me some constructive criticism and don't forget to read it! See you next week for Texiera vs Evans!
