It’s time for another Saturday morning Fight Night! Or should I say Fight Morning/Afternoon? UFC Fight Night 72 will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, and due to the time difference will be broadcast at 10 AM US Eastern Time (main card starting at 1 PM). This is also the fourth UFC event in 8 days, and while the last three had line-ups ranging from passable to stellar, the floor was bound to fall out at some point when you hold so many events so close together… that vague sound you’re hearing is Joe Silva scraping the bottom of the barrel, and so we end up with fights most of which hold very little interest to an average MMA fan. This one should have been on Fight Pass.
Main Event: [#9 MW] Thales Leites vs [#11 MW] Michael Bisping
Worth: $15
Why: I never thought I’d say this about a Bisping fight, but the main event is the only saving grace of this card. Thales Leites’ evolution as a fighter has been very fun to watch: he is 5-0 with 3 finishes in his latest UFC stint. His submission victory over Tim Boetsch showed that there are still some holes in his game, but also showcased his ability to overcome adversity in a fight.
His opponent Michael Bisping has never been one of my favorite fighters to watch even at his best, and he is showing obvious signs of decline. Bisping has traded wins and losses over his past 8 fights, and generally looked progressively worse in his losses. If Leites can put on a good showing here and pull off a victory, he may be knocking on the door of another title shot – something I would have never thought possible just a few years back.
Fight: [#28 LW] Ross Pearson vs [#45 LW] Evan Dunham
Worth: $5
Why: I used to have Ross Pearson pegged as a gatekeeper level slugger, and that’s not a inaccurate assessment of the current state of his career, however his experience seems to be making him into a more composed and savvy fighter. His opponent Evan Dunham was once a highly touted prospect, but fizzled when taking a step up in competition, and has struggled to rebuild himself. This is a battle to remain relevant in a highly competitive division.
Fight: [#125 LW] Joseph Duffy vs [#133 LW] Ivan Jorge
Worth: $2.50
Why: Now that I’m officially a believer in Conor McGregor hype, I’m naturally curious about the man who handed Conor his only loss. ‘Irish Joe’ Duffy only has one loss of his own, and finished his opponents in all but one of his victories, including his UFC debut. Ivan Jorge is 2-1 in the Octagon, and is a submission expert judging by his record, though he had gone the distance in all his UFC appearances. It’s a very closely matched fight, and we might be in for some fun grappling, and potentially the emergence of a new prospect.
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Fox Sports 1 Event Worth: $22.50
Fox Sports 1 Valuation: $5 (see how I came up with this valuation)
Net Value: $17.50
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Fight Pass Prelims Worth: $0
Fight Pass Year-to-Date Cost: $69.93
Fight Pass Year-to-Date Value: $-9.43
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Cable (FS1/FS2/FX) YTD Worth: $384
Cable (FS1/FS2/FX) YTD Valuation: $78
Cable (FS1/FS2/FX) YTD Net Value: $306