This summer has been a never-ending marathon of UFC events, and the lack of one last week was a welcome break from the non-stop scheduling. This weekend, we’re back in action with a Sunday night fight card: UFC Fight Night 74 – Holloway vs Oliveira.  The event takes place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1 (along with two fairly meaningless fights on UFC Fight Pass).  The main event is an excellent top contender bout between two young featherweight prospects, and there are a few other interesting bouts on the card, to make for a very solid Fight Night line-up.

Main Event:  [#6 FW] Max Holloway vs [#7 FW] Charles Oliveira

Worth: $20

Why: I have been, at best, lukewarm on the featherweight division in the recent years as Jose Aldo decimated every contender put in front of him and was starting on the rematch circuit.  Fortunately, some much needed new blood has been recently injected into the Top 10.   With the interim champion Conor McGregor bringing a lot of eyes to the division, the title unification match between McGregor and Aldo scheduled for UFC 194 is certain to be one of the most hyped fights of the year.  And the winner of Holloway vs Oliveira will most likely have to face the currently idle Frankie Edgar for the next shot at the title.

Besides the title implications, this fight is a great matchup of styles between two young and hungry contenders. At 23 years old, Max Holloway is already 9-3 in the Octagon, winning six in a row since his decision loss to McGregor two years ago.  Holloway fights often (four times in 2014, and on his third fight this year) and seems to be improving with every bout.   Primarily a striker, Holloway has a couple of submission wins under his belt – including one in his most recent fight against Cub Swanson.  However he is unlikely to match his opponent’s skills on the ground, and would be wise to keep this fight standing.  Charles ‘do Bronx’ Oliveira is another young veteran – 25 years old with an 8-4 (1 NC) record in the UFC.  Oliveira is a grappling wizard, though his striking defense and chin have been questionable at times; he is also coming into this fight on a four win streak.  This matchup will come down to who is able to better impose their will on the opponent and keep the fight in their comfort zone.

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Featherweight (145)
[#6] Max Holloway (13-3-0) vs. [#7] Charles Oliveira (20-4-0)

Last 3 Fights: Max Holloway (3-0-0)
2015-04-18: W vs. [#10FW] Cub Swanson (21-7-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 3:58 of round 3
2015-02-14: W vs. [#44FW] Cole Miller (21-9-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-10-04: W vs. [*] Akira Corassani (12-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:11 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Charles Oliveira (3-0-0)
2015-05-30: W vs. [#15FW] Nik Lentz (25-7-2) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 1:10 of round 3
2014-12-12: W vs. [#9FW] Jeremy Stephens (24-11-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-06-28: W vs. [#114FW] Hatsu Hioki (27-9-2) via Submission (Anaconda Choke) in 4:32 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Max Holloway 127, Charles Oliveira 85
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Max Holloway leads 1-0
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Welterweight (170)
[#19] Erick Silva (18-5-0) vs. [#27] Neil Magny (15-4-0)

Last 3 Fights: Erick Silva (2-1-0)
2015-03-21: W vs. [#126WW] Josh Koscheck (17-10-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 4:21 of round 1
2014-12-20: W vs. [#242WW] Mike Rhodes (5-4-0) via Technical Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 1:15 of round 1
2014-05-10: L vs. [#9WW] Matt Brown (20-13-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:11 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Neil Magny (2-1-0)
2015-08-01: L vs. [#7WW] Demian Maia (21-6-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:52 of round 2
2015-05-16: W vs. [#70WW] Hyun Gyu Lim (13-5-1) via TKO (Punches) in 1:24 of round 2
2015-02-14: W vs. [#120WW] Kiichi Kunimoto (18-6-2) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:22 of round 3

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Erick Silva 155, Neil Magny 22
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#30] Josh Burkman (27-11-0) vs. [#47] Patrick Cote (21-9-0)

Last 3 Fights: Josh Burkman (1-1-0, 1 NC)
2015-05-23: L vs. [#10WW] Dong Hyun Kim (20-3-1) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 2:13 of round 3
2015-01-03: NC vs. [#6WW] Hector Lombard (34-4-1)
2014-03-29: W vs. [#50WW] Tyler Stinson (29-10-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:15 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Patrick Cote (2-1-0)
2015-04-25: W vs. [#179WW] Joe Riggs (40-16-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-09-27: L vs. [#14WW] Stephen Thompson (11-1-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-04-16: W vs. [#100WW] Kyle Noke (21-7-1) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Josh Burkman 92, Patrick Cote 120
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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After a rather mediocre (both on paper and in the cage) UFC 190 Pay-Per-View last week, the UFC is following up with a strong Fight Night event.  This one has a couple of fights with significance to the divisional Top 10 standings, a few developing prospects, and some fun matchups.  All of the main card fights are very closely matched, which is always a good thing.  The prelims will be broadcast on Fox Sports 2 and UFC Fight Pass network; however there is not much on the prelims worth writing about, so I will just focus on the Fox Sports 1 main card.

Main Event:  [#7 LHW] Glover Teixeira vs [#9 LHW] Ovince St. Preux

Worth: $15

Why: Glover Teixeira has been a big name on the international MMA scene for many years prior to making his UFC debut, which was long delayed due to visa issues.  After finally making his way to UFC, Teixeira started off by winning five straight, which earned him a shot at the champion Jon Jones.  Teixeira fell short in his bid at the title, and there is no shame in losing to Jones. However he dropped an uninspiring decision to Phil Davis in his next fight, which brought up all sorts of questions about the 35-year-old’s ability to improve his game and adapt to fighting wrestlers at this stage of his career.

Though Ovince ‘OSP’ St. Preux has wrestling as his base, he does not solely rely on it in the cage: OSP has significant KO power and decent submission grappling ability, which makes him a very dangerous opponent for any light heavyweight.  The Strikeforce veteran is 6-1 in the UFC, his sole loss an ugly decision to Ryan Bader, and has stopped all but one of his UFC opponents.  After knocking out Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua and Patrick Cummins in back-to-back fights, OSP will get an opportunity to rise further in the rankings and work his way up to a contender status.  On paper, St. Preux has the skill set to defeat the seemingly fading Teixeira, though Glover’s punching power cannot be counted out.  This has all the makings of an exiciting matchup with potential implications for the title picture in the rather shallow 205 lbs weight class.
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#7] Glover Teixeira (22-4-0) vs. [#9] Ovince St. Preux (18-6-0)

Last 3 Fights: Glover Teixeira (1-2-0)
2014-10-25: L vs. [#5LHW] Phil Davis (13-3-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-04-26: L vs. [#1LHW/#2DD/#1P4P] Jon Jones (21-1-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
2013-09-04: W vs. [#4LHW] Ryan Bader (19-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:55 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Ovince St. Preux (2-1-0)
2015-04-18: W vs. [#32LHW] Patrick Cummins (8-2-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:54 of round 1
2014-11-08: W vs. [#10LHW] Mauricio Rua (23-10-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:34 of round 1
2014-08-16: L vs. [#4LHW] Ryan Bader (19-4-0) via UD (49-46, 49-46, 48-47)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Glover Teixeira 287, Ovince St. Preux 112
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Glover Teixeira leads 1-0
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Lightweight (155)
[#7] Michael Johnson (16-8-0) vs. [#14] Beneil Dariush (11-1-0)

Last 3 Fights: Michael Johnson (3-0-0)
2015-02-22: W vs. [#12LW] Edson Barboza (16-3-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-03-08: W vs. [#28LW] Melvin Guillard (32-14-2) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2013-12-28: W vs. [#29LW] Gleison Tibau (32-11-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:32 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Beneil Dariush (3-0-0)
2015-04-18: W vs. [#31LW] Jim Miller (25-6-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2015-03-14: W vs. [#71LW] Daron Cruickshank (16-7-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:48 of round 2
2014-10-25: W vs. [#61LW] Carlos Diego Ferreira (11-2-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Michael Johnson 167, Beneil Dariush 112
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Middleweight (185)
[#20] Derek Brunson (13-3-0) vs. [#25] Sam Alvey (26-6-0)

Last 3 Fights: Derek Brunson (2-1-0)
2015-01-31: W vs. [#46MW] Ed Herman (22-11-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:36 of round 1
2014-08-30: W vs. [#18WW] Lorenz Larkin (16-4-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-01-15: L vs. [#3MW] Yoel Romero (10-1-0) via TKO (Punches and Elbows) in 3:23 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Sam Alvey (3-0-0)
2015-05-10: W vs. [#88MW] Daniel Kelly (9-1-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:49 of round 1
2015-02-22: W vs. [#152WW] Cezar Ferreira (8-5-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:34 of round 1
2014-11-07: W vs. [#181MW] Dylan Andrews (17-7-0) via KO (Punches) in 2:16 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Derek Brunson 189, Sam Alvey 90
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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No rest for the weary MMA fans!  After putting on five events in July, UFC is rolling in a new month with another Pay-Per-View.  This one is somewhat of an oddity, for several reasons.  First, it’s the only UFC PPV to feature seven bouts on the main card.  The reason for deviating from the usual five fights on a PPV card are the two ‘TUF: Brazil’ finale fights, originally slated to take place at UFC Fight Night 70.  Besides the TUF bouts, this card features an interesting mix of the ‘old school’ nostalgia-type bouts, and the ‘new school’ WMMA.  I normally don’t valuate women’s bouts highly, however this will be the first time they are valuated on par (or higher) with the men’s fights on the same card.  This is partially caused by WMMA starting to grow on me as the UFC develops the women’s bantamweight and strawweight divisions.  Even though they are still very shallow and good matchups are hard to find, here we have two bouts that I consider interesting and relevant.

The flip side of the coin are the nostalgic matchups.  Despite an occasional exception, combat sports are no place for old men… or young men who absorbed so much damage over their fighting career that it makes me cringe watching them receive yet another traumatic brain injury.  There are a handful of such fighters on this card, and some of them are even fighting each other.  It comes to a point where watching these guys get their block knocked off is no longer enjoyable, and so a few of the fights on this card will receive a much lower valuation than you might expect.  I suppose this is a bit hypocritical of me to say as an MMA fan, especially as one who prefers finishes to decisions – perhaps I should just shut up and watch the fights, accepting TBIs to be the inevitable reality of a sport where people punch and kick each other in the head.  However, I am paying to watch these fights and here I am writing about it, and of course this is all based strictly on my personal, subjective opinion.  As always, your mileage may vary.

Main Event: (C) [#1 W135] Ronda Rousey vs [#13 W135] Bethe Correia for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship

Worth: $15

Why: The majority of the MMA world has already written off Bethe Correia as a legitimate challenger, looking past this fight to the inevitability of Rousey – Tate 3.  Ronda Rousey is anywhere between 10-1 and 15-1 betting favorite, and I don’t see Correia pulling off the huge upset here.  However, I think Bethe will last longer in the Octagon with Rousey than Ronda’s last three opponents combined. I expect that Correia will come into to the fight with some semblance of strategy besides rushing Rousey at the opening bell trying to land a hail-mary. Hopefully we will get to see Rousey showcase her cardio, striking, and perseverance – not another arm handed to her on a silver platter.

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Women Bantamweight Championship (135)
[#1/#1DD/#1P4P] Ronda Rousey (11-0-0, -1522) vs. [#13] Bethe Correia (9-0-0, +858)
Ronda Rousey is the All-Time #1 ranked Women’s fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Ronda Rousey (3-0-0)
2015-02-28: W vs. [#4BW/#9P4P] Cat Zingano (9-1-0) via Submission (Straight Armbar) in 0:14 of round 1
2014-07-05: W vs. [#2BW/#7DD/#6P4P] Alexis Davis (17-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:16 of round 1
2014-02-22: W vs. [#6BW] Sara McMann (8-2-0) via TKO (Knee to the Body) in 1:06 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Bethe Correia (3-0-0)
2014-08-30: W vs. [#40BW] Shayna Baszler (15-10-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:56 of round 2
2014-04-26: W vs. [#48BW] Jessamyn Duke (3-3-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-12-07: W vs. [NA] Julie Kedzie (16-13-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Ronda Rousey 154, Bethe Correia 336
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#11] Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (21-6-0, +162) vs. [#16] Mauricio Rua (22-10-0, -204)
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is the All-Time #13 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.
Mauricio Rua is the All-Time #6 ranked Light Heavyweight and #23 ranked Absolute fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (2-1-0)
2014-07-26: L vs. [#3LHW] Anthony Johnson (19-5-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:44 of round 1
2013-02-02: W vs. [*] Rashad Evans (21-3-1) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2011-12-10: W vs. [#12LHW] Tito Ortiz (19-11-1) via TKO (Punches and Elbows to the Body) in 3:15 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Mauricio Rua (1-2-0)
2014-11-08: L vs. [#9LHW] Ovince St. Preux (18-6-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:34 of round 1
2014-03-23: L vs. [#10MW] Dan Henderson (31-13-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:31 of round 3
2013-12-07: W vs. [#146MW] James Te Huna (16-8-0) via KO (Punch) in 1:03 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira 371, Mauricio Rua 266
Previous Match-up Record: Mauricio Rua leads 1-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira leads 5-3
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Lightweight (155)
[#61FW] Fernando Bruno (15-2-0, +119) vs. [#233] Glaico Franca Moreira (12-3-0, -151)

Last 3 Fights: Fernando Bruno (3-0-0)
2014-08-24: W vs. [#168FW] Julio Cesar de Almeida (22-10-0) via SD ()
2014-02-04: W vs. [*] Jorge Luis Paico (3-1-1) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in ? of round 1
2014-02-04: W vs. [#409FW] Enrique Barzola (10-2-1) via UD ()

Last 3 Fights: Glaico Franca Moreira (2-1-0)
2014-08-30: W vs. [NA] Wellington Soares (0-1-0) via KO (Knee) in 1:17 of round 1
2014-05-10: W vs. [#1261LW] Piero Severo (4-10-0) via Submission (Anaconda Choke) in 1:55 of round 1
2014-03-15: L vs. [#430LW] Daniel Reis (6-1-0) via UD ()

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Fernando Bruno 342, Glaico Franca Moreira 336
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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It’s been a marathon of a month for UFC.  After a Pay-Per-View, a TUF Finale, and a couple of Fight Nights, we’re wrapping up July with the fifth UFC event for the month.  This one has a very solid line up: a bantamweight title fight topping the bill, backed by seven other interesting matchups – all broadcast for free on Fox.  Even the Fight Pass prelims have a couple of fights worth tuning into.  All the fights are very closely matched-up, at least according to sports betting odds if not from the ranking standpoint.

Main Event: (C) [#1 BW] T.J. Dillashaw vs [#2 BW] Renan Barao for the UFC Bantamweight Championship

Worth: $20

Why:  In most cases, I would valuate a title fight featuring the top two ranked fighters in their weight class at or near the $25 single-fight limit that I’ve set for myself.  However, for this fight I was struggling to even give it $20. The main reason for this is the weird state of the bantamweight division.  This is the most splintered men’s division in the sport, with four of the Top 10 fighters outside of the UFC (and only two of those four are in the same organization).  The rest of the Top 10 is taken up by Dominic Cruz, who’s fought once since 2011 and suffered another injury after his only fight; Urijah Faber, who has pretty much run out of title shots at any weight class and is now in the stage of his career where he will mostly be involved in ‘feature fights’; Raphael Assuncao; and somehow Manny Gamburyan.  Assuncao is on a seven win streak and holds a split decision win over Dillashaw, so he will almost certainly be the next challenger for the title, but he is a rather bland decision fighter.  Outside of the Top 10, the UFC’s best prospects are Aljamain Sterling and Thomas Almeida, and it would be logical to match them up next, but I don’t believe that either man is ready for a title shot.  Unfortunately one of them will most likely be rushed into it anyhow, unless UFC is able to steal one of the other top bantamweights away from the competition.

As for the actual fight at hand, it also has some odd circumstances surrounding it.  Dillashaw came into the first fight with Barao as a huge underdog, but overcame the odds and dominated the reigning champion, hurting him early in the first round and finishing him in the fifth.  An immediate rematch was scheduled (of course), but disintegrated at the last minute when Barao fell ill as he was attempting to make weight.  TJ Dillashaw ended up defending against the fight night substitute Joe Soto, while Barao had to take on Mitch Gagnon to earn his rematch again. Though both men finished their opponents, neither looked particularly impressive considering how much of a step down they were taking.  Still, this is a good fight – the best that the UFC has to work with in the division at the moment.  It just doesn’t feel like the winner of this fight can truly claim to be the best bantamweight in the world, with Dominic Cruz still in the game and so many top fighters competing outside of the UFC.

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Bantamweight Championship (135)
[#1] T.J. Dillashaw (11-2-0, -217) vs. [#2] Renan Barao (33-2-0, +177)
T.J. Dillashaw is the All-Time #10 ranked Bantamweight fighter.
Renan Barao is the All-Time #1 ranked Bantamweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: T.J. Dillashaw (3-0-0)
2014-08-30: W vs. [#73BW] Joe Soto (15-4-0) via KO (Head Kick and Punches) in 2:20 of round 5
2014-05-24: W vs. [#2BW] Renan Barao (33-2-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 2:26 of round 5
2014-01-15: W vs. [#225BW] Mike Easton (13-5-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Renan Barao (2-1-0)
2014-12-20: W vs. [#28BW] Mitch Gagnon (12-3-0) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 3:53 of round 3
2014-05-24: L vs. [#1BW] T.J. Dillashaw (11-2-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 2:26 of round 5
2014-02-01: W vs. [#3BW] Urijah Faber (32-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:42 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: T.J. Dillashaw 329, Renan Barao 217
Previous Match-up Record: T.J. Dillashaw leads 1-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Women Bantamweight (135)
[#3/#10DD/#8P4P] Miesha Tate (16-5-0, -196) vs. [#5/#10P4P] Jessica Eye (11-2-0, +163)
Miesha Tate is the All-Time #9 ranked Women’s fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Miesha Tate (3-0-0)
2015-01-31: W vs. [#7BW] Sara McMann (8-2-0) via MD (29-27, 29-28, 28-28)
2014-09-20: W vs. [#19BW] Rin Nakai (16-1-1) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2014-04-19: W vs. [#11BW] Liz Carmouche (10-5-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Jessica Eye (1-1-0, 1 NC)
2014-11-15: W vs. [#16BW] Leslie Smith (7-6-1) via TKO (Doctor Stoppage) in 1:30 of round 2
2014-02-22: L vs. [#2BW/#7DD/#6P4P] Alexis Davis (17-6-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2013-10-19: NC vs. [#10BW] Sarah Kaufman (17-3-0)

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Miesha Tate 175, Jessica Eye 252
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Lightweight (155)
[#15] Edson Barboza (15-3-0, -130) vs. [#41] Paul Felder (9-0-0, +108)

Last 3 Fights: Edson Barboza (2-1-0)
2015-02-22: L vs. [#7LW] Michael Johnson (16-8-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-11-22: W vs. [#18LW] Bobby Green (23-6-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-07-16: W vs. [#23LW] Evan Dunham (16-6-0) via TKO (Kick to the Body and Punches) in 3:06 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Paul Felder (3-0-0)
2015-01-03: W vs. [#57LW] Danny Castillo (17-8-0) via KO (Spinning Back Fist) in 2:09 of round 2
2014-10-04: W vs. [#141LW] Jason Saggo (10-2-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2014-08-09: W vs. [#713WW] Craig Johnson (7-4-0) via KO (Spinning Back Heel) in 3:44 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Edson Barboza 153, Paul Felder 203
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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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.

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Middleweight (185)
[#9] Thales Leites (25-4-0) vs. [#11] Michael Bisping (26-7-0)
Michael Bisping is the All-Time #24 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Thales Leites (3-0-0)
2015-01-31: W vs. [#19MW] Tim Boetsch (18-9-0) via Technical Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 3:45 of round 2
2014-08-23: W vs. [#19LHW] Francis Carmont (23-10-0) via KO (Punches) in 0:20 of round 2
2014-04-11: W vs. [#71MW] Trevor Smith (13-6-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:45 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Michael Bisping (2-1-0)
2015-04-25: W vs. [#16MW] C.B. Dollaway (15-7-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-11-07: L vs. [#2MW] Luke Rockhold (14-2-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 0:57 of round 2
2014-08-23: W vs. [*] Cung Le (9-3-0) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 0:57 of round 4

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Thales Leites 168, Michael Bisping 84
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Lightweight (155)
[#27] Ross Pearson (17-8-0) vs. [#44] Evan Dunham (15-6-0)

Last 3 Fights: Ross Pearson (2-1-0)
2015-03-14: W vs. [#143LW] Sam Stout (20-11-1) via KO (Punch) in 1:33 of round 2
2014-11-07: L vs. [#10LW] Al Iaquinta (13-3-1) via TKO (Punches) in 1:39 of round 2
2014-08-16: W vs. [#148LW] Gray Maynard (11-5-1) via TKO (Punches) in 1:35 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Evan Dunham (1-2-0)
2015-01-03: W vs. [*] Rodrigo Damm (12-9-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2014-07-16: L vs. [#15LW] Edson Barboza (15-3-0) via TKO (Kick to the Body and Punches) in 3:06 of round 1
2013-11-16: L vs. [#2LW/#10P4P] Donald Cerrone (28-6-0) via Submission (Triangle Choke) in 3:49 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Ross Pearson 126, Evan Dunham 196
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Women Strawweight (115)
[#14] Joanne Calderwood (9-1-0) vs. [#28] Cortney Casey (4-1-0)

Last 3 Fights: Joanne Calderwood (2-1-0)
2015-04-11: L vs. [#6SW] Maryna Moroz (6-0-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 1:30 of round 1
2014-12-12: W vs. [#25SW] Seo Hee Ham (15-6-0) via UD (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-12-07: W vs. [#17SW] Katja Kankaanpaa (10-2-1) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Cortney Casey (3-0-0)
2015-03-13: W vs. [#73SW] Helen Harper (4-1-0) via TKO in ? of round 1
2014-11-15: W vs. [#20AW] Gina Iniong (3-2-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:30 of round 1
2014-06-27: W vs. [#19AW] Tomo Maesawa (5-5-0) via TKO (Corner Stoppage) in 0:39 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Joanne Calderwood 98, Cortney Casey 127
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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UFC Fight Night 71: Mir vs Duffee will take place in San Diego, California, and features a very solid line-up.  Which is a bit surprising considering that it  is the third UFC event in 5 days, but I can’t complain.  With two very good fights topping the bill, and a few decent bouts scattered through the undercard, I am looking forward to this mid-week event.

Main Event: [#10 HW] Frank Mir vs [#32 HW] Todd Duffee

Worth: $15

Why: After four consecutive losses, most MMA fans including myself thought that Frank Mir’s storied UFC career was pretty much over.  But a recent TKO over Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva gave Mir his first win since 2011, a spot in the heavyweight top 10 among several of his contemporaries, and a matchup with one of the very few UFC heavyweights under 30.  Todd Duffee was considered a top prospect when he made his UFC debut in 2009, but his career has been hampered by injuries, as he’s fought only 5 times since then.  Duffee is 2-0 in his current UFC stint, though nearly two years have passed in between those two bouts.  I really don’t know what to expect from this fight, other than a violent finish of some sort.
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Heavyweight (265)
[#10] Frank Mir (17-9-0) vs. [#32] Todd Duffee (9-2-0)
Frank Mir is the All-Time #14 ranked Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Frank Mir (1-2-0)
2015-02-22: W vs. [#11HW+] Antonio Silva (18-7-1) via KO (Elbows) in 1:40 of round 1
2014-02-01: L vs. [#8HW+] Alistair Overeem (39-14-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2013-08-31: L vs. [*] Josh Barnett (33-7-0) via TKO (Knee) in 1:56 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Todd Duffee (3-0-0)
2014-12-06: W vs. [#47HW+] Anthony Hamilton (14-4-0) via KO (Punch) in 0:33 of round 1
2012-12-29: W vs. [#83HW+] Philip De Fries (11-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:04 of round 1
2012-04-07: W vs. [*] Neil Grove (12-7-1) via TKO (Punches) in 0:34 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Frank Mir 143, Todd Duffee 221
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Lightweight (155)
[#11] Tony Ferguson (18-3-0) vs. [#12] Josh Thomson (20-7-0)

Last 3 Fights: Tony Ferguson (3-0-0)
2015-02-28: W vs. [#30LW] Gleison Tibau (32-11-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:37 of round 1
2014-12-06: W vs. [#66LW] Abel Trujillo (12-6-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:19 of round 2
2014-08-30: W vs. [#57LW] Danny Castillo (17-8-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Last 3 Fights: Josh Thomson (1-2-0)
2014-07-26: L vs. [#19LW] Bobby Green (23-6-0) via SD (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
2014-01-25: L vs. [#4LW] Ben Henderson (22-5-0) via SD (49-46, 47-48, 48-47)
2013-04-20: W vs. [#18LW] Nate Diaz (17-10-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 3:44 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Tony Ferguson 137, Josh Thomson 354
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Tony Ferguson leads 1-0
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Women Bantamweight (135)
[#11] Holly Holm (8-0-0) vs. [#13] Marion Reneau (6-1-0)

Last 3 Fights: Holly Holm (3-0-0)
2015-02-28: W vs. [#17BW] Raquel Pennington (5-5-0) via SD ()
2014-04-04: W vs. [#27FLY] Juliana Werner (8-5-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 1:50 of round 5
2013-12-06: W vs. [#111FLY] Angela Hayes (6-8-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Marion Reneau (3-0-0)
2015-02-22: W vs. [#18BW] Jessica Andrade (12-4-0) via Submission (Triangle Choke) in 1:54 of round 1
2015-01-03: W vs. [#97BW] Alexis Dufresne (5-2-0) via UD (30-25, 30-26, 30-26)
2014-07-25: W vs. [NA] Maureen Riordon (0-2-0) via Submission (Armbar) in 4:15 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Holly Holm 137, Marion Reneau 143
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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If you’ve been hiding out under a 145-lbs rock for a few weeks, it might come as a surprise that UFC 189 is not the only MMA event taking place in an eight-sided cage this weekend.  For some odd reason, UFC decided to follow the biggest Pay-Per-View event of the year with a rather bland and pedestrian Ultimate Fighter Season 21 finale the very next day.  To be fair, this is actually a decent card by TUF Finale standards.  There are no titles or even title shots on the line here, and I’ve stopped watching ‘TUF’ many seasons ago, so I don’t care much about the finals per se.  Still, there is a handful of fights worth catching here, and if you’re a gambler, perhaps recoup some of your losses from the Mendes-McGregor fight on one of MMA betting sites.

Main Event: [#15 WW] Jake Ellenberger vs [#29 WW] Stephen Thompson

Worth: $10

Why: A seasoned veteran taking on a young prospect: a story as old as combat sports.  But it’s always unusual when the veteran is actually younger than the prospect, despite having a huge advantage in fight experience (or disadvantage in the mileage/wear and tear that comes with the fight experience, depending on how you look at it).  Such is the case in this fight:  30 year old Ellenberger has been fighting for over 10 years, with 39 recorded professional bouts under his belt, while his 32 year old opponent has only been in the sport for 5 years and competed in just 11 fights.

Ellenberger is a fairly well-rounded fighter, who tends to overly rely on his punching power, yet often hesitates to pull the trigger in striking exchanges.  This has prevented him from ever getting  a shot at the welterweight gold, and cost him 3 consecutive losses.  On the verge of losing his spot on the UFC roster, ‘The Juggernaut’ made a nice comeback with a second round submission of Josh Koscheck, and will now look to build another win streak.  Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson is primarily a striker,  with the only loss of his career coming via a decision courtesy of Matt Brown.  Although Thompson’s last fight with Patrick Cote was a very boring affair, the karate expert has knocked out 3 of his 6 UFC opponents, so Ellenberger would be wise to take this fight to the ground.  However Jake has never demonstrated a great fight IQ, so I expect him to attempt slugging it out with Thompson.  This fight could really be anything from a quick and brutal KO by either opponent, to a 5-round dance competition.  Of course I am hoping it doesn’t turn into the latter.

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Welterweight (170)
[#15] Jake Ellenberger (30-9-0) vs. [#29] Stephen Thompson (10-1-0)
Jake Ellenberger is the All-Time #20 ranked Welterweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Jake Ellenberger (1-2-0)
2015-02-28: W vs. [#113WW] Josh Koscheck (17-10-0) via Submission (North South Choke) in 4:20 of round 2
2014-11-15: L vs. [#12MW] Kelvin Gastelum (11-1-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:46 of round 1
2014-05-24: L vs. [#1WW/#9DD/#8P4P] Robbie Lawler (25-10-0) via TKO (Knee and Punches) in 3:06 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Stephen Thompson (3-0-0)
2014-09-27: W vs. [#44WW] Patrick Cote (21-9-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
2014-02-22: W vs. [#19MW] Robert Whittaker (14-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:43 of round 1
2013-09-21: W vs. [#202WW] Chris Clements (12-6-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:27 of round 2

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jake Ellenberger 134, Stephen Thompson 288
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#39] Kamaru Usman (5-1-0) vs. [#231] Hayder Hassan (6-1-0)

Last 3 Fights: Kamaru Usman (3-0-0)
2014-07-18: W vs. [#724WW] Marcus Hicks (10-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 5:00 of round 2
2014-04-04: W vs. [#986MW] Lenny Lovato (8-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:04 of round 3
2014-01-31: W vs. [NA] Steven Rodriguez (2-3-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:31 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Hayder Hassan (3-0-0)
2014-10-31: W vs. [#615WW] Felipe Portela (8-2-0) via TKO (Punch) in 3:23 of round 1
2013-10-12: W vs. [#249LW] Jason Jackson (4-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:32 of round 3
2010-04-30: W vs. [NA] Robert Thompson (11-18-0) via UD ()

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Kamaru Usman 359, Hayder Hassan 254
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#118MW] Vicente Luque (7-4-1) vs. [#151] Mike Graves (4-0-0)

Last 3 Fights: Vicente Luque (2-1-0)
2014-06-21: W vs. [#713WW] Paulistenio Rocha (7-3-1) via UD ()
2013-07-13: L vs. [#115MW] Carlos Alexandre Pereira (31-10-1) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 0:44 of round 3
2013-05-10: W vs. [*] Marcelo Lisboa (6-2-0) via TKO in 0:00 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Mike Graves (3-0-0)
2014-10-31: W vs. [#1111WW] Rafael Souza (7-3-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 2:37 of round 2
2014-04-03: W vs. [#974WW] Rico Farrington (3-2-0) via in of round 1
2013-06-21: W vs. [NA] Danny Finz (0-2-0) via TKO in 1:26 of round 1

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Vicente Luque 386, Mike Graves 254
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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UFC 189 is one of the most anticipated, and definitely the most hyped, Pay-Per-View event of the year thus far. The hype was mainly centered around Conor McGregor challenging Jose Aldo for the featherweight championship. Of course, no UFC event is left untouched by the injury curse, and a couple of weeks before the event Aldo suffered a rib injury in training.  After much hemming and hawing regarding the severity of his injury and whether he will be able to compete, it was finally announced that Jose’s rib is broken, and Chad Mendes will step up on short notice to face McGregor for an interim belt.

Despite the main event going down the crapper, this still remains of the most stacked cards in recent memory, and one of the few that will meet and even exceed the price of a UFC PPV. I usually wait until a day or two before the event to publish these blogs, as to account for last minute injuries and other unexpected changes in the line up; however with 4 UFC events in an 8-day span I’ll have to get started early, and keep it short.  Let’s just hope the rest of this card remains intact till Saturday.

Main Card (Pay-Per-View)

Main Event: [#4 FW] Chad Mendes vs [#6 FW] Conor McGregor  for the Interim UFC Featherweight Championship

Worth: $20

Why: Though I was looking forward to Aldo – McGregor, I am really not that upset about this fight falling through.  The UFC hype machine fast-tracked Conor to a title shot without him having to face any of the other top contenders in the division, or an opponent with legitimate wrestling/grappling credentials. The match-up with Mendes addresses both of the above critiques, and will answer a few questions about whether McGregor is just hype or the real deal.  Creating an interim title for a rib injury is silly but understandable:  it allows UFC to keep McGregor in the main event, and it’s obvious that they want to put some kind of gold around the waist of one of their biggest draws at the moment – even if it’s a meaningless paper belt.  Let’s just ignore the whole interim title thing, and consider it a #1 contender match: if Conor wins, the ‘title unification’ fight with Aldo will be even more anticipated than UFC 189.  Conor McGregor is a very polarizing figure, and the odds have him as a slight favorite, so if you don’t buy into the hype and enjoy MMA betting, here’s your chance to put your money where your mouse is. As for me, I won’t make any predictions on this fight… not even touching it with Mauro Ranallo’s 25-centimeter pole.

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